Bennington College announced Thursday its new MFA in Screenwriting low-residency program that prepares writers for a career in film and television. Applications are open now until Jan. 8.
The two-year program involves several in-person residencies: four ten-day residencies, with two held during the summer at Bennington College in Vermont and two in Los Angeles. In between residencies, students complete eight synchronous ten-week online courses.
“This is a unique screenwriting MFA, perfectly suited to our times,” Theodore Braun, filmmaker, University of Southern California professor and director of the new Bennington program, said. “It blends the rigor of residential education with the flexibility of low residency, giving writers anywhere access to Bennington’s humanistic tradition of the liberal arts, elite screenwriter mentors, and the immersive professional energy of Los Angeles. Just six gifted, driven writers—students who are serious about building a body of work and launching a professional screenwriting career—will be admitted to the inaugural class.”
Students will produce six major pieces of work across the program. This includes two original features, a spec episode and an original pilot and series bible in the first year. In the second year, they will produce either another feature (original or adapted) or another pilot/series bible, a full revision of one piece of work, and an original feature or series thesis project. By the end, they’ll have a portfolio of work that demonstrates established command of the two fundamental screen forms—feature screenplays and series. In addition to the four residencies, the program culminates in a capstone industry showcase in Los Angeles.
Tribeca Festival Returns for 26th Year
The Tribeca Festival, presented by OKX, announced Wednesday that it will return for its 26th year from June 3 to 12 in New York City.
The festival welcomes filmmakers and creators from around the world to share their work with audiences across the city.
Submissions across the festival’s programming categories are now open. The categories include features, shorts and music videos, Tribeca TV, Tribeca digital creators, Tribeca games, Tribeca podcasts and Tribeca X.
“Building on a record year at the box office, we cannot wait to welcome our passionate audiences back to New York City for our 26th year to discover and delight in the incredible stories, creativity, and cultural experiences that make Tribeca so special each June,” Rebecca Glashow, CEO of Tribeca Enterprises, said. “At its heart, Tribeca has always been about bringing audiences and artists together to experience the new voices shaping our culture.”
Full information on submission rules can be found here. Festival passes are on sale today at TribecaFilm.com.
Margot Robbie and Jason Blum Join Cinema United’s Filmmaker Leadership Council
Filmmakers and three-time Academy Award nominees Margot Robbie and Jason Blum have joined Cinema United’s Filmmaker Leadership Council, a group of producers and directors aimed to champion the future of cinema.
“We are thrilled and honored to welcome two leaders like Margot and Jason to this influential group,” said Michael O’Leary, the president and CEO of Cinema United. “Margot is a global superstar and the voice of a generation who loves movies on the big screen. Jason is beloved by fans around the world for creating incredible — and scary — experiences in theatres. They are both well-known, fierce advocates of the theatrical experience. I want to thank them both for their commitment, and I look forward to working closely with them to advance this great industry together.”
The two join council leaders Jerry Bruckheimer and Emma Thomas, as well as charter members Ryan Coogler, Brad Bird, Jason Reitman and Celine Song. Greg Foster serves as executive director of the council.
Robbie is currently in production of the “Ocean’s Eleven” prequel, which she is also producing under her LuckyChap banner. Blum is the founder and CEO of Blumhouse Productions, the production company behind the “Paranormal Activity,” “The Purge,” “Insidious” and “Sinister” franchises.
Newly Merged Production Agencies DDA Talent, WPA Rebrand to Ascent Creatives International
Ascent Creatives International announced its new name and rebrand following the merger of production agency Dattner Dispoto and Associates with Worldwide Production Agency.
The newly merged agency boasts a roster including Academy Award-winning cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt (Mank); Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth (The Social Network); cinematographers Maryse Alberti (Creed), Larry Fong (Watchmen), John Mathieson (Gladiator), Mihai Mălaimare Jr. (The Master, Jojo Rabbit) and Malik Sayeed (Clockers, Belly, After the Hunt); director Michael Goi (Avatar: The Last Airbender); editor Ian S. Tan (Avatar: The Last Airbender); and producers Chris Smirnoff (Pluribus) and Ralph Winter (X-Men franchise).
Ascent will focus on collaborative representation for cinematographers, production and costume designers, editors, visual effects artists, directors and producers.
The agency has offices in Los Angeles, the East Coast and London. Frank Balkin, Molly Bruns, Bill Dispoto, Brian Goldberg, Steve Jacob, Trevor Kossack and Erin Searcy are on the West Coast, with agent Mirand Roseman joining the office. Juanita Tiangco is on the East Coast, and Barnaby Laws, Estere Sulca and Amber Thompson are located in the U.K.
Marcus Theatres Names Shannah Miller as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales
Shannah Miller has been named senior vice president of marketing and sales for Marcus Theatres. She steps into the role on Oct. 19.
Miller brings more than 20 years of experience in entertainment and content distribution to the role.
“Shannah has extensive entertainment industry experience and a proven track record of connecting audiences with compelling content while increasing brand awareness and driving business growth,” said Jeff Tomachek, president of Marcus Theatres. “Her strategic perspective and strong industry relationships will be invaluable as we continue to evolve our marketing and sales strategies across our circuit. We are excited to welcome Shannah to Marcus Theatres and look forward to her leadership as we build on our momentum to continue delivering memorable moments for our moviegoers.”
Miller has most recently served as vice president of marketing for Fathom Entertainment. Prior to that, she held leadership positions at Atom Tickets and Sony Music.