Presented by the University of North Georgia

05.18.18 - 05.20.18 georgiafilmfestival georgiafilmfestival GAfilmfest Georgia Film Festival Welcome Schedule of Events

Welcome to the inaugural edition of the Georgia Friday May 18 (page 4) Film Festival presented by the University of North 3 There’s No Place Like Home (Georgia Short Films) Georgia! I want to take a brief moment to tell you we appreciate your support. I also want to make 5 UNG Student Short Films sure you know who and what you’re supporting. Opening Night Reception (CE Lobby) Our festival is a means of showcasing the work of 6 emerging filmmakers in Georgia, including our own 7 The Founders film students at UNG. It’s vital at this moment in the history of film in Georgia that we develop homegrown Saturday May 19 (page 6) talent, support Georgia-based organizations, and make this whole phenomenon sustainable. We love 12 The Music of Film hosting Hollywood, but we also need to grow our own, 12:30 The Best of the 48hr Film Project Atlanta local industry. By attending and/or contributing to GFF, you are helping to do exactly that. On behalf of 2 Animals on Set the festival organizers, UNG students, and filmmakers 2:30 About a Donkey throughout Georgia, I sincerely thank you. 4 Stunts Workshop Dr. Jeff Marker Department Head 4:30 UNG Student Short Films (Take 2) Communication Media & Journalism Department GFF Executive Director 7 Shifting Gears 9:30 After Party at Left Nut Brewing The 2018 Georgia Film Festival is proud to partner with Georgia Production Partnership Sunday May 20 (page 13) 12 Music Videos Panel 12:30 World of Pure Imagination 2 Social Media Charm School 2:30 Poor Jane 4 Special FX Panel 4:30 Around the Wold in 80 Minutes (International Shorts)

7 STILL Film Event 9 Awards Ceremony Panel Feature

2 3 Georgia Film Festival presents No Place Like Home The Founders 3pm Friday May 18 Ed Cabell Theatre Directed by Charlene Fisk and Carrie Schrader Moderated by Dr. Jeff Marker 7pm Friday May 18 Ed Cabell Theatre Moderated by Dr. Jeff Marker Georgia-Produced Shortfilms

In 1950, thirteen amateur women golfers battled society, finances and sometimes even each other to Cells Raymond Wood create the first and longest running professional sports organization for Justified Taylor Richard women. With humor, grit and raw talent, these underdogs not only changed the course of women’s “See Change” in sports, they created a timeless story the Chattahoochee Hal Jacobs of redemption and endurance. River Watershed

The Emissary Bryan Tan Carrie Schrader (Director) is a writer/director whose short films and screenplays have won film festival audience awards internationally. She won the “New Voices” award at the Seattle International Film Daniel Oramas Color Blind Festival, and was labeled one of the “Top Ten Directors To Watch Out For” by IndieWire.com. Levitate, Levitate, Levitate Ebony Blanding Phoebe Brown (Producer) is an independent producer and seasoned My Mother When film and television professional working in both narrative production Weston Manders as an on set dresser for shows including Sundance’s Rectify, CW’s She Was Younger The Originals and Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse and as an Associate Producer for nonfiction programming for Investigation Discovery, Cooking Channel and PBS. Phoebe is co-founder of The 40 Miles to Macon Daniel Espeut Cross Stitch Project, a media production program for teen girls in Kolkata and Atlanta, and awarding winning Producer/Director of short documentaries. She received an MFA in Digital Filmmaking Arts from Georgia State University. Phoebe became a member of the Producers Guild of America in 2015.

The screening will be followed by a short Q & A with the filmmakers. 4 5 Music for the Movies Animal Wrangling 101 12pm Saturday May 19 Room 108 2pm Saturday May 19 Room 108 Moderated by Professor Carrie Schrader Moderated by Professor Carrie Schrader How is music composed, scored and mixed for the movies? How do you find and wrangle animals for film? Catch the Hear from professional composers and conductors of Star women behind www.stark9.com who provide all kinds of Wars, Burn Notice, Walk the Line, CNN, and The Atlanta Braves critters for movies, television and commercials. They’ll share how the tunes are tracked for images. the dos and don’ts of pets on set and introduce a few of their favorite animal stars! Panleists: Greg Sudmeire William Lee Jeremy Gilbertson Panleists: Tracy Sargent Jennifer Gagne

Tracy “Trace” Sargent is the Owner and Director of an Atlanta-based award-winning animal talent agency and training program - STAR K9 LLC and STAR K9 ACADEMY. She has been an animal trainer for over 25 years, and has been featured in local, national and international Greg has been the Music Director for the Fremont Symphony, CA, and has guest conducted the San Jose and Oakland Symphonies in publications and media. Her production work includes California. He has toured as conductor for the “San Francisco Festival print, video, commercials, indie films and feature films. Pops” orchestra, and conducted many orchestras around the country. Greg is also the Resident Music Director for the Diablo Ballet, in Walnut Jen Gagne has an extensive background with over Creek, CA. He founded, contracted, and conducted the “Skywalker twenty years of professional experience working as a Symphony” at Lucasfilm for many projects such as the Grammy dog trainer and animal wrangler, an Executive Director nominated “Star Wars Trilogy” album with composer John Williams of a Humane Association, and was the Founder and as well as albums for composers and artists like Alan Silvestri, Linda Co-Owner of Tail-Waggers Pet Bakery & Gifts (now Tail- Ronstadt and Randy Newman. Wiggles) located on Hilton Head Island, SC. Greg also served as Music Director and Drummer for KPIX TV’s “The She has trained and wrangled animals for feature films starring Mark Afternoon Show” with Ann Fraser and Ross McGowan, performing with Sammy Davis Jr., BB King, Les McCann, and others. A CLIO advertising Wahlberg, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Ben Falcone, Paul Rudd, award winner, Greg has produced and written themes for shows like Michael Douglas and Kate Beckensale. Jen has two actor dogs, a “Mac & Mutley,” “KPIX Late Movie,” and “Evening Magazine”. Border mix named Emma and a Aussie mix named Matty. Look for Emma in the award winning film “Super Dog”. William Hanford Lee Jr. is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, composer and producer with a passion for music and artist development. His film and television credits include such notable (Continued from Music Panel - Page 6) films as “Walk The Line” and “The Taking Of Pelham 123″, and tv Jeremy is one of the founders of the Atlanta-based music creation and shows such as “Burn Notice”, “The Bernie Mac Show”. He’s performed audio production company, Tunewelders and boutique music library, with music legends such as Gladys Knight and James Brown. Tunewell. His production credits include work produced for the Atlanta His voice and music production has been featured on countless Hawks, Coca-Cola, Baskin Robbins and Full Throttle Energy Drinks, as well TV shows and films, as well as numerous advertising campaigns as the films The Barn, The Eternal Youth of Everything Else, The Boyscout including Old Navy, Dodge Ram Trucks, Tobasco and many others. and Outcast Forever. Jeremy and the Tunewelders team continue to blend William has been managing the career of actress/comedienne the worlds of technology and entertainment through ground-breaking Luenell since 2004 helping to shape her into one of the hottest stars real-time collaborative performances over distance and immersive audio for in film/tv & comedy. He is also known for writing and producing with virtual and augmented reality. Jeremy loves to learn and publishes weekly 3-time Grammy nominee Leona Lewis and Latin singing sensation installments of his blog 52Musings, which is focused on interdisciplinary Paolo Ramirez. Under the band name PapaLee, William released thinking, thematic interconnectedness and the creative process. He a critically acclaimed album of original music entitled SOULvival. is the producer and host of the podcast, Music Is, where he interviews He currently lives in South Atlanta with his wife Maria and their filmmakers, producers, engineers, bands and artists to understand the daughters Lily and Zoie and their dog Reba. deeply intimate connection that we all have with music. 6 7 Stunts and Safety The Best of the 48hr 4pm Saturday May 19 Room 108 Film Project Atlanta Moderated by Professor Carrie Schrader 12:30pm Saturday May 19 Ed Cabell Theatre Moderated by Special Guest Deontae Trundle, CEO of the Indie Film Loop Professional stuntman, Michael Hollinger, and his daring team will perform fighting stunts on Porcelain Ambiguous Entertainment stage and share tips and tricks from their years of experience doing the unthinkable in films It’s Electric Pork Chop & Eggs and television. Absent Minded Impulse

Panleists: Bowls of Souls Collaborative Productions Michael Hollinger Stop Doing That Iron Shadow X Branden Arnold Darin Hicks Mindsight Upgrade Brigade

Payback’s a Mad Roman Media Bitcherman Since a young age, Michael Allen Hollinger has always been attracted to the performing arts, performing, writing, and directing whenever Sexbot Iron Shadow possible. He, however, was more drawn to daredevil activities such as jumping off roofs, sword fighting Sanctuary The A Team with sticks, and chasing his brother down on a bicycle. During his graduate studies in Shakespeare The Only Thing & Performance at Mary Baldwin University, Rage & Crow Productions Hollinger became heavily obsessed with formalized Certain training in stage combat and storytelling when words fail and violence ensues. Detective Stoner Launch Light Hollinger’s culmination of experience in the film, tv, and theatre industries over the past fifteen years has led him to work in a variety of roles over the past year for several major studio features. Most Incensed Mann Women Productions recently, however, Hollinger served as the Stunt Coordinator and 2nd Unit Director for a union feature using several local stunt performers to meet high expectations on an empty budget. No matter the MAGNOM Colon Cattleheart budget, Hollinger’s key priority is always safety followed by telling an Interdimensional engaging and compelling story. Thrill-Cop

8 9 Georgia Film Festival presents Georgia Film Festival presents About a Donkey Shifting Gears Directed by Christina Raia Directed by Jason Winn

2:30pm Saturday May 19 Ed Cabell Theatre 7pm Saturday May 19 Ed Cabell Theatre Moderated by Professor Liz Moss Moderated by Professor Brian Armes

About a Donkey follows the Owens family: Ann & Tim, their 3 adult children, An overworked dad, missing out Cecilia, Burgh, and Annie on his kids growing up, takes (and her husband Paul), an opportunity to start a “family and matriarch Farrah. business” thinking it will draw his When Tim brings home family closer together – that is just a donkey in a mixture mistake number one. of wanting to rescue both it and himself, all of the characters’ lives are shaken up and pushed forward.

A note from the director: About a Donkey at its core is about Director Jason Winn is an independent compassion and growing towards Director and Producer best known for such acceptance. I hope this ensemble works as the critically acclaimed feature film piece will bring audiences in and The Fat Boy Chronicles, Lifetime Movie The cause them to identify with characters Assault, and the soon to be released family who they may not otherwise. The action-comedy Shifting Gears, the horror film was largely shot with a look that filmDead Thirsty, and the adult drama balances reality and an inviting-warmth. Our mission is to Let’s Make It. With 20 years of extensive show that love is love, people’s lives and desires are relevant no production experience under his belt, matter their age, and struggling with depression is acceptable Winn has executive produced two feature and normal. And sometimes just taking an action, even one documentaries and directed the award- as random as buying a donkey, is exactly what’s needed to get winning feature documentary Spiral Bound. your life going again.

Read Christina’s Bio on page 14. She is hosting the Seed&Spark Social Media Charm School at 2 pm, Sunday, May 20th in Room 108.

The screening will be followed by a short Q & A with the filmmaker. The screening will be followed by a short Q & A with the Director, Cast, & Crew 10 11 After Party Making Music Videos 9:30pm Saturday May 19 Left Nut Brewing 12pm Sunday May 20 Room 108 Moderated by Professor Michael Lucker

Sponsored by: Join successful music video directors who have produced videos for rock and country stars such as Goo Goo Dolls, Mastedon, Left Nut Brewing is located inside a historic building Blackberry Smoke, Sara Evans, Trisha in Chicopee Mills, and across from historic Chicopee Mill Village. Erected in 1927 by Johnson & Johnson as a Yearwood and more. They will share the textile mill, the building later housed their administrative secrets of telling powerful cinematic stories facilities as the mill grew over the next several decades. three and a half minutes at a time. The mill and surrounding village are registered in the National Register of Historic Places. The more than Panleists: 19,000 SQ FT building, with high wood ceilings, brick Morgan Lawley walls, copper front door and lots of windows, houses the Video Rahim brewery - a 30 BBL Brewhouse - and a tasting room big enough to host up to 300 people! Morgan Lawley is an award-winning commercial and music video director with twenty years experience crafting content for such companies The tasting room is open as Disney, Mattel, Hasbro and Invisalign. Her Wednesday through Sunday music video clients include Warner Bros., (for specific hours, please DreamWorks, Columbia, MCA, Sony and Virgin, directing videos for such artists as the Goo Goo visit: www.leftnutbrewing. Dolls, Trisha Yearwood, Jo Dee Messina, Terri Clark and Alan Jackson. com). For information on She has been nominated for best video awards with CMT, MTV, CMA private events and tours, and ACM. A recent transplant to Atlanta from Los Angeles, she is now please email us at: in development on several TV & Film projects. [email protected]. Director Video Rahim has been making music videos and filming music events for over 20 years. He’s worked with artists like Puff Daddy 2100 Atlanta Hwy, Gainesville, GA 30504 (P.Diddy), Ciara, Mos Def, Cee-Lo and the Gorillaz with MF Doom. Over the past severn years his Directions from CE building: Take the first exit at the attention has turned to showcasing some of roundabout, then turn Left on Thurmon Tanner Rd. Turn the best of Atlanta’s mucis scene. He’s worked with Outkast, Goodie left on to Atlanta Rd. After 1.8 miles, turn left onto 1st Mob, Sleepy Brown, and the rest of the Dungeon Family, who dubbed street and then turn right. LNB will be on the left. him Video Rahim because whenever he was around he always had his video camera in hand. He’s also directed music videos for Mastodon, Blackberry Smoke, Biters, Curtis Harding, The Booze, Earthgang, and so Each all access or Saturday only badge-holding guest many more. While agency work often times pays the bills, his passion age 21+ will receive 2 free drink tickets lies in working with music artists whether it’s documenting live shows upon entry to the party. and festivals, creating mucis videos and even visuals for concerts. 12 13 Social Media Special Effects: Charm School Practical & Digital 2pm Sunday May 20 Room 108 4pm Sunday May 20 Room 108 Moderated by Professor Michael Lucker Moderated by Professor Michael Lucker

Meet one of the minds driving Seed & Spark, one of the leading programs in the country for empowering young filmmakers to raise the Meet the man behind the digital effects of finances and find the audience to make their The Matrix, Men in Black 2, Die Hard with a dreams come true. She will share the latest & Vengeance and more! He is joined by the artist greatest ways to use social media to work for behind the practical effects of The Devil’s Dolls you, your cast, and crew. and Outlaws and Angels. Together they will show just how the impossible is made possible. Panelist Christina Raia About a Donkey, Director

Panleists: Art David Daniel Devore Christina Raia is a New York City based Writer/Director, the Founder of CongestedCat Productions, and the Director of Crowdfunding at Seed&Spark. Her work, a collection of short films, a web series, and two feature films, has gained a large online following through multiple crowdfunding campaigns. She won Best Director for her feature film, Summit, at the Daniel DeVore is a self taught Atlanta based 2015 Flickers: Rhode Island International Film Festival (genre creature effects artist that has been in the division). Her second feature, About a Donkey, is premiering at movie and cosplay industry for over 8 years. the 2018 Georgia Film Festival. He’s best known for his props, cosplay and creature effects. He’s worked for companies such as Nightmare Armor Studios making Their Mission... Seed&Spark is a new model for entertainment that props and cosplay armors as well Toby Sells combines the convenience and awesomeness of subscription Creature Effect doing everything from running streaming for audiences with the career-building power of crowdfunding for creators. Our mission is to create an molds, to on-set applications. Daniel DeVore entertainment landscape that reflects what filmmakers actually now works as a free lance artist making look like. It’s a ragtag team of filmmakers based in Los Angeles, with anything from Iron Man helmets for the rapper Drake all the way outposts in New York and Chicago. to custom creature sculptures and everything in between. 14 15 Georgia Film Festival Presents World of Pure POOR JANE Imagination Directed by Katie Rowlett Orr 2:30pm Sunday May 20 Ed Cabell Theatre 12:30pm Sunday May 20 Ed Cabell Theatre Moderated by Professor Robyn Hicks Moderated by Zecheriah Pierce

Jane is a stay at home mom who has just realized she Run Out of Iveta Kotačková doesn’t love her husband anymore. She decides to White Horses Czech Republic bid her family adieu for the holidays and spends her time reconnecting with herself by dating other men, reconnecting with old flames, and writing poetry. When Wedding Day Zuzana Čupová Czech Republic the holidays are over, Jane must choose between her new life or the one she left behind. The Amazing Luke Pilgrim Anti-Fart Formula Georgia, USA

The Cherry Tree Eva Dvořákova Czech Republic

Spellbound Martin Kukal Katie (Rowlett) Orr attended Georgia Czech Republic State University where she studied Creative Writing and Theater. She has collaborated with the film collective Voice of Grace Laurel Ripley Fake Wood Wallpaper on numerous Georgia, USA short films and features, such as “Blood Car” (2007), “Congratulations!” (2013) Through the Marsh Kryštof Ulbert and “The Arbalest” (2016). Katie and her Czech Republic husband Alex Orr created and starred in the feature “A is For Alex” (2014). Ghostory Alžběta Göbelová Czech Republic Katie’s directorial debut “Poor Jane,” was selected to participate in the 2016 IFP Narrative Lab and premiered in Dramatic Milk Winnifred Jong Competition at Cinequest Film & VR Festival in San Jose, CA in Canada March 2018. Katie lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband and two young sons. PLANTAE Guilherne Gehr Brazil The screening will be followed by a short Q & A with the filmmaker. 16 17 Georgia Film Festival Presents Around the World in STILL 80 Minutes Directed by Takashi Doscher 4:30pm Sunday May 20 Ed Cabell Theatre 7pm Sunday May 20 Ed Cabell Theatre Moderated by Professor Candice Wilson Moderated by Brantly Jackson Watts

International Shorts When Lily (Madeline Brewer) loses her way on a hike through the Appalachian Road Train Tiahann Heusmann wilderness, she finds Australia rescue in the form of a peculiar married couple, Ella (Lydia Wilson) and Adam (Nick Blood), who have completely isolated themselves from the outside world. As the couple nurses Lily back Vaishali Prachi Sharma India to health, she begins to discover evidence of a dark and dangerous secret, a century in the making. As Ella and Nick’s mystery begins to unravel, Lily comes to understand the couple’s desperation to keep Once Upon a Dream Anthony Nion themselves hidden from the world. Belgium

Takashi Doscher is a writer/director from Atlanta, GA. In 2010, he became the Kampung Tapir Aw See Wee youngest director to sell a film to ESPN Malyasia when he sold his feature doc, A Fighting Chance, at the age of 22. Since then, he has written and directed short films, advertisements, and music videos that “Sad to Suffer Florencia Calcagno have been featured on the front page of and Be Silent” Argentina Vimeo, USA Today, MTV, and Virgin. In 2015, Takashi was named on the Tracking Board’s HIT List and Young & Hungry List for his spec script, The Life Inside. He is currently in post-production on his second feature, a suspenseful post-apocalyptic drama, titled ONLY, Elena Ayerim Villanueva starring Freida Pinto and Leslie Odom, Jr, produced by Tadmor Films. Costa Rica Takashi is represented by Pathfinder Media and UTA.

The screening will be followed by a short Q&A with Producer Gabrielle Pickle 18 19 Awards Ceremony Notes 9pm Sunday May 20 Ed Cabell Theatre

All are invited to the closing events of the 2018 Georgia Film Festival!

Along with the announcement of the 2018 award winners, including the Audience Choice Award, GFF is proud to host the trailer debut of two new films!

Vote for the audience choice award using the boxes located outside the theatre and at the welcome table.

Crew & Volunteers Executive Director...... Dr. Jeff Marker Business...... Samantha Casey Head of Programming...... Melissa Simpson Head of Evaluation Committee...... James Mackenzie Head of Film Programming...... Robyn Hicks Screenings Coordinator...... Carrie Schrader Head of Panels/Workshops...... Michael Lucker Panels/Workshops Coordinator...... Kendall Myers Special Events...... Candice Wilson Operations Manager...... Tim Martin Attendee Services...... Gabe Wardell Creative & Production...... Allison Hogue Design & Assets...... Cayla Hall Marketing & Communication...... Beth Foil Website...... Holly Morris Special thanks to all of the UNG students, faculty, and staff who volunteered their time this weekend to contribute to a great event. 20 21 Thanks to all GFF sponsors including...

Richard & Patricia Taylor

22 23 Georgia Film Festival is presented by

All degrees offered provide a strong interdisciplinary grounding in the liberal arts and prepare students for careers in digital media production, filmmaking, journalism, public relations, organizational leadership or other communication-related professions.

BS in Film & Digital Media BA in Communications with concentrations in Multimedia Journalism Organizational Leadership Public Relations Minors Film Production Journalism Public Relations

Dr. Jeff Marker, Department Chair [email protected] 24