F. Ed Knutson Blogopolis

A-Hoy

I guess so many things have happened in such a short time, I really must get a new EdUpdate out! http://www.edblogopolis.blogspot.com

 I attended the Hollywood Christian Screenwriters workshop put on by ACT ONE Inc (http://www.actoneprogram.com/) a few weeks ago. I really learned a lot for just a short seminar. The workshop was led by such luminaries as:

BARBARA NICOLOSI
ACT ONE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Barbara has an MA in Film from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. She has been a director of development, a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, and a consultant on many film and television projects. She wrote The Work, a full-length feature set during the Spanish Civil War, for IMMI Pictures of Beverly Hills. Her feature screenplay Select Society is being developed by Reel Life Women Productions, Bel Air. She writes a media column for the National Catholic Register, is on the executive committee of the City of the Angels Film Festival, and the board of Catholics in Media. She frequently addresses writers' conferences on screenwriting and the arts.
and

JANET & LEE BATCHLER (Janet only for this weekend)
WP FACULTY, WP MENTOR
As a husband-wife writing team, Janet and Lee's feature credits include the international blockbuster Batman Forever for Warner Bros., Shores of Tripoli for Disney, and Modesty Blaise, a "female James Bond" based on the well-known English novels and comic strip, for Miramax. In addition, their adventure movie Smoke and Mirrors is currently in development with Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones set to star. The Batchlers have taught seminars on writing and the film industry for UCLA Film School, USC Film School, UC San Diego, Biola University, the Scriptwriter's Network, Women in Film, and the Writer's Connection, among others.

ACT ONE is a nonprofit organization that trains people of faith for careers in mainstream film & TV.
Act One offers two main programs --  the Writing for Hollywood Summer Program, for aspiring film and television writers, and the Executive Program, for aspiring entertainment executives -- as well as Screenwriting Weekends and many other programs and services.

Stressing artistry, excellence, professionalism, and spirituality, Act One prepares students to be "salt and light" in writers rooms, on sets, and in studio and network offices.  Our goal is not to produce explicitly "religious" entertainment, but movies and TV programs that combine mastery of craft with an unusual quality of depth.

Now I will be involved with a local group of writers here that get together and share and hold each other accountable, as well as discuss strategies, angles, help, and more! This will all come in handy for the animation script that I am writing for The God Of Moses Entertainment Inc (http://www.thegodofmoses.com/). And of course it will help when I am attending film school at LA Film School (http://www.lafilm.com/)!

The next Thursday I left after work for SoCal and visited my two sons, Steven (Ontario) & Tony (Riverside). I spent the night with Steven in Ontario, and then had breakfast with Tony on Friday before heading to San Pedro to embark on the "Cartoons to Carnitas Cruise". We got together a little for a "mixer" on Friday evening, and I boldly went about  introducing myself, like we were told to do! Most folks just sat in there little chairs chatting among themselves. I met Bob Bergen (http://www.Bobbergen.com/), James Alburger and Penny Abshire (http://www.voiceacting.com/) and a slew of others that are already voice acting, as well as some newbies and wannabes! After dinner some of gathered at the karaoke joint and sang until closing.

On Saturday I went on the Foxplorations tour which took us back up to near Tijuana where they filmed "Titanic" and "Master And Commander" and some other sea/ocean films! Saturday evening was when we gathered in a little theater to hear the one man show put on by Bob Bergen. And again after dinner some of gathered at the karaoke joint and sang until closing.

Sunday was the day I was most looking forward to, because that is when we all had a chance to practice our best 'toon voice and be directed by Bob Bergen himself! I was third, and good thing too, as I felt like he took more time in directing the first volunteers because time was running out for the remainder of folks! I really did have fun on this cruise, but I know I also would have enjoyed going on the Kathy Trocolli cruise too!

Then when returning to Las Vegas, I find the radio station in dire need of my expertise. Computer problems and more! During the days I was gone, a lot of auditions for voice work came in on the audition site I use (fedknutson.voice123.com). I had a copy of the cartoon voice that Bob Bergen directed me on and added that to my current character demo and put in some auditions.

 Saturday next, I went to buffet with our new female employee and friend of Fred the radio station managers - Pam. I enjoyed chatting with her, and we stopped by her place to visit with her daughter and look at the book she was getting published. Her daughter Chantel (20 something years old) did the artwork for the book. Then Pam told me that she really felt led by Father to pray for me. So we had some time with Him before I left!

Monday morning I had a referral call me with need of voice work for an audio Open and Close $$ for a podcast! Plus I will be doing some audio editing $$ for him as well! Then another referral called me from the internet radio station http://www.xradio.biz wanting to know about podcasting. I decided to have my podcast software guy call him and work out a deal with him on a corporate account! Then Moses at XRadio told me that he wants to have me come by when their brand spankin' new recording studio is finished and do voice liners, promos $$ and such for them! Plus in the future I will be able to do some audio books for them!

Today I checked my email, and to my wonderful surprise... I won an audition for doing voice characters for http://wittybitworld.com/! I will be starring as different letters of the alphabet. Yes folks, the alphabet, parts that are even older than Shakespeare, or the writer of Agamemnon By Aeschylus Written 458 B.C.E! Okay, maybe the alphabet has changed, but still, I can dream on of my famousity.. is there such a word?

So now I have my motorcycle, and my motorcycle license, and it's getting warmer... yeahhhhh! I'll be riding it on weekends, or adding accessories to it!

Enough boredom for now...GBU,

Ed