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Elvis topped the feature competition at the 10th annual Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards (IATSE Local 706), winning a pair of awards for period make-up and period hair styling.

Accepting with the team, Shane Thomas said of the team’s challenge to creating Elvis Presley, “We wanted to represent and respect, but not impersonate.” He also saluted director Baz Luhrmann’s “unwavering commitment” to filmmaking.

Also on Saturday at The Beverly Hilton, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever collected the award for contemporary hair styling. Department head Camille Friend dedicated the award to the late Chadwick Boseman.

Angela Bassett – who is Oscar-nominated for her role as Queen Ramonda in Wakanda Forever – received the Guild’s Distinguished Artisan Award during the ceremony. Bassett called the Guild members the “unsung heroes of filmmaking” as she accepted the award. “For any show, there is a team who works long and hard to help us bring to life the character.

Updated with complete winners list: Oscar Best Picture nominee Elvis scored wins in both motion picture period make-up and hair styling categories Saturday at the 10th annual Make-up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards.

The contemporary make-up team from fellow Best Pic Oscar nominee Everything Everywhere All at Once and the special make-up effects team behind The Whale also took top honors tonight in the ceremony at the Beverly Hilton, as did Black Panther: Wakanda Forever for its contemporary hair styling.

Angela Bassett received the Distinguished Artisan Award on Saturday

Tonight’s film winners are now vying for Oscar frontrunner status in the Make-up and Hair Styling category; Elvis, Black Panther and The Whale are nominated there this year along with All Quiet on the Western Front and The Batman. Elvis and Batman were triple Muahs nominees tonight.

On the TV side tonight, multiple winners include Pam & Tommy, The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special,...

“Elvis” took the crown at the 10th annual Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards, leading all films. Presented Saturday evening at the Beverly Hilton, the Baz Luhrmann spectacle in which hair and makeup helped transform Austin Butler into Elvis Presley at every stage of his illustrious career, won two awards in the five feature-film categories, for period and/or character make-up and period and/or character hair styling.

Other film winners included “Everything Everywhere All at Once” for contemporary make-up, “The Whale” for special make-up effects and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” for contemporary hair styling.

“Elvis,” “The Whale,” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” are all nominated for the Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscar, along with “All Quiet on the Western Front” and “The Batman.”

Since the Muahs Awards started up again after a hiatus in 2013, all but one Oscar winner for makeup and hair had previously won an award from the guild.

The Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild held its 10th annual awards ceremony Saturday night at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” dominated the night with two wins for best period and/or character make-up and period and/or character hair styling. Best special make-up effects went to Adrien Morot, Kathy Tse and Chris Gallaher for “The Whale. Michelle Chung (Variety’s 10 artisans to watch recipient for hair and makeup) and the “Everything Everywhere All At Once” team took home the award for best contemporary make up, while the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” team won for best contemporary hair.

On the TV front, Hulu’s “Pam and Tommy,” “American Horror Story: Dollhouse” and “Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special” all took home awards.

Make-up artist D’Andre Michael and Muah winner Camille Friend presented the Distinguished Artisan Award to Angela Bassett.

Bassett told the room full of local 706 artisans,...

The Batman and Elvis lead the feature noms for the 10th Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards ( IATSE Local 706), which announced its nominations on Wednesday morning.

The Batman is nominated in the categories for contemporary make-up, contemporary hair styling, and special make-up effects. Elvis is a contender for period or character make-up, period or character hair styling, and special make-up effects.

Both movies are shortlisted for the Oscar in make-up and hair styling, along with Amsterdam, Babylon, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Blonde, which received two Muahs Guild nominations apiece; The Whale, which earned one Guild nomination; and All Quiet On The Western Front, Crimes of the Future and Emancipation.

Winners will be announced during a ceremony hosted by Melissa Peterman on Feb. 11 at The Beverly Hilton

The complete list of nominees follows.

Feature-length Motion Picture:

Best Contemporary Make-up

The Batman

Naomi Donne, Doone Forsyth, Norma Webb, Jemma Carballo...

The Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild has applied the nominations for its 10th anniversary awards show next month. See the full list below.

The Batman is the sole triple nominee on the film side. Pics scoring two noms apiece are Amsterdam, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Elvis and The Menu.

Awards for outstanding achievement in make-up and hair styling artistry will be presented in 23 categories spanning film, TV, commercials/music videos and live theater. Coming 2 America and Saturday Night Live were triple winners at last year’s Muahs Awards.

Since the modern Muahs Awards began in 2014, one of its marquee film winners — has gone on the claim the Best Makeup and Hairstyling Oscar every year — except in 2022. The Academy Award went to The Eyes of Tammy Faye, which was up for three of the guild’s awards but went home empty-handed.

Last like year, Legendary again...

This year’s hair, makeup, and costume winners at the Creative Arts Emmys represented some of the most ambitious and inventive works of beautifying.

The final night of Emmys in these categories saw a few fan favorites be recognized. HBO’s runaway hit “Euphoria” won its second Emmy of the year after winning for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics. Doniella Davy, Kirsten Coleman, and Tara Lang walked away with the award for Outstanding Contemporary Makeup.

The show was also up for an Emmy for their costumes but the Contemporary Costume win went to Debra Hanson and Darci Cheyne for the final season of Pop TV’s “Schitt’s Creek.” And after winning an Emmy for its Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music, Netflix’s “Hollywood” won the award for its period hairstyling, going to Michelle Ceglia, Barry Lee Moe, George Guzman, Michele L. Arvizo, and Maria Elena Pantoja.

The usual winners are present and accounted for,...

Whose Episode Is It?

“Time for After” has probably the most important plot development in Season 8 since the premiere, so why does it feel like such a shrug? It certainly doesn’t help that the majority of the episode is devoted to reiterating a bunch of stuff we already know about Eugene, a character that’s truly emblematic of the show’s diminishing returns. The real meat of the story is Daryl and Tara’s successful operation to upend Rick’s big plan and crush the Saviors in one fell swoop, casualties be damned, but it’s given about 12 minutes of screen time and the debate of its merits might be the most cursory discussion this show’s ever featured, which is saying something.

Read More:‘The Walking Dead’ Review: ‘The King, The Widow, And Rick’ Just Sits There A Shred of Humanity

But first, Eugene, who the show would...

Whose Episode Is It?

It’s an all-hands-on-deck installment, since a number of plotlines need to make incremental progress without anything too exciting happening quite yet. There are a couple of decent scenes, but it’s mostly people saying stuff you already knew or doing stuff they’ve already done in previous episodes. Nothing’s really terrible, but nothing really makes much of an impression, either, so it’s difficult to get worked up one way or the other. The purpose of “The King, the Widow, and Rick” is to get us from point A to point B as painlessly and perfunctorily as possible. It is the “Justice League” of “Walking Dead” episodes.

Read More:‘The Walking Dead’ Review: Negan Finally Explains Himself In ‘The Big Scary U’ Obligatory Zombie Action

Most of the zombie stuff this season has been tied to the war, so we haven’t really had...

Previously…

Last season, “The Walking Dead” had one of its biggest audiences ever for its worst-ever episode, and the show subsequently lost a number of viewers most shows would kill for, while still remaining a ratings powerhouse.

Rick and the others encountered new communities like the Hilltop (led by Gregory, who sucks) and the Kingdom (led by King Ezekiel, who rules). Both communities wound up rallying to Rick’s side, presumably because they were tried of Negan’s endless speechifying. Eugene went full heel, becoming a higher-up in the Saviors, while Savior lieutenant Dwight agreed to be a mole for the resistance. Finally, Sasha killed herself in a convoluted attempt on Negan’s life, because she had to go trek to the stars. Whew!

Read More:‘The Walking Dead’: AMC Launches Online Campaign to Make Season 8 Available on Hulu Whose Episode Is It?

Everyone’s accounted for in the premiere,...

[[tmz:video id="0_gqzm8keh"]] Tara Reid's in total disbelief at the score -- Tara 1, Beyonce 0 ... at least when it comes to "Josie and The Pussycats." Tara appeared on "TMZ Live" Friday and was still in shock to just learn -- 16 years after the release --  she beat out Bey for the role. The revelation came just last week when the co-writers and directors -- Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont -- told Billboard Beyonce auditioned for the role Tara ultimately won.

Written by George Mann, Cavan Scott | Art by Rachael Stott | Published by Titan Comics

It’s late Summer so you know what that means. It’s Dr Who event time. Ain’t no event like a Dr Who event, so it’s nice to see Who mainstays George Mann and Cavan Scott teaming up to write this one. Art is handled mainly by another Who veteran, Rachael Stott, though the fact she has five other artists helping out gives you an idea of the deadline crunch on this series. So, these events always have a Doctor or two meeting up, it’s the law I believe, so let’s get to it and see who turns up. It is, after all, one of those days.

These team ups of course are not just for the grownups, it’s also fun to see the million and one companions, and we start with Captain Jack and Tara,...

Equality Now has announced that their annual Make Equality Reality Gala will be held in New York City on Monday, October 30, 2017, at Gotham Hall.

This year’s event, which will mark the organization’s 25th Anniversary, will honor Gucci America President and CEO Susan Chokachi and A Breeze of Hope Foundation Founder Brisa De Angulo. The 2017 Make Equality Reality Gala Co-Chairs are Gloria Steinem, Tara Lynda Guber, Susan Hassan, Chandra Jessee (Inmaat Foundation), Karen Lehner, and Sue Smalley, PhD.

“I am proud to be part of a company that is fully committed to protecting human rights and fighting for gender equality. In 2013 Gucci founded Chime For Change to campaign for education, health and justice for girls and women all over the world, supporting the work of organizations like Equality Now, which are proving – often against extreme odds – that change is possible. It is an honor to partner with Equality Now,...

The American Pie star has battled both online trolls and shark-based extreme weather events. But through it all, she still knows how to tell Jedward apart

Hi, Tara! How are Jedward (1)?

Jedward are great. I’m in touch with them all the time, you know what I mean? I love Jedward, they’re amazing. Jedward are in Sharknado as well. They’re like my little brothers.

Continue reading...

Since its first installment premiered on July 11, 2013, the Sharknado franchise has become practically invaluable to Syfy — but while the budget for each film has gotten bigger, the wage gap between female lead Tara Reid and her male costar Ian Ziering has reportedly remained the same.

This week’s issue of The Hollywood Reporter features an inside look at the surprise hit franchise in which it’s claimed that Reid — who starred in all four installments as well as the upcoming fifth, Sharknado 5: Global Swarming — makes about a quarter of what Ziering earns on each installment.

For Sharknado 5, THR reports that the budget was $3 million,...

Being a Hollywood star doesn't make you exempt from bullies. As Tara Reid continues to find success with help from her memorable roles in the Sharknado franchise, the actress is opening up about her experiences with bullies. "Bullying is such a big deal these days and it's something I very much personalized with," Tara explained to E! News' Will Marfuggi while at Universal Studios Hollywood. "In my life, I've had a lot of bullying and I know what that feels like and how much it hurt." She continued, "What people don't realize is that there's so much kinds of bullying: Social media bullying, cyber bullying, physical bullying, mental bullying, there's...

Last Week’S Review: Everyone Gets a Chance To Bury The Hatchet In ‘The Other Side’

Whose Episode Is It?

It’s the penultimate episode, so it’s time to check in with just about everybody (the Kingdom excluded). That makes “Something They Need” a busy episode, but not a particularly compelling one. The issue is that while the back half of Season 7 has been a vast improvement over the first, its plotting has been overly predictable, since it’s mostly been about Rick assembling his army, a mission that will obviously succeed because the show doesn’t have anywhere to go, otherwise. The all-out war is clearly being held for next year, and there’s not enough time left in this season to build up any specific stakes or narrative steam to make the Season 7 finale worth looking forward to. What does happen this episode is completely expected: The Ricketeers gets Oceanside’s guns,...

It was kind of a "Freaky Friday" situation this episode.

Nell and Eric were assigned to the couples retreat in the woods, while Deeks and Kensi provided support on NCIS: Los Angeles Season 8 Episode 18.

These choices by Hetty made perfect sense to me. It was a lot easier for Nell and Eric to embrace the outdoors than for Deeks and Kensi to become genius-level at technology. 

The plot was more than a little convoluted. As I followed it, a mess of data was stolen from the Treasury Department, including a list of undercover IRS agents. And apparently, an Arab religious/terrorist group wanted that list bad enough to kidnap Tara's sister. Which is why she ran off teary every time her sister was mentioned.

Ok, that makes sense, kinda.

But really, this was just an excuse to get Nell and Eric alone together so that they could bring out their feelings about each other.

Last Week’S Review: Two Characters Arrive at a Moral Crossroads in ‘Hostiles and Calamities’

Whose Episode Is It?

If you were hankering for some Rick last week, worry not, because he and Michonne are the focus of “Say Yes,” as they try to scrounge up the guns that the Dumpsters demanded in “New Best Friends.” Meanwhile, Rosita is still stewing about blowing her shot at Negan (as she should, he was right there) and Tara expounded her moral conundrum to a baby. It’s hardly a barn-burner of an episode, but it gets the job done, and there are a few deft touches here and there that set it apart from other by-the-numbers “Walking Dead” installments.

Obligatory Zombie Action

For the first time this season, the main plot centers exclusively on a zombie operation, as Rick and Michonne find a school carnival that was turned into a military outpost...

Tara Reid is mourning the devastating loss of her father, Thomas Reid.

The 41-year-old actress revealed on Instagram on Friday that her father has died, sharing a picture of the two lovingly embracing.

"Today, I've received terrible news that my father, Thomas Reid, has passed away," Tara wrote. "He was a man full of life, love, wisdom, and strength. He was not only fun and in good spirits, but he was also one of the best story tellers I've ever heard."

Pics: Stars We've Lost in Recent Years

"My dad was so supportive, kind, strong, and my hero," she continued. "He was my heart, my soul, and my entire world. I love you and will miss you so much daddy! #Ripdaddyreid."

Tara just spent Christmas with her parents, including her mother, Donna. Both Thomas and Donna were teachers and day-care center owners.

"Merry Christmas I love you all!" the American Pie actress Instagrammed last week. "Feels so good...

Tara Reid‘s father Thomas Reid has died.

The 41-year-old actress shared the sad news on Friday, in a touching Instagram tribute.

“Today, I’ve received terrible news that my father, Thomas Reid, has passed away,” she wrote, captioning shot of the two of them embracing.

“He was a man full of life, love, wisdom, and strength,” the actress continued. “He was not only fun and in good spirits, but he was also one of the best story tellers I’ve ever heard.”

She continued: “My dad was so supportive, kind, strong, and my hero. He was my heart, my soul,...

Last Week’S Review: Tara Returns, and a New Community Is Introduced

Whose Episode Is It?

It’s a Carl episode, guys! When was the last time we had one of those? I’m seriously asking, since it’s been a while. It’s also a Negan episode, and he gets most of this episode’s bloated 90 minutes of runtime, so good news if you’re into Negan and bad news for those of us who got sick of his shtick before the end of his first episode. Fingers crossed that the many extra-long episodes this half-season is not an indicator of permanent runtime bloat like the kind that afflicted “Sons of Anarchy” in its later seasons. Filling more time is a burden this show really doesn’t need.

Man Is the True Monster

Carl successfully arrives at the Saviors’ main base after ditching Jesus (man, it must sting to...

Mr. Scratch might have driven out Hotch out of the Bau, but he is far from done with the team. The latest Criminal Minds episode, "Mirror Image," saw Scratch go after another member of the Bau, Tara. Thinking she was meeting with her estranged brother Gabriel, Tara instead met with a disturbed, confused and manipulated man named Desmond who Scratch made believe he was Tara's brother, Gabriel. TVGuide.com sat down with Aisha Tyler, who plays Dr. Tara Lewis, to talk about the events of the episode and what Mr. Scratch has in store for the Bau the rest of the season.

Mr. Scratch returned in Criminal Minds' "Mirror Image," and this time, his focus was on Tara. After kidnapping her brother, he sent one of his brainwashed victims to her, and Desmond Holt was completely convinced he was Gabriel. And in order to find Gabriel, they had to get through to Desmond.

Here's how Mr. Scratch continued to terrorize the Bau in "Mirror Image."...

Crossing a Walking Dead star is never a good idea.

Alanna Masterson, who plays zombie fighter Tara Chambler on the show, fought back at body shamers on Instagram who commented about her weight.

“Dear Instagram trolls, body shamers, and the men and woman who think it’s ok to comment on my weight: I hope that you don’t have children. And if you do, I hope you teach them about kindness and acceptance,” she starts by saying.

Masterson says she’s received offensive comments about her size ever since she gave birth to her daughter in Nov. 2015.

“Maybe you...

The focus returns to Mr. Scratch as he continues to terrorize the Bau in Criminal Minds' "Mirror Image," and with Hotch and Jack in witness protection, another member of the Bau becomes his focus: Tara.

This episode also allows for the opportunity to get to know Dr. Lewis a bit more, as her family is right at the center of the investigation. Her brother is in town, but the two of them don't have a warm, sibling relationship, and their father hopes that they can begin to patch things up over a cup of coffee. Unfortunately, when a man sits down across from Tara for that meeting, that's when the trouble begins.

A Bau team member’s family “reunion” quickly escalates into an UnSub situation, as seen in this exclusive sneak peek from Wednesday’s Criminal Minds (CBS, 9/8c).

RelatedCriminal Minds Reveals Hotch’s Fate — and 30 Percent of TVLine Readers Guessed Right

In “Mirror Image,” which was directed by cast member Joe Mantegna, Dr. Tara Lewis (played by Aisha Tyler) gets a visit from her brother Gabriel. Thing is, Tara of course knows her brother, and this stranger (guest star Alimi Ballard) ain’t him! And yet, this “Gabriel” knows everything about Tara and her (their?) family.

Confusing matters even more,...

The case is going to be very, very personal for Dr. Tara Lewis in Criminal Minds' "Mirror Image," an episode that brings back Peter Lewis (a.k.a. Mr. Scratch) and was directed by series star Joe Mantegna.

In this episode, the Bau opens an investigation when a man who fully believes he's Tara's brother arrives in town and knows everything about her and her family. As for her real brother, she can't make contact with him.

Last Week’S Review: ‘The Walking Dead’ Review: ‘Go Getters’ Gives Maggie a Reason to Live

Whose Episode Is It?

Hey, remember Tara and Heath? Tara, the American hero who once flipped Rick Grimes off as hard as she could? And Heath, the Alexandrian guy who it seemed might be pegged for some character development before he had to go star in “24: Legacy”? Well, they’re back! And quite a few things have changed in the two weeks since they’ve been on a supply run, but they remain blissfully ignorant as the episode begins.

Obligatory Zombie Action

The zombies long ago stopped being the central threat on “The Walking Dead,” but we still have to have some zombies show up every episode, lest the makeup department not earn their keep. This week, Tara and Heath encounter a bunch of zombies buried under several dump trucks worth of sand,...

[[tmz:video id="0_839h9a79"]] It's gotta be Tara Reid's least fave starring role, but it's also the one that started Kim Kardashian's march to fame -- and maybe the most classic TMZ clip of all time. It all went down 10 years ago today -- hard to believe -- outside Hyde on Sunset, which was The spot at the time. Tara was forced to wait at the door when along came her former Bff Paris Hilton ... arm-in-arm with Kim.

This interview went from zero to 100 real quick!

On Friday, Tara Reid dropped in to Jenny McCarthy's SiriusXM radio show to talk about the fourth installment of her upcoming film Sharknado. However, the interview turned into a verbal sparing match between the two ladies and ended with Reid walking out.

The interview began with McCarthy, 43, complementing Reid on her latest reality show appearance in Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars.

"I f---ing love you on that show, but are you glad you did it?" the host asked.

It seemed to have struck a nerve with the 40-year-old actress who didn't...

This interview went from zero to 100 real quick! On Friday, Tara Reid dropped in to Jenny McCarthy's SiriusXM radio show to talk about the fourth installment of her upcoming film Sharknado. However, the interview turned into a verbal sparing match between the two ladies and ended with Reid walking out. The interview began with McCarthy, 43, complementing Reid on her latest reality show appearance in Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars. "I f---ing love you on that show, but are you glad you did it?" the host asked. It seemed to have struck a nerve with the 40-year-old actress who didn't...

[[tmz:video id="0_nwsbua2n"]] Jenny McCarthy and Tara Reid went off on each other -- live on the air -- when a 'Sharknado' promotion turned into a battle royale over fake boobs and gnarly plastic surgeries. The showdown happened on Jenny's SiriusXM show Friday, and when she asked Tara if she had to get in shape for her role in 'Sharknado 4' ... things got nasty quickly. You gotta hear it. Tara tells TMZ she "totally felt so bullied and attacked.

[[tmz:video id="0_4lnu9hgl"]] Gavin Rossdale hit the club scene Saturday night, and spent a little time with "Sharknado" survivor Tara Reid. Gavin and Tara were both leaving Hyde at around 2:30 Am when they chatted it up.  It doesn't look like he was with her.  It seems he left with another woman. Read more...

In the fourth Sharknado movie, a mockumentary that will be released on DVD on October 6 by The Asylum, and was directed by Jeremy Wagener, Jared Cohn plays the ambitious filmmaker behind the original Sharknado movie – the one we never saw. Before Ian, before Tara, before the Twitter sensation… there was this! Question (Q): First of all, give us a quick rundown of Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness? Jared Cohn (Jc): Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness is an origin story of how Sharknado came about. I play the original creator/director of the movie. It shows my struggles as a filmmaker doing whatever it takes to get the masterpiece that is Sharknado [ Read More ]

The post Interview: Jared Cohn Talks Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness appeared first on Shockya.com.

The lasagna eating feline's Halloween special turns 30 this year and Fright Rags is ready to celebrate! Also: a Q&A with Jared Cohn from Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness, Horror Decor's Pumpkin scented candle and release details for I am a Hero.

Garfield's Halloween Adventure Shirts: Time flies when you are stuffing your face with Italian cuisines, and it has been 30 years (already) since Garfield's Halloween Adventure aired on CBS on October 30th, 1985.

Fright Rags is celebrating this occasion with three T-Shirts and one Baseball tee that showcase Garfield and Odie's personalities.

The shirts in this collection will be available to pre-order on Wednesday, September 23rd at 10:00 Am Est. These shirts are limited and may sell out during the pre-order period. Shipping begins in mid-October.

To learn more, visit the Fright Rags online store.

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Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness: "Jared Cohn stars in Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness...

American Reunion looked like it was going to be the last in the American Pie series, but you can't keep a good comedy down.

Tara Reid has hinted that a fifth theatrical film in the series is in the works, and will go down the Hangover route by taking place in Las Vegas.

"There's actually talks about [a fifth movie], they may be doing it in Las Vegas," she told Kiis FM's Kyle & Jackie O Show today (May 11).

Reid played Vicky in the American Pie films, and when asked if she would return for a fifth, she responded with a passionate "yes".

Not including the straight-to-dvd spin-off films, the American Pie series has grossed a combined $989 million worldwide.

The Sharknado star was also asked about her strained friendship with co-star Jason Biggs, who told the late Joan Rivers on her web series In Bed With Joan that "no one knows what's going on...

The critics are out for (new) blood!

Nominations for the fifth annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards were announced Wednesday, and the list is chock-full of first-time nominees from rookie hits and established series.

RelatedEmmys 2015: Are Taraji P. Henson and Viola Davis About to Make History?

In something of a surprise, FX’s Justified parlayed widespread acclaim for its final season into a leading five nominations, including best drama series, lead actor for Timothy Olyphant, supporting actor for Walton Goggins (who’s also up for his guest work on Sons of Anarchy), supporting actress for Joelle Carter and guest performer for Sam Elliott.

Darth Vader, zombies, and Riverdale's Archie are featured in our latest round-up, in which we take a look at the first trailer and release details for Star Wars Battlefront, the Wizard World Minneapolis variant cover for The Walking Dead #1, and release details for the Archie vs. Sharknado one-shot.

Star Wars Battlefront: The long-awaited Star Wars Battlefront will be released on November 17th, about one month before the debut of Star Wars: The Force Awakens:

Press Release -- "Redwood City, Calif.--(Business Wire)--Dice™, an Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq:ea) studio, and Lucasfilm announced today that Star Wars™ Battlefront™ will be released beginning November 17, 2015 in North America (November 19 in Europe) as the first full-length trailer for this highly anticipated title premiered to thousands of fans at Star Wars™ Celebration. Combining an unprecedented collaboration with Lucasfilm and the award-winning Frostbite™ game engine, Star Wars Battlefront will deliver an incredibly authentic and...

She's dancing the day away! Tara Reid was among the many celebrities spotted at this weekend's star-studded Coachella festivities in Indio, California. The 39-year-old Sharknado star was getting down to Hozier's set where the group performed their hit single "Take Me to Church." The blond actress was seen sporting her own summer fashions, opting for a bohemian chic look while attending the second day of the festival. Reid revealed a slender frame and tanned skin while grooving to her favorite spring-time jams. Tara also showcased her summer frame by wearing a loose fitting black tee and white daisy dukes that barely covered up her white string bikini. Even though the star decided on a...

Despite the numerous opportunities out there, most aspiring filmmakers looking for support and mentorship know that the Sundance Institute’s January Screenwriters Lab and June Directing Lab have been two of the most important talent development initiatives in the independent film world for over 30 years. The great quality of the projects that have been workshopped and propelled through these programs have given us some of the most iconic films and filmmakers in recent memory.

But the institute’s commitment to provide opportunities for new voices that represent an eclectic array of background and experiences goes even further with other, lesser known, initiatives that have the potential to become turning points in the artists' careers. Of these, one of the most exciting programs is the Screenwriters Intensive, which is part the Sundance Institute's Diversity Initiative. This is of course a resource that is not only valuable, but crucial as we try to become a more inclusive society that is appreciative and welcoming of stories that exist beyond the mainstream, homogenous noise.

The Screenwriters Intensive is a 1 1/2 day workshop for writers whose work has been encountered by the institute as part of their outreach for the Labs and which they find especially promising. The writers of 10 projects take part in a program whose elements include a hands-on writing workshop led by creative advisor Joan Tewkesbury (“Nashville”), a screening of a recent Sundance film followed by a candid conversation with the filmmaker, a reception with Sundance staff and the extended Sundance community, and one-on-one meetings with two creative advisors to get feedback on their script. With the Intensive, the Sundance Institute aims to present participants with creative tools that they can take back to their own work, provide a space for dialogue and information sharing about the creative process of making a film (and all of the joys and challenges therein), and foster community among storytellers and an ongoing connection with Sundance.

This year the film screened was Rick Famuyiwa’s “Dope,” which premiered earlier this year in Park City and won a Special Jury Prize for Editing. Following the screening Famuyiwa shared anecdotes about the film’s production and the perseverance needed to stand by the core values of his project in spite of outside opposition. Later that evening, during a casual and highly interactive reception, the fellows had the chance to discuss their latest breakthroughs and newly found questions regarding their personal projects with the institute’s staff and other members of the independent film community. Chatting with them, and having witnessed some of the poignant exercises Ms. Tewkesbury uses in the past, there is not doubt in my mind that this was a groundbreaking experience for the entire group.

The following morning the fellows returned to the institute’s L.A offices to have on-on-one conversations with two advisors from a group of talented and achieved professionals that included Kyle Patrick Alvarez (“The Stanford Prison Expriemnt”), Patricia Cardoso (“Real Women Have Curves“),the aforementioned director Rick Famuyiwa (“Dope”), Deena Goldstone (“Identity Theft”), Tanya Hamilton (“Night Catches Us”), Felicia Henderson (“Gossip Girl”), Elgin James (“Little Birds”), Craig Johnson (“The Skeleton Twins”), Kyle Killen (“The Beaver”), Adam Bhala Lough (“Bomb the System”), Joan Tewkesbury herself, and Ligiah Villalobos (“Under the Same Moon”).

The Screenwriters Intensive fellows come from uniquely different backgrounds, and their projects bring original stories that are sure to showcase new and inventive perspectives on the world. Get to know them and their stories as they are on their way to giving us a great batch of new independent films.

To learn more about the Sundance Institute's programs visit Here

Tara Anaise

Project: "Bombay Stories"

Tara Anaïse is an award-winning writer/director whose first feature, "Dark Mountain," was released by Gravitas Ventures in August of 2014. Other recent work includes the upcoming thriller "Housekeeping," on which she’s a producer, and which is set to be released by Lions Gate in late March of 2015. Her short films have screened at festivals worldwide. Tara is currently developing several new projects, including a post-apocalyptic road movie with a female lead who drives a muscle car and kicks a**, and a romantic drama set in Mumbai in both 1968 and the present day that’s loosely based on her own family’s history. She holds an Mfa in film production from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts and a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania. She can make a mean pumpkin mezcal cocktail and according to an Amazonian curandero, her spirit animal is the black jaguar. She lives and works in Los Angeles

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

"Bombay Stories" is a drama centered around an Indian man returning to the city of his birth after decades of living abroad. When tragedy strikes, he recalls the summer of 1968—at that time, he was twenty-one and having a heartbreaking affair with a married woman right before leaving Bombay, and his entire family, behind for his new home in New York. It’s a story about the complexities of familial relationships and the question of whether or not it’s possible to return home.

It’s very loosely inspired by my own family’s history—my father’s side fled Sindh during the Partition of India in 1947 and rebuilt their lives in Mumbai (which at the time was called Bombay). Then my father left Mumbai (of his own volition) for the U.S. And then I fled the east coast for Los Angeles. I like to say I come from a long line of fleers.

The project is in the development stage. Currently working on a rewrite of the script and I’m planning on directing.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

Don’t take the easy way out. There are certain things I know about my characters and I can write them easily and I can write them well. But the most interesting aspects of a character come from the places we know the least. Don’t be afraid to go down the path that’s half in shadow, this is the kind of exploration that leads to the heart of the thing. I’ll definitely be using Joan’s writing exercises to further develop all of my characters. I’ve never done anything like what we did during her seminar. She had us make lists of things drawn from our own personal experiences – three times in your life you’ve known something was wrong but did it anyway, three places to which you never want to return, three times you’ve felt lost, and so on—and then take one item from each list, put the items on our protagonist, and quickly write a short story about the whole thing. It’s a concrete way to use instances from one’s own life to get to the root of the character.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

Going into day two was exciting but nerve-wracking. I woke up at 5am wondering how my advisors were going to react to my script (I tend to expect the worst.) Luckily, no one ripped my script up into tiny pieces and threw it back at me. Adam and Tanya were both really great. They had good things to say about the script, along with insightful suggestions for improving it, which I’m going to explore in the next draft. We talked about the writing process. We talked about production. We talked about navigating the industry. Getting advice from two talented, experienced filmmakers who’d been through this many times before was incredibly helpful, not just for this project, but for my career as a filmmaker as well.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

The first thing I’m going to do is take some time to really get at the heart of each and every character. Then I’ll tackle the rewrite and when the script is ready, I’ll reach out to producers.

Shelby Farrell

Project: "Deidra and Laney Rob A Train"

Shelby Farrell is a screenwriter from Memphis, Tennessee. She is a graduate of Emory University where she was awarded the Kikag screenwriter award and the American Film Institute Conservatory where she finished an Mfa in screenwriting. She was recently featured in the Tracking Board's 2014 Young and Hungry List. She currently writes interactive games for Pocket Gems and is in preproduction for her feature "Deidra and Laney Rob A Train." She is repped by Gersh and Principato-Young.

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

"Deidra and Laney Rob A Train" is a dramedy about two teenage sisters who start robbing freight trains to support their family after their mother goes to jail. This script was my thesis screenplay for AFI and was featured on the Tracking Board's 2014 Young and Hungry List. Sydney Freeland (Sundance Alumni, "Drunktown's Finest") is attached to direct. Currently our reps are approaching select producers with the project, and we are really excited to see where it goes from here.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

All of the writers and I were pushed to find inspiration from our own past experiences during writing exercises. Through this process, I think we all realized that our screenplays are more autobiographical than we perhaps wanted to believe. Not that I've ever robbed a train, but I could.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

Having professional advisors is always a blessing. Their feedback was especially useful in this stage because so many people I work with have read multiple drafts. Having fresh eyes on the script really gave me a new perspective. Also since the advisors are independent filmmakers and Sundance alums they really know what we are going through at this stage of development. I also got great advice on what's coming in the next few months as we get this story off the page.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

As far as this project goes, I feel like the script is in a really good place, but I also know that rewrites never end, and I'm excited to use the notes I received for future drafts. I'm also planning on using the writing exercises we learned in Joan Tewkesbury's workshop as I develop my newer projects. Joan taught us some character development tools that can be applied to any project in any stage.

Jared Frieder

Project: "Three Months"

Jared Frieder is a graduate of the Columbia University fiction writing program and his stories can be found in The Collective Press and The Newer York. His screenplay, "Three Months," has taken the top screenwriting prizes at the Austin Film Festival, the Screencraft Comedy Screenplay Contest, and the Big Bear International Film Festival Screenplay Contest. "Three Months" was also chosen for the 2014 Outfest Screenwriting Lab and was the featured script on The Black List online last November. He is currently developing his animated half-hour pilot, "Marathoners," with Bento Box Entertainment. He was accepted to USC’s Screenwriting Mfa on the Edward Volpe Endowed Scholarship before leaving to work on the ABC Family drama, "Chasing Life."

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

My project, "Three Months," tells the coming-of-age story of Caleb Kahn, a queer Ziggy Stardust-loving teenager from Miami who is exposed to HIV the weekend of his high school graduation and has to wait three months to be tested for the disease. It's a comedy, it's a love story, it's a tale of resilience, and it's a deconstruction of how people in crisis sludge through great periods of waiting. The screenplay has been a passion project of mine and I am very grateful to the Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition, the Screencraft Comedy Screenplay Contest, and the Big Bear International Film Festival Screenplay Contest for awarding "Three Months" their respective grand prizes. I've also been spoiled by the Outfest Screenwriting Lab and the Sundance Intensive for allowing the script to be workshopped with their brilliant advisors (and some of my all-time heroes.)

After Austin, one of the festival judges (screenwriting phenom, producing master, and all around baller, Oren Uziel) came on board to help bring the script to the screen, along with my management company, Haven Entertainment. We're in the beginning stages of seeing this story come alive and it's pretty much the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

The most important lesson I learned from the Intensive's first day is that Joan Tewkesbury is my spirit animal. The second most important lesson I learned from Ms. Tewkesbury (sweetly nicknamed Tewks by the generous souls of Sundance) is that I tend to use jokes as a means of concealing truth and authenticity (something my protagonist does as well. Let's just say I was channeling.) She helped me crack the comedy facade and delve deeper into character, getting in touch with Caleb's fears, insecurities, and dreams. I'm confident that Tewk's direction will not only take Caleb and "Three Months" to the next level, but also elevate my storytelling in the future. And for that, I will forever be in Ms. Tewkesbury's debt.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

Sitting down with Kyle Killen was intimidating at first (he's a certifiable story genius who wrote "The Beaver" and created shows like "Lone Star.") But Kyle tapped into my protagonist in ways that previous advisors couldn't. He helped me dissect Caleb, bringing out deeper layers of his character. We then discussed and determined the most effective way of braiding these emotional undercurrents into the narrative. It's safe to say that my mind was blown.

Kyle Alvarez (esteemed director and fast friend) took a different approach and guided me through "Three Months" from a director's perspective, helping me think about casting, locations, and how aspects of the script would translate on screen. Having mentors come at the project from different angles was really enlightening. Again, I feel incredibly spoiled and grateful.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

Post-Intensive, I'm taking another pass at "Three Months" (because apparently you're never done writing, or that's what they keep telling me.) I'm stoked to take my Sundance notes and weave them through the script where I see fit. Then it's off to the producers for feedback and hopefully the hunt for a director and cast will commence. Also, there will be thank you notes. Lots and lots of thank you notes: to Sundance, to Tewks, to the Kyles, and to the universe for giving me this opportunity.

David J. Lee

Project: "Found"

David J. Lee spent years as an It professional who dreamed of becoming a performer. He finally made the leap and began working as a professional actor who curiously kept getting offers to direct. Finally he gave in, dropped it all, and proceeded to pursue his Mfa in Film Production at USC where, of course, everyone became more interested in his writing. Dave received USC’s First Film Screenwriting Award in 2013, and his thesis script, "Found," was a top 50 Academy Nicholl semi-finalist. His university-produced short, "Paulie," directed by Andrew Nackman, went on to win the Best Film, Audience Award, and Best Writer prizes at the 2014 NBC Universal Short Cuts Festival. Dave was a 2014 Cape New Writers Fellow; he is working on the feature version of "Paulie" while making eyes at the TV world.

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

My feature film script is a crime thriller called “Found”. It’s the story of a night worker at a storage facility whose odd, illicit habit of breaking into storage lockers – and her talent for understanding people's lives through their belongings – force her into action when she discovers evidence of a child abduction in one of the units.

“Found" was my thesis script at USC and was a top-50 Nicholl semi-finalist in 2013. Prior to being accepted into the 2015 Sundance Intensive, it had been selected for the 2014 Cape New Writers Fellowship.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

Obviously, at this point I'm many drafts into my script, which means that I'm in a much different mindset than I was when I was originally coming up with the story. It’s a very analytical, left-brain process. Joan Tewkesbury led us through a series of writing exercises which brought me back to that original creative place, which helped me get a new perspective on my characters.

I guess if you’re looking for a specific lesson, it would be, “If you need a fresh perspective, don’t be afraid to put your characters in seemingly irrelevant situations, just to see how they play out, because you’ll be surprised at the relevant places you end up. At the very least, you often end up learning something new about your characters."

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

I was amazed and honored at how much time each advisor had put into their notes. Time is gold for these folks, and they gave us so much of it. It seemed that most of them had received tremendous support from the Sundance Labs or from programs similar to them when they were younger, so they were all there that day out of a desire to give back.

It’s valuable to receive notes from professionals in that these are folks who have more experience than you and a valuable perspective from having worked within the system, and I received some fantastic, insightful feedback that day. At the same time, they’re only perspectives. A note from a working professional may warrant extra consideration, but ultimately, if it doesn’t resonate with you, then it just doesn’t. In the end you weigh those comments against all the other feedback you’ve received over time.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

Keep writing. I’m encouraged by the attention this script has received. When I get it to a place where I’m happy with, then I’ll start looking into getting it made.

Channing Godfrey Peoples

Project: "Miss Juneteenth"

Channing Godfrey Peoples received her Mfa from USC's School of Cinematic Arts. Originally from Texas, she spent her childhood in community theater and has been storytelling ever since. Her films are character driven stories that focus on the resilience of the human spirit, often featuring African-American women at a turning point in their lives. At USC, Channing was awarded funding to direct her documentary, “Carry Me Home”, about the celebratory aspects of African-American Funeral Traditions.

Her narrative Thesis Film, “Red”, is a King Family Foundation Recipient, Jury Award Winner for Directing at the Directors Guild of America Student Film Awards, Panavision New Filmmakers Grant Recipient and nominated for Best Short at Pan African Film Festival and the Africa Movie Academy Awards. Channing won “Best Director” at the Nevada International Film Festival and was honored at the Lois Weber Film Festival in Texas. She wrote, directed and starred in “Red”, which is currently on the festival circuit, most recently screening at Champs-Élysées Film Festival in Paris, France. Channing served as a Time Warner Artist-in-Residence at Howard University in Washington DC. She believes in community involvement and mentors children interested in the arts. Channing is developing her first feature film, “Miss Juneteenth."

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

In Texas, slaves were informed they were free, two long years after 1863's Emancipation Proclamation declared American slaves free. That day was June 19 th, 1865, also known as “Juneteenth”. Today, many communities celebrate the Juneteenth holiday with beauty pageants acknowledging young African-American women who are the descendants of slaves. My story, "Miss Juneteenth," is about one of these women.

Turquoise Jones is a former beauty queen, “Miss Juneteenth 1999”, who lost her pageant's top prize of a college scholarship when an unplanned pregnancy lands her back home tending bar at an aging juke joint. Today, she is a single mother to a teenage girl, who she struggles to keep from going down the same wrong path that she took. She has enrolled her disinterested daughter in this year’s Miss Juneteenth pageant and is fighting to keep her in it.

The project is in development and is based in my hometown of Fort Worth, Texas. Neil Creque Williams ("David’s Reverie") is attached as Producer.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

On our first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab, Joan Tewkesbury lead an incredible writing workshop that challenged me to look deeper into the emotional journey of my story. I was seeking a way to take my script to a deeper emotional level and the workshop certainly aided that endeavor. The lesson for me was to connect to my characters through personal experience and emotion and not be resistant to other possibilities for my story.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

The advisors were incredible and I am in awe of their insight and accomplishments. I was delighted to receive feedback from professionals whose work I have long admired. They provided constructive feedback and challenged me to think of the script in new ways. I also enjoyed exchanging ideas with the other fellows at the Intensive and I was delighted to be surrounded by such diverse talent.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

I am now revisiting the script with a renewed intensity. I will be directing my film, "Miss Juneteenth," so my producer, Neil Creque Williams and I have identified our locations and begun preliminary casting. Our next step is crowdfunding and to continue to apply for support.

Maya Perez

Project: "Umwana"

Maya Perez is a screenwriter and fiction writer. She is a consulting producer for the Emmy Award- winning television series "On Story: Presented by Austin Film Festival," now entering its fifth season on PBS, and co-editor of the book On Story: Screenwriters and Their Craft (University of Texas Press, October 2013). She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Vassar College and is a Michener fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. She grew up in Kenya, Zambia, and the United States and lives in Austin, Texas.

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

My project is a feature script, "Umwana," a domestic drama about an American teen who goes to rural Zambia to meet and live with her father and his family. More foreign to her than the cultural differences is the experience of being a member of a family.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

It was great to be reminded of the importance of specificity when depicting characters, and also, how to pull from personal experience without making your characters reflections of yourself. In the workshop we were assigned numerous writing exercises and, though initially intimidating, it was stimulating to be assured there's no limit to the new stories we can quickly craft from scratch. We often think of time as the enemy, in that we don't have enough of it in which to do the work. But sometimes I think I give myself too much time. Some of my better, more visceral writing has been generated under the gun, so to speak.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

One of my advisors hit me with a barrage of questions as soon as I sat down - What is Cassie feeling here? What does Joseph look like? Is it what she expected? What if this happened? What if that happened? So many questions that I started doubting the story's weight altogether. But she kept on and wouldn't let up, so I just wrote them all down until I finally had an answer and then another and eventually realized I know exactly what this story and these characters are about. I had to be sort of beaten down and thrown off balance in order to find the railing. It was terrific. Another advisor - who fortunately came right after - grabbed my shoulders and said he would stalk me until I made this film. He offered to make introductions to agents, managers, producers, and to be there for every draft and question I might have along the way. It was an invaluable experience, to sit down with these talented, professional writers who had read my script so closely and had such constructive questions and encouragement. It felt as though they were as invested in its success as I am.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

My proposed new opening to the script was met with enthusiasm, so I'll make that change, do another revision on the script, and then submit it for the Screenwriters Lab. It was a finalist last year, so hopefully it will go through this year and I'll be able to take advantage of a full week at the Lab to prepare it for production. One of my advisors generously sent me the look book he's using for his current project, and I'm making one of those for "Umwana" as well as researching what shooting on location in Zambia will entail.

Rodrigo Reyes

Project: "Charlie"

Rodrigo Reyes was born in Mexico City in 1983. Supported by the Mexican Ministry of Film, his acclaimed 2012 feature documentary "Purgatorio" featured visceral and intimate portraits of the Us- Mexico border. The film premiered in competition at the 2013 Los Angeles Film Festival and Guadalajara International Film Festival, touring more than 40 festivals including MoMA’s Documentary Fortnight, and winning several jury prizes including the Michael Moore Award for Best Documentary at the Ann Arbor Film Festival. "Purgatorio" has been released theatrically on over 100 screens throughout Mexico, touring Latin America, Spain, and over 30 American cities. In 2013 Filmmaker Magazine named Rodrigo one of 25 New Faces of Independent Film, and in 2014 he was awarded the Tribeca Film Institute Heineken Voices Grant for his upcoming documentary "Sanson And Me," as well as the Canon Filmmaker Award for his hybrid peach picker portrait "Lupe Under The Sun," currently in post-production. Rodrigo attended Uc San Diego, as well as colleges in Madrid and Mexico City, earning a degree in International Studies. He currently lives in California’s Central Valley where he works as an interpreter in the California Superior Court.

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

"Charlie" is a story about a mother and son living in the heartland of America, who hide a dark secret that is tearing them apart, threatening them with destruction. It’s a twisted, existential fairy-tale that tackles estrangement, loneliness and violence in a unique way. Aside from Sundance, the film has received the support of Nalip’s Latino Media Market.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

I was surprised by some of the tools used in the labs. There was an element of tapping into the subconscious using semi-dada techniques that really clicked with me. The key was coming in with an open mind.

Before the Labs, I felt the project was close to a final draft. That has since been atomized and torn apart at the hinges, which is fantastic, actually. The Intensive helped me pull away from the rut I didn’t know I was in and look at my script with a naked, honest perspective.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

Often as independent filmmakers we feel threatened by the industry, their perspectives are senses as criticisms instead of critiques. The Lab did a great job of inviting you to a conversation, not a lecture or a dictate. I felt I could take the advice that honestly connected with me and integrate it with my script, while also fielding key questions to the advisors in a safe space.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

It’s all in my hands now. I have to integrate the conversations, critiques and perspectives gleaned from this process into a new draft.

Luke Uriah Slendebroek

Project: “Sophia/Gordita”

Luke Uriah Slendebroek is a graduate of the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television Mfa directing program. While at UCLA, Luke's films have been awarded The Hollywood Foreign Press Award, The Four Sister’s Award, The Carroll Sax Award in Motion Picture and Television Production, the Edie and Lew Wasserman Film Production Fellowship, and two Motion Picture Association of America Awards. Luke has directed a short documentary for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and he has directed a short film for the Oscar-winning producer and director Robert "Bobby" Moresco as part of an interdisciplinary collaboration at UCLA. He has also directed a number of industrial films for Fortune 500 companies. Luke's films favor the underdogs, involve fantastical worlds, and tend to explore that brief period between childhood and adulthood.

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

“Sophia/Gordita” is a coming of age western based on the incredible true story of teenage madam that served the migrant farming communities of the midwest.

Aleksandar Marinovich has stepped on board to help produce the film. Currently we are raising money to finance the film with a goal of shooting in September, 2016.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

The Sundance Intensive was an amazing and immersive experience. The writing techniques I learned during the two days will be crucial as I dive into the next draft of my screenplay entitled “Sophia/Gordita”. Through this workshop, I feel confident to tackle the issues of my screenplay and to dig deeper into motivations that drive my lead character, Sophia.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

Patricia Cardoso and Ligiah Villalobos were incredibly generous to offer their guidence and direction on my screenplay “Sophia/Gordita”. Their feedback, although at times challenging, pushed me to dig deeper into the character of Sophia. What really drives her to make the choices in act one that sends her life into a downward spiral during the subsequent acts? As I work through these issues, the outcome will hopefully be a character that no one has ever seen before on the screen, an anti-hero for a new generation.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

I plan on doing another rewrite utilizing the tools and techniques I learned from the Intensive. After the next draft, I will get more feedback from my producer and my film collective, Vices of Reason. Once I get a draft that I’m comfortable with, I’m going to get the script in the hands of anyone that’s willing to read it as well as continue to raise money to finance the film.

Vivian Tse

Project: "These Animals"

Vivian Tse is a filmmaker making both narrative and documentary films. She was a Colonist at the 2013 Nantucket Screenwriting Colony with her feature script "Joe Boy," which was also selected for the 2014 Ifp Transatlantic Partners Program. Tse participated in the 2014 Pov Hackathon with the transmedia documentary film "The Angola Project." Originally from San Francisco, she graduated from the University of Southern California.

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

"These Animals" is the story of an astronaut's last year on Earth after she agrees to crew a one-way mission to Mars. It's about what the last year of someone's life would be like if she made a decision with stakes that high, what happens to her family and the people around her, the people she loves and who love her.

We're currently in the development stage, trying to put the financing together. Sundance and the A3 foundation was kind enough to give us a grant. And we're in post on a short version of the project which we shot late last year.

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

It took a bit of processing but the most rewarding lesson, or at least the one that stuck with me most, was using yourself to dig deeper into your character's journey. Which sounds obvious and certainly its something you're already doing as a writer with everything you write, but you can always go deeper. learning that there is always more to dig up, more of you to add, which is horrifying and invigorating at the same time.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

The advisors were amazing. They're very passionate - it's great. i found it invaluable, even when I didn't agree with the notes. it lets you know how people are reading, understanding and thinking about your story. their perspective was so helpful and it helps to look at my characters and my story in a new way. writing can be very isolating so it's always great to talk to someone who is doing what you're doing. and they share their war stories, telling you to reimagine a scene because they did something similar and it went to shit so don't forget to think about this or that, or that space ships are expensive so maybe try to stay out of a ship as a location. i don't have any space ships in the film but you get my point.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

A re-write for one, casting, financing the rest of the film. Keep pushing forward, hustling, like everyone does, until you make your film.

Diego Velasco & Carolina Paiz

Project: "Los Invadidos"

Diego Velasco and Carolina Paiz, a husband and wife writing team, are currently working on "Los Invadidos," a thriller which Velasco will also direct.

Writer/director Diego Velasco was born in the Us and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. Diego’s short, "Cédula Ciudadano," got him invited into the Fox Searchlab program after winning the Los Angeles Latino Film Festival. In 2003, Diego moved to Los Angeles and formed Open Studios with his wife, a production company meant to make the films they wanted to see in the world. In 2010, Diego made his feature debut with "La Hora Cero" (The Zero Hour). Set in Caracas during the 24-hours of a controversial medical strike, the film followed La Parca, a tattooed hit-man, as he takes an elite hospital hostage in an attempt to save his wounded girlfriend and her child. The film became the highest grossing Venezuelan film of its time. It has won over 35 awards at International festivals and secured distribution in five continents. Currently it has been optioned for an English language remake. In November of 2011, Diego was featured as one the Ten Mover and Reshapers of Latin American Cinema by Variety Magazine.

Growing up in Guatemala during the civil war, Carolina Paiz spent much of her time indoors, reading and watching television, escapes which later provided the foundation for her career as a writer for film and TV. At 15, she left Guatemala for Kent, a boarding school in Connecticut, where she was the first non- native English speaker to be awarded the Robert S. Hillyard award for her achievements in creative writing. Carolina went on to study English and Latin American Studies at Tulane University. The short stories she wrote there were later published by the Caribbean Writer. One of these, Sleep Comes Suddenly, was honored with the Canute A. Brodhurst Award. In 2006, she landed a position as a staff writer on ABC’s "Grey’s Anatomy." She later went on to write on NBC’s "Lipstick Jungle," CBS’s "The Defenders," Fox’s "Gang Related" and currently, Fox’s "Runner." She also developed a series for Fox, "Queen Of the South," based on the hugely successful Spanish novel. Between television projects, Carolina co- wrote and produced the Venezuelan feature "La Hora Cero," the highest grossing Venezuelan film in history.

Describe your project briefly and at what stage in the creative process it is.

The film follows a couple that has just lost their only child and now find themselves on different sides of the spiritual debate. They’re forced to face their problems when they inherit a remote farm in the Venezuelan plains. Hoping for a new start, they soon learn the farm has been invaded by squatters and that there’s more to reality than what you can see…

Briefly tell us about the most important or rewarding lesson you took from the first day of the Screenwriters Intensive Lab. How will this impact the future development of your project?

The first day was revelatory. By doing exhaustive and highly personal writing exercises that we then shared with the entire class, we both realized that we hadn't fully tapped into our own fears and desires in writing the characters in our feature. We realized there was far more of us in these characters than we'd anticipated and that embracing that would actually deepen them. Rewriting the script now, the characters have come to life by simply putting ourselves in their shoes.

Tell me about your experience during day two and your interaction with the advisors. How important was it for you to get feedback from a professional in the field that has gone through some of the same creative challenges as you?

Our advisors were completely different and had very different points of view on the script, yet both sets of notes complimented each other quite well at the end of the day. Their points of view were enlightening. We had exhausted our resources by asking for notes from every trusted friend and colleague that we knew, and we'd gotten to the point we were afraid they'd stop taking our calls for fear that we'd make them read the script again. We were desperate for fresh eyes from people that didn't know us, didn't know the project, and had no emotional stake in any of it. But what made it truly amazing was the fact that we got to dive in with such skilled writers, and such generous people, and that they truly took the time to give us deep and insightful notes.

Now that you've gone through this learning experience, what are some of the next steps you will be taking as you continue to develop your project?

We are currently rewriting the script as per what we've learned and hope to begin our search for financing soon!

Previously: 'The Walking Dead' Season 5, Episode 13, 'Forget': Mrs. Neidermeyer's Pasta Maker Whose Episode Is It? Tonight's episode primarily focuses on the "Also Starring" players. Eugene, Noah and Abraham all get plots this week, and Tara gets the most screen time she's had since the team arrived in Alexandria. Father Gabriel has a key moment, as well. As for folks in the opening credits, Carol and Rick do some detective work and come to some depressing conclusions. (Are there any other kind on this show?) Man Is the True Monster The biggest story this week is the disastrous supply run. At first things seem fine: Aiden listens to Glenn's advice and is more cautious than he otherwise would have been, but things get pear-shaped when Aiden accidentally shoots a grenade pinned to a Swat walker's chest. The explosion gets Aiden impaled and gives Tara a grievous head injury; Glenn...

Et special correspondent Jason Dundas was the first reporter on the set of Sharknado 3 at Universal Orlando, getting the scoop on how this installment will top the previous two.

News: Tara Reid: I'm a Prisoner In My Own Home

"This is where the shark hits the fan," star Ian Ziering told Jason on set. "It's bigger. It's badder. There's something coming that you're just not expecting."

"There are sharks everywhere," star Tara Reid said. "Get ready!"

Syfy's popular Sharknado movies have done wonders for the network. The sequel, Sharknado 2: The Second One, drew in an impressive 3.9 million viewers in July 2014, making it Syfy's most-watched original movie ever. These numbers were up 180 percent versus the 2013 premiere of the original Sharknado, which scored an audience of 1.4 million viewers.

Video: Is a Sharknado Actually Possible?

In the latest film Tara's character is pregnant and her mom is Hollywood's "Perfect 10" Bo Derek. Other notable...

Get ready for lots of 6-second bikini selfies from Tara Reid! The 39-year-old Sharknado star joined Vine Wednesday, and although she is fully clothed in her first two videos, she's every bit as entertaining as she is on her other scantily-clad social media accounts. In her very first Vine, the former American Pie star essentially makes herself into a human Gif, acting out, "When Girls Go to the Hair Salon they be like..." She wails dramatically in the clip as a stylist fusses over her hair. "Ah, you're ripping out my hair," she cries (although if you watch closely, you'll see it's actually Tara playfully removing her own extensions). Tara's second Vine doesn't...

Tara Reid has been a constant subject of tabloid headlines ever since hitting it big in 1999's American Pie. Et visited the actress at home to find out how she copes with all the negative press.

News: Sharknado 2 Bites Back with Huge Ratings

Tara admitted to Et's Brooke Anderson that the discouraging things said about her body do get to her.

"I'm a human. If you cut me I bleed," Tara said. "I'm just like everyone else. I think that when people are famous, they don't realize that they are actually human."

Along with her figure, her nights out on the town have also been a topic of tabloid fodder, which Tara said keeps her in the house.

News: Celebrities Attack Twitter with Sharknado 2 Quips

"[All the fun] goes down in this house," she said. "When you go out you get in trouble. People take the wrong camera phone angles and then the media twists the story. You get...

We return with another edition of the Indie Spotlight, highlighting the recent independent horror news sent our way. Today’s feature includes a trailer for Never Let Go, new episode details from L.A. Macabre and How to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse, the short film Knock Knock, a Q&A featuring The Walking Dead‘s Amber Dawn Fox, and much more:

Never Let Go Trailer and Premiere Details: “Here is a sneak preview of what’s up for grabs at the Berlin Film Festival later this week – Howard J Ford’s (Director/Producer Co-Writer of ‘The Dead 1&2″) latest epic Never Let Go. Shot in Morocco, Spain and the Us, the film tells the story of Lisa, a single mother (played by Angela Dixon) who takes the law into her own hands to get back her abducted child. The completed film will screen at Cannes Market in May.

Howard Ford said today:...

Why jump the shark when you can get caught up in a Sharknado instead?! Tara Reid will, indeed, be back for Sharknado 3, and she wants fellow blond beauty Lady Gaga to join her for this "Feast Coast" adventure! The former American Pie star, 39, expressed her interest on Twitter Wednesday, writing, "@ladygaga we really want you to be in #Sharknado3 but we are having a hard time getting in touch with your people please tell them [heart]" Mother Monster, 28, has yet to respond to this alluring offer, but it certainly is tempting! Sharknado 3 takes a bite out of the East Coast when this terrifying, freak storm thrashes its way from Washington D.C. to Orlando. Perhaps Tara's wish will...

Ian Ziering and Tara Reid are going at it for a third time in "Sharknado 3," Access Hollywood confirmed Thursday.

"Ok guys I have a great announcement get ready its official I just signed on to #Sharknado3 Woo hoo!!!!!" Tara Tweeted. "I'm so happy you guys are excited about #Sharknado3 here we go again!"

Ian already seemed committed to the project when he spoke to Access Hollywood's Liz Hernandez in December.

Photos: Sharknado: Scenes From The Syfy Hit!

"I haven't seen a treatment yet, but I've got a lot of confidence in Thunder Levin, the writer. ...

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Tara Reid can't stop showing off her bikini body.

After recently posting countless bikini shots of herself on vacation with her DJ boyfriend Erez Eisen in Mexico, the 39-year-old Sharknado actress took it one step further on Thursday when she posted this picture of herself completely naked.

"Happy New Year...

The countless bikini pics Tara Reid posts make it seem like she's completely comfortable with her body, but critics of the super-skinny star claim she's using Photoshop to make herself look even thinner! The 39-year-old Sharknado star's waistline looked a bit peculiar in the swimsuit photos she Instagrammed Sunday from her vacation in Mexico. It appeared as if the American Pie alum tried to digitally alter the shot to make her already tiny midsection even tinier. Only, because there's not much to Photoshop away in the first place, Tara's alleged edit looked a bit jagged and unnatural. The former It Girl, who has yet to comment publicly on whether or not she did indeed Photoshop the pics, is...