Aloha Students, Faculty and Friends of the Academy for Creative Media.

Lots of screenings and activities coming up, including two for student animators from our good friends at KCC’s New Media Arts Programs:

CHARACTER ANIMATION

Kevin Johnson of IDT Entertainment will present a lecture and demo, “Character Animation (plain and simple)” Friday from 12:30 – 3:30 pm at Kapiolani Community College’s Kopiko #202. Johnson has previously worked at Sony Pictures ImageWorks as a head storyboard artist, and at Warner Brothers and Disney. He’s currently heading up the story department on “Yankee Irving.” To reserve a space (it’s free!!), contact KCC New Media’s Sharon Sussman at 735-3879, or email ssussman@hawaii.edu.

3 WORKSHOPS WITH KARL GNASS

Karl Gnass, who teaches life drawing, animal drawing and storyboarding at studios such as Disney, Sony, DreamWorks, Nickelodeon and Warners, presents three workshops Saturday, March 18 and Monday, March 20 at KCC, in Koa 204. The Saturday workshops will be:
* Fundamentals of Figure Drawing, 9-11:30 am.
* Dynamic Figure Drawing, 12:30-3 pm

And on Monday, March 20:
* Story for Storyboard Artists, Animators and Storytellers.

Again, it’s all free. Reserve your space through Sharon Sussman, 735-3879, email ssussman@hawaii.edu.

FILMMAKING FUNDRAISER: HELP, HAVE FUN AT THE SAME TIME

Ty Sanga, whose ACM film PLASTIC LEIS was screened at last year’s Hawai‘i International Film Festival, is having a fundraiser Saturday night to defray production costs on his latest short "Children." Cara Fasone says email her at carafasone@yahoo.com to put your name on the list at Nobless (next to where the Reign was).

(APPLAUSE!) CONGRATULATIONS ALL AROUND:

1. TO ACM STUDENT KELSEY CHOCK

Kelsey Chock’s ACM film, Stand For Justice, has been accepted in the 2006 Pacifika: New York Hawaiian Film Festival. Kelsey gets the Pacifika internship as well, which provides him with a free trip to NYC.

2. TO ACM DIRECTOR CHRIS LEE

The Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment will honor Chris Lee May 5 during its 15th Anniversary Celebration. Chris is a founder, and continues to serve on the Board of Advisors of the organization, who will also honor director Ang Lee and actor George Takei (UH’s Summer 2005 Commencement Speaker).

In April, Chris Lee will address his Yale alumni colleagues on a panel at the Yale Asian and Asian American Alumni Conference.

Chris Lee will also be one of two keynote speakers (along with David A. Heenan, trustee of the Estate of James Campbell and author of Flight Capital), at the Rotary Club of Honolulu Sunrise March 17 (Making It Happen with Business Game Plan 2006) and will be featured in an interactive panel discussion with local business movers and shakers.

3. TO ACM PROFESSOR WIMAL DISSANAYAKE

Prof. Wimal Dissanayake has a chapter in a new book just published by Berg (Oxford International Publishers) titled, 'Contemporary Asian Cinema: Popular Culture in a Global Frame'. It has been edited by Prof. Anne Ciecko, University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

INDEPENDENT TELEVISION SERVICES SEEKS PRODUCERS, HAS MONEY

Prof. Merata Mita notes The Independent Television Service Diversity Development Fund seeks talented minority producers to develop single programs for public television. The fund seeks to support minority artists in telling their stories and reaching audiences often overlooked by conventional programming. The program, which is made possible through funding from the Ford Foundation, is an open invitation to independent producers of color to develop single public television programs in any genre (drama, documentary, docudrama, animation, experimental works, or innovative combinations) that will resound in multicultural communities. Funding is for developing original work, so completed or current productions are not eligible. Deadline is March 31. See for details.

OLELO STUDENT VIDEO COMPETITION

The deadline (FRIDAY!) is just about upon us for Olelo’s Third Annual Statewide Youth Xchange video competition. ACM students can enter in “experts” category. Asst. Prof. Joel Moffett is ACM’s coordinator with Olelo this year. Details at www.olelo.org.

REMEMBER, WHEN ENTERING ANY COMPETITION OR FESTIVAL...

Students need to meet with their production instructor, (for the class in which they made the film), to review and complete the criteria for ACM consent for festival submissions. Mainly, this is a checklist of items to make sure students have taken care of the needed production paperwork, such as talent and other releases, and have secured any needed clearances for music or archival footage.

SCREENINGS

1. LIFE IN THE PACIFIC

The Doris Duke Theatre (at the Honolulu Academy of Arts) Life in the Pacific series features this week:

* REEL PARADISE. Academy Award winning filmmaker Steve James (HOOP DREAMS), tells the fascinating story of the Pierson family's yearlong adventure running a movie theatre on Taveuni, Fiji. Question: How is this a cultural or colonial collision? Tonight and Tuesday at 7:30 pm.

* NEW OCEANIA The documentary presents a history of cultural renewal in the Pacific and celebrates the explosion of creative activity by Pacific artists in New Zealand. Also, VELVET DREAMS. Renowned filmmaker Sima Urale presents a clever and ironic docudrama about the stereotypically dusky, enticing and sensual Polynesian women portrayed in velvet paintings. Wednesday at 1 pm and 7:30 pm

* THE LAND HAS EYES (Pear Ta Ma 'on Maf). Directed by UH Prof. Vilsoni Herenko, with ACM Prof. Merata Mita as Executive Producer. Viki is a young South Pacific Islander who redeems her family's name by exposing the secrets of her island's most powerful and important people. Shamed by her village for being poor and the daughter of a wrongly convicted thief, Viki is inspired and haunted by the island's mythical 'Warrior Woman' (Rena Owen from ONCE WERE WARRIORS). Also shorts TAMA TU and HAKA-RONGO. Thursday at 1 pm and 7:30 pm.

* BIG WAVES AND TALL TALES. Hawai'i premiere! Spectacular short stories from surfing's wild frontier! Brought to you by big wave surfing legend Grant Washburn, this documentary features stunning film footage, gargantuan waves and dramatic accounts that will take you on a "surfari" that you will never forget. Also, POLYNESIAN POWER, a documentary on Hawaiian and Samoan players in the NFL. And, MATTO SAINA-TA AS HURAO, a short on a legendary Chamorro chief. Friday at 1 pm, 4 pm, and 7:30 pm.

2. SODERBERGH’S LATEST

At the Doris Duke Saturday through March 9, BUBBLE. Academy Award winner Steven Soderbergh (TRAFFIC) returns to his small-scale independent roots in BUBBLE. The result is a genre-bending exercise that is a truly original cinematic experience. Lonely and isolated, the friendship of two long time employees is threatened by the arrival of a new and younger worker named Rose. One morning, Rose is found dead. An investigation begins, one that will call into question our established assumptions about these characters and life in their small town. Saturday through March 8 at 1 pm and 7:30 pm. March 9 at 1 pm only. Extra showing Sunday at 4 pm.

3. ON CAMPUS

Qigong: Ancient Chinese Healing for the 21st Century. Filmmaker Francesco Garripoli will be present to discuss his film’s unique look into the world where the greatest masters of this healthcare modality live and practice, such as the spry 92-year old Master Duan Zhiliang, whose mastery of Qigong has inspired thousands. Thursday at 7 pm and Sunday at 5 pm in Spalding Auditorium.

4. ON YOUR HOME SCREEN

Check out (literally), THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE, the filmic look at Legendary Hollywood producer Robert Evans, the man behind such films as Rosemary's baby, Love story, Chinatown, and The Godfather - tells it like it is and was in Hollywood. Includes his appeal to the Board of Directors short film that saved Paramount Pictures in 1970. Available at Sinclair Library Wong AV Center. Call Number: DVD 3132.

OSCARS SUNDAY NIGHT

Need we say more?