writers to give advice to aspiring authors and screenwriters today at the university of tampa

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WRITERS TO GIVE ADVICE TO ASPIRING AUTHORS/SCREENWRITERS AT UT

The movie theaters are filled with films that were adapted from books. But how does one write a book that will end up on the silver screen?

UT Assistant Professor of Journalism John Capouya knows. On Monday, February 22, he'll share his secrets at an event called From Book to Movie: Two Writers Tell a Gorgeous Story, at 6 p.m. in the Reeves Theater on the second floor of the Vaughn Center at the University of Tampa. Capouya and screenwriter/actor John Posey, who is adapting Capouya's book on Gorgeous George for a feature film, will discuss narrative storytelling and the craft of adaptation.

"I got very lucky, including the fact that they are including me in the film and script writing process," Capouya said. Gorgeous George: The Outrageous Bad-Boy Wrester Who Created American Pop Culture tells the story of George Wagner, who created an outrageous image that would later influence Muhammad Ali, James Brown and Bob Dylan. With his regal capes and feminine hairdo, George challenged traditional concepts of masculinity and created a following for the "heel'' or villain in wrestling. Reviews of Gorgeous George appeared in The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Sports Illustrated and The Wall Street Journal.

The event is free and open to the public.

The University of Tampa is a private, residential university located on approximately 100 acres on the riverfront in downtown Tampa. Known for academic excellence, personal attention and real-world experience in its undergraduate and graduate programs, the University serves 6,300 students from 50 states and approximately 100 countries. Approximately 70 percent of full-time students live on campus, and more than half of UT students are from Florida.

For more info, call 813-253-6216.

nbc's the biggest loser's casting call

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NBC’S THE BIGGEST LOSER IS CASTING!

Are you ready to change your life? Do you have at least 100 lbs. to lose? Are you outgoing with personality? Do you have the want, desire, and competitive edge to vie for this once in a lifetime opportunity to change your lives forever and compete for $250,000?

If so, apply today and change your life forever! We are looking for individuals or teams of two. There will be an open casting call on Saturday, March 6, at the Hard Rock Seminole Casino in Tampa (5223 N. Orient Rd. Tampa, FL 33610) from 10 a.m.-–6 p.m.

Please do not line up more than 3 hours before the open call start time. We will do our best to see the first 500 people in line. If you cannot attend an open call, you must submit a videotape. You must be 18 years old by May 24, 2010.

No contact info was included. Hmmm....

local film brainjacked wins best horror feature film award at melbourne international film festival

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FILM RANCH’s BRAINJACKED WINS TOP HORROR PRIZE AT MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

CLEARWATER, FL (February 8th, 2010) – Film Ranch International is proud to announce its new sci-fi/horror feature film Brainjacked as winner of the Best Horror Feature Film Award at this year's Melbourne International Film Festival in Melbourne, Florida.

Raw and riveting, Brainjacked tells the story of Tristan, a teenage runaway who discovers a sinister underworld ruled by an evil neurosurgeon and his violent army of mind-controlled juvenile slaves. In this dark underbelly of society, Tristan is exposed to trepanation, the very real and controversial practice of drilling a hole in one’s head for mental relief and enhancement. Still so young, will Tristan buckle under this hellish horror…or will he survive and escape?

Brainjacked combines paranoid science-fiction with shocking horror in an unforgettable cinematic experience. "Brainjacked is explosive. It pulls no punches and delivers sizzling action and drama while exploring utterly fascinating subject matter,” says director Andrew Allan. He adds,“It clearly had an impact on the festival audience and the judges.” Brainjacked producer Andy Lalino says, “Brainjacked represents independent filmmaking at its finest. It was a great fit for a great festival.”

Brainjacked will be screening at select engagements across the U.S. over the coming months. The Melbourne International Filmmakers Festival (M.I.F.F.) is one of Florida’s premiere independent film festivals. The M.I.F.F. has presented and premiered some of the best independent films over the past thirteen years.

For more info or to view the Brainjacked trailer, visit www.thefilmranch.com.

Congratulations Film Ranch!

update from the tampa-st. pete 48 hour film project

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The 48 Hour Film Project returns to Tampa-St. Petersburg in 2010! We'll be back this year with the most exciting 48 filmmaking hours of your life! Keep an eye out here for official dates and the start of registration.

In the meantime, we have a lot of cool things coming up, including a chance to:

1. Vote your least favorite genre "Off the Island!"

2. Make a 48HFP Music Video - no time limit!

3. Attend our end of the year extravaganza - Filmapalooza in Vegas!

YOUR VOTE COUNTS!

Take this short, and I mean really short, survey to help us decide the official genres this year. Tell us which to keep and which to get rid of in 2010. (A note to you lovers and haters of our beloved "Musical/Western"... it's not going anywhere, so vote for something else to get rid of or keep.) This is also your chance to make suggestions for the required Character/Prop/Line of Dialogue for cities throughout the world, so put those thinking caps on!

Go here to take the survey: www.surveymonkey.com/48HFP_genres_elements2010

MAKE A MUSIC VIDEO!

That's right... here's your chance to take a little more time to make your masterpiece 48HFP film. Make a Music Video to "You Have 48 Hours" by Bill Briare. We invite you to make a music video -- in whole or in part -- and wel mix the submissions together for the best music video ever and post it on our website and on YouTube.

The deadline for submissions is February 28, so don't miss out. For more info, visit www.48hourfilm.com/competitions/musicvideo/.

ATTEND FILMAPALOOZA in VEGAS!

We'll be in Vegas to celebrate the fantastic 48HFP filmmaking of 2009 and we hope you'll join us. Filmapalooza is April 10-12 at the NAB Show. We'll screen all the2009 City Winning Films, the winning Showdown and National Film Challenge films, network with filmmakers from around the world and party like it's 2010.

Registration for Filmapalooza is only $25... AND it includes access to the NAB Show Floor for free! Go here to register: www.filmapalooza.org.

We hope you'll take part in one or all of the above!

Kerri & Coco Bermudez
48 Hour Film Project
2010 Tampa-St. Petersburg Producers

Visit www.48hourfilm.com for more info.

50 ways to leave your lover

All the Valentine's Day hype makes me want to scream bloody murder.

I’m not falling for the chocolate-covered consumerist propaganda pushed by the greeting card, jewelry, candy and floral delivery industries. Valentine's Day isn't about romance, candlelight and lingerie. February 14th isn't designed for dinner, dancing and diamonds. There's no "happily ever after" following the swell of music and the end credits.

My years spent camped out on the sofa in my pajamas watching movies have not been wasted. Thanks to what I’ve seen on the silver screen, I know that love and romance and Valentine's Day are nothing but trouble. They’re the gateway drugs that lead you down the path to heartbreak, loneliness, misery, obsession, murder, revenge and madness. (I also know not to hang out in a mine around Valentine’s Day. That Harry Warden guy is a total buzz kill.)

In the anti-Valentine's Day spirit, I give you 50 ways to leave your lover:

1. Try to run her over and then blame it on your crazy, evil car. (Christine, 1983)

2. Shoot him. (The Letter, 1940)

3. Push her off a roof. (The Money Trap, 1965)

4. Have a nervous breakdown, kill him, and then wander the streets in a catatonic state. (Possessed, 1947)

5. Dump him while sitting his car, and then give him a pen. (Say Anything, 1989)

6. Poison his favorite food. (Black Widow, 1987)

7. Stress him out so much that he has a heart attack. (The Little Foxes, 1941)

8. Throw scalding coffee in her face and then shoot her. (The Big Heat, 1953)

9. Beat her to death. (The Man in Gray, 1943)

10. Lock him in the garage and leave the car engine running. (They Drive By Night, 1940)

11. Leave him at the altar. (The Graduate, 1960)

12. Stab her with an ice pick after she turns down your proposal. (Scarlet Street, 1945)

13. Steal $40,000 from him and run off to Mexico. (Out of the Past, 1947)

14. Push him down an oil well. (Blowing Wild, 1953)

15. Leave her to rot inside an “iron maiden” torture device. (The Pit and the Pendulum, 1960)

16. Chop him up with an axe. (Strait-Jacket, 1964)

17. Turn her into the police for her crimes. (The Maltese Falcon, 1941)

18. Burn her with acid, then electrocute her, then remove her heart and keep it in an urn. (The Faceless Monster, 1965)

19. Use black magic to get someone else to kill him. (Burn, Witch, Burn, 1961)

20. Strangle her while she’s giving birth. (The Brood, 1979)

21. Try to drive her crazy and make her have a nervous breakdown. (Gaslight, 1944; Midnight Lace, 1960; Night Watch, 1973)

22. Fake your own death and send him to jail. (Body Heat, 1981)

23. Stab him with a grappling hook. (Picture Mommy Dead, 1966)

24. Have your circus-freak friends turn her into an abhorrent “chicken-woman”. (Freaks, 1932)

25. Smash him with a hammer and then bottle up the pieces. (Vault of Horror, 1973)

26. Kill him and make it look like a suicide. (Bordertown, 1934)

27. Inject her with insulin to put her in a permanent coma. (Reversal of Fortune, 1990)

28. Strangle her and then thrown yourself down Niagara Falls. (Niagara, 1953)

29. Hit him over the head with a champagne bottle. (One Girl’s Confession, 1953)

30. Replace her with a “perfect” robotic replica. (The Stepford Wives, 1975)

31. Hire someone to break into your apartment while you’re away, kill her and make it look like a home invasion gone wrong. (Dial M For Murder, 1954)

32. Break up with him and then have all memories of him erased from your mind. (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, 2004)

33. Throw a knife at her throat while she’s shooting at you. (Prizzi’s Honor, 1985)

34. Smother and stab her in bed. (Looking For Mr. Goodbar, 1977)

35. Slash him with a scalpel. (Sisters, 1973)

36. Tell her you don’t give a damn as you walk out the door. (Gone With The Wind, 1939)

37. Get your team of assassins to crash her wedding and gun everyone down. (Kill Bill, 2003)

38. Sadistically torture him. (Audition, 1999)

39. Beat him with a fireplace poker. (Marnie, 1964)

40. Stab her with a camera tripod. (Peeping Tom, 1960)

41. Cheat on him and then give him a detailed description of the affair. (Closer, 2004)

42. Eviscerate him. (Jennifer’s Body, 2009)

43. Break her neck. (Day of the Jackal, 1970)

44. Fake your own death, alter your appearance, change your name and move to a different state. (Sleeping with the Enemy, 1991)

45. Divorce her, fight over the house, and then kill each other so that no one wins. (The War of the Roses, 1989)

46. Stab her in the stomach while you’re strung out on heroin. (Sid and Nancy, 1986)

47. Compare your relationship to that of Sid and Nancy (with him being Nancy) and dump him while you’re eating pancakes. (500 Days of Summer, 2009)

48. Set him up to take the fall on rape and murder charges, and skip town with all the money. (The Last Seduction, 1994)

49. Bury her alive. (The Horrible Dr. Hitchcock, 1962)

50. Get a stranger to kill her for you. (Strangers on a Train, 1951)

sundance award-winning writer gordy hoffman's bluecat screenwriting workshop coming to tampa february 20

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THE BLUECAT SCREENWRITING WORKSHOP COMES TO TAMPA

First Ten Pages Workshop (limit 12 writers)

Saturday, February 20, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Baywalk
Suite 110
153 2nd Avenue North
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Fee $75

Gordy Hoffman, the Sundance award-winning writer/director (Love Liza, A Coat of Snow) and founder of the BlueCat Screenplay Competition, comes to Tampa to lead a screenwriting workshop on Saturday, February 20, from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Winner of the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival for Love Liza, Gordy is a former Adjunct Professor of Screenwriting at the USC School of Cinematic Arts in Los Angeles, as well as having led workshops across the US and Canada, London and Poland. To read Gordy’s articles on screenwriting, visit www.bluecatscreenplay.com/news/advice.php. Hoffman is now attached to direct a movie, written by Melissa Brandt, in the UK and France in 2010.

The First Ten Pages Workshop will consist of 12 writers each submitting ten pages of a work in progress in advance. We will go over each work individually, reading the pages aloud, while discussing the specific, unique challenges each writer is facing on the page.

This discussion will include the technical aspects of description and dialogue, the depth and reality of the characters, and how the ten pages reflect where the entire story goes.

The intimate, focused interaction with fellow writers in the workshop will provide all with a greater understanding of the work that lies ahead on their screenplay, and more importantly, a detailed sense of how they might develop as writers themselves.

To register, please visit www.bluecatscreenplay.com/workshop/

For more info, email bluecatworkshop[at]bluecatscreenplay.com or visit www.bluecatscreenplay.com.

new dates for 2010 ybor festival of the moving image

The Ybor Festival of the Moving Image has changed its festival dates and therefore is still accepting submissions for the 2010 festival. Received via email:

CALL FOR ENTRIES

8th Annual Hillsborough Community College-Ybor Festival of the Moving Image
April 7-11, 2010
(Note: The fest was originally planned for February 2010 but unanticipated scheduling conflicts occurred)

The festival is providing cash awards to Florida filmmakers for films made from 2008 to 2010. The awards are provided by Hillsborough Community College-Ybor City Campus and Atlantic Productions of Tampa.

Florida Independent Films (Non-Student):
1st Place: $500
2nd Place: $200
3rd Place: $100
Honorable Mention: Fee waiver, festival pass

Best Tampa Bay Independent Film (Hillsborough, Pinellas and Sarasota counties): $300

Florida Student Films: Atlantic Productions Award (honoring the USF Chinsegut Film/Video Conference)
1st Place: $500
2nd Place: $200
3rd Place: $100
Honorable Mention: Fee waiver, festival pass

Judges:
Carolyn Kossar, HCC-Ybor Art Gallery Director, Tampa, Florida
Charles Lyman, filmmaker, President of Atlantic Productions, Tampa. Emeritus professor of Film and Electronic Media, University of South Florida
HCC-Ybor student (TBA), Tampa, Florida
Shawn Cheatham, Electronic Media, Art Department, University of South Florida
USF student (TBA) Tampa, Florida
Monique Bradbury, cineaste, Tampa, Florida
Lisa Scherer, tampafilmfan.com, Florida
Nancy Cervenka, filmmaker, Gulfport, Florida
Bob Devin Jones, Director, Studio 620, St. Petersburg, Florida
Charles Recher, filmmaker, Miami Beach, Florida
Judy Robertson, artist, Miami Beach, Florida
Warner Strauss, feature film industry, Toronto, Canada

Judging Process:
The judges will select a number of qualified films for each category, classified “official selection”, and screened at the festival. All filmmakers will be notified of entry status (accepted/not accepted) by March 24, 2010. The top six filmmakers in the Florida Student Film and Independent Film categories and the top four filmmakers in the Tampa Bay category will be notified and invited to attend the screening/awards ceremony, Saturday, April 10, 3 p.m.

The films will also receive an additional screening at the Art House at the University of South Florida on April 26.

All judging decisions are final. Entering a film into the festival does not guarantee a screening. While films may have adult content/language, please note this will restrict screening opportunities. Films previously screened at the festival are not eligible.

Deadline: Postmarked by March 1, 2010
Student Entry Fee: $18.00 per entry
Independent Filmmaker Entry Fee: $25.00 per entry
Films made from 2008 to 2010 are eligible. All genres and run times are eligible.

Entry Process:
Send a DVD (Region 1) of each film entered to the address provided below. Include your name, contact information, title of film, running time and indicate the category you are entering. Make check or money order (USA currency) payable to Hillsborough Community College. The college is not responsible for lost or damaged entries. If you want the DVD returned, please include envelope with return address and correct postage.

A waiver of the entry fee will not be considered this year. Students must provide a photo copy of student I.D. from educational institute or a certificate from film camp. Filmmakers will be contacted by YFOMI staff upon arrival of their package and provided confirmation that the entry satisfies eligibility requirements. Upon acceptance into the festival, the filmmaker will be immediately notified and asked to provide a press kit including synopsis, bios, and several digital photographs.

Send DVD(s), requested information and entry fee to:

David Audet
Festival Director
Hillsborough Community College
2112 N. 15th Street
Tampa, Florida 33605

This eclectic film festival explores the cinematic landscape of independent filmmakers, with a focus this year on Florida artists, offering a spectrum of documentaries and personal films, plus live performances, workshops and lectures. The 2010 festival will examine the social, political and economic implications and effects of digital motion media on contemporary film making, and the effects of this technological advance on American culture.

Another theme, Making Your Media Matter, presents seminars and innovative films exploring the culturally diverse realms of our lives while challenging pre-existing notions of our world. The feature documentaries selected will illuminate contemporary political and cultural issues affecting and influencing our national life.

The festival is open to the public. Screenings will be held at Hillsborough Community College-Ybor, in the HCC Performing Arts Building at the corner of Palm Ave and 14th Street, Tampa, 33605.

General admission for screenings is $6.00, though numerous events, panels, seminars and programs are free. Tickets are available at the box office located in the Performing Arts Building. All festival events are free to the HCC community.

For more info, contact YFOMI director David Audet at daudet[at]hccfl.edu or visit www.yborfilmfestival.com.