The One Sheet
Volume 09, Issue 2 

The "8 X 10" Music & Film Industry Conference
April 18, 2009 - HCC Performing Arts Center, Spring Branch Campus


Photo credit: Denise Boucher

(L-R) Jolene McMaster, Moderator, and Dr. Aubrey Tucker, Seminar Host; Panelists, Yusef Muhammad, President, Black Broadcasting Network, and from the Astrodome Studios project both Elise Hendrix, President and Cynthia Neely, Vice President

 

The Houston Community College Chapter of MEISA (Music & Entertainment Industry Student Association) and Houston Community College presented the first "8X10" Music & Film Industry Conference on Saturday, April 18.  Women In Film & Television Houston (WIFT) had the opportunity to present morning and afternoon short film screenings in the Fine Arts Center's new Screening Theater. The morning session presented the best of European Short Films, and the afternoon session, featured two Oscar-nominated shorts selected by WIFT Houston president Jolene McMaster.  These were free screenings offered as a sidebar to the conference.  "What an asset the Screening Theater has become to an already fine audio and film program at HCC!," reports WIFT President, Jolene McMaster.   
 
Among WIFT members in attendance were panelist Cynthia Neely, Danny Kamin, Casey Kelly, Denise Boucher, and our volunteers Yankie Grant, Melrose Fougere, Laura Thorsten, and Jennifer Joseph.  New member Denise Boucher thankfully provided some photos of the day for "The One Sheet." Thank you all for your support!
 
Though the weather was not kind to the conference, attendance was still very good, and certainly an indicator that such a conference is a valid addition to the current offerings for members of the music and filmmaking community. 
 
Hosting the conference were Attorney Ricky Anderson, and WIFT corporate members Dr. Aubrey Tucker, HCC-NW Division Chair, Fine Arts and Commercial Music, and Dr. Scott Gehman, HCC Division Chair, Audio, Video and Film.  Marcus Roberts, President of the HCC Chapter of MEISA opened the conference.  Seminars included "Houston's Music Scene," moderated by Dr. Tucker; "Entertainment Attorneys Get Your Deals Done," moderated by Ricky Anderson; "The Houston Film and Television Scene, moderated by Jolene McMaster; "How Can I Get Played??," with Ronnie G, J. Thomas Smith, Esq., and Neal Harrison; and finally, Film Music: The Unseen Drama," moderated by Regina Scruggs, with writer/director Casey Kelly, and producer Jolene McMaster among the panelists.  The evening's program featured a "New Artist Music Showcase," hosted by Professor Keno Sims. 


WIFT Reaches Out to Young Filmmakers
by WIFT Vice President Marc Isaacs

Young filmmakers are a key part of the future of our industry and on February 27th I got to meet some talented ones. I served as a guest speaker at the "Quack Attack Film Festival" hosted by Lone Star College Cy-Fair Video Production Club. The festival featured a variety of categories for competition including Drama, Comedy, Documentary and Public Service Announcements, and each filmmaker or filmmaking team produced a 5-minute piece. I chose to focus my 15-minute presentation on the importance of networking and developing resources as a fundamental strategy in creating successful projects. I used this to emphasize the difference between their experience as autonomous filmmakers - serving as writers, directors and actors - and the need for professional filmmakers to assemble an entire production team to effectively finish a project. I encouraged students to network among themselves to identify people with different talent, and reach out to professional organizations such as WIFT Houston for mentoring and future job opportunities.


WIFT Helps Shape Tomorrow's Media Professionals
by WIFT VP Marc Isaacs and Secretary Melannie O'Connor

Photos Credit: Heather Leigh Jackson, pdlstudios.net

 

WIFT Houston is honored at the recent invitation to participation in the annual Media Day at Missouri City's Hightower High School.  The school's award-winning film and video production program boasts a large collection of awards, including the much-coveted Addy!

 

Vice President Marc Isaacs organized our involvement and led our lively session with students.  Member/Photographer Heather Leigh Jackson performed her usual magic with the camera in documenting the students' contagious enthusiasm.  Secretary Melannie O'Connor and WIFT Houston Alumna Carolina Boyd joined in the fun, emphasizing the netowrking and career building advantaages that organizations such as WIFT Houston provide.

 

The students' technical saavy, creative energy, and project-driven accomplishments are inspirational.  And their crew of dedicated instructors is rightfully proud!  We sincerely hope many of these young talents will join WIFT Houston as student members and, eventually, as full working members of our profession and our organization. 

 

"As someone who learned on the job, I'm thrilled to see these students are developing technical skills as journalists and storytellers long before their graduation from high school," says WIFT Vice President Marc Isaacs.  "They're creating opportunities for themselves thanks to the outstanding program at Hightower, and I'm pleased WIFT Houston can contribute to shaping their future.  Who knows?  We may be working for these kids someday so it's imperative that we take the time to offer guidance and encouragement now."