Producer, Actor

Co-Founder & Board Member of The Missouri Film Alliance of Springfield

Who am I

My earliest memories are of my twin brother, my family & Television. I’m old enough to remember when television was something that families gathered around and watched together. Though my playpen I could see the images that matched the voices which captured the attention of adults around me.

As I grew, it became a doorway to many things. Education. I could watch Sesame Street or any number of programs from different countries. Sports. Weekends enjoying the “thrill of victory & the agony of defeat.” but it was the reruns. Syndicated programs and films that would lead me from my first steps to the founding of this organization.

Everything I learned about television & films was because of syndication. Cheap entertainment that gave me access to ideas from writers, directors and actors decades older than myself. By the time I was four (4) I knew who Sherwood Schwartz, Quinn/ Martin, Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, Aaron Spelling, Rod Serling & Gene Roddenberry were. (My parents would say that they raised me.)

Over time, and a distance of 761 miles, I taught myself about film & television. Read any books I could get my hands on until the day I met people who gave me an opportunity to work on an independent film for a cable network and the rest as they say is history. (Well mine at least.)

My Vision

The future of the Missouri Film Alliance is one that exists in the realities of the current fiscal & political challenges of the Show Me State. It is very important that the Board & in particular, the President, be ready to meet these challenges in a way that not only recognizes but also acts on these matters, while maintaining the mission statement that has guided us since the beginning.

We have and we will continue to be a very creative entity but to not give equal attention to our duty as an organization in Southwest Missouri allows us to not only be marginalized but ignored by the very city whose name is a part of this organization.

We have to be more than just a specialized group in this community.

We must become part of this community.

A part that is a vibrant, unique contributing organization for whom local participation is in keeping with the incredible legacy of those whose creative endeavors not only enhanced the City of Springfield but the State of Missouri as well.

Think about it. A man born & raised in St. Joseph, MO moves to Springfield with a dream to showcase a unique facet of this area. He builds a radio station that not only allows him to achieve his dream but to this day that station is a leader in this community.

Or how about a young struggling actor, born & raised in Joplin, MO. Makes his way to the east coast where he meets and impresses a legendary actress, herself born & raised in St. Louis, MO, who arranges an interview that allows him to be cast in the pilot of not only one of the most celebrated series but the fifth longest running dramatic program in the history of television.

These are the kind of people that the MFAS was formed to help.

We are the beneficiaries of those whose saw things differently. Those who chose the road less traveled. Those who used that sacred creative, spark to not only pave the way but in doing so, allowed us and others, to see how and why we must have a Missouri Film Alliance of Springfield.

As President, I will commit myself to this path and with your guidance, we will chart a course that will illuminate Springfield & enhance the State of Missouri.

The Joplin Globe offers more details, including information on an open casting call on Saturday March 5th

JOPLIN, Mo. — An open casting call for extras to appear in a new feature film, “The Story of Bonnie and Clyde,” will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Joplin Holiday Inn.

The film, which is scheduled to begin pre-production in late April, will be shot partly in Joplin and area towns, as well as cities in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Filmmaker Tonya S. Holly, with Cypress Moon Productions, over the weekend was in Joplin scouting for locations to film and to pick up background information on the Depression-era outlaws that was put together by the Joplin Museum Complex.

“We look forward for production to begin on ‘The Story of Bonnie and Clyde,’ and we are excited to look for talent from Joplin and its surrounding areas to appear in the film,” said Holly, who wrote the original screenplay and will direct and produce the movie.

Men, women, and children 10 and older are being sought as extras for the film. Interested parties must take a photo, contact information and/or resume to the casting call. People who are not available for the casting call may mail their information to Cypress Moon Studios, 1000 Alabama Ave., Sheffield, AL 35660.

According to Variety

Tonya S. Holly will direct the film from her own script, which is a new adaptation of the story of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow rather than a remake of the 1967 classic film starring Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty. Holly began working on the project after reading old newspaper articles about the gangster pair in an abandoned house on her family’s property.

And to provide background on the Barrow’s, here’s a blog on the History of Bonnie and Clyde

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As the mother of 4 boys, I think it’s safe to say that sports have played a major part in our lives. The sport of choice, in my family, is soccer. And, interestingly enough, soccer has played a key role in my youngest son’s interest in acting. It was while we were on the SGFsoccer.com website, that we came across a casting call, in Springfield, MO, for a major feature film entitled “The Road”. My son, Noah, fit the breakdown, and we thought it might be fun to attend. This was back in 2007. Upon reflection, I find it interesting that a movie called “The Road” has changed the direction of our lives, even though we never made it past the cattle call.

Our lives didn’t change immediately. Soccer was still the predominating force that propelled our family. But, in the beginning of 2009, Noah decided that acting was something he’d like to pursue. I was certainly game for it, and signed him up for an acting class at Springfield Little Theatre. While he thoroughly enjoyed it, he let me know immediately that singing and dancing were not part of his game plan. In his words “I’m just a soccer player who likes to act.” In my ignorance, I didn’t know if any other options would be available to him, so I went back to the drawing board, and contacted Steve Ole Olson, to give me some direction. I was surprised when, within the hour, he’d responded with names and numbers of people for me to contact. One of the names on that list was Scott-Arthur Allen of Creative Actor’s Workshop. We contacted him, and it turned out to be the perfect fit for Noah. April will mark Noah’s 2 yr anniversary with CAW.

Scott, having been a past President of the Talent Manager’s Association, in LA has been a wealth of information and a huge life line for us. In January of 2010, we were contacted by a current member of the Talent Managers Association, for possible representation. After having Scott make some inquiries, and receiving a big thumbs up, we decided to sign with them, which has turned out to be a very good thing. She was able to get Noah some important meetings with top agencies in LA, and he was fortunate enough to get signed by a fairly powerful one. Hint: They represent Dakota Fanning.

Over the last year, Noah has auditioned, on tape, for many feature films. A breakthrough finally came with Dolphin’s Tale, which stars Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr, and Ashley Judd. His audition tape made it past casting and on to the Director. And, while he didn’t book it, it marked the next step in the process. It was time to meet the casting directors in person. One of the problems of submitting audition tapes, is that Casting Director’s don’t get a feel for your personality, presence, or your ability to take direction. And when you come from the Midwest, and don’t have a lot of credits to your name, this certainly poses some problems.

Which brings me to the present. Today is February 1st, 2011, and I am writing to you from an Oakwood apartment complex in the hills of Burbank, CA. We are just a stone’s throw away from Universal Studio’s and Warner Brother’s. In the 3 weeks since we’ve been here, Noah has had numerous auditions, many call back’s, has booked the lead role in a National Mattel Green Lantern commercial, and is currently on “Avail” for another job. In 2 hrs, we will go to an audition for a feature film, in the office of Deborah Dion, who is a heavy hitter, here in LA, in the world of Casting Director’s. Hint: She cast The Sixth Sense.

The biggest thing we’ve learned over the past several years is that this is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time. There are many steps involved. It takes a level of dedication that many people, not in the industry, do not understand. This is not a willy-nilly endeavor. The reason they call it show business, is because it is, indeed, just that. It’s a business. And, that’s fine. Great, even. Noah has had a lot of preparation in getting to this point, and has enjoyed every minute of it. In his perfect world, he will be a successful, working actor in LA. Stardom is not part of his requirement. He just wants the chance to be successful, doing something he enjoys. It’s hard to say what the future will hold, or where it will take us. We will just continue forward on the road we are on, follow all of the twists and turns, hurdle the road blocks, and enjoy the ride.

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I hope you enjoyed this Hollywood update. Noah’s oldest brother Colton graduates from Marshfield this May where he was Captain of the soccer team and set the career scoring record for the Blue Jays this year. His twin brothers, Christian and Nicholas, are members of the Blue Jays as well.

Here’s a video of Noah early in his career at an Acting Showcase put on by Creative Actors Workshop.

With this ensemble cast we are looking for males and females aged 18-35. Any level of acting or modeling experience will be considered as having the right look and screen presence will be nearly as important as acting ability in many cases.

The casting call and screen test will be conducted by appointment only. If you would like to be considered for an invitation to the casting call please send headshots (or at minimum a recent photo), resumes, and demo reels as soon as possible.

Shooting is scheduled for September 14, 15, 21, and 22.

The Workshop is open to talent between the ages of 10-19 years of age. The Workshop will last for 3 hours. Although this is NOT and audition, it is a great way for your child to be seen and have an educational and great all around experience. Howard is regarded as one of the top casting directors for kids in the country. He has been casting top shows for the past 15 years.

Space is limited. To reserve your space or get more information, visit www.TheCastingWorkshops.com

Dates:
August 21, 2-5 pm
August 22, 9 am – 12 pm
August 22, 1-4 pm

Location:
Intercontinental Plaza Hotel
401 Ward Parkway
Kansas City, MO 64112

Lauren Sweetser, Winter's Bone (Missouri State 2010)

Graduates from the colleges of Arts and Letters, Education and Humanities and Public Affairs will receive their degrees at 5 p.m. that day. One of the 2,539 spring graduates is Lauren Sweetser, a student in the College of Arts and Letters.

Ever since she was a young girl, Lauren Sweetser dreamed of being a performer. Beginning as a dancer and transitioning into acting during high school, Sweetser, of Fayetteville, Ark., followed her passion at Missouri State by earning her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in acting. She is graduating from the university with an accolade some would only dream of—a role in an award-winning professional film.

Entitled “Winter’s Bone,” the film follows a young girl’s search for her father to save her home. Set and filmed in the Ozarks, Sweetser plays the lead character’s best friend and support system Gail. The film won the prestigious Grand Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010.

“I have had goals set for myself and my career for forever, and it is exciting to have this happen so soon,” said Sweetser. “It is definitely a humbling and surreal experience. I am excited to start my career with the type of work that I desire to do.”

On graduation day, her film debut will also screen at Plaster Student Union. Sweetser credits her connections in the Ozarks and training at Missouri State for her success in the film.

“The faculty were very accommodating and supportive of my work in the film,” said Sweetser. “They were vital to me accepting and completing the film while continuing my education.”

During her time at Missouri State, Sweetser participated in various Missouri State productions, including the title role in “Miss Julie.” Though she enjoys the stage, Sweetser plans to pursue film and television roles upon graduation. She plans on moving to Los Angeles to further her acting career, confident that her education at Missouri State is a strong foundation for success.

Winter’s Bone will premiere in Springfield the same evening that Lauren graduates, screening at Plaster Theater on campus at 8:00 pm. We hope Lauren will be able to join us for the screening and to meet the public. Tickets may still be available via MissouriStateTix.com The film is a fund-raiser for the Missouri Film Alliance of Springfield and Community Partnership of the Ozarks, courtesy of the filmmakers. The film will also screen at Campbell 16 beginning June 18th.

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The Gillioz had a very large audience in attendance and were treated to a full production Thursday evening with Jeff Clinkenbeard joined on stage by Ms Prater acting as emcees. Moving with well-practiced ease, the event matched the quality of the films that were recognized.

Best Art Direction – Color Theory, from Mark Leicht and Meganne Rosen O’Neal of Pi Films
Best Sound – Squad 84, from Andrew Donohue and Gabriel Mays of 84OTAS
Best Cinematography – Fear Itself, from Scott Bradley and Christine Schwader of Circles of Confusion (and Pulse Studios)
Best Song or Music – Love & Allergies, by Grant Hendrickson, Todd Gummerman and Sarah Reule
Best Female Performance – Dylan Bradley, in Fear Itself (Scott Bradley’s six year old daughter!)
Best Movie Poster – Game 5, by Jeffrey Johnson of Green Circle Productions (and OTC EMP program)
Best Editing – Scott Bradley and Christine Schwader, for Fear Itself
Audience Favorite – Color Theory by Heather Slater, Producer (see Art Direction above)
Best Male Performance – Jon Adams, in The Love Dilemma from Innocent Bystander Productions
Best Screenplay – Matthew Stowe for The Maiden Voyage of August Juncture’s Incredible Time Machine, from Boca Inc.
Best Direction – Brandon Goodwin and Nate Black, for Love & Allergies, from The Bill Paxton Assassins
Best Use of the Inspiration Package/Best Film – Fear Itself, by Scott Bradley and Angela Garrison

Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone, 2010

The star of “Winter’s Bone,” a moody mystery set in the Ozarks which just won the top prize at the Sundance Film Festival, is a 19-year-old actress from Kentucky named Jennifer Lawrence. She was discovered while still in junior high and has since dedicated most of her waking hours to building a film career, which meant abbreviating high school and skipping college.

“I’ve had a career since I was 14, I pay my own rent, I live on my own, and I’m not going to have a lot in common with somebody who’s my age,” she says. “And I know I sound like a jerk, but what are we going to talk about? Prom? I didn’t go to prom. Or your boyfriend? I’m working — all the time.”

Tickets for the May 14th screening of the film in Springfield can be purchased or picked up at the Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts, the JQH Arena, or the Plaster Student Union ticket offices. Tickets can also be purchased by telephone or on the internet through MSU TIX (http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?organ_val=3371&schedule=list).

Box office proceeds will be donated to the Missouri Film Alliance of Springfield, and a local Methamphetamine Recovery Program.

The movie is sponsored by Missouri State University and Ozarks Community Hospital

Screenwriter Paul Guyot will lead a student workshop on writing for television. His workshop is scheduled from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in Craig Hall 203. Concurrently, Jack Snyder will lead a student workshop on writing for film. His workshop is scheduled from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in Craig Hall 204.

From 5:00 to 6:30 p.m., Snyder’s film, Ghost Image, will be shown in the Plaster Student Union Theater. From 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., Guyot and Snyder will speak on the art and “business” of screenwriting. Their public lecture, which will take place in the Plaster Student Union Theater, will conclude with a question-and-answer session.

Paul Guyot spent three years writing and producing the CBS drama, Judging Amy, at which time he worked with famed writer-producers Barbara Hall and Karen Hall. Recently, Guyot has executive-produced pilots for TNT, Sony Pictures Television, and Fox TV Studios.

In 1995, Jack Snyder, who teaches Media Studies at UMSL, won the Silver Award at the Worldfest Charleston for his short film, Variations on a Theme. In 2007, he wrote and directed the movie, Ghost Image, which stars Elisabeth Rohm (from Law & Order and Miss Congeniality 2), and is currently airing on The Showtime Network and The Movie Channel.

The Missouri State English Society is proud to host these public events, which have been partially funded by a University SOFAC grant. Co-sponsors include the Missouri State Screenwriting Program, the Department of English, the Department of Media, Journalism & Film, Moon City Press, and the Springfield Writers Guild.

The event at a glance:
When: March 20, 2010
Where: Craig Hall and Plaster Student Union Theater on the Missouri State campus.
What: Screenwriting workshops 3:30-500 p.m. (Craig Hall 203 and 204)
Showing of Ghost Image 5:00-6:30 p.m. (PSU Theater)
Lecture by Paul Guyot and Jack Snyder 7:00-830 p.m. (PSU Theater)

Event Flyer – click to download

Aspiring writers, lovers of TV/film, and students of American popular culture will find these events enjoyable and informative. For further information, contact English Society President, gemma Bellhouse, at 417-808-1002 (email: gemma1@live.missouristate.edu).

This is a web series not a short, so the time commitment is longer, we plan to do 8 awesome episodes.

What: Casting Call, JO VS Web Series
When: Friday March 5th, 2:00 – 5:00 pm
When: Saturday March 6th, 12:00 – 4:00 pm
Where: Creamery Art Center
411 N. Sherman Parkway, Springfield, Missouri 65802
Facebook event

BRING RESUME AND HEAD SHOTS IF YOU HAVE ANY

Sides will be available, if you want it before the audition, contact Blue Lightle so i can give you some.

Characters and description will be on the Facebook Page. We will have PLENTY of guest stars for each episodes so if you don’t make it in the main cast you will still have plenty of opportunities to participate.

If you can’t make it to one of these dates, or you want to talk about my experience, or benefits for new actors for working with me, please contact Blue Lightle via Facebook.