Bayou City Film News

CREW CALL: "Playing House," a low budget feature shooting in Houston begins principal photography November 1. We are looking for the following positions: Production Designer, Office Coordinator, Assistant to the Director, Key Grip, Gaffer, Script Supervisor, Costume Designer, SPFX, Location Sound Recorder, Boom Operator and PA's/Interns. If you are interested please email your resume and the position you are seeking to playinghouse09@gmail.com . Thanks to SWAMP for this posting.

NOW CASTING, by popular demand, is heading to Texas to produce our Online Actor’s Showcase called SHOWCASE NOW for actors looking to be seen by Los Angeles Agents and Managers before they make the “big move”. All of our showcase scenes are professionally directed, filmed on location and seen by hundreds of Entertainment Industry professionals. STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE TO BE COMPETITIVE! OUR ONLINE SHOWCASE IS THE BEST WAY TO MARKET YOURSELF TO LA AGENTS. CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING LINKS TO WATCH SCENES: www.nowcasting.com/showcase www.nowcasting.com/showcasenow CALL 323 422-5373 TO SET UP AN AUDITION FOR THURSDAY!

INTRODUCTION TO AFTER EFFECTS This 2 day course in After Effects is designed to give the first time user a basic understanding of the tools, workflow and capabilities of the program (as well an understanding of compositing and how it differs from the editing process.) Techniques that will be discussed include: keyframing, layering, nested compositions, rotoscoping, color correction, chroma key (green and blue screen), animated text and 3D space. This is course takes place in a hands on learning environment using source files provided. Saturday and Sunday, October 3 & 4, 2009 (9am - 5:00pm) Houston Community College - Stafford Branch 9910 Cash Rd. Stafford, Texas 77477 Cost: $150 - General Public; $125 - SWAMP Members & Students Space Limited. Register Early. Click here for more information and to register online, or call 713-522-8592 x 2.

AUSTIN, TX--- July 14, 2009 --- Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Ron Howard will be presented with the Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Award at the 16th Annual Austin Film Festival & Conference, October 22-29, 2009. Ron Howard will be presented with the Award during the Awards Luncheon on Saturday, October 24th, at the Austin Club. In addition, Howard will be a featured speaker during the Festival’s four-day Conference, October 22-25, 2009. Producer, director and actor Ron Howard is one of this generation’s most popular directors. From the critically acclaimed dramas A Beautiful Mind and Apollo 13 to the hit comedies Parenthood and Splash, he has created some of Hollywood’s most memorable films. Howard directed and produced Cinderella Man starring Oscar® winner Russell Crowe, with whom he previously collaborated with on A Beautiful Mind, for which Howard earned an Oscar® for Best Director and which also won awards for Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actr...

Congratulations goes out to all the Winners of the 2009 Gulf Coast Film & Video Festival. They are... Best Script Super Luke Cynthia Neely Best Of Festival Forgive Me Clayton Miller Best Short Unfortune.net Randy Chapman Best Comedy Do You Gordon S. Williams Best Documentary The Messenger Shawn S. Welling Best Drama Entertainer's Last Stand Carlos A. Pagan Student Project Ha Ha You're Dead Paul Zienty The actual festival itself was cancelled recently due to financial reasons. But they still released the award winners. Bayou City Film News wants to congratulate the Gulf Coast Film & Video Festival award winners.

Join us at Dean's on Thursday October 1st at 9:00P for a special presentation of the award-winning short films of UT Austin graduate student Miguel Alvarez who will be IN ATTENDANCE. Each of his successive short films have been gathering critical acclaim at film festivals and we will be premiering his 18min. work-in-progrss thesis film Mnemosyne Rising. The first Thursdays short film evening is always a great networking opportunity or simply a chance to get together with or meet new filmmakers and creative people. This FREE evening is not to be missed because you won't get to see these film anywhere else! Currently pursuing an MFA in Film Production, Miguel is the recipient of the Robert Rodriguez/Elizabeth Avellan Award and Warren Skaaren Fellowship from the University of Texas at Austin, as well as a Directors Guild Of America Student Award. Much of his time is now spent developing his first feature Atlantic City and finishing his latest short Mnemosyne Rising. Complete Bio a...

Patrick Swayze dies of pancreatic cancer. The 57 year old succumbed to the desease earlier today. His wife, Lisa Niemi was by his side. Swayze, the star of "Dirty Dancing" and "Ghost" He last worked on the A&E television series "The Beast" for 13 episodes in spite of the tremendous pain the disease was causing him. Swayze's last interview was with Barbara Walters where he talked about his life and his illness.

Tom Logan is coming to Houston in October to conduct a three day acting seminar. Tom is a director of feature films, television episodes, pilots, and national and international commercials. This hands-on workshop includes tips and tools that improve your acting, answers questions like what color clothes, appointment time, or position on screen can increase your chances of getting cast. The seminar will be held October 5th, 6th, and 7th, 2009. For further information visit www.pbtalent.com

TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY: Seeks a video/film production company to work in coordination with the Office of University Advancement to produce a 5-7 minute promotion video, as well as three television commercials (:60, :30, and :15). Goals for the video include: Promoting the university’s accomplished faculty and academic programs. Highlighting student life on campus and the TSU experience. Reinforcing the TSU Now marketing campaign. The video’s primary purpose is to support the university’s recruitment efforts, but it will also be used for alumni and constituent relations programs. Potentially, we could produce two versions, slightly modified for different audiences. The video should be fast-paced, energetic, and reflect and support the TSU Now campaign. It will require concept creation, editing, production and filming. University Advancement staff members will work closely throughout the production to help guide the areas of emphasis, script writing and development, and provi...

SOUTHWEST ALTERNATE MEDIA PROJECT (SWAMP):And Texas Accountants and Lawyers For The Arts (TALA) present the 5th Annual Business of Film Conference on Saturday, September 12, 2009 from 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. at Rice University Media Center. This information-packed conference features panels and discussions with professionals from the film, legal and financial worlds that address a wide range of topics, including budgeting for film, funding resources, music rights, distribution and more. A must for filmmakers who mean business. For further information and to register, go to http://www.swamp.org/bizoffilm.html or call 713-522-8592 xt. 2

Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was more than just a television series, it became a cultural phenomenon that garnered legions of fans worldwide. One episode in particular stands out with fans and television critics alike as being one of the top tv episodes of all time... the musical episode Once More, With Feeling. Written, composed and directed by series creator Joss Whedon and choreographed by Adam Shankman (Hairspray), the episode involves a tap-dancing demon (played by Broadway legend Hinton Battle) who magically forces the residents of Sunnydale to sing and dance about their innermost feelings and secrets until they uncontrollably combust. Since the show ended in 2003, thousands of Buffy fans have gathered for special "sing along" screenings of Once More, With Feeling. Now You Can Sing Along! Join SWAMP and Discovery Green for a special FREE screening of Once More, With Feeling on Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 7:30pm. The event will take place under the stars on a gian...

http://www.astrodomestudios.net /

MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL - You Be the Judge! Tuesday, September 22, 2009 @ 7PM (Special night and time!) Museum of Fine Arts - Houston Join the international "jury" and vote for your favorite short in the museum´s annual presentation of the Manhattan Short Film Festival. Finalists Films: The Boundary (Directed by Julius Onah; USA; 12 min.) Love Child (Directed by Daniel Wirtberg; Sweden; 6 min.) Mozambique (Directed by Alcides Soares; Mozambique; 14 min.) Skhizein (Directed by Jérémy Clapin; France; 14 min.) Parking (Directed by Jorge Molina; Spain; 11 min.) A´Mare (Directed by Martina Amati; Italy; 15 min.) Plastic (Directed by Sandy Widyanata; Australia; 8 min.) Miente (Directed by Isabel De Ocampo; Spain; 15 min.) Lashabiya (Directed by Yehezkel Lazarov; Israel; 6 min.) Hammerhead (Directed by Sam Donovan; UK; 14 min.) Special ticket prices apply! General admission is $8. MFAH members, SWAMP Members, students with ID, seniors, and members of Film Buffs receive $2 disc...

Cook County tour is gearing up again. Next stop is New Orleans on Sept. 3rd, then back to Houston and on to Arkansas. Please let your friends and family in the cities and towns below know about "Cook County." We would appreciate their supporting the film. Very much appreciated. If anyone of you or your friends and family have any questions about it, email me or David Pomes ( davepomes@yahoo.com ) Here's the schedule so far: NEW ORLEANS, LA Thursday, September 3, 2009 at 7:30 Special Screening of “Cook County” Canal Place Cinema (in Canal Place Center) 333 Canal Street Q & A with Writer/Director after film HOUSTON, TX Beginning Friday, September 4, 2009 “Cook County” Studio Movie Grill (at CityCentre, Town & Country Mall) 805 Town and Country Lane Q & A with Writer/Director after film on Sept. 4th FAYETTEVILLE, AR Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 8:00pm Special Screening of “Cook County” University of Arkansas School of Continuing Education Global Campus The...