His Perseverance and Geeky Enthusiasm Landed Him Two Web Series You MUST Watch (VIDEOS)

Those who succeed in Hollywood, are those that are in it for the long haul.

Case in point: Jonathan London (C'01, WQHS Radio, The Hollywood Club)

After film school, Jonathan stuck to his guns, got to know the right people and created really well produced films you'll want to see. Pay attention to this guy Hollywood alumni...he's doing some really good films...

CLICK HERE to learn how did Jonathan got his start, what led to his success and watch two professionally produced short films of his you will love. (hint: if you love stories having to do with being single and/or love Ninja comedies, then you'll love these!)

How did Jonathan get his start?

Per Jonathan,

"After graduating from Penn in 2001 I entered the Film MFA program at Columbia. I had been accepted to Columbia and USC but ultimately chose Columbia for their approach to self-financing your film, the faculty they had on staff and their support for owning your own film. I was a fan of the directors coming out of the school and I don't think other schools could compete with recent grads like James Mangold, Kimberley Pierce and Greg Mottola (to name a few). A lot of other schools had more storied reputations but I was excited for what was currently going on at the school.

I left in 2003, moved to L.A. and shot a film for school called Gay By Dawn (featured in Pennfest 2006 - program HERE, photos HERE). It was a comedy horror short and it played really well at festivals for about two years. I knew it played well with festival audiences because it was weird, but just kept sending it to any festival that would take it and was shocked that it lived so long.

At the same time, I was working as a PA runner for a few different film companies. One of the companies was Fox Television Studios and I made friends with the assistants and gave them copies of my movie. About two years after THAT, the assistants had moved up the ranks and were now executives and needed to bring in projects of their own to develop. Luckily, any DVD that reads "Gay By Dawn" in big letters really stands out on a shelf so I got some calls and pitched my series ideas.

The one that really struck a chord was "Singledom", which I think is pretty relatable for people a few years out of college who are lost in the post-grad limbo.

I wrote and directed a presentation for "Singledom" and while that went through sales pitches and further development the studio asked me to take a look at a project they had called "When Ninjas Attack". My geeky enthusiasm and ridiculous knowledge of old ninja and kung fu movies made it a pretty good fit and a few weeks later the scripts were written and I was directing the six episodes that are being released this summer."

Stay tuned this fall when DT announces another big endeavor Jonathan has been working on!

HOT TIP!: Get some of Jonathan's great tips HERE and learn about a great free screenwriting tool he's using that I didn't even know about until he mentioned it!



More posts from my "Penn's REEL deals" series

More of my Funny Friday posts

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READ MORE - His Perseverance and Geeky Enthusiasm Landed Him Two Web Series You MUST Watch (VIDEOS)

His Inspiring Story: From Development Executive to Scribing "(500) Days of Summer"!

Scott Neustadter (C'98, TEP, 34th Street Film Editor) recently had one of his Hollywood dreams come true. He got his (mostly) autobiographical(!) script (500) Days of Summer produced. Check out this inspiring story...

How did he get his start?

Per Scott,

"After graduation, I was hired as a development executive at Tribeca Productions. As much as I enjoyed reading scripts, I never lost the desire to write one of my own. It took a while but eventually I teamed up with my friend Weber and started writing."

And how did he go from writing scripts to actually getting the film made?

Per Scott,

"It was a long and arduous journey. first, i had to get over my fear of being made fun of for writing such a personal (read: autobiographical) story. When i finally showed it to some friends, the reaction was very positive and the script managed to get us representation. ...but when our reps sent it out to the studios, everyone really liked it -- but no one bought it. Six months later, Fox Searchlight stepped up and agreed to option it. Still we never thought anything would happen. But once they found our great director Marc and got Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Zooey (Zooey Deschanel) interested, it took off from there. The whole thing was very surreal and unbelievable. I think we're still waiting for an official greenlight."

I have a general rule when it comes to movie reviews. If Owen Gleiberman or Lisa Schwarzbaum from "Entertainment Weekly" likes a film, so typically do I.  And Owen gave "500 Days of Summer" an "A"! (Scott pictured on right in black shirt standing next to his writing partner Michael H. Weber)

That said, the film is told out of sequence, winding backwards and forwards through the 500 days of a very tumultuous relationship between these two people. Per Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman, "It's a Gen-Y Annie Hall made by a new-style Wes Anderson who uses his cleverness for humanity instead of postmodern superiority."

Per the film's website, the story is as follows...
Click to Expand +/-

"This is a story of boy meets girl, begins the wry, probing narrator of (500) DAYS OF SUMMER, and with that the film takes off at breakneck speed into a funny, true-to-life and unique dissection of the unruly and unpredictable year-and-a-half of one young man's no-holds-barred love affair.

Tom, the boy, still believes, even in this cynical modern world, in the notion of a transforming, cosmically destined, lightning-strikes-once kind of love. Summer, the girl, doesn't. Not at all. But that doesn't stop Tom from going after her, again and again, like a modern Don Quixote, with all his might and courage. Suddenly, Tom is in love not just with a lovely, witty, intelligent woman – not that he minds any of that -- but with the very idea of Summer, the very idea of a love that still has the power to shock the heart and stop the world.

The fuse is lit on Day 1 – when Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a would-be architect turned sappy greeting card writer encounters Summer (Zooey Deschanel), his boss's breezy, beautiful new secretary, fresh off the plane from Michigan. Though seemingly out of his league, Tom soon discovers he shares plenty in common with Summer. After all, they both love The Smiths. They both have a thing for the surrealist artist Magritte. Tom once lived in Jersey and Summer has a cat named Bruce. As Tom muses, "we're compatible like crazy."

By Day 31, things are moving ahead, albeit "casually." By Day 32, Tom is irreparably smitten, living in a giddy, fantastical world of Summer on his mind. By Day 185, things are in serious limbo -- but not without hope. And as the story winds backwards and forwards through Tom and Summer's on-again, off-again, sometimes blissful, often tumultuous dalliance it covers the whole dizzying territory from infatuation, dating and sex to separation, recrimination and redemption in a whirl of time jumps, split screens, karaoke numbers and cinematic verve – all of which adds up to a kaleidoscopic portrait of why, and how, we still struggle so laughably, cringingly hard to make sense of love... and to hopefully make it real. "

---

And thanks to Scott, take a look at these EXCLUSIVE first 3 pages from the script!
Click to Expand +/-

(500) Days of Summer-3 pages

---

Philly people, (500) Days of Summer comes to Philly this Friday (July 24th) so go out and support Scott!

More at the film website HERE

More Glowing Reviews:

• http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090715/REVIEWS/907159997
• http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20291403,00.html
• http://omg.yahoo.com/news/moviemantz-review-500-days-of-summer/25298

Scott's Tip:
"If you're new in town (Los Angeles) or just starting out, there's a great organization called the Junior Hollywood Radio and Television Society. highly recommended."

More Penn alumni writers HERE

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This TV Writer Did WHAT(!) to Fund her Feature Film!? (VIDEO)

Earlier this week, I posted video of TV writer (and Penn in Pictures') host Lew Schneider (C'83) and "ER" Medical consultant, Zach Lutsky (C'97) talking about their beginnings in Hollywood.

Today, I continue my Penn in Pictures series with great video of TV writer Sherri Cooper Landsman (C'94). Sherri got her start with a bantery screenplay Juliet Finkelstein Does The Hamptons, and has been working solidly ever since, working initially for Darren Star ("Miss Match") and then on "American Dreams". Now on "Brothers and Sisters", Sherri is a prolific writer, and has shouldered significant producing responsibilities, both in terms of re-writing other writers and in terms of the actual production of the episodes.

In the videos below, Sherri talks about:

• Her path from Penn to Columbia film school to Hollywood
• What short film she did in film school, how she got her short film turned into a feature film … and how she paid for her film! (you’ve got to hear this!)
• What she did when she moved back to LA
• What her first writing job was in LA
• What she does as a producer and writer on “Brothers and Sisters”
• What it’s like in the writer’s room, what it’s like shooting scenes and how many episodes the show has to do this year

A special thanks to editor David Chalfin (C'96), a fantastic editor living in Los Angeles who recorded and edited all the Penn in Pictures videos. Check out his reel here!

CATCH UP:
"ER" Medical consultant Zach Lutsky (C'97)
VIDEO: TV Writer Lew Schneider (C'83)
How DT can help you with your Entertainment Career in 8 Easy Steps
Other Penn writers here


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Penn in Pictures '08 VIDEO: ER's Medical Consultant Zach Lutsky (C'97)

Yesterday, I posted video of TV writer (and Penn in Pictures') host Lew Schneider (C'83) talking about his beginnings in Hollywood.

Today, I continue my Penn in Pictures series with great video of Zach Lutsky (C'97). Not only is Zach an attending physician in Emergency Medicine at Cedars-Sinai medical Center, but he has worked as a medical consultant on:

• two cable shows, "Untold Stories of the ER" and "Diagnosis X" 
• and is currently in his second season as an on-set medical technical advisor on "ER." 
• Most recently, he also was the medical technical advisor on the new John Wells pilot, "LAPD."

In the videos above, watch Zach talk about his beginnings from Penn - to Dr - to Dr. Hollywood!

A special thanks to editor David Chalfin (C'96), a fantastic editor living in Los Angeles who recorded and edited all the Penn in Pictures videos. Check out his reel here!

CATCH UP:
VIDEO: TV Writer Lew Schneider (C'83)
How DT can help you with your Entertainment Career in 8 Easy Steps


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Penn in Pictures '08 VIDEO: TV Writer Lew Schneider (C'83)

Yesterday I talked about this year's great Penn in Pictures event and how I will be posting videos from the event.

To start things off, check out the video above of TV writer Lew Schneider (C'83, Everybody Loves Raymond writer).

In the video, Lew talks about:

• His major at Penn, his time in Mask and Wig
• How her pursued a life in comedy as a stand-up, tv host, an actor and a TV writer
• How he transitioned from actor to writer and what shows he wrote for before landing his Everybody Loves Raymond gig
• What he's been doing since Raymond ended (including new pilots, a great animated show he wrote for, and his time now on New Adventures of Old Christine)

More Penn in Pictures videos tomorrow!

A special thanks to editor David Chalfin (C'96), a fantastic editor living in Los Angeles who recorded and edited all the Penn in Pictures videos. Check out his reel here!

Get email updates for upcoming Penn in Pictures posts!

Other Penn writers here

Check out photos from past Penn in Pictures events!

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Mistress Lola Returns to Campus This Friday To Talk Sex

Logan Levkoff (C'98, GSE'99, aka "Mistress Lola" in her undergrad 34th Street days) will be appearing at the Penn Bookstore on Friday Oct. 3rd at 4pm to talk about her book "Third Base Ain't What it Used to Be: What Your Kids are Learning About Sex Today - and How to Teach them to Become Sexually Healthy Adults".  She'll be talking about life after Penn as well as her fight against this administration's (and McCaine's) war on sex.

...Logan not only published this book, but she is on a number of shows chiming in on the current state of sex education. Her work has been featured on countless shows and publications including Good Morning America, Oprah, The Today Show, and The New York Times.

In addition, she writes regular columns for Fit Pregnancy, POZ magazine, and MarieClaire.com.  Check out her clip below from her appearance recently on Good Morning America.

Watch these other videos from Logan:

Talking Sex With Your Kids


Women should start carrying their own condoms



Get Logan's book Third Base Ain't What It Used to Be

Read how Logan got her start as a Sexologist (you'll be interested to find out about a very personal(!) article she wrote at Penn!)

 More from her visit to Penn here



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His Entertainment Job Sucked So He Took Matters Into His Own Hands

Every Penn success story in Hollywood has an interesting beginning and the following is another must-read for ambitious undergrads and alumni looking to stand out and charter the entertainment waters.

Get the details on how Sonny Lee (C'03) became a TV staff writer for a popular show premiering this week!

Two years ago Sonny Lee’s (C'03, PennSix, Full Measure, Penn Admissions) job “sucked” so he took matters into his own hands which jump started his Hollywood writing career and soon began writing as a staff writer for It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. (he also acted in an episode called "Mac and Charlie Die: Part Two," where he played Quan, Danny DeVito's new potential roommate -see image below.)

Season Four premieres this Thursday, Sept. 18th on FX with Sonny's episode airing in the second back-to-back episode (10:30 pm) titled "The Gang Solves The Gas Crisis":

"Charlie, Mac and Dennis decide that since gas prices have doubled over the last year, why not buy up a bunch of gas now, store it in the bar for a year, and then sell it back for a huge profit? Meanwhile, Dee and Frank are convinced that Dee's biological father, Bruce Mathis, is funding terrorists when he donates to a local Muslim community center."

Click here to find out how Sonny took his career into his own hands!

...Then get Sonny's tips on being a TV writer here!
and more of my Tuesday Tips here!

Other Penn writers here!

Sonny's blog here

Catch up on all 3 seasons available for free here

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He’s an International Grand Champion …Whistler ?!

Get your attention?

Here’s another alum with not your typical profession whose talents have appeared in TV and film!

Steve Herbst (C’67, Glee Club) has these impressive credits under his belt:

• An International Grand Champion Whistler (2002)
• The only man ever named International Whistling Entertainer Of The Year 3X (2003, 2004, 2005)
• A member of the International Whistlers Hall of Fame (inducted in 2007). Note Bing Crosby is also a member.

Steve tells me that while at Penn, he was a 4-year member and Bass Section leader of the Glee Club and a frequent baritone soloist.  He was also a "closet whistler" rehearsing Motown as well as Beethoven, Mozart, Lizst selections in his dorm rooms in Provost and Morgan towers.

Steve shares a fond memory he had with the late Bruce Montgomery:

"Bruce Montgomery had the Glee Club do two numbers which called for flutes or recorders but where he whistled those parts personally. One night, he came up dry and couldn't get his whistle going. After that concert, I told him, "I could do that for you." And he handed the whistling over to me. From then on, I did all the whistling. On one special occasion, I got to whistle with the Glee Club for Japanese Emperor Hirohito's brother, Prince Mikassa and his princess at the William S. Payley House on the Mainline. So my public concert whistling career started at Penn."

This month Steve will be traveling to Tokyo and Osaka to compete in this year's International Whistling Convention and Competition plus 3 concerts.

Steve's Other Accomplishments ...+/-

• Whistling concerts on the Penn Campus, at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, Carnegie Hall, and The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in nightclubs and theaters from coast-to-coast including Birdland, The Cotton Club, and the Irridium Jazz Club here in New York City
• Being featured in and narrated an award-winning feature-length documentary on whistling -- "Pucker-Up -- The Fine Art of Whistling,"
  
• Appeared on The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Morning Show plus many other TV and radio stations, newspapers, and magazines around the world.
  
• TV appearances including commercials and his whistling has been used by the "Malcolm In The Middle" sitcom

To read more and see live concert video, visit his website

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He Wants Hollywood to Know How Much He Misses Rick Moranis

Funny man DJ Lubel (C’05) seems to juggle a whole bunch of creative jobs here in Los Angeles.

• His day job is working as an Associate Producer on the show fellow Penn alum Roy Bank (C’94) created, Are you Smarter than a Fifth Grader?.
• He just finished working as an Associate Producer at "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D List" among other jobs.
• When he’s not writing scripts, he performs original comedic songs all around Los Angeles.
• He’s had shows at the Whiskey A GO GO, The Pig N the Whistle, El Cid, Cabana Club etc.

In addition, DJ has created a whole bunch of funny viral videos, but his “I Miss Moranis” one in particular has caught the attention of such sites as IMDB, Funnyordie and Spiketv. Last spring, the attention of this video had students at Lindenwood University in St. Charles Missouri fly DJ out to perform at their annual spring fling event!

Right now DJ is working with other fellow Penn alumni including Jake Avnet (C’05), Conor Welch (C’05) and Jason Ziven (W’05) in developing future projects.

Other Penn comedians

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READ MORE - He Wants Hollywood to Know How Much He Misses Rick Moranis