Festival Launches Film Academy

(Cape May, NJ) The newly-created Cape May Film Academy will launch its Visiting Experts Program with screenwriter and television producer Kristofor Brown. On December 20, Richard M. Teitelman School will host a guest lecture by Brown, whose new film, “Drillbit Taylor” starring Owen Wilson, will be released March 2008 from Paramount Pictures. Expect more film professionals, more educational programming, and more inspired filmmakers as the result of the new Academy from the region’s premiere cinematic resource, The Cape May New Jersey State Film Festival. The Academy has been more than five years in the planning. Workshops, tutorials, guest speakers, and other educational programs will be provided by the Academy in southern New Jersey.

“For the past six years,” states Gail Schmidtchen, Chair of the Cape May Film Academy, “the Cape May New Jersey Film Festival has hosted local students at the well received November Young Filmmakers’ Workshops, which have included sessions with noteworthy actors, Susan Sarandon and Robert Prosky; animator, Stefan Prosky; Grammy Award winning arranger Allan Slutsky; film composer, Stephen Kaminski; television and film make-up artist, Diane Skiba; and documentary filmmakers, Tom Sims and Susannah Newman. In addition, through the generous giving of time and talents, renowned screenwriters, such as Joe Stinson, have mentored and encouraged dozens of budding filmmakers, during year-round after school film writing meetings. Each summer, we also have offered an increasingly popular but intense “Boot Camp” for young filmmakers, who live nearby or visit Cape May. Due to our extensive programming, several alumni have continued their education on the university level.”

“We’ve done so much in this area already,” says Tom Sims, newly-appointed Executive Director for the Festival. “Our youth and adult learning programs have really inspired film enthusiasts of all ages to further study all things cinematic. Plans are in the works for a two-day film institute that will take a traveling educational program throughout the area. We’re planning a program that combines all of these workshops, and we’re taking that program to schools throughout the region.”

The Cape May Film Academy agenda continues with adult learning programs that have already had great attendance at the Festival. “We have a screenwriting workshop hosted by celebrity local J.C. Stinson that is always well attended,” says Sims. “We’ve also hosted home video programs in recent years that have found many adult learners picking up helpful hints on making their home moviemaking experience even better. Our next goal is to host filmmakers from across the country in a program that will provide instruction in several aspects of filmmaking. “Look for details on that program soon,” Sims says.

Regarding guest presentations, Sims says that the Festival has had its share of celebrities as part of its weekend program, and he announces that the Academy’s Visiting Experts Program plans to schedule even more to come to town. The most recent is Kristofor Brown, a screenwriter whose most recent work includes the spring 2008 Paramount Pictures comedy release “Drillbit Taylor” starring Owen Wilson as a unemployed bodyguard who takes a job protecting two kids from the high school bully. “We look forward to having Mr. Brown speak with students about writing for Hollywood and his work in writing and producing for television’s Beavis & Butthead series,” Sims says. “Clearly, this is going to be an active inaugural year for the Cape May Film Academy. We’re really looking forward to it.”

The Cape May New Jersey State Film Festival is the state’s premiere film festival dedicated exclusively to the support and presentation of creative, challenging, groundbreaking, film and video works by New Jersey filmmakers. The Festival is also the region’s leading educational and cultural resource for youth and adult learners interested in all facets of the cinematic experience. For further program information, contact the Film Festival office at 609-884-6700 or visit them online at www.njstatefilmfestival.com.

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NJ State Film Festival at Cape May

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Festival Launches Film Academy