Hollywood Professionals Impacting Lives Through Mentoring – Breaking the cycle of incarceration & addiction
We’re back in barracks 42 at South Facility, Pitchess Detention Center, starting our 11th Semester. We did our interviews and a week later started teaching our 29 new student/inmates. It seems like this will be a terrific class.
Last month, Cyndi and I had an opportunity to attend the Emmy Awards. This year, 20th Century Fox Television had a record number of nominees, many of them in the post production area of editing, sound, music and visual effects. We thought it was important to go and show support for the winners… and those that didn’t quite make it.
I’d like to say that the Emmy I’m holding was for best Studio Post Production Executive, but it was not. My friend and colleague, Jordan Goldman, let me hold his Emmy for Best Editing on our hit series HOMELAND. (Which also won Best Drama Series). Congratulations to all of our 20th Century Fox Television Emmy winners!
We ended our 10th semester with our normal “Final Shoot”. During this final production the students and instructors trade places… our students run the cameras, lights and sound while the instructors guide them.
This shoot was a little different, this time, the students wrote commercials for several of the Sheriff’s M.E.R.I.T programs (http://lasdshb.wordpress.com/2007/02/21/lasd-merit-program-graduation/) and we filmed them. Next semester they will edit them for broadcast on LASD TV.
During the commercial for the music program, for fun, Cyndi jumped onto the drum set.
Also, Chick-fil-A donated food to the shoot again. Thank you so much. Our guys loved the food and it really helped us keep our budget down. Your continued support means a lot to us.
Last month several of our guys were blessed to work on a commercial for the web hosting company LUNARPAGES. The company was extremely supportive, and we appreciate this support. Our instructor, Branden Morris, was the director. Our alumni worked as crew and as background artists.
Branden monitors the what’s being shot…
Last month Cyndi and I went on vacation to Switzerland, Austria and Italy. While we were in Austria, we went to many of the sights where THE SOUND OF MUSIC was filmed. It was really interesting to see these sights after seeing the movie so many times through the years.
Just a little history on the film… It was filmed in 1965 on location in Austria and starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The film won (5) Academy award. Here are some of the locations we visited:
We had a great trip and enjoyed seeing all the sights of this film plus everywhere else we visited!
“[It’s] an outstanding idea. I am surprised that other studios have not come up with it.”
“When I was approached by Gary about being involved in his project, I was thrilled. I think his idea of providing hands on experience in television production to at risk students is wonderful. I think his idea is both creative and innovative. My wife teaches sixth grade at an inner-city public school. I have heard her stories about bright young minds that aren’t developed because the students are victims of their environment. They aren’t given the chance to show what they are capable of accomplishing. I believe Gary’s program would go a long way toward correcting that problem.”
Derrick Warfel, our screenwriting instructor, came back in this semester to teach. He is always a favorite among our students; his passion for writing is contagious! This semester’s writing assignment is to write a :60 second commercial on one of the programs offered by the Sheriff’s Department. We hope to produce them during the semester and cut them into our ABOVE THE LINE show.
Thank you Derrick!
The Alumni Group, which is held every Tuesday night (7PM) at Grace Baptist Church in Santa Clarita continues to do well; supporting “our guys” and their families as well as they guys still incarcerated. For the two weeks that Cyndi and I were on vacation, Richard Badger taught on the importance of what they believe and how it affects and guides their lives… positively or negatively.
One of our Alumni, Robert D. helped out as Richard taught. Thanks Robert.
Last week we celebrated the two year anniversary of sobriety for Bill H. Congratulations Bill. Keep up the good work!
Everyone is invited to attend our Alumni meetings. Hope to see you there.
