Free Writer's Panel - FROM SCRIPT TO SCREEN - at West LA College

Free Writer's Panel - FROM SCRIPT TO SCREEN - presented by West Los Angeles College

SUCCESSFUL FILM / TV WRITERS SHARE THEIR WORKING EXPERIENCES

PANELISTS:  Matt Lopez - The Sorcerer's Apprentice; Chris Pearson - Dan vs. ; Joy Kecken - The Wire (bios below)
MODERATORS: Drew Brody (Desert of Blood)  and Katherine Boutry (The Haunting Hour) -- (bios below)

Date:  Thursday, May 26
Time: 7:30 - 9:00 pm
Where:  West Los Angeles College, 9000 Overland Ave., Culver City, CA  90230 
             (intersection of Overland Ave. and Freshman Drive)

Room:  Fine Arts Theater  
Parking: Parking is $2.00  Park in the South Parking Structure adjacent to the theater. (Follow the signs)
Admission:  Free 
More info:  Michelle Long-Coffee, Dir. PR & Advertising  (310) 287-4597 | longcofm@wlac.edu

You are invited to join students at West Los Angeles College as they listen and learn from professional entertainment writers about how to

get a script onto the big or small screen. This free event will be held in the West Los Angeles campus Fine Arts Theater 

on Thursday, May 26 from 7:30-9:00pm.

The panel will feature successful industry veterans including Matt Lopez, writer of “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” and “Bedtime Stories;”

Chris Pearson, writer and creator of “Dan vs;” and Joy Kecken, writer on “The Wire” and “Homicide: Life on the Street.”
Ashok Patil, an award winning maker of Indian films and a professor at WLAC will also address the audience.

 

Panelists will discuss the process of turning the written word into an actual filmed scene. Please join us for this evening of film clips and spirited discussion.

PANELISTS:

MATT LOPEZ’s writing credits include The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer; the Walt Disney comedy Bedtime Stories, starring Adam Sandler; and the sci-fi actioner Race to Witch Mountain, starring Dwayne Johnson.  Projects in development include Asteroids, a re-imagining of the classic Atari video game, to be produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Transformers); and The Dangerous Book for Boys, based on the bestselling book, to be produced by Scott Rudin (The Social Network). Matt has recently expanded into producing, teaming with Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher (Pulp Fiction) on Safari for Paramount Pictures; and with Adam Shankman and Jennifer Gibgot (Hairspray) on Night Crew for Walt Disney. After graduating from film school at Florida State University, Matt attended New York University School of Law and worked for several years as an entertainment attorney and business affairs executive at DreamWorks. 

 

JOY LUSCO KECKEN is a writer, producer and director. She has writing credits for the award-winning Television series, Homicide: Life on the Street and The Wire. In 1998, she co-wrote the 100th episode, season finale of Homicide, which TV Guide voted the Top Ten Best Show of the Year. In 1999, she received the Individual Artist Award for Screenwriting from the Maryland State Arts Council, while winning the award previously in 1997 and 1995. She wrote and co-directed the short film,Louisville, starring Emmy award-winning actor Andre Braugher. The short won acclaim and awards throughout its festival run including Best Short from the New York Independent International Film Festival, a Jury Award from the Atlanta Film and Video Festival and the Lumiere Award from the New Orleans Film and Video Festival.Joy's diverse credits include the Jim Sheridan directed 50 Cent biography movie, Get Rich or Die Trying. Her co-written feature narrative, Maker of Saints, will soon be in production, starring Erykah Badu. Joy was a Story Producer for the reality TV series, Random 1, which aired on the A&E channel. In 2007, Joy co-directed for "The Wire", her television directorial debut.

  

CHRIS PEARSON moved to Los Angeles from the DC suburbs in 1999. One short decade later, he started getting paid for writing. He is the co-creator of the animated show "Dan vs." on The Hub network, and has written a feature-length screenplay for Vanguard Animation called "Alien Band."

 

ASHOK PATIL 

Shortly after becoming an instructor of computer science information technology here at West, Patil enrolled in the Masters of Fine Arts in Film Making program at prestigious Chapman University. Since then, he has completed 2 successful films that have run in Karnataka and here in the U.S. The first film was a drama titled SHAAPA. It won four Kamataka State Awards including best screenplay, best cinematography and best actress. His second 

film, a comedy, enjoyed a 25 week run. In June, his latest film – a suspense thriller – will debut in Kamataka and in the U.S. for Indian audiences. The movie, written, produced and directed by Patil, is about a taxi driver pressed 

into making a delivery for some underworld types to cover medical expenses for his mother. The driver has just 3 hours to complete his task …or else. Patil shot the latest film, “9 to 12,” in a tight 27 days – just 7 days over his plan and within budget. He credits his engineering experience and analytical skills for his success in film making. Patil hopes to one day share his cinema experience with film students here at West. 

 

MODERATORS: DREW BRODY and KATHERINE BOUTRY

Drew Brody is an award-winning playwright and producer whose credits include horror film Desert of Blood which aired on Showtime.  His films, web series, stage plays, and other live events in Los Angeles and New York, have featured James Cromwell, Ed Harris, Gregg Henry, Rex Lee, Amy Madigan, Rob Morrow, Dermot Mulroney, Jenny O’Hara, Lou Diamond Phillips, Bill Pullman, Sara Rue, Richard Schiff, Martin Sheen, and French Stewart, among many others. Produced works include dozens of world premieres for the stage including two by Pulitzer Prize winning playwrights: Sam Shepard’s It Wasn’t Proust, and Beth Henley’s Tight Pants. Drew won back-to-back “Excellence in Producing” awards at the New York International Fringe Festival, where his production of Fluffy Bunnies in a Field of Daisies earned an award for Best Ensemble and was named Best of Fringe. In addition to writing and producing, Drew teaches screenwriting in the Graduate Program in Humanities at Mount St. Mary’s College. 

 

Katherine Boutry teaches screenwriting at West Los Angeles College and is a writer for the Hub television series “The Haunting Hour.” She received her PhD in English from Harvard University where she taught for five years before moving to LA to be a television staff writer and professor.