If You're a Young Penn Alum in LA, Interested in TV Writing...

If you're a young Penn alum in LA, interested in TV writing, add your name, class year and contact info to the boards HERE.

Occasionally I get requests for TV PA positions and I want to know who'd be interested. It's usually a good foot in the door if you want a career in Television or writing or both...

Indicate if you're interested in drama, comedy or both.

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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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Scott Glosserman's Documentary on the Implications of Wikipedia (TRAILER)

After co-writing, producing and directing the clever horror movie Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, Scott Glosserman (C'99, Friars) is soon to complete his next project (as a producer and co-director) and it has to do with a different type of horror - — me, you, and thousands of other users taking over responsibilities for Britannica and The World Book.

In his documentary Truth in Numbers?, Scott takes us on the journey about the phenomenon that Wikipedia has become.

Per Scott,

"The question of whether you and I should be charged with canonizing the sum of human knowledge or whether that should be left to the scholars/experts really intrigues me. I think it’s safe to say that we’re among a populist revival era right now and nowhere is that more acutely reflected than on Wikipedia. If knowledge is power and history really is written by the winners, then Wikipedia, already the second most widely read publication in human history, clearly demonstrates this power shift towards "The People". The documentary tries to explore implications of that, among other things."

Check out his trailer above!

Catch Up!: More of my posts about Penn alumni:

• Documentary Film producers
• Film producers! (all)

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READ MORE - Scott Glosserman's Documentary on the Implications of Wikipedia (TRAILER)

These 2 Penn Alumni Wrote Tomorrow Night's NBC Muppet Christmas Special

(l to r): Scott Ganz (C'01) and Andrew Samson (C'01)

Set your DVRs!

Penn alumni Scott Ganz (C'01) and Andrew Samson (C'01) co-wrote tomorrow night's TV movie "A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa" (Wed. Dec. 17th at 8pm on NBC).

Both Scott and Andrew were Co-Editors of Punch Bowl Humor Magazine for three years, moved out to LA and got their start as staff writers on "The Showbiz Show with David Spade" and also wrote a feature for director Garry Marshall. Currently they have a consulting deal with Muppet Studios.

Check out a behind-the-scenes video from the show and learn about the story and the celebrities appearing in the show:

Join Scott and Andrew's Facebook Event page for their show here

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Her 12 Year Relationship Nap (VIDEO)

While Fielding Edlow (C'95) is primarily a playwright, she recently collaborated on her first short The Long Nap (see above) with her director Adrian Fulle, in the writer's group, Safehouse, in Santa Monica.  The short is about "a woman who wakes up from a 12 year relationship nap."  Look out for Penn alum Jessie Schneiderman (C'05) performing in the film.

Tomorrow night (9/16) at 9pm, her short one-act, "Sex and Tinsel in Denver", will be included with four other writers tomorrow 12/16 at 9pm, in the off-Broadway Naked Angels Reading Series in NYC.

Tuesdays at Nine
National Comedy Theater
347 West 36th Street
between 8th and 9th Avenue
Hosted by T@9 NY's creative directors Stephanie Cannon and Joe Danisi.

Also, Fielding's full-length play, "Admissions" is being developed by Naked Angels in NYC as well. "Admissions" is about a family teetering on the brink when an inappropriate father and a self-obsessed mother accompany their disaffected daughter, sitting on the lid of Pandora's box, on a Vassar College campus tour.

Besides writing, Fielding also performs improv every Friday night at Ultimate Improv in Westwood at 9pm with her group, "The Board".  More at Ultimateimprov.com.

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This Penn Alum Comic is Building His Media Empire

In addition to his books, touring the country with his act, a great appearance on "The Craig Ferguson Show", his new website: Ruminations.com, Aaron Karo (W'01, Pennfest 2006) just launched a new CD "Just Go Talk to Her".

Per Aaron's press relase,

"Recorded live in Boston at the Comedy Connection in Faneuil Hall, “Just Go Talk To Her” begins in a peculiar fashion - New York native Aaron Karo professes his love for the Yankees and Giants until the rabid Boston crowd showers him with boos. Those boos quickly turn to raucous cheers as Karo’s trademark brand of storytelling - fast-paced personal anecdotes about drinking, dating, and debauchery - win over even the most hardened Red Sox fans. Whether he’s divulging the secrets that all guys keep from their girlfriends or picking apart the foibles of married couples, Karo excels at taking universal experiences and turning them on their head."

Listen to his track below entitled "Chicks Love Sweatpants". You'll laugh your ass off!

Get Aaron Karo's "Just Go Talk to Her" CD (it just hit itunes comedy top 20!)


DT CATCHES YOU UP ON AARON KARO

• Check out my other posts about Aaron Karo
  
• Click to read how Aaron got his start as a stand up

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

Alumni Make History with Viral Videos

Two weeks ago I wrote a post about how Executive producers Todd Shotz (C'96) and Andrew Oldershaw (C'02), as well as writer/director Dan Kay (C'97) created four very viral "No on Prop 8" viral videos.

This past week, in a first for an American political campaign, the NO on Prop 8 campaign paid to air the clever video you see above - which was originally produced just for the web by our Penn alumni supporters.

So far, this video has aired during Jimmy Kimmel, Daily Show, Colbert Report, and Saturday Night Live.

Be sure to go out and vote tomorrow everyone!

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Three Alumni Go Viral with "No on Prop 8" Celebrity Videos

On November 4th, Californians will be asked to make a monumental civil rights decision around the issue of same-sex marriage.

Last week, three Los Angeles based Penn alumni decided to take action against this Proposition 8.  Executive producers Todd Shotz (C'96) and Andrew Oldershaw (C'02), as well as writer/director  Dan Kay (C'97) created four very viral PSAs against this proposition including the talents of Margaret Cho and Molly Ringwald.  FYI, Dan Kay wrote and directed the one with Margaret Cho (see above).

Since they debuted these videos, they have gotten over a million hits on Perez Hilton, Huffington Post, People.com, and E! Online. Yesterday, Wolf Blitzer showed one of them on CNN. Because of the response, they're already deep into pre-production on more.

Per Todd, "We could not have hoped for more coverage to add our support to this campaign. Enjoy! And of course, please vote NO on Prop 8."

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This TV Writer Is Putting the Show in Showbizzle.com

What happens when you graduate from Penn, have a hot TV spec that catches the attention of ABC, ..and then the writer's strike happens?!

You partner with your successful Hollywood father to create an entertaining and informative website for other creative types to join and network on.

Lindsey Rosin (C'07, The Excelano Project, The Writers House, Kappa Alpha Theta) has joined forces with her father Charles Rosin (Executive Producer of Beverly Hills 90210 for the first five seasons) to create www.showbizzle.com , a new form of internet entertainment that combines daily updates of original, scripted video content with a social network aimed at emerging actors, writers, directors, fans of the biz – basically anyone with a computer who is looking for some fun entertainment.


Other Penn alumni friends have worked with Lindsey on showbizzle; Gabe Laskin (C'05, Mask and Wig) and Spencer Crawford (W'05, Mask and Wig), both have appeared as actors on the site (Gabe even has one of the three leads). Joey Power (C'06), Stacey Lloyd (C'06), Reg Tigerman (C'07, Mask and Wig) and Jonah Platt (C'08, Off the Beat) all wrote different characters for showbizzle as well.


Per Lindsey,

"The website serves as the daily blog of our fictitious blogger and main character, Janey. She hangs out at her favorite coffee place listening to old friends and new acquaintances, from all strata of Hollywood, confide intimate details about their career ambitions; creative aspirations, pipe dreams, hook ups, romantic liaisons, embarrassing day jobs, galvanizing moments, personal quests, major revelations, unexpected characters and narrative twists – you know, the basic personal and professional stuff that typifies what it's like to be young and in Los Angeles in 2008."

Lindsey sums up the site in 4 points:...+/-

1) Entertainment: it is a social entertainment website that streams scripted two-minute vignettes – updated on a daily basis – these vignettes are centered around the lives of twenty-somethings as they live and work in Hollywood.

2) Community: By joining our site, users can create their own profiles and submit their own videos and blog entries to tell their own stories – as well as comment on our scripted entertainment content, which will influence future story lines.

3) Insider information: Ever wonder what it really takes to make it in Hollywood? showbizzle also offers career advice and insider info via video-taped conversations between showbizzle writer/executive producer Charles Rosin and various Hollywood types. The one thing we can assure you about the 170 videos we will be posting on the showbizzle website this fall is that each vignette feels authentic and different from virtually everything else you can currently find on the world wide web.

4) In addition users will be encouraged to send in videos and blog entries and allow the community to determine their favorites. The winners will then be brought to Hollywood and be involved with the professional production of showbizzle when we go back into production in early 2009,” Charles said.  Lindsey adds, “For some people, it might be an incredible opportunity and a big break -- the amount of exposure available on the internet is endless and that is so priceless to a young talent who is just starting out on their career and trying to break through.”

Find out how Lindsey got her start as a writer, & what she wrote at Penn which led to her selling a pilot pitch idea to ABC.

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These Accomplished TV Writers Have a New Comedy at Fox

Moses Port (left) and David Guarascio (right)

Penn alumni and writing partners David Guarascio (C'91) and Moses Port (C'91), (former co-producers and writers of Just Shoot Me, last year's Aliens in America and 2001 "Penn in Pictures" panelists) are now developing a new single camera office sitcom for FOX.

Per Variety, their pilot is about

"a twentysomething man who starts taking a mood enhancer called Blisstilan. Snapped out of his funk by the drug, the lead character applies for a job at the pharmaceutical company.  Once there, he must navigate working for his new boss, a high-powered female exec who boasts the nickname "The Velvet Hammer."

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