By Robert Goldrich
As SHOOT gears up for its 15th New Directors Showcase at the DGA Theatre in NYC next week (5/25), opening up opportunities for promising talent, there are other relatively new programs gaining traction which are designed to create paths into the industry for those who aspire to something better.
One such initiative is the nonprofit Film2Future (F2F), launched in 2016 by Rachel Miller, founding partner of Haven Entertainment, a management and production company. In its first year, F2F gave 19 underprivileged diverse high school students across the Los Angeles Unified School District the opportunity to learn about the film industry through an intense production workshop. As part of its program for disadvantaged and at-risk youth, F2F provides healthy meals, transportation and computer access for every class session and event.
Via F2F, students from the ages of 14-18 learn life skills such as self-advocacy, confidence, teamwork, budget preparation and resume writing. F2F provides one-on-one mentorship and, upon graduation, work to create a direct connection for its students into higher education or into a paid entry-level industry position.
This year F2F has partnered with Deutsch to host a two-week intensive program on animation in Deutsch’s new production studio, Steelhead, located across the street from Deutsch LA. Twenty-five students will participate in the program, which is slated to run from June 12-23. The students will gain hands-on animation experience working with Deutsch specialists and industry experts on state-of-the-art equipment. By the end of the program, each participant will have built a portfolio of work for their own academic and professional use.
“This is a great chance to expose kids to all of the opportunities Hollywood has to offer,” said Vic Palumbo, president of Steelhead, who added, “We’re excited to mentor the Film2Future students and explore the talents of the next generation of creatives in film and entertainment.”
Miller observed, “We are elevating young people and working to diversify the workforce in Hollywood. In order to have more women and minorities in creative roles, we have to start in high school to develop a real pipeline into the entertainment business.”
F2F relies on fundraising and partnerships to keep the program alive. For more information, visit Film2Future.com.
A TV as big as a bed? With the holidays approaching, stores stock more supersize sets
For some television viewers, size apparently does matter.
Forget the 65-inch TVs that were considered bigger than average a decade ago. In time for the holidays, manufacturers and retailers are rolling out more XXL screens measuring more than 8 feet across. That's wider than a standard three-seat sofa or a king-size bed.
Supersize televisions only accounted for 1.7% of revenue from all TV set sales in the U.S. during the first nine months of the year, according to market research firm Circana. But companies preparing for shoppers to go big for Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa have reason to think the growing ultra category will be a bright spot in an otherwise tepid television market, according to analysts.
The 38.1 million televisions sold with a width of at least 97 inches between January and September represented a tenfold increase from the same period last year, Circana said. Best Buy, the nation's largest consumer electronics chain, doubled the assortment of hefty TVs — the 19 models range in price from $2,000 to $25,000 — and introduced displays in roughly 70% of its stores.
"It's really taken off this year," Blake Hampton, Best Buy's senior vice president of merchandising, said.
Analysts credit the emerging demand to improved technology and much lower prices. So far this year, the average price for TVs spanning at least 97 inches was $3,113 compared to $6,662 last year, according to Circana. South Korean electronics manufacturer Samsung introduced its first 98-inch TV in 2019 with a hefty price tag of $99,000; it now has four versions starting at $4,000, the company said.
Anthony Ash, a 42-year-old owner of a wood pallet and recycling business, recently bought a 98-inch Sony for his 14,000-square-foot house in... Read More