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AWG MEMBERS' SITES

Member sites we couldn't live without:

Marc Cushman Blog

To Live and Write in LA

Vic Cabrera - Writer - Producer - Director

My Cuban Story

Comedy Web Channel

The Big Deal - the Movie

 

Blog Posts

LA Film Festival: Maya Rudolph Talks Funny

Posted by Leo Sopicki on June 18, 2013 at 12:20pm 0 Comments

JacobBrown Media Group to market MY CUBAN STORY

Posted by Vic Cabrera on May 20, 2013 at 11:39am 0 Comments

Collaboration Filmmakers Challenge: The Fifteen Dollar Film School

Posted by Leo Sopicki on April 28, 2013 at 9:40am 0 Comments

The First Ten Pages - A Fiction Writer's Checklist

Posted by Mike Hayward on April 23, 2013 at 6:19am 0 Comments

The First Ten Pages - A Screenwriter's Checklist

Posted by Mike Hayward on April 23, 2013 at 5:55am 0 Comments

Our Motto: Write more and more better!

Check out our calendar!

July 6, 2013

PLUS, THE BEST FIRST TEN WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED!
* * * *
What you missed at the General Membership Meeting (GMM) last month!
 
The VP Report...
 
The GMM went well.  There were 50 to 60 writers there.
 
- Marc opened the meeting with the traditional questions, Who are we?, and Why are we here?
- Steven Kate's presentation for his one-man show, What I learned from Porn, was very funny. 
- Marc did the success stories which led to the Pitch Fest (which was happening during the weekend), and he went over some pitching pointers.  James Schendel did a pitch for his "Best First Ten" entry about a mob reality show.  He did a good job, for a cold pitch, and did it in fifty-five seconds!
- I talked about the SIGs, and unveiled the new e-mail address for confirmations, AWGsigs@gmail.com.  The Calendar and the SIG Page are current.
- The finalist in the "Best First Ten" contest were revealed (see below).
- During the break, there was a lot of networking going on. 
- Conan Nolan was great.  A real personable writer of news, with his finger on the pulse of California and LA politics, and the changing media landscape.  He spoke for an hour and ten minutes, and we could have used another hour with him.
- The coffee was hot and the donuts plentiful - two of the main elements in a good GMM.

Vic
AWG-VP

Congratulations to our "Best First Ten" Finalist!

The following AWG members advance to the final judging stage of our "Best First Ten" writing contest this month and the chance to win cash prizes - not to mention the fun of saying  “Hey! I was a finalist in the Alameda Writers Group “Best First Ten” Writing Contest!”
* * *
John Christopher, “Kicking Sawdust” (screenplay)
Mike Hayward, “Oscar and Me” (screenplay)
Willow Healy, “Nine-Tailed Fox” (fiction)
Janie Kelley, “Legs” (fiction)
Doug Miller, “Kira” (screenplay)
Alex Nava, “Level 70” (screeplay)
Carla Robinson, “Sky People” (screenplay)
Serita Stevens, “The Unborn Witness” (screenplay)
Sue Templeton, “II Queens” (screenplay)
Rebecca Varga, “I'm As Innocent As A Pineapple!” (TV spec script)
Most important, each submitter will get notes from two different readers.  The finalist will receive their notes after winners are announced.

Thank you to all who entered our "Best First Ten" Writing Contest!

* * *

Special Interest Groups (SIGs) for members are happening in Burbank on June 6 from 7 to 9 pm.  Marc’s West Valley SIG is on the 15th  in the afternoon.

Bring ten pages or just come to read.  Sign up at: AWGsigs@gmail.com.

 * * * * * *

Robert H. Jacobs

 

Publisher Robert Jacobs of Jacobs/Brown Press (an imprint of Jacobs/Brown Media Group) is a true friend of the Alameda Writers Group. Through special arrangement with the AWG, group members are invited to contact publisher directly without the need of an agent.

Jacobs/Brown is a boutique publisher located in San Diego and, contrary to the policies of bigger houses, is dedicated to being a writer-­‐friendly house, with better profit participation for authors, creative involvement, and less contractual restrictions.

AWG president Marc Cushman has experienced the business practices of major publishing house first hand, endorses  Jacobs/Brown, and has put his pen where his mouth is … by recently signing with the publisher for a three-­‐book deal.   You can contact Robert at:  

http://www.jacobsbrownmediagroup.com/

* * * * * *

 PRESIDENT'S PITCH!

For those who attended the meeting of the AWG today, I hope you were both entertained and enlightened.
 
For those who pitched, congratulations to you for having the courage to do so.  Being bold is the only way to succeed in this business and all of you deserved the round of applause you received for your bravery.
 
 
The first place winner was Randy Thompson for "Justice For All," the Western story involving an African-American protagonist, based on true events.  This may surprise many of you, including Randy, because Chris told us that Westerns are a hard sell.  Also, Chris cut Randy short on his pitch because he had recently read a script on this same subject.  At the end of the day, however, the winning pitch isn't always determined by how the pitch itself went, but how the concept may have left a lasting impression on the executive who heard it.  Chris found that he was "intrigued" to read Randy's script and see how it compares to the one he recently read.  So, congratulations, Randy!  Contact me regarding making your submission to Chris at WME, as well as collecting your first place "trophy" at the next General Membership Meeting on January 5.
 
Second place goes to Lisa Jacobs for "Money Shot."  Lisa, I have a trophy for you, as well, signed by Chris, which you can collect in January.  Good job.
 
Honorable mention goes to Christine Conradt, for "The F**k-It List," and Lisa Michelle, for "Higher Ground," both of which Chris felt were interesting concepts.  You can't win 'em all, ladies, but you came very close, and congratulations are in order.  In fact, when you consider the first, second, third and fourth placing entries today, the women ruled!  Us guys will have to try harder next year.  And thank you, Randy, for representing us guys this time around.
 
For those who signed up and did not get to pitch, due to us running late - Christine Przybilla, Jackie Mitchel, Tom McClaine, and Steven Kates - please send your pitches to me by email this week and I will see that they get to Chris.  You are actually fortunate.  Chris will have fresher eyes when he looks your ideas over and, if you perk his curiosity, he will ask to see your scripts.  So, you did not miss out today.  You may actually have a better shot.
 
For those of you who took longer than one minute to do your initial pitch (not counting the time Chris was asking you questions or giving feedback), be warned, I'll be bringing an egg-timer with a bell the next time Chris is with us, and, at Chris' suggestion, I may be armed.  Remember, all he needs to hear is who your story is about, what that person's "story problem" is, and who or what is getting in their way.  He will ask questions if he is interested beyond that.  As you saw today, giving more information than that without being asked does not help sell your concept.  One minute is really all a good executive or publisher needs to know if a particular story may interest them.
 
Thank you to all who participated.  And, again, congratulations to Randy, Lisa, Christine and Lisa for catching the ear of our executive from WME.
 
Hope to see you all next month when one of our two guests will be an entertainment attorney who will tell us how to protect our ideas, negotiate contracts, enter into partnership agreements, approach producers and publishers, and more.
 
Happy holidays to you all,
 
Marc Cushman
President, Alameda Writers Group

* * * * * *

 

Freelancers, producers, directors and educators, building a community where creativity counts.

 

http://alamedawritersgroup.ning.com/page/member-guide

 

 

Winning Writers!

Forum

Today's Meeting

Started by David Meyerhof in Writers Helping Writers. Last reply by AWG News Apr 8. 2 Replies

I want to say thank you to all who made today's meeting possible.  It was my first meeting and It was wonderful!  I made great contacts, read one of my poems, received great feedback, and heard excellent talks.  Informative, insightful, and…Continue

Collaboration Filmmakers Challenge

Started by Leo Sopicki in Writers Helping Writers Mar 24. 0 Replies

Did anyone participate in the Collaboration Filmmakers Challenge last year? Is it worthwhile? Any other reactions? http://collaborationchallenge.com/Continue

Do You Write Poetry?

Started by David Meyerhof in Writers Helping Writers. Last reply by Leo Sopicki Mar 24. 2 Replies

I was wondering if any one else in the Group writes poetry.Continue

Honoring Donnie Dale- a long-time member of AWG and dear friend

Started by Marcielle Brandler in Say Hello Nov 17, 2012. 0 Replies

Dear Friends who knew Donnie Dale.Donnie died Thursday,Nov 15. I had visitedhim two weeks ago and could tell he was going fast.Donnie and I were very close. Below is some info about Donnie and the funeralfrom the Freelance group that Donnie had…Continue

Tags: novelist, Pasadena, writer, funeral, Dale

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