The Entertainment Industry Professionals Mentoring Alliance (EIPMA), a new, non-profit organization offering mentoring and career guidance to students and young professionals seeking artistic and technical careers in media and entertainment, will mark its official launch at an open house on Saturday, March 7, at Avid Technology in Burbank. Open to educators, students and young professionals, the free event will include speakers, panel discussions and information booths centered on behind-the-scenes careers in cinema, television and music.
A coalition of companies and organizations from across the media and entertainment industry, EIPMA is dedicated to nurturing the industry’s next generation of talent. It plans to partner with high schools, universities and entertainment industry organizations to increase student awareness for career opportunities in the entertainment industry through job fairs, speaker programs, webinars and other events. It will also connect aspiring professionals with mentoring and career counseling programs.
Attendees at the open house will learn more about EIPMA’s program and how they can get involved. Scheduled participants include representatives from American Cinema Editors (ACE), Audio Engineering Society Los Angeles (AES), Avid, Cinema Audio Society (CAS), Digital Cinema Society, Hollywood Professional Association (HPA), Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE), the Recording Academy and SoundGirls.
“Rewarding, well-paid technical and artistic careers exist across all sectors of the entertainment industry,” said EIPMA president Bernard Weiser. “We want to work with educators, career counselors and others to make students and young professionals aware of these opportunities, and provide them with the advice and mentoring support they need to allow their talents to shine and lead them into the professional world.”
EIPMA was founded to serve as a conduit between entertainment industry professionals and young people seeking career-oriented employment. “Our members have years of experience and knowledge and they are eager to share it to benefit young people and the industry they love,” Weiser noted.
The open house event runs form 10am-2pm on March 7. Avid Technology is located at 101 South First St., Burbank CA (91502). Educators, students and young professionals need to register here. A light breakfast and lunch will be served.
“Scandal” cast will reunite for online script reading for hurricane relief in western North Carolina
The cast of ABC's hit political drama "Scandal" may need to brush up on their snappy, speedy delivery known as "Scandal-pace," because they're reuniting for a good cause. Its stars including Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and Bellamy Young will take part in a live virtual script reading on Nov. 17 to raise money for hurricane relief in western North Carolina.
Beginning Friday, fans can go online and donate to reserve a spot for the online reading. Proceeds will benefit United Way of North Carolina. Everyone who donates will be able to take part in a virtual pre-event with the cast and Shonda Rhimes will give an introduction.
Additional guest stars will also be announced. The online fundraising platform Prizeo is also holding a contest where one person who donates online via their site will be selected to read a role from the script with the actors. The winner should not worry about the "Scandal"-pace, assured Young over Zoom.
"Whomever the lucky reader is can read at whatever pace they want," she said.
Young, who played Mellie Young, the first lady and later Republican presidential nominee on "Scandal," was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. She came up with the idea for the effort with a friend and took it to her fellow "Scandal" actors, who all jumped on board. Young said this is the first script reading the cast has all done together since the show ended after seven seasons in 2018.
Which episode they will be reading has not been announced yet.
Young said it's "been devastating" to see so many parts of her hometown badly damaged by Hurricane Helene, which ravaged western North Carolina one month ago.
To research the best use for donations, Young spoke with numerous political leaders, including North... Read More