After an extremely successful first session of Direct Connect, a speed networking functionality held during International Day at the Mountain Mermaid on Friday, August 20 during the 6th Annual Topanga Film Festival — the newly established Topanga Film Institute is booking high-profile participants for a Direct Connect redux in October.  This inaugural event melded two panels — Bettering the World with your Story and The Big Picture, addressing new and traditional media production, distribution and finance — brought the following experts together for a day of networking followed by an evening of celebration of short film and the evening's feature, Being in the World, by filmmaker Tao Ruspoli.

The following entertainment industry experts participated as either panelists or Direct Connect experts during the recent festival and are prospective participants in future Direct Connect events to be held by the Topanga Film Institute:

Paul Sparks.  Paul is the Creative Director with Elevate Studios is specialized in User Experience and Social Experience Design.  He loves to explore and always has his hand on the pulse of what's fresh and what's new and plays a pivotal role in brand development, concept development, and the creative direction of all media outlets. He knows everything that happens on the Internet, always.  Sparks is passionate about connecting the dots between disparate pieces of information so that their synergies are understandable, insightful, inspiring and enlivening.

Joan Scheckel. Joan is known globally for her filmmaking workshops has worked with the creators behind Whale Rider, North Country, One Hour Photo, Real Women Have Curves, the Academy Award winning Little Miss Sunshine) and several others.  Joan's visionary workshops are unique in their exploration of all the art forms involved in filmmaking, from a deep study of character, story and script, to liberating and illuminating scene work with actors, to the investigation of visual personality of the film and provide practical but profound tools for finding the essence of each aspect of the film.  Joan believes that a vital cinema illuminates life. "A great actor, a great director must find the courage and ability to reveal the consciousness of the story as well as the complex reality of a character. To do that, we must first connect to feeling, emotional depth, and to the music and rhythm of story,” Scheckel said.

Fausto Callegarini. Digital strategist and global distribution executive reporting to the president of Fox Studios, Fausto is a strategic visionary with a clear sense of purpose and urgency when faced with diverse corporate challenges during periods of both declining or rapid growth and demand.  Experienced in international film distribution as well as television, Digital Cinema Film Technology, procedures, film rejuvenation and digital restoration, Fausto has worked in both traditional and new media.  Formerly VP of Operations with Delux Film Services, and a long sting at Warner Bros. Television, Fausto has earned a reputation for formulating and motivatingcross-functional teams that exceed corporate expectations.

Beth Portello.  After graduating from U.C. Berkeley, Portello wanted to make movies.  So, she did the logical thing and moved to Portland, Oregon.  A temp gig at Nike led to a ten-year career in Sports Marketing. After Nike, she joined Adidas during the brand’s comeback.  During her eight-year tenure at Adidas, she contributed to re-building the brand, first as a Promotions Manager handling collegiate basketball endorsement relationships then promoted to Event Manager where she oversaw events across the sport spectrum.  Her contributions expanded when she was promoted to Director of Events, where she oversaw the brand’s major events including the NCAA Final Four, Women’s World Cup and several others  After relocating to Los Angeles in 2002, Portello was one of the founding partners of Cinema Libre Studio and is currently producing her first film, Phenom.

Steve Reiss.   Steve Reiss specializes in the development of content and intellectual property across all media and lends his expertise as an award-winning producer to his work as a consultant in the entertainment industry. He has worked with directors includingMichel Gondry, Peter Care, Joseph Kosinski, Phil Joanou, and Spike Jonze.  His company affiliations include time at Propaganda, Satellite, Partizan, and anonymous content.  In addition to film, Steve has worked on several high-end ad campaigns and produced several high-end music videos and is the author of two published books based on his experience in the music video business.  Steve's work in new media includes Artist in Residence (A+R), a serial print publication and web site.  He worked with Universal and Penguin/Putnam to create "Inside Sessions," a large-scale multimedia project that integrates DVDs and the web.  He started his career as a Post Supervisor at NBC Productions.

Soula Saad.  Writer-Director-Producer, Soula is a French-Lebanese world traveller, previously International correspondent for Equinoxe, currently Producer of multi-ethnic encounters and collaborations among artists, filmmakers and musicians. Her passion for world music, cultural diversity, and creative experimentation are reflected in her fusion style of filmmaking, where each documentary becomes a vehicle to celebrate cultural diversity while promoting themes of sustainability and social transformation.

Maggie Soboil.  Maggie’s acting, directing and producing career has taken her all over the world.  Born in South Africa, she became that country’s leading female satirist. As an actress, she won an Obie award in NY for her performance in Poppie Nongena, and starred in her own TV special for the BBC.  She has directed theatre in NY and Los Angeles, and her first feature Myron’s Movie has played numerous festivals in the USA, and garnered a best narrative feature award.  She now runs her own production company in Los Angeles.

Women in Film Co-Chair Arati Misro double majored in Anthropology and  Mass Communications , but her  true passion for storytelling was born in India during a 6-month stay where she documented and worked with East Indian women and their issues with violence.  After receiving her MFA from the American Film Institute,  she has worked with Fox and Discovery  in India, Europe and the US.  In 2005, she transitioned into independent film distribution and has attended all major world media markets.  Arati currently works social and new media marketing.  She has been honored for her work from the ASC, DGA, AFI and the Caucus Foundation for Producers and is the founder of the South Asian Women's forum in the bay area.

Pascale Rey.  Screenwriter and script doctor for the cinema, Pascale Rey (of Swiss and French nationality) lives in Paris. A veritable globe trotter, she divides her time between giving screenwriting workshops in France and abroad (Philippines, Senegal, Morocco, United Kingdom, Spain), and teaching dramatic arts (London Film School, Conservatoire Européen d’Ecriture audiovisuelle, International School of Cinema, Los Banos in Cuba). Pascale is Dreamago’s founder, and is fluent in four languages. She is motivated by her deep commitment to fostering international exchange, building cross-cultural solidarity, and respecting cultural differences.

Robert Schwartz.  Robert is a veteran film producer of both studio and independent films for over two decades.  Robert has experience in virtually every phase of the production process.  Born in St. Louis, this prolific writer/producer/director has created numerous commercial, documentary, educational and dramatic feature films.  He is known for his expertise in developing scripts and getting movies made.  Robert's production company, Seismic Pictures not only finances and produces motion pictures, but effectively navigates them thorugh the constantly evolving film marketplace. 

Information on the Direct Connect event will be announced in September along with announcement of the initial membership drive for the Topanga Film Institute. 

To reserve your seat, please click here.

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At the heels of the 6th Annual Topanga Film Festival, where we did not meet the requisite 100 entry mark of short film entries to the Suitable for All Screens competition to trigger sponsorship, we have extended the competition through December 31, 2010 with an eye to make a substantive award to a talented filmmaker early in 2011, provided that we have met the magic number. 

Basically, if you have already uploaded your film, you need not do anything, just tell your friends that you are competing in this contest and solicit their votes.  Tell your friends about the contest as the 100th entrant will receive a special prize. 

There is no limit to the number of competing short films that any one filmmaker can submit. Click here to submit.

It is contemplated that the winner will receive goods and services sufficient to produce the larger aspect of the winning short.  Since the competition is intended to promote an exploration of content creation that spans mobile applications, micro screens, small screens, television, large screen, 3D and IMAX.  Therefore, every competing film must explain why it was created in its current format and how it is part of a larger format — or, in the event that it is in a larger format — how it could be scaled down or intelligently repurposed to smaller segments.

There is no fee to enter.

Fans and supporters of Cafe Gratitute will gather Saturday, August 28, 2010 to celebrate the success of May I be Frank and the cafe's favorite success story — Frank Ferrante – who inspired a standing room only audience at the 2010 Topanga Festival who participated in a lengthy question and answer session after the screening that depicted Frank's 180-degree change in every aspect of his life from healing relationships with his estranged wife and daughter to losing over 100 pounds and the attendant healing in every other aspect of his life.

Saturday's event will be held at 1126 Roseta Drive in Topanga, hosted by Batul and Erin from 9a.m. to 3p.m. where attendees are encouraged to learn tools to create community and usher in the next generation of conscious, caring, enlightened leaders.

A note from the event producers:

A New View of Love- August 28th in Los Angeles

.What if awakening was the context in your community? What if being a leader meant being accountable for the spiritual emergence of one’s community.What if conflicts in your community were acknowledged as a chance to heal collective wounds? This one day introductory course will train you in three distinctions: BEING, CLEARING, and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. During this one-day course in A New View of Love, Erin Ross & Batul Slatten will share tools and insights that have transformed their lives.

Location: 1126 Roseta Drive, Topanga California Date: Saturday August 28th Time: 9am-3pm There will be a 1.5 hour break.

Our Workshop Registration Procedure: We invite you to "pay it forward" and contribute to the Community Workshop Scholarship Fund during the weekend .Upon registering for a workshop there will be a $50 hold. The last day that you can register isFriday , August 27th by 2pm. We also request adequate notice of cancellation of your registration. If you do not cancel your registration by Friday August 27th at 2pm, or if you do not attend the workshop, we will charge your credit card for the amount of $50 and we will contribute this money to the Community Workshop Scholarship Fund on your behalf. This contribution acts like a non-refundable non-transferable deposit to hold your special seat in the workshop. This contribution will not be charged prior to the workshop, it will ONLY be charged if you do not attend or fail to cancel prior to Friday the 27th at 2pm. We feel this system is supportive to the organizers, participants, the venue as well then leaders. To be clear: if you register and attend, your credit card will NOT be charged the $50 dollars.

For Questions Call:  Erin @ 510-275-4960

We want you to be comfortable so please feel free to bring layers and water bottles, We also encourage you to bring paper and writing utensils. We will have Sacred Commerce books available for purchase when you arrive.

The day has come — Saturday, August 21, 2010 — that marks the 6th Annual Topanga Film Festival short competition. As of this writing, KCRW's Nic Harcourt is blasting tunes as the margherita mix chills as this year's competition is underway. Tickets are available at the gate for $20 and food is available on site, although, patrons are always welcome to bring their own picnic.

If you have tried to purchase tickets through our on-line service provider, www.itsmyseat.com, you might have encountered some difficulting in purchasing your tickets. Please note that tickets still are avilable for today's screening, however, due to great demand, we suggest you arrive 30 minutes early. The picture will screen at El Coyote Theater — the huge screening tent in the middle of Pine Tree Circle — located at 120 Topanga Canyon Boulevard in Topanga. Tickets are $10.

As the the Annual Topanga Film Festival barrels toward its most ambition screening slate since the festival's inception, festival organizers Sara Baur Harding and Urs Baur are adamant about capturing the momentum of the annual festival and turning it into an on-going something. 

As part of their plan to achieve the formation of an on-going Topanga-centered creative community, around 8 months ago they brought on Milena Merrill as the executive producer of the festival and as one of the founding members of the Topanga Film Institute that will officially launch during next week's festival.

Part of the Baur and Merrill shared vision is creation of a Topanga Channel — a conduit through which Topanga-generated or Topanga pass-through content could be exhibited, starting with complete festival coverage. 

As final permits are pulled for the festival and in-kind donations roll in from all over the world, a top notch production team is in formation, primarily drawn from the educators and students of Video Symphony, one of the festival's lead sponsors as well as from the local filmmaking community — all who have come together for an intense week of pre-production and four union-defying shooting days (yes, meal penalty-evoking shooting days).

Merrill heads this ambitious 4-day, multiple-venue/location shoot with Spike-TV producer, Steve Hochman, whom she met through Kate Logan, a Video Symphony marketing executive and "the face of the 2010 Topanga Film Festival" along with co-host, Pasquale Cassalia.

Hochman produced and directed a mini-pilot for his first series idea,"The Farm" commissioned by Spike TV.   Soon thereafter, he became the Head of Development with Winston Davis and Associates.

In October 2008, he sold and Co-Executive Produced an episode of "In Harm's Way" for Pilgrim Films ("Dirty Jobs," "American Chopper," "The Ultimate Fighter"), about off-road motorcycle racers, which aired on the C/W. Aside from Pilgrim, Hochman has developed relationships with production companies including Participant Productions ("An Inconvenient Truth"), Radical Media ("Iconoclasts"), Scout Productions ("Big Ideas for a Small Planet"), MPH Entertainment ("The Dog Whisperer"), Authentic Entertainment ("Ace of Cakes"), Swift River Productions ("The Henry Rollins Show"), and Beyond Productions ("Mythbusters").

Hochman is currently developing a web series called "Green Heroes" and producing a project called "Soldiers to the Summit" about a team of injured vets from Iraq and Afghanistan who will climb a 20,000 ft peak near Mt. Everest, led by Erik Weihenmayer, the only blind person to ever scale the “Seven Summits” of the world his goals as a producer has always been to inspire and educate in an entertaining way.

Hochman said, "My vision for the Topanga Film Festival is to help represent the genuine passion, independent spirit and courageous values that this community is all about."

In just a few days most of Topanga will receive a beautiful handbill poster with a printed schedule of the 2010 Topanga Film Festival short films, documentary and feature film offerings and festival-related special events, to take place August 19-22, 2010. This year's screening hub is Pine Tree Circle.

Festival proders Carey Campbell and Thom Jordan show off a black and white version of this year's poster.

Two of Scott’s films are being highlighted at the festival – “A Thousand Roads”, the dramatic signature film of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (screening Sunday @ 5 p.m. in the screening tent at Pine Tree Circle) and “Greening Fashion” – one chapter of a feature-length documentary to be shown at the closing ceremonies. Festival Co-Founders Urs and Sara Baur are inaugurating the Coyote Achievement Award with Scott.

“We wanted to honor a local filmmaker whose body of work is on par with the best filmmakers in the country and whose films explore many of the social, spiritual and political themes that are associated with the Community of Topanga. We look forward to featuring more of Scott’s films in future festivals.” Scott’s production of “A Thousand Roads” was directed by leading Native American director, Chris Eyre (“Smoke Signals”, “Edge of America”) and follows the lives of four contemporary Native Americans as they confront the crises that arise in a single day, woven into the spiritual matrix of indigenous people.

Scott’s work on the film and with Chris has led to his involvement as a key advisor to Robert Redford’s new “Milagro Institute” (Sundance in New Mexico) to discover and foster the work of Native American and Hispanic Filmmakers. “Greening Fashion” is a current directorial project for Scott, highlighting the work of up and coming green fashion designer Jeff Garner, including appearances by Suzy and James Cameron.

The project marks the first “fashion-related” project for Scott. “The Fashion Industry is barely green. We hope to illuminate the sorry state of affairs in the fashion and garment industry where the lives of countless textile and dye factory workers and our environment are being contaminated daily while also highlighting the great strides that sustainable practices are making.”

Scott is on the board of the Theatricum Botanicum and is currently working on a feature film about the FBI raid, three-year secret investigation and coverup surrounding the Rocky Flats nuclear weapon facility and an interactive documentary exploring two unique survivors of the Holocaust to be used in conjunction with a high school curriculum being developed by the Graduate School of Psychology and Education at Pepperdine University.

Long-time Topanga Film Festival supporter/programmer, filmmaker Anastasia Fite is up in arms about Hollywood coming to Topanga with an eye to create a sexploitative reality series.  Anastasia's stance is that if something walks, talks and quacks like a duck, it is likely a duck.  Such is her take on a producer David Basinski, who started his career with Mating and Dating in the 1980s, followed with other television fare including the Scream Awards and most recently, American Gladiators.

The following Letter to the Editor first published in the Topanga Messenger is reprinted here with Anastasia's permission:

Dear Topanga,

I am NOT in support of the proposed Reality Series on Topanga Canyon…

As you may know, a man named Dave Basinski is trying to pitch a Reality Series on Topanga Canyon to Network executives. This man, and potentially several networks and agencies are trying to “brand” Topanga for commercial purposes.

Dave has ties to the producers of Survivor via Russ Landau and has been tactlessly filming all over the Canyon, at private parties, events, and businesses often without asking for people’s permission, signing waivers, or telling them the whole truth about his intention to use the footage to pitch a Reality Series on Topanga Canyon.

I have met with Dave in order to gather a greater understanding of what his focus is for this program, prior to our meeting I had not formed any particular opinion as to what he was doing, giving him the opportunity to propose something that may indeed benefit the community. However I was greatly dismayed at his answers to several of my questions and his focus (or apparent lack thereof) for the program.

When I asked him why Topangans would want to participate and how it could be of benefit to the community, his response was: It would put Topanga on the map & it would increase commerce. When I asked him if any money made from the show would be directly infused into the canyon to benefit he community, his response was: We would pay a location fee. When I asked him what his angle for the series was, he replied: Hippie, Sexy. It has to be sexy.When I asked him if it would be an honest portrait of our community, his response was: The network executives will do what is necessary to get ratings and make it a financial success. They would find drama and encourage story lines, promoting answers to the questions that fit their script. Topanga is a beautiful unique place whose magic touches everyone that spends time here. Clearly, in the short 4 months that he has been a resident, Dave has been touched by this magic and wants somehow to capture it. I understand that, I myself am a documentarian who was born and raised in the Canyon, and have for 3 years been making a feature film on the characters and sub-communities of Topanga.

However, from his responses to my questions I am confident that this proposed series will NEVER be an honest portrait of people as they are. With network money as the driving force and the bottom line to answer to, his intentions can only be capturing, packaging, branding and commercializing whichever version of the story gets ratings and makes money. If it starts with the dollar it ends with the dollar, and in those hands, all our personal stories will likely be twisted to represent only what he needs them to be to increase his personal wealth and success. I understand the desire to tell one’s story, but this is a great responsibility.

To show people as they are, for better and for worse, without an agenda or leading an audience towards judgment, is a very precarious and delicate line to walk. If money above all else, and a desire for fame and success is the guide, I can be sure that this is not the person with whom to share my trust, experiences, and open up my home or business to, nor can I be surprised when I feel betrayed that the result does not accurately represent me or my community. We Topangans have a long history of fighting against developments and chains that do not represent our values.

Having seen 30 years of Topangans fight against misrepresentation and mis-appropriation of our community: When our most personal lives, families, experiences and community is at stake, can we really allow this exploitation?

We all have a choice to make. In the face of being offered an Executive Producer credit, stardom for myself and my small local business, and a bid to purchase my footage, I have made my choice: I WILL NOT EXPLOIT MY COMMUNITY FOR PERSONAL GAIN. Because even if I have all the money in the world, if I cannot stand proudly in front of my family, friends, and community with honesty and integrity, then I have NOTHING.

Thank you, Topanga.

Love,

Anastasia Fite

Nurturing creativity in youth has always been a strong motivator in Sara Baur’s life, a common denominator with Family Magazine Group publisher, Mary Potter.

As co-founder of the Topanga Film Festival, the mother of three children and an artist herself, Sara proudly announced that she expects “even a larger participation than in past years” of Sunday’s Youth Salon program, dedicated to youthful filmmakers in two categories – those aged 5 through 12 and 13 through 18.

Joining the 6th Annual Topanga Film Festival Youth Salon as the exclusive sponsor of the event is the Family Magazine Group that publishes Los Angeles Family, Santa Clarita Valley Family, Las Vegas Family, South Bay Family, San Gabriel Valley Family and Ventura Family monthly magazines as well as websites for each publication for an aggregate readership of 350,000.

Publisher Mary Potter said her publications are excited to be part of a local cultural staple that includes children and youth.

As part of their sponsorship, the Family Magazine Group will provide media sponsorship, healthy protein bars and gifts for participating Youth Salon filmmaker —  including tickets to sporting and other local entertainment events and a Certificate of Achievement.

The history of Youth Salon is integral to the festival itself and owes its origin to a concept by Sara and long-time festival supporter, Karen Cooke, who heads up Topanga Canyon Youth Services.

Together, the women created an inaugural workshop that tasked the youthful film enthusiasts with the assignement of deconstructing Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho.” In looking at the concept suspense, children were empowered to ponder their own feelings of fear and demystify it. Youthful filmmakers broke off into groups of teams where then wrote and directed a film in one day although some aspects of post-production was completed after the fact.

The event, which is filled to capacity every year “draws every possible kind of entry,” Sara said, adding that many participants come from Susan Clark’s Coyote Club, an educational program for very young children.

“The Topanga kids know about it from other children in the community who have participated in the past. Word gets out pretty quickly, however, we have had participants from all over who hear about the event from friends or read about it in the paper. In the past we tried to show every film that is submitted, if it is under five minutes,” Sara said. She said that showing all films this year may be challenging, however, Sara said that all films that are one minute or less in length will be shown.

Tess, who has participated in Youth Salon since the age of 9, said her most prominent memory of the event was “to see the expressions on the faces of my peers immediately after my film played.”

Recalling a previous Youth Salon, Tess said, “My best friend Kansas and I produced a film, a Ghengis Khan Mongol economic rap – basically, it was an class assignment for my 7th grade final history class – which basically explained the functioning of the economic system in that particular historical period. In a previous year, we submitted a juvenile attempt of a horror short, and came to realize that even though it wasn’t an Oscar winner, it still thrilled us to share our last minute production.”

Sara said Youth Salon Sunday is always a celebratory event. Families usually participate together with a lot of brouhaha with the younger children and a lot of discussion with the older kids. Parent and child collaborations are welcome, however, the bulk of Youth Salon films are kid made.

“We do it to foster and inspire future filmmakers. There are a lot of young filmmakers in Topanga. One such filmmaker, Jessie Johnson, was not only the talk of Froggy’s among the youth, but won the Best of Topanga Award where she competed against well-qualified adults. She won hands down with her picture, "Drummer," when she was only 19-years old,” Sara said.

The festival urges budding filmmakers under the age of 17 to show up at the day of the event and bring their films on a DVD. Even the event itself is youth-produced and organized with some adult supervision.