Screenwriting
Outsider Writers: Four Not-in-LA Grad Programs in Screenwriting
Jared M. Gordon interviews graduate program directors at schools in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Illinois, and Nevada.
March 26th, 2013 | Jared M. GordonJared M. Gordon is convinced that studying screenwriting outside of NY or LA can greatly benefit budding scribes. He spoke to graduate program directors at Carnegie Mellon University, Hollins University, Northwestern University, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to gather facts and substantiate his theory.
You don’t have to spend your whole savings and attend a graduate program in Los Angeles or New York to learn screenwriting. In fact, could a program, unshackled from geographic proximity to Hollywood, actually be a unique and advantageous experience for its students?
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Making CONNECTIONS
Rebecca Reynolds asks the "Missed Connections" team how they pulled off their festival-favorite comedy on a shoestring budget.
September 26th, 2012 | Rebecca ReynoldsOn and off-screen partners Kenny Stevenson and Dorien Davies teamed up with producer Lisa Rudin and director Eric Kissack on the indie festival comedy hit Missed Connections, which makes its international debut later this month. Rebecca Reynolds inquires about casting, budgeting, and the recipe for "comedy chops."
Writer/actor Kenny Stevenson and his wife, actress Dorien Davies, joined forces with producer Lisa Rudin and director Eric Kissack to make the award-winning indie comedy, http://mi
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Laura Colella's Seminal Summer
Laura Colella's third narrative feature, a summer story about neighborly, multi-generation relationships, stars Colella's real-life housemates and has its world premiere this week.
June 13th, 2012 | David Pierotti"I think everyone has a particular summer when your life took a real shift," says Laura Colella to The Independent's David Pierotti within days of her third narrative feature debut. Colella calls Breakfast With Curtis a no-budget feature. It takes place in her real-life backyard starring her real-life neighbors... and marks at least one character's seminal summer.
Providence, Rhode Island, director Laura Colella was gearing up for the Los Angeles Film Festival earlier this week. Her third narrative feature, Breakfast With Curtis, will get its world premiere screening before an audience on June 14th.
10 Filmmakers to Watch in 2012
The Independent chooses the 10 Filmmakers to Watch in 2012.
June 12th, 2012The Independent shines a spotlight on 10 innovative filmmakers to keep your eye on this year, and coming years. We've got web series creators, animators, and filmmakers of all genres... and in the last month we've been releasing exclusive new extras on Facebook.
It's another year, and time to announce 10 filmmakers we at The Independent think you should keep your eye on. It's a varied group, to be sure, but each filmmaker has a few key things in common: talent, drive, and the desire to innovate.
10 Filmmakers to Watch in 2011
The Independent's Nikki Chase lists the top 10 filmmakers we think you should watch this year.
May 16th, 2011 | Nikki ChaseWondering who will be named to The Independent's 10 to Watch 2012 list? Here's a reminder of last year's inspiring filmmakers as we put the finishing touches on this year's roll out.
It's time for our annual 10 Filmmakers to Watch list. We’ve pooled our resources and brainpower to get the scoop on who’s who this year.
Facebook Exclusive Content for 10 to Watch
Via Facebook, The Independent announces our 10 to Watch in 2011 with one filmmaker (and one piece of exclusive content) per day, from May 6th through the 15th.
May 6th, 2011We'll be announcing our annual list of 10 of the most talented filmmakers we think you should keep your eye on by posting exclusive content daily on our Facebook page.
Editor's Note: This collaborative reporting effort was led by Nikki Chase, Maddy Kadish and Beth Brosnan.
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Whose Hugo?
As an author adapts her own novel for the screen, a fan (and sometimes screenwriter) asks her about the process, pondering the art of translation, and the tenuous nature of characters’ identities.
December 9th, 2010 | David PierottiPart fan interview, part experimental essay, David Pierotti ruminates on the many forms his alter-ego, a character in Kate Christensen's novel, The Epicure's Lament, could take as Christensen adapts her novel into a screenplay.
I detest being surprised by people, especially those to who a certain degree of my identity depends upon feeling superior. -Hugo Whittier, in “The Epicure’s Lament” by Kate Christensen.
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10 to Watch in 2010... Plus Five Runners-Up
After 10 days of Facebook-exclusive interviews, the suspense is finally over: The Independent's 10 filmmakers to keep an eye on in 2010... and the runners-up.
February 4th, 2010 | Nikki ChaseThey come from all walks of life, and each has a different story to tell. Some have found success, while others are just beginning their careers. And although their filmmaking reflects this diversity, they all have one major thing in common (other than being on this list): talent. Be sure to take notes as you read...you'll want to remember these filmmakers.
Choosing The Independent's 10 to Watch is like trying to predict the future, or the stock market, or the weather in New England. The films on this list are in all stages of production and the filmmakers range from seasoned professionals to debut artists. So you might wonder how we named this particular group. How, exactly, does one go about predicting what 2010 has in store?
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30 Quintessential Books for Independent Filmmakers
The Independent examines the top 30 books every filmmaker should add to their library, and why.
October 6th, 2009 | Goldy MoldavskyEver wonder what, exactly, independent filmmakers – both aspiring and established – should be reading? Look no further than The Independent's 30 Quintessential Books for Independent Filmmakers. Here, we list the top must-owns, including Independent Feature Film Production, The Filmmaker's Handbook, Sidney Lumet's Making Movies, and From Reel to Deal.
Ever wonder what, exactly, independent filmmakers – both aspiring and established – should be reading?
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The Write Way: An Interview with Pamela Cuming and Lee Ross of "Downloading Nancy"
Screenwriters Lee Ross and Pamela Cuming discuss their writing process, recent screenings and how the film has been recieved so far.
June 9th, 2009 | Joi R. WheatleyAfter a film finds success, the industry usually lauds the miraculous execution of the director and the cast. Yet, often ignored are those who actually crafted the story: the writers. The Independent’s, Joi R. Wheatley, taps into the ingenious minds of Pamela Cuming and Lee Ross who wrote the dark, intense, drama Downloading Nancy, which was recently screened at the Seattle International Film Festival. The film, starring Maria Bellow and Jason Patric, follows a middle-aged wife who orders a man she met on the Internet to kill her so she can escape from her unhappy life (view the trailer here). Cuming and Lee discuss how the idea became a script, why it’s important to produce and direct your own projects, and what’s next for this writing duo.
After a film finds success, the industry usually lauds the miraculous execution of the director and the cast. Yet, often ignored are those who actually crafted the story: the writers. The Independent’s, Joi R.
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