JUNE 16, 2008 - ANONYMOUS GRANT FUELS STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

A $1.4 million grant given to the Department of Film & Electronic Arts by an anonymous donor this year has invigorated the program in countless ways. Thanks to this generous grant, construction on a refurbished film studio and new post production sound facility will be completed this winter. In the meantime, a new Panasonic HD video camera, prime lenses, motorized jib arm, lights, and other vital production equipment and accessories have been purchased and prepped for use by student filmmakers. Also, production grants and graduate study stipends have been made to students, and various facility improvements in the Department have already been completed. The donation calls for additional equipment upgrades and purchases over the next two years.

MAY 29, 2008 - WINNING FORD FOCUS TEAM NAMED

Executives from Dailey & Associates Advertising have named the winning Ford Focus commercial team from CSULB. Of the nine commercials submitted by students in Film & Electronic Arts, the spot produced and directed by production student Luke Richmond and photographed by Mantas Zvinas will receive the $2,500 cash prize.

Meanwhile, viewers may vote for their favorite commercial on YouTube.

MAY 17, 2008 - FEA CAREER DAY, COOKOUT & SHOWCASE

The 2nd Annual FEA Career Day Panel, Cookout, and Spring Student Film Showcase were a major success. The panel, which featured a discussion by top industry professionals in the University Theatre and individual seminars held in FEA classrooms, was immediately followed by the cookout social event in the UTC Courtyard.

Panelists included Cinematographer Mark Irwin, Film & Television Producer-Director Chuck Bowman, Screenwriter Tom Towler, Television Producer Diane Eaton, Editor Art Booth, Documentary Filmmaker Maya Tuttle, and Television Producer-Director Douglas Velasco. FEA Lecturer J. Todd Baker served as moderator.

At the cookout, several independently produced student projects were screened, including the recently completed FEA promotional video "Your Future Starts Here" and several commercials created for the Ford Focus competition sponsored by the Southern California Ford Dealers and Dailey & Associates Advertising.

The final evening of the Spring Showcase filled the University Theatre, and featured films from current and recently graduated FEA students.

APRIL 4, 2008 - FEA PROFESSOR NAMED "MVP"

Professor Brian Alan Lane has been named "Most Valuable Professor" by this year's Outstanding Graduating Student in the College of the Arts, Vera Meyer. Professor Lane, who is a producer, screenwriter, novelist, and attorney, has been teaching at CSULB for six years. He and Vera will be honored at the 2008 alumni banquet being held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Long Beach on May 8.

MARCH 28, 2008 - FEA STUDENT PICKED FOR CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

Having been selected from applicants from across the nation, senior production student Pablo Leda will be heading to France this summer for an exhilarating documentary production experience at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. Sponsored by Adobe Systems, Pablo will work with students from some of the most acclaimed film programs in America to shoot and edit documentary coverage of the famed festival.

Last year's participating FEA student, senior Vera Meyer, also had the opportunity to serve as Exhibition Consultant to Chris Davis International, a Los Angeles-based film distribution organization, for festival screenings of the new independent feature film, "Ten Inch Hero".

For information on the Adobe Cannes program or documentary opportunities at CSULB, contact Professor Alan Jacobs at alanpjacobs@aol.com.

MARCH 7, 2008 - FEA SELECTED FOR FORD COMMERCIAL COMPETITION

The Southern California Ford Dealers and their advertising agency, Dailey and Associates, have chosen The Department of Film & Electronic Arts to participate in a college competition to produce a television commercial for the new Ford Focus. In addition to donating a brand new car to the Department, a $2,500 cash prize will be awarded to the winning CSULB commercial team. The best :30 & :15 commercials submitted from CSULB, Chapman University, Cal State Northridge, and the Art Center will be seen on television, the internet and possibly movie theatres. Ten teams from Film & Electronic Arts have been formed. Production will take place before, during and after spring break.

MARCH 1, 2008 - PRE-MAJOR ADVISING SESSION PLANNED

A pre-major advising session featuring Film & Electronic Arts Chair Craig Smith, Professor and Faculty Advisor Jack Anderson, and FEA Administrative Coordinator and Pre-Major Advisor Donna Thomas has been scheduled for March. The time, date and location will be announced soon. For information, contact Donna Thomas at dethomas@csulb.edu.

FEBRUARY 20, 2008 - MUSIC VIDEO SET TO LAUNCH

Professor Tom Blomquist recently directed two music videos for recording artist Kellie Coffey. Ms. Coffey was the ACM Best New Female Artist of 2003 and has credits ranging from Barbra Streisand's Millennium Concert to national tours opening for superstars Kenny Chesney and George Strait.

In planning the production of "I Would Die For That" and "Walk On", Professor Blomquist saw an opportunity to include FEA students and recent graduates of the Department alongside Hollywood professionals. Director of Photography Alex Rodriguez, Gaffer Erol Kalafat, Camera Operator Matt Irwin and Script Supervisor Golnar Fakhrai were among the many undergraduate students who worked in principle and supporting production roles. Matt Irwin also served as Second Unit Director of Photography. In addition, 20 students from the Department of Music performed in the gospel choir for "Walk On".

"I Would Die For That" has become a major hit on YouTube with nearly 250,000 views in a few short months. The video can be viewed at www.youtube.com, as well as CMT.com and MySpace.com. "Walk On" will be released next month. Sequences from both videos appear in the student produced FEA promotional video "Your Future Starts Here" on the FEA home page. An article about the shoot is posted at www.kelliecoffey.com.

FEB 7, 2008 - FEA STUDENT NAMED OUTSTANDING COTA GRADUATING SENIOR

Production senior Vera Meyer has been selected as the outstanding graduating student in the College of the Arts. She will be honored at this year's alumni banquet and COTA commencement ceremony. Vera previously received the Crystal Lucy Scholarship Award from Women In Film.

JAN 10, 2008 - ALUMNUS DONATES CAMERA TO FEA

Writer, Producer and Director J.F. Lawton, a graduate of the CSULB Department of Film & Electronic Arts, has generously donated a 35mm Arriflex film camera and set of prime lenses to our Department. Among Mr. Lawton's many credits are the films "Pretty Woman", "Under Seige", "Chain Reaction", "The Hunted", "Blankman", and the television series "V.I.P".

DEC 10, 2007 - WOMEN IN FILM AWARD RECIPIENT NAMED

In recognition of her outstanding scholastic record and performance in every aspect of her Film and Electronic Arts pursuits, senior media studies student Beverly Parkinson has been selected by FEA faculty to receive this year's Crystal Lucy Scholarship Award from Women In Film.

NOV 14, 2007 - FEA SENIOR RECEIVES COTA SERVICE HONOR

FEA media studies senior Alexis Jones was given the 2007 College of the Arts Service Award by Dean Don Para and Chair Craig Smith at the annual COTA mixer. The award is in recognition of Alexis' efforts to create a promotional video for Film & Electronic Arts from our students' point of view. During six months of preparation, shooting and editing, many current FEA majors and recent graduates participated. In addition to giving the Department a strong creative presence on the internet, "Your Future Starts Here" will be used in FEA's ongoing fundraising efforts.

The completed video, which was produced and directed by FEA production senior Golnar Fakhrai and executive produced by Alexis, may be seen on the FEA website. It was made possible by a Provost's Summer Stipend for Research and Creative Activity that was awarded to Alexis last summer.

NOV 9, 2007 - FEA STUDENT FILMS SCREEN AT DIRECTORS GUILD SHOWCASE AND LONG BEACH FESTIVAL

The Department of Film & Electronic Arts held its annual showcase screening of student films at the Directors Guild of America headquarters in Hollywood last night. Fourteen of the Department's best narrative and documentary films were selected for screening by the FEA faculty. A reception was held afterwards in the DGA Atrium Room for the nearly 350 filmmakers, students, faculty, and guests who were in attendance.

The same films also screened at the Long Beach University By The Sea Festival on October 28.

FEA student filmmakers chosen for these honors were Ed Estrada, Dorian Connelly, Ryan Berger, Jessica McCarty, Travis Simms, John Grod, Gabe Yeh, Mary Fecteau, Ramona Popa, Rick Escamilia, Michael Delvechio, Eric Kim, Joseph Dunn, and Gabe Michael.

For information about the DGA event or any of the Department's quarterly showcases on campus, contact Steve Hubbert at shubbert@csulb.edu.

NOV 5, 2007 - CSU LONG BEACH TOPS FESTIVAL HONORS

Student filmmakers from the Department of Film & Electronic Arts once again dominated the Media Arts Festival sponsored by the California State University system. Winning FEA students for 2007 were Cuauhtzin Gutierrez and Connor O'Brien, who won 1^st Place in the Music Video category; Kazuki Hirata, Chris Rock, and Jacqueline Kitt swept the top three awards, respectively, for Experimental Video; Mary Fecteau was a double winner for Documentary; and in the highly competitive Narrative Film category, Gabe Yeh, Gabriel Michael, and Maceo Greenberg took 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th Place, respectively.

NOV. 5, 2007 - WILLIAM LINK THEATRE TO BE DEDICATED

The University Theatre adjacent to the Department of Film & Electronic Arts is scheduled to be dedicated and re-named to honor the legendary, multiple award-winning, Hall of Fame television/film/play/fiction writer and producer, William Link. Mr. Link, the co-creator of two dozen TV series, including two of the most successful series in TV history, "Columbo" and "Murder She Wrote", has donated an impressive library of new original plays to the Department. A series of staged readings, live performances, and film productions of the material will be produced by FEA and Theatre Arts students and faculty along with industry professionals.

For more information, contact Professor Brian Alan Lane at brianalanlane@earthlink.net.

NOV. 2, 2007 - FEA CAREER DAY ANNOUNCED

The 2nd Annual FEA Career Day will take place Saturday, May 17, at 2pm. Last year's event, which featured a panel discussion of top industry professionals and individual salon sessions, was extremely well received by FEA students and recent graduates.

Last year's panelists included William F. Phillips, Senior Vice President of Production for the TNT and TBS Television Networks; Victoria Burrows, casting director ("Lord Of The Rings", "Castaway"); Chris Pechin, storyboard artist ("Ugly Betty", "Joan of Arcadia"); Jacqui Clay, script supervisor and writer ("Bernie Mack); Steven L. Sears, writer-producer ("Xena: Warrior Princess", "Sheena"); Martha Elcan, director and assistant director ("6 Feet Under"); and Joe Stanley, Executive Vice President of Production for Dailey & Associates Advertising Agency.

Career Day is a free event and open to the public. For information, contact Professor Tom Blomquist at Blomquist-FEA@dslextreme.com.

NOV, 2, 2007 - SENIOR RECOGNITION COOKOUT ANNOUNCED

In honor of our graduating seniors, a cookout will be held in the UTC courtyard for all Film & Electronic Arts students on Saturday afternoon, May 17, at 5pm. The cookout will follow the FEA Career Day seminars and lead directly into the annual Spring Student Film Showcase in the William Link Theatre at 8pm.

The FEA cookout is a free event for FEA students and alumni. To RSVP, sign-up sheets will be available in classes and the FEA office. For information, contact Professor Diana Wagman at dianawagman@aol.com or FEA Student Representative Drew Metz at dmetz@csulb.edu.

N0V 1, 2007 - GRAD STUDENTS PITCH TO WARNER BROS.

Led by Professor Brian Alan Lane, the nine CSULB MFA candidates in Dramatic Writing were invited to meet with executives at Warner Bros. in Burbank, where they had the opportunity to pitch original screenplay ideas to Basil Iwanyk and his Thunder Road Productions team at the studio. Two pitch ideas were accepted for continuing development. Stay tuned!

OCT. 31, 2007 - SENIOR FILM SHOOTS IN SCOTLAND

FEA production student Gerard Smith returned to his native Scotland this summer to shoot his ambitious senior thesis film, "Out On The Wing". Joining him in the west coast town of Greenock were fellow FEA students Lance Dumais (Producer/AD), Albert Mangay (Director of Photography) and Ed Estrada (Sound). The film, which was shot over a 5 week period, is a highly personal project for Gerard and is dedicated to his late uncle, Terence McConnachie.

A trailer for "Out On The Wing" may be viewed at Myspace.com/outonthewing.

OCT. 22, 2007 - STUDENT FILM CLUB FORMED

A group of energetic film students in FEA 299, Media Aesthetics, have formed an organization to make films outside of the formal FEA curriculum. Lead by seniors Tyler Stratton (President) and Kyle Mengelkamp (Vice President) the CSULB Filmmakers Association is raising funds and gathering equipment to make a series of short films.

For information, contact Tyler at tylerjstratton@gmail.com or Kyle at kmfilm@gmail.com.

SEPT. 15, 2007 - STUDENT RETURNS FROM CANNES FILM FESTIVAL PROGRAM

Having been selected from applicants from across the nation, senior production student Vera Meyer returned from an exhilarating summer of documentary production at the Cannes Film Festival. Sponsored by Adobe Systems, Vera worked with students from some of the most acclaimed film programs in America to shoot and edit documentary coverage of the famed festival. During her stay in France, Vera also had the opportunity to serve as Exhibition Consultant to Chris Davis International, a Los Angeles-based film distribution organization, for festival screenings of the independent feature film, "Ten Inch Hero".

For information on the Adobe Cannes program or documentary opportunities at CSULB, contact Professor Alan Jacobs at alanpjacobs@aol.com.

IN PRINT & IN PERSON

Professor Jerry Mosher has received his Ph.D. from UCLA… Professor Diana Wagman has contributed another book review for the Los Angeles Times and her short story What You See has been published in an anthology, Los Angeles Noir, by Akashic Books. Professor Wagman's story has been singled out for mention in both The Los Angeles Times and Publisher's Weekly… Professor Brian Alan Lane's short story Why Not A Duck? was published worldwide in three different venues: The Vulcan Literary Journal, The Taj Mahal Review, and Pindeldyboz… Professor Tom Blomquist was featured in the Nov/Dec issue of Creative Screenwriting Magazine, in the article "An Insider's Guide To Picking The Best Television Shows To Spec For The Spring '08 Staffing Season"… Dr. Michael Berlin is taking an active role in CSULB's community outreach by leading a series of classic film screenings and discussions at Leisure World of Southern California… Dr. Berlin is also coordinating the production of a short film at CSU Fresno for the Summer Arts program, where he will be joined by Professors Jack Anderson and Alan Jacobs…