Imagine News Summer 2023 Issue

By Carol Patton Michael Malvesti

Hartley Pleshaw

What an irresistibly readable novel Christy Cashman has written!

AVAILABLE 8/15/23

A beautiful, moving story that I'm glad to know and certain to remember.

Christy Cashman has written a book for everyone, young and old!

A spellbinding tale in which every teenager has magical powers within them just waiting to be discovered, this book will have you laughing and crying sometimes on the same page all the while rooting for Reese, the most unlikely of heroes.

Michael Malvesti is on our cover because he has an enchanting story to tell that will bring a smile to your face and hope to your heart.

Michael has held on to a dream to become an actor ever since he saw GOOD WILL HUNTING in 1997. Many years later, just before giving up and thinking about finding that nine to five job, he auditioned at Carolyn Pickman Casting for a role in THE TOWN. He had given up, but a couple of weeks later he got a call to audition. Then he got a call back. Then he discovered he had been cast.

Startled, Michael waited to be called to set. During this little process, Michael’s life would be changed forever. Read our wonderful story to find out just what happened and how it made a gargantuan difference in the life of Michael Malvesti.

All Michael wanted to do was be in one movie. So, he was happy. But the fire of being an actor was relit. Since then, he’s been in several movies: ORDINARY MAN, MOONRISE KINGDOM, THE HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET, HONEST THIEF, I CARE A LOT, WAKE UP LITTLE GIRL, FREE GUY, AND BOSTON STRANGLER. Plus, he has three films in Postproduction: THE HOLDOVER, UNTITLED CORD JEFFERSON FILM and MADAM WEB.

And TV has also been in his corner. He now, of course, he has the role of Benny in HBO MAX’s or maybe it’s just MAX’s Julia, and before, Dexter, City on a Hill, Castle Rock, and Broad Squad.

That’s quite an accomplishment and he has quite a story to tell. That’s why he is on the cover of IMAGINE. Be sure to read his story in this issue of IMAGINE.

Michael gave us our cover photo. The cover design is by IMAGINE’s Design Editor, Monique Walton.

NEXT ISSUE

• More New England Film Festivals

• Are We Still on Strike(s)?

• New Vendors in New England – We Are Inviting

• “The Truth About Horses,” Release Is August 15th

Editorial Deadline is July 31, 2023

Ad Deadline is August 3, 2023

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contributing writers include: pilar alessandra | justin droll | matthew lapaglia | judy laster | mark litwak | steve mcgrath | harley pleshaw

WWW, Works, Wrinkles and Wraps, will now be seen on our website at www.imaginenews.com. The move will contribute to the freshness of the material you will find there. Our magazine will always appear on http://emag.imaginenews.com.

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8 | Woods Hole 32nd Film Festival By Judy Laster

12 | Rhode Island International Film Festival 2023 Story By Carol Patton

14 | The Woman Behind WOMAN IN THE MIRROR By Hartley Pleshaw

16 | Heather Graham’s Romantic Comedy CHOSEN FAMILY Wraps in the Ocean State

20 | Michael Malvesti Kept an Inspirational Ticket Stub that Changed His Life By Carol Patton

24 | LEF Foundation Announces $220,000 in Production and Post-production Grants to New England Documentary Filmmakers By Matthew LaPaglia

30 | Joe Miale to Direct THE BLUR From Compelling Pictures By Justin Droll

34 | 2023 Changes at The American Film Market departments

6 | Take Two By Carol Patton

26 | Legal Lens By Mark Litwak

28 | Tech Edge By Steve McGrath

32 | On The Page By Pilar Alessandra

TAKE 2 a letter from the publisher

As IMAGINE goes to post another great issue for you, the WGA strike is in its tenth week. Most all productions have shut down and there is picketing across the country except for today in New York as demonstrations were cancelled due to the oppressive heat.

Since 1982, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) has been the trade association responsible for negotiating virtually all industry-wide guild and union contracts, including those with American Federation of Musicians (AFM); Directors Guild of America (DGA); International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE); International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW); Laborers Local 724; Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA); Teamsters, Local #399; and Writers Guild of America (WGA) among others.

The AMPTP, the entertainment industry’s official collective bargaining representative, negotiates fifty-eight industrywide collective bargaining agreements on behalf of hundreds of motion picture and television producers. That’s a big number of producers to satisfy. No wonder it is so complex and difficult.

I know everyone just wants to get back to work, but that likelihood is mired by impending strikes and the stand-off between the WGA and AMPTP. Even if other Guilds and the AMPTP resolve their contract woes, those who choose to not cross picket lines (and most productions do) will not be able to go back to work until the WGA saga comes to an acceptable conclusion.

Also, upon this posting SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP have not achieved any substantial negotiations toward a contract resolution. Frankly, at this point it doesn’t look too promising, although we remain hopeful.

Most believe it’s going to be a long hot summer. But here in New England we can stay happy as clams as we say, “Hooray for Film Festivals.” We have two stories for you in this issue. From Saturday, July 29 through Saturday, August 5, join the Woods Hole Film Festival as they celebrate their 32nd year in the charming and relaxing seaside village of Woods Hole on Cape Cod. As the oldest festival on the Cape and Islands, the festival has been one of the leaders in promoting the work of emerging independent filmmakers from around the world.

Judy Laster is the founder and Executive Director of the Woods Hole Film Festival. She is to be celebrated for her dedication to her festival and the industry in New England.

Now in its 27th year, the Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) celebrates the independent spirit in film and has become a haven for independent filmmakers from

By Carol Patton

top to bottom, Tim Larson and Mikhaila Waldman at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead just before becoming Mr. and Mrs. Larson. Courtesy photo.

Wherever Christy Cashman goes, there is a horse, of course. Photos by B Lindsay Ahern.

SAF-AFTRA and the producers could not reach an agreement, so the strike ensues. It’s the first time the WGA and SAG-AFTRA have been on strike at the same time since the 1960s. Photo courtesy of Deadline Hollywood.

throughout the world. In 2022, the Festival presented 383 films representing works that were shot and produced in 106 countries. There were 92 World Premieres and US/ North American Premieres. Moving the Festival back to a post-COVID normal was the goal of the 2022 event.

This year, RIIFF has received more than 6,000 submissions from all over the world. In this issue our aim is to introduce you to Shawn Quirk as he is stepping into the big shoes of George Marshall to bring you their festival 2023. George passed away last September after an amazing 2022 festival. Shawn has worked with George since 2011. Read my article about him in this issue. You will get the picture.

For all festivals, I want to make this remark, perhaps it is a plea: volunteer, every festival need volunteers. If you are in the vicinity or can get there for a few days, volunteer! The rewards you will earn are endless, the savvy people you will meet, the movies you will get to see that perhaps otherwise you wouldn’t, panels and workshops, and the satisfaction that you supported a film community and contributed value to an important event.

I love this issue. Our cover story is one I adore. I met Michael Malvesti at an industry (SAG-AFTRA/MPC) event early this year. This story will grab your heart and soul. I wrote the story (actually, her wrote the story for me), and then reached out to one of my favorite local actors, Erica McDermott (THE FIGHTERS, AMERICAN HUSTLE, Julia) to get her take on the guy, Michael Malvesti.

Erica is an IMAGINE “Imaginnaire”. Here is her response. I was catching up with her as well. Here’s what her update, “I’ve been spending the winter months in South Florida and traveling a bit. With self-taping auditions being the norm these days, I’m taking full advantage. In fact, I auditioned for JULIA in a hotel room in Scottsdale Arizona!!!

“What an excellent experience I had, so many positive things to say I don’t even know where to begin. Director Erica Dunton was simply marvelous!! The Hair & Makeup department, along with Costume took everyone back to Cambridge, Massachusetts in the 1960s. It was incredible! My hair, alone, could be its own character. On my drive home after filming, I prayed I wouldn’t get pulled over for

any reason ... a police officer wouldn’t know what to make of me and my hairdo!!

“I play the role of SHIRLEY BAMBACH. She is part of a group of ladies the world isn’t quite ready for, Shirley is definitely ahead of her time!! After reading the character breakdown, I decided to take a risk and audition using a very diffident accent. They loved it and cast me shortly thereafter. My Boston accent has booked me roles in the past, so being hired by HBO MAX using a new one was very cool.

“Michael Malvesti is an actor I’ve known for a long time. He’s a great guy, very talented and continues to lead by example in our industry. I’ve enjoyed watching movies and shows he’s worked on. Every time he brings true authenticity to the scene. I haven’t worked with him yet, but with so many New England connections it’s only a matter of time and I look forward to that day!”

I brought in Erica and her comments because I knew that she would support my instincts and that Michael, our cover story, was the genuine person I thought he was – I believed I was right; Erica confirmed it!

Our region does extremely well in international competitions. And ASCAP is no exception.

Ed Grenga, Charles “Kook” Lawry, and Douglas Stevens are recipients of the 2023 ASCAP Screen Music Award for the top-rated television series, This Old House on PBS. Ed and Doug traveled to West Hollywood in May

to the Sunset Marquis for an intimate, invitation-only celebration with fellow ASCAP Screen Music Award winners. They say, “Special thanks to Director, David Vos, for initially believing in us, and Editors, Mike Svirsky, Gary Stephenson, and Adam Bush for their expert guidance along the way. We’d also like to thank all the viewers who enjoyed our music over the years and wrote to us and supported us with their kind words.”

Doug sent this to IMAGINE, “Here is the first sentence from ASCAP letter sent to me about a month ago. We were told to keep it a secret until it was publicly announced.”

“We are excited to inform you that you are a 2023 ASCAP Screen Music Awards winner! Your score for This Old House was among the highest-rated ASCAP scores of 2022.”

Congratulations are due! Good composing Ed, Kook, and Doug. Their company is Creative Audio and Music. Their tagline is: Where Good Ideas Go to Be Heard. I like that.

I was so honored to be invited to the wedding of Mikhaila Waldman and Tim Larson extended to me by Jan and Dr. Howard Waldman at the exquisite Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead. It was a beautiful affair, planned, orchestrated, and presented so well it should have been in a movie.

Last month our cover story was about Christy Cashman and her novel “The Truth About Horses,” which will be released in August. This is a wonderful story that I couldn’t

clockwise from top left, The 3 winners, l to r: Douglas Stevens, Charles “Kook” Lawry, and Ed Grenga.

Douglas Stevens on the ASCAP red carpet at the Sunset Marquis in West Hollywood.

Ed Grenga on the ASCAP red carpet at the Sunset Marquis in West Hollywood.

Erica McDermott plays the role of Shirley Bambach in the first episode of Julia.

The Mother of the Bride, Jan Waldman, with Seth Chitwood of Angelwood Pictures at the wedding of Mikhaila Waldman and Tim Larson. Both are IMAGINE “Imaginnaires.” Courtesy Photo.

Frankie Imbergamo having summer fun in Las Vegas, June 2023. Courtesy photo.

get enough of. I wanted to read it fast so that I could see how it ended. I also never wanted the story to end. You can preorder “The Truth About Horses” now online at Amazon or your favorite book provider. The release date is August 15th, and we plan to have a signing party when we can all get together.

Be sure to get to a film festival this summer. Our next issue will have additional options for you to choose from. Enjoy the rest of summer and stay safe.

FILM FESTIVAL

SATURDAY, JULY 29 THROUGH

From Saturday, July 29 through Saturday, August 5, join the Woods Hole Film Festival as we celebrate our 32nd year in the charming and relaxing seaside village of Woods Hole on Cape Cod. As the oldest festival on the Cape and Islands, the festival has been one of the leaders in promoting the work of emerging independent filmmakers from around the world.

Each summer during the last week in July and the first week in August Woods Hole becomes a community filled with enthusiastic filmmakers, who show and talk about their films. The community that we’ve created has had a far-reaching impact: not only do filmmakers make valuable connections with other filmmakers, but those who attend with their first film often return to the festival with each of their subsequent films.

Woods Hole also fills up with audience members, including year-round residents from the Cape and Islands, employees and visiting professionals at Woods Hole’s many scientific institutions, summer residents who attend the festival year after year, and those on vacation who discover the Festival’s charms.

This year’s festival once again features in-person screenings and events for eight continuous days. Films will also be available online on the Festival’s virtual platform from Sunday, August 6 through Sunday, August 13, after the in-person festival concludes. In-person venues include WHOI’s Redfield Auditorium, MBL’s Clapp Auditorium (formerly Lillie), Woods Hole Community Hall, and Falmouth Academy’s Simon Center for the Arts and Morse Hall (7 Highfield Drive). The schedule, film descriptions, and pass and ticket information can be found on the Festival’s website at www.woodsholefilmfestival.org.

Stills from Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project and Patrick and the Whale

SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 2023

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Nearly 30 people on the screening committee watch submissions yearround, eventually narrowing down the list to create an official selection that reflects the incredible scope and diversity of storytellers from around the world.

Culled from nearly 1000 submissions, this year’s festival includes 110 films: 20 narrative features and 25 documentary features, and 66 short films (26 dramas, 16 comedies,15 documentaries and 9 animations), with five world premieres, three North American premieres, one US premiere and 69 New England premieres from eighteen other countries.

Like previous years, many films fall into the festival’s hallmark categories: New England ties, music, and science (in conjunction with the Festival’s “Bringing Science to the Screen” program). This year films also assemble around topics such as women, immigrants, LGBTQ issues, and unexpectedly—kidnapping!

For the first time since 2019, we are also hosting a full slate of stimulating workshops—including a master class with Filmmaker-in-Residence Allison Otto (The Thief Collector)—and panel discussions, as well as parties and live music performances, one of the festival’s hallmarks.

WHAT WILL 2023 LOOK LIKE?

During the year following last year’s festival, we hosted our annual Dinner & a Movie and Best of the Fest screenings to enthusiastic audiences, with several sold-out screenings. Based on the response to these events, we expect this year’s festival to feel more like the ones prior to the pandemic, with many sold-out screenings and more filmmakers participating in the in-person Q&As.

For the past 32 years I’ve been involved with both independent film and film festivals as the Festival’s founder and director. I’ve witnessed the vast changes in the way films are made and presented, as well as an increase in the number of people making independent films of all kinds. It is exciting to be at the vanguard of independent film and watch its evolution.

Although advancements in technology have brought dramatic changes during the past ten years, the one thing that has not changed is that every film starts out with a good story, regardless of format. We also recognize that although the pace of change is accelerating as new technologies are developed, festivals still offer the chance for people to connect, share ideas, and create community.

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

DOCUMENTARIES

26.2 TO LIFE by Christine Yoo

26.2 TO LIFE explores the transformative power of San Quentin State Prison’s 1000 Mile Club, in which incarcerated men are coached by elite marathoners who train the inmates to run an annual marathon that takes place behind prison walls. With a 0% recidivism rate among the club’s released members, the 1000 Mile Club shows how powerful community engagement can be, not just for the runners, but also for the volunteer coaches who gain a complex understanding of who ends up in prison and why and what true rehabilitation looks like.

Continued on next page

IN THE COMPANY OF ROSE

by James Lapine

One summer the renowned playwright and director James Lapine casually met the 86-year old Rose Styron–poet, journalist, human rights activist and widow of the famed author William Styron–and was promptly invited to lunch. Expecting a couple of great stories, he brought along his camera. Fascinated by her tales, Rose

became his Scheherazade over a period of six years as he learned about the fascinating and complicated life she has led and the people she has known, and along the way, learns something about himself.

KAREN CARPENTER: STARVING FOR PERFECTION

by Randy Martin

The first in a long line of celebrities to suffer from

Stills from The Space Race and The Artist and the Astronaut

an eating disorder during an era when the vastly misunderstood phenomenon brought shame and public humiliation, Karen’s quest for perfection resulted in low self-esteem, a disheartening love life, and a public battle with anorexia nervosa, which resulted in her untimely death at the age of only 32. This captivating, revealing, and unvarnished documentary provides surprising new insight into the singer’s tragically short life and enduring musical legacy. We learn about her personal struggles in her own voice through never-before-released recordings—and through the legendary voices of those who knew her and were inspired by her music. As the #1 American musical act of the 1970s, the Carpenters were on “Top of the World,” producing a string of pop masterpieces, including “Close to You,” “We’ve Only Just Begun,” and “Rainy Days and Mondays.”

The Space Race by Lisa Cortés and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza

As America raced to beat the Soviet Union to the moon, Black astronaut candidate Captain Ed Dwight came closer to launching into space. From 1963, when the assassination of JFK thwarted Dwight’s quest to reach the moon, to 2020, when the echoes of the civil unrest sparked by the killing of George Floyd reached the International Space Station, the story of African Americans at NASA is a tale of world events colliding with the aspirations of uncommon men. Directors Lisa Cortés and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza profile the pioneering Black pilots, scientists, and engineers who joined NASA to serve their country in space, even as their country failed to achieve equality for them back on Earth.

NARRATIVE FEATURES

MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH MARRIAGE by Signe Baumane

Animator and independent filmmaker Signe Baumane turns from the subject of depression in her wildly successful Rocks in My Pocket, to love with another whimsical animated feature created especially for an adult audience. Hungry for love and acceptance, the film’s main character, Zelma, feels incomplete. Hounded by three singing Mythology Sirens, she sets out on a 23year quest for Perfect Love and Lasting Marriage. She’s unaware, however, that her own Biology is a powerful force to be reckoned with.

ARIEL: BACK TO BUENOS AIRES

by Alison Murray

A brother and sister return to Argentina, the country of their birth, for the first time as adults. Against the backdrop of glamorous tango clubs in Buenos Aires, they uncover dark family secrets and the reason for their parents’ emigration to North America.

SOMEWHERE QUIET

by Olivia West Lloyd

A woman readjusts to normalcy after a kidnapping, traveling with her husband to his family’s isolated compound on Cape Cod, where her sense of reality begins to deteriorate.

SHORTS

CLAM SHACK BLUES

by Matt Ott

Brothers, Lenny and Jimmy have clammed the flats in their New England seaside town for ages. The wise-cracking old-timers have watched as their Colonial-era fishing town has turned into an upscale, affluent seaside resort. Lenny has long dreamed of opening a clam shack, much to his pragmatic brother’s chagrin. As the get-rich-quick scheme is hatched, the brother’s find themselves in a life or death scenario.

DEATH AND RAMEN

by Tiger Ji

On his final night alive, a ramen chef befriends the Grim Reaper. Through a bowl of noodles, they discover what it means to be human.

THE MURAL MASTER

by Andrew Eldridge

A Roxbury iconoclast whose work defined hip-hop’s golden age, Rob ‘ProBlak’ Gibbs made his name with murals but became a legend by giving a voice to the unheard.

Information about the Festival as well as tickets and passes is available at www.woodholefilmfestival.org or by calling (508) 495-3456.

Stills from Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection, Somewhere Quiet, In the Company of Rose and Clam Shack Blues

FILM FESTIVAL

Helmed since its inception twenty-seven years ago by George Marshall, his passing last September has left big shoes to be filled by Shawn Quirk….

Over the past more than two decades, George Marshall has been the executive director of the Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF), his accomplishments are too numerous to mention. But to name a few, the festival has screened 5,426 independent films and videos out of 68,337 entries, presented 1,322 World/North American premieres, featured over 1,100 entries that were locally produced, and hosted 4,193 filmmakers and crew. Since its inception, over 453,000 film lovers have enjoyed the Rhode Island International Film Festival and its programming, not including those in New England watching its weekly broadcast and cable programming series, ‘doubleFEATURE’, now in its fourth season on PBS.

His story of bringing this perennial festival to its current stature of a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards since 2002 must be praised. RIIFF is the largest festival in New England and a serious economic factor for Rhode Island and represents countless opportunities for modern movie makers.

Along the way (2011), Marshall hired Shawn Quirk to his staff where he, in 2012 became, the festival’s Program Director. Shawn is stepping in for George Marshall this year for RIIFF’s 2023, one of the biggest annual events in Rhode Island’s history. The 2023 dates are August 7 – 13 and the countdown is moving fast.

Prior to 2011, Shawn Quirk was an English Teacher at Cité scolair Vauban, in Givet, France. Quirk received his B.S in Film/Television Production from Boston University and his M.F.A. in Visual Arts from Lesley University College of Art and Design. Since 2016, Shawn has been the television producer of “doubleFEATURE” for Rhode Island PBS. In addition to all his other responsibilities at RIIFF, he has served as Programmer at the Tribeca Film Festival since 2017.

Shawn has six films to his credit. He co-directed and edited his first film in 2009. A horror short, OUROBOROS, which won the Audience Choice Award at the Spokane International Film Festival, and most recently (2020) produced the feature THE EXTINCTION OF FIREFLIES in Westerly, Rhode Island. His film TRANSJOURNEY (2015) also took the Palm Springs Gay and Lesbian Film Festival’s Audience Award.

Along the way Shawn has been a solid industry citizen participating in numerous panels, workshops, serving on juries and giving lectures, and now as Adjunct Professor at Roger Williams University. Also now, stepping into those big shoes to bring New England another great Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival.

Now in its 27th year, the RIIFF celebrates the independent spirit in film and has become a haven for independent filmmakers from throughout the world. In 2022, the Festival presented 383 films representing works that were shot and produced in 106 countries. There were 92 World Premieres and US/North American Premieres. Moving the Festival back to a post-COVID

normal was the goal of the 2022 event, which mixed in-person/indoor screenings with expanded outdoor screening options and an online portal for on-demand and geo-blocked screenings.

According to Chris Gore of “The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide,” RIIFF is, “One of the Best International Film Festivals and top ten Short Film Festivals in the United States. The RIIFF provides the kind of intimate festival experience that will change your life. Don’t miss it.”

And that’s good advice. For more information visit www.film-festival.org.

left page, Shawn Quirk, the Rhode Island International Film Festival Program Director. clockwise from top right, Shawn Quirk with his son Caspar Quirk and Festival Attendee Paul Goulding during reception at the 2022 Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival.

Shawn Quirk moderates a Q&A with Director/Actor William Fichtner following the screening of his directorial debut

at the 2019 Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival.

Following Flickers’ 2017 Opening Night Screening, Shawn Quirk alongside Festival board president, Michael Drywa, welcomes on stage animator Nicholas Arioli (director of COIN OPERATED), and the cast and crew of “The Silent Child.”

Shawn Quirk moderates a Q&A with Gérard Louis-Dreyfus, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Brad Hall, and Julie Snyder following screening of their documentary film GENEROSITY OF EYE at the 2015 Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival.

COLD BROOK

By Hartley Pleshaw

The Woman Behind WOMAN IN THE MIRROR FEATURE

Many documentary filmmakers, it seems, have little in common with their subjects.

Barbara Kopple wasn’t a coal miner. Michael Moore wasn’t an auto worker. Errol Morris was neither a policeman, nor a Secretary of Defense. And Ken Burns, of course, was born long after the Civil War ended, never played Major League Baseball, and never played or sang a note of jazz or country music.

But Tatyana Bronstein has a lot in common with the subject of her film, Alexandra Koltun.

Both are natives of the old Soviet Union. Both are Jewish and came to the United States to escape anti-Semitism and other forms of oppression under the Soviet regime. Both are fascinated with dance. And both came to live and work in the Boston area.

That documentary film is WOMAN IN THE MIRROR. It is Tatyana’s study of Alexandra, a ballet teacher. But, as the film makes clear, that simple title hardly does Alexandra justice. The film is a study of how an accomplished artist, a master of her own craft, tries to instill in her students not only technical expertise, but the same passion and commitment that she herself possesses.

As Tatyana makes clear, Alexandra’s story is comprised of many elements. It is the story of an immigrant, and artist and a teacher, and the challenge of adapting all of those aspects of her life to the new—to her—American way of life.

“It is the story of an immigrant. An immigrant of Jewish descent who defected from a strong Soviet Union, for many reasons: anti-Semitism and a lack of freedom, for an artist, in particular.

“Also, she wanted to find opportunities here in America. It’s a story about how she landed here, how she made the transition to the American ballet stage and the challenges to her and her students after she formed a ballet school.”

Alexandra Koltun was no stranger to challenges. She graduated from the prestigious Vaganova Academy and went on to become a ballerina with another very prestigious institution, the Kirov Ballet. She accomplished all this by age 20.

That was also the age when she made the most fateful decision of her life. On October 15th, 1991, while on tour as a soloist with the Kirov in Washington,

DC, she defected to the United States. (She left her family behind in the Soviet Union when she did so.)

She became a principal dancer in an American ballet company. And in 2012, she founded her school, Koltun Ballet Boston.

Alexandra may have left the Soviet Union, but, as WOMAN IN THE MIRROR makes clear, her intense training and discipline in the Soviet and Russian dance culture never left her. Her school—and she herself—is not for the casual or dilettantish. Koltun Ballet Boston is more like a boot camp than a band camp. Students must take on a full school curriculum as well as daily ballet practice.

Alexandra is a tough teacher. But having endured a tough life herself, she wants her students to emerge from her school ready to take on the world— the ballet world, at least—the way she did.

Her film chronicler, Tatyana Bronstein, knows all about the tough things Alexandra had to endure in her life. She experienced them herself. Did this give Tatyana a special insight into her subject?

“I came from Ukraine, and she was born in Russia, but at that time they were both part of the Soviet Union. And we both understand aspects of Soviet and Russian society.

“I was very interested in dance. I had another film (about dance). It was very inspiring. It was almost like a fictional story for me, but with real people, interesting people. I was documenting their journey, and I enjoyed it.

“I wanted this documentary to engage with this person who was going through real-life experiences coming from (Russia). When dancers come here, they face a lot of challenges. Immigration is hard for anyone who wants to come here. I was very interested in that. Much later (in the filming), we would talk about that.

“She would talk about aspects of Soviet Russian society. I came home from our interview, and I was thinking that I know what she meant, but (most) people don’t know. (I came to believe) that we needed another talk, because we had to explain what was ugly. Not everyone would understand.

“Maybe I do, but I still wanted to clarify a few things. She’d talk about the KGB people, the political system and the lack of freedom. But she didn’t mention the Jewish question. She didn’t talk about that. Being Jewish myself, I wanted to stay on the fear that was ingrained in us.

“It took years to say who you are, growing up in the Soviet Union. Alexandra talked to me about her father, who always felt persecuted in terms of his job. She told me the story which I know very well, about passports. We carried passports that didn’t say “Russian,” they said “Jew,” for a Jewish person. I knew that. (This meant that) you couldn’t go to the best places, such as the best universities. The official (line) was that you could go, but nobody would take you.

“So, she explained to me about a lot of the problems with being Jewish, being in the theatre, how she was going to perform, and how to fight the passport (situation). All these stories brought me back to my own memories of being Jewish (in the Soviet Union).”

Although it certainly wasn’t Tatyana’s intent, fate saw to it that WOMAN IN THE MIRROR was completed at a time when Russia and Ukraine are at war, immigration has become a major political issue in the United States and anti-Semitism is on the upsurge in the U.S... However unintentionally, these events shadow the film. How did Tatyana deal with them?

“I didn’t see it at the beginning, but it turned out that way. I didn’t think that Alexandra would open up and talk about it. I feel that I should have discussed (these things) more.

“Thinking about that, it’s very important at this moment, because of the government of Putin. I still remember everything. It’s very similar (to the Soviet Union). I see the government of Putin as a totalitarian society right now, but in a different way.

“At the time when I was growing up, it was more against Jewish people and minorities, and now it’s tyranny against Ukrainian people.

“It does look bad. But the story isn’t just about Putin. I see this anti-Semitism going on right now. I see the statistics, and it’s going up. I’m glad that (Alexandra) talked about it. I wish that we had talked more about it. I really could make another film; I feel that I SHOULD make another film.

“I think it’s shocking. It’s still shocking for me. I do remember that society, where Jewish people were persecuted. I came (to America) as a refugee because I was Jewish. I know how important it is right now.

“Immigration. That’s another thing. America IS about immigrants. I AM an immigrant, and I did my best to succeed. Maybe that’s why I made this film because I wanted to prove I could do it. You’re supposed to listen to your society, to grow, to bloom with your art.

“I wanted to show the journey of one person, Alexandra, and how strong people can be when fighting for the best, and what freedom can do for people.”

Tatyana Bronstein is an award-winning independent filmmaker. Her films include the documentaries PRIMA and MAKE ME DANCE. She owns and operates Kinochronika Films in Boston, which produces documentaries, commercials, and educational videos. Its website address is www.kinochronika.com. Tatyana is also a lecturer at Boston University for the Department of Film and Television.

Hartley Pleshaw can be contacted at hartleypleshaw@gmail.com.

top to bottom, WOMAN IN THE MIRROR filmmaker Tatyana Bronstein. She closely identifies with her subject in this film. Koltrun with passionate ballet student Paris Mills.

WOMAN IN THE MIRROR, selected to screen at the Woods Hole Film Festival this summer stars Alexandra Koltun.

WOMAN IN THE MIRROR poster.

Students of Alexandra’s Koltun Ballet School of Boston follows her directions.

All photos courtesy of Tatyana Bronstein.

CHOSEN FAMILY

Heather Graham’s Romantic Comedy Wraps in the Ocean State

The Rhode Island Film & TV Office announced that Verdi Productions has finished filming CHOSEN FAMILY, which was written, directed and stars Heather Graham (BOOGIE NIGHTS, AUSTIN POWERS). Julia Stiles (10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU, THE BOURNE IDENTITY) co-stars along with Thomas Lennon (Reno 911!), Michael Gross (Family Ties), Andrea Savage (Tulsa King), Jonathan Brotherton (Fuller House), Julie Halston (Addams Family Values), Odessa Rae (Hard Candy) and Ella Grace Helton (HUBIE HALLOWEEN). This picture postcard, romantic comedy wrapped production in Rhode Island the end of June.

Principal photography occurred throughout Rhode Island, including in East Greenwich, Providence, Warwick, and North Kingstown. CHOSEN FAMILY was produced by Rhode Island natives Chad A. Verdi, Michelle Verdi, Chad Verdi Jr., Paul Luba, and Anthony Gudas. Many talented Rhode Islanders had roles both in front of and behind the camera. The motion picture was also produced by Andre Relis and Michael Nickles.

In CHOSEN FAMILY, Heather Graham plays Ann, a yoga teacher trying to find inner peace despite the fact her family is manic, and her dating life is miserable. Ann doesn’t know how to say “no” and finds herself fixing everyone’s problems. Meanwhile, Ann meets the perfect guy, but soon finds herself competing with his daughter for his attention. Struggling to repair her estranged relationship with her sister, Ann relies on her friends to be her rock and guide her through life’s troubling decisions.

Writer/Director/Actor Heather Graham stated, “I’m so excited to be making my dream project with an amazing team!”

Producers Chad A. Verdi and Michelle Verdi said, “In a male dominated industry, we love supporting women! Heather’s drive, writing, directing, and starring in this film has been wonderful to witness.”

Steven Feinberg, Executive Director of the Rhode Island film office stated, “It’s been a joy to have Heather Graham, Julia Stiles, and the fantastic cast here in Rhode Island, enthusiastically working side by side with such a diverse and talented team of local professionals organized by Chad and Michelle Verdi and their Verdi Productions producing executives. The beautiful locations were ideal for Heather’s story, and we anticipate that this romantic comedy will touch many hearts and minds when it unfurls before the audience. Warm congratulations to all.”

Verdi Productions is a fully funded film production company located in East Greenwich, Rhode Island and Edgartown, Massachusetts, with additional satellite offices in New York City and Los Angeles. The company pursues all aspects of filmmaking, carrying projects from concept through postproduction. Verdi Productions is redefining how films are made on the East Coast.

Unlike other production companies that come to the Northeast, Verdi is establishing itself as a fixture in the Rhode Island community. Verdi Productions does not operate on a project-to-project basis, but instead functions like a West Coast studio with established offices, full-time employees, and a continuous stream of products.

Verdi Productions’ recent titles include JOHNNY & CLYDE starring Megan Fox, Tyson Ritter, Bai Ling, and Vanessa Angel; and SAVAGE SALVATION starring Robert DeNiro, John Malkovich, Jack Huston, and Willa Fitzgerald. Their upcoming titles include JUNCTION starring Bryan Greenberg, Griffin Dunne, Sophia Bush, Jamie Chung and Ryan Eggold, and KNOCKOUT BLONDE, the documentary on transgender boxing manager Kellie Maloney.

Heather Graham as Ann, a yoga teacher trying to find inner peace despite the fact her family is manic, and whose dating life is miserable. The film was shot entirely in Rhode Island. It wrapped the end of June. Photo courtesy of CHOSEN FAMILY.

By Carol Patton

Michael Malvesti Actor Saved a Movie Ticket Stub and It Changed His Life

Recently, I attended an event that featured SAG-AFTRA actors on a panel in the black box at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown. One actor on the stage’s story piqued my interest and after the session ended, I sought him out and had a conversation about the possibility of writing a story for IMAGINE Magazine. This is the unique and most satisfying story that resulted in his story that night and our subsequent conversations. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

This is the story of Michael Malvesti from the time he went to see GOOD WILL HUNTING until he landed a part in Julia. There are good parts in between. These are Michael’s own words.

“I went to Kendall Square Cinema in Cambridge in 1997 to see GOOD WILL HUNTING.

“Instantly, the best film I had ever seen up to that point. The film and the story behind it. Two local actors write a project for themselves. It gets made and is shot (mostly) in Massachusetts.

“That’s what I want to do. I want to be an actor. You don’t have to be from New York or California to be an actor and you can actually make movies in Massachusetts.

“I took that ticket stub and put it in my wallet to remind me of why I wanted to be an actor.

“From there my journey began to become an actor. I hustled everywhere I could and began to make myself familiar with all the local casting directors. I started auditioning for everything that would come to Boston to film. Which, at the time wasn’t much, but slowly began to grow as time went on. I took as many classes as I could.

“Cut to 2009. I have been hustling away for almost twelve years and had very little to show for it. I had given myself another year and that year had come to an end. I was done. I couldn’t handle it anymore. I am giving up. Time to get a nine-to-five job and start the rest of my life.

“So, I started looking for that job. Luckily, I didn’t find one easily. I had gone to an open casting call in Charlestown a week or so earlier and received a call back from Carolyn Pickman to audition for a role in a film. I went in and auditioned. A week later I got a director’s callback for the film. So, I went to an office building in Cambridge.

“When it was my turn, I walked in the door and sitting behind the table was Ben Affleck. One of two reasons why I got into acting in the first place. Needless to say, I was star struck but managed to get through the audition. And then I left. The fire was lit again. I just auditioned for one of the biggest influences in my life.

left page, Michael

Michael

behind the scenes on the set of Julia 2022. Photo courtesy of Michael Malvesti.

this page, above Fran

“A week or so later I received a call from Carolyn again saying that the director wanted me to audition for a different role. So, I went back.

“Again, it was Ben Affleck behind the table although now he was sitting with Carolyn and the producers of the film.

“Ben looked over my headshot and resume and the Polaroid they had taken of me at the

earlier audition. Ben asked if I ever smiled. I’m not big on smiling big for pictures, Sometimes I would give a little smirk.

“At that moment the intern operating the camera said, “Well he’s smiling right now”. So, I told them it’s because I’m in front of this guy. Pointing at Ben. Ben said, ‘Pour it on Mike.’

“So, I said to myself, OK, it’s now or never. I told him you’re one of the reasons I became an actor. I said the moment I saw GOOD WILLL HUNTING I knew I wanted to be an actor. I took that ticket stub and put it in my wallet to remind me. I proceeded to pull out my wallet and fish out the ticket stub. I walked over to Ben and handed it to him.

“And Ben read: ‘12/28/97 Kendall Square Cinema Good Will Hunting.’

“How am I not supposed to give you a part now.

Mike?” he said.

“I said, you’ll make the best decision for the movie. If I fit ok, if not, no worries. I then proceeded to do the audition. Ben gave me some notes and adjustments (which I heard none of because I was still star struck) and I did the scene again. He leaned back for a second and stood up and said thanks for coming in.

“That drive back home was horrible. I knew I didn’t get the part. I had blown it and thought I’d pissed Carolyn off with the whole ticket stub thing.

“The next day I sent off an email to Carolyn saying I was sorry for doing that, but I meant

Continued on next page

Malvesti headshot.

Malvesti

Kranz and Michael Malvesti in a scene from Julia.

everything I said, and Ben was the only one I would have done that for. Her response took me by surprise when She said don’t worry about it. She thought it was sweet and Ben gave me a part in the movie. She just didn’t know which one.

“I couldn’t believe it!

“A month or so later I got a phone call saying that I needed to report to set in Charlestown a few days later. When I showed up that morning

bottom,

top to

Sarah Lancashire, who plays Julia on the TV series Julia, with Michael Malvesti on the set of Julia. Photo courtesy of Michael Malvesti. Michael Malvesti, Keira Knightly, and Carrie Coon on the set of BOSTON STRANGLER.

at 5 am I was told to go to wardrobe to be fitted for my uniform. I was to play an armored car guard. When I was done, I was told to go to hair and make-up.

“This was my first time on a major set like this other than some extra work. After sitting in hair and makeup and saying hello to Jeremy Renner in the chair next to me, I asked where to go next.

“I was told to hang out in my trailer. Trailer? I am a featured extra... I don’t get a trailer.

“To my surprise again, there was a trailer outside with my name on the door. When I went in my wardrobe was hanging and a contract was on the desk.

“A little while later there was a knock at the door for me to report to set. When I walked in the door Ben was chatting with the DP and a couple other people. He turned around and saw me walk in and told them he’d be right back. Ben walked toward me and put his arms out and said, ‘Huh? what do you think?’

“Then, he came over and gave me a welcoming hug. And said let me show you around.

“We went on to shooting the scene for two days. That was it. The fire was re-lit. The passion restored. From that moment on I was going to pursue being a working actor.

Almost a year later the film came out and I was invited to a premiere at Fenway Park.

Ben had put me in the film. He bumped up my contract to a day player, put my name in the credits and this allowed me to get my SAG card.

“It changed my life.”

Since then, Michael Malvesti has gone on to accrue many credits including BOSTON STRANGLER and City on the Hill, and most recently Julia, an HBO Max series inspired by Julia Child’s extraordinary life and her show The French Chef, which essentially invented food television. She’s an icon to those of us who live in or near Harvard Square.

Michael plays the role of Benny, a camera operator on the show who stars with the old RCA cameras that were initially used in television production. Some of those cameras came from the Museum of Broadcast Technology in Woonsocket, Rhode Island where Tom Sprague and Paul Beck keep those cameras working.

When asked, what was the best thing about working on the set of Julia, Michael told IMAGINE, “I don’t think I could pick the best ‘thing’ about working on Julia. The whole experience was amazing. There are sixteen episodes in the series, and I have been lucky enough to work on twelve of them. I’ve had the opportunity to work with an amazing crew and some incredible directors.

“Working on the show has been a master class in acting. Working with icons like Bebe Neuwirth and David Hyde Pierce has been an absolute joy.

“I cannot say enough about being able to watch Sarah Lancashire work every day on set. It’s only a matter of time before she is a household name in the US. I wish I had more time to pick all their brains about their craft.

We did ask about the most difficult work he has done. Michael’s answer, “As for the most difficult acting work I have done, I would have to say my scene in City on a Hill. The scene I worked on had some fighting and a lot of emotion. And it was my first big scene. I had a lot of help from director Michael Cuesta and the stunt coordinator Doc Duhme. And I owe a lot to Charlestown’s own Jonathan Tucker. He was an amazing scene partner.

“The fact that I am a working actor is the highlight of my career. At the beginning I set out to just be ‘in’ a movie. I have gone above and beyond that. With each milestone I set a new one.”

Carol Patton is the founder and publisher of IMAGINE MAGAZINE. It’s first issue was April 8, 1998, three months and twelve days after Michael saved his GOOD WILL HUNTING ticket stub.

By Matthew LaPaglia

LEF Foundation Announces $220,000 in Production and Post-production Grants to New England Documentary Filmmakers

The LEF Foundation has awarded twelve Moving Image Fund grants totaling $220,000 in support of feature-length documentary works by New England-based filmmakers.

The LEF Moving Image Fund invests in featurelength documentary films that demonstrate excellence in technique, strong storytelling ability, and originality of artistic vision and voice. The most recent round of awards includes eight grants of $15,000 to projects at the Production stage and four grants of $25,000 to projects at the Post-production stage.

Drawing on approaches that are lyrical, investigative, participatory, and often deeply personal, this year’s selected projects delve into memories and archives to reconcile past events and imagine different futures, while others rooted in the contemporary moment consider actions both individual and collective

that have the potential to shape tomorrow. Ultimately, the funded projects represent just a small portion of the exciting work being pursued by New England-based nonfiction filmmakers.

The formal grant review process began in early winter when LEF received sixty-eight eligible letters of inquiry at its January 2023 deadline for Production and Post-production. These proposals were evaluated by a group of three New England-based filmmakers serving as peer readers, in addition to LEF staff.

“In facilitating this initial evaluation by local peer readers, one of our aims is to connect New England filmmakers to the varied ideas, people, and places inspiring their peers,” said Lyda Kuth, Executive Director. “We hope this results in a deepening sense of commitment and belonging to the dynamic documentary landscape in the region.”

Of these initial inquiries, thirty projects that most aligned with LEF’s funding criteria were invited by LEF staff to submit a full application, including twenty-one finalists in Production and nine finalists in Post-production. All thirty full applications were then evaluated by a peer review panel made up of filmmakers and professionals from across the U.S. who represent a diversity of perspectives on documentary. Peer reviewers remain anonymous and change at every round.

“We are grateful to all of the filmmakers who shared their projects with LEF, and all of the peer reviewers at the letter of inquiry and panel stages who evaluated these applications with careful consideration for each project’s creative intentions,” said LEF Program Director Gen Carmel. “All of the reviewers approached this process with first-hand knowledge of the complex challenges and unknowns that only reveal themselves through the process of making a film.”

“We know how much effort goes into creating grant applications for LEF’s reviewers to make informed decisions. As a regional funder that seeks to support the New England filmmaking community in ways that go beyond its grant making, LEF is committed to offering peer review feedback by phone to every applicant who requests it. These phone calls are also a way for LEF to improve our process by learning from applicants about their experience.”

Here is a list of the recipients:

PRODUCTION

•A BODY TO LIE IN (dir. Angelo Madsen Minax; prod. Lyle Ravi Kash)

•CHELSEA (working title) (dir./prod. Sabrina Avilés + Jenny Alexander)

•EARLY MOURNING, TARPON SPRINGS (dir./prod. Jodie Mack)

•FROM THE LAND (dir. John Hulsey; prod. Ahsen Nadeem + John Hulsey)

•THE FUCK YOU SPARK (dir. James Rutenbeck + Harmon dot aut; prod. Sabrina Avilés)

•NINE (dir./prod. Rachael DeCruz + Jeremy S. Levine)

•SHE CRUED THAT DAY (dir./prod. Amanda Erickson)

IMAGINE chose one recipient to preview for our readers here. The film’s working title is CHELSEA. The director/ producers are Sabrina Avilés and Jenny Alexander: Three community leaders of Chelsea, a Latinx immigrant city that has long been overlooked, have never given up on their community. Despite great odds they are fighting for a better future for their city. What happens when you believe in yourself when no one else does.

•SOFTLY IN ALL DIRECTIONS (dir. Anna Barsan; prod. Shannon Fitzpatrick, Patrick Brăila, + Charlotte Cook)

POST-PRODUCTION

•HOW TO CLEAN A HOUSE IN 10 EASY STEPS (dir. Carolina Gonzalez Valencia; prod. Carolina Gonzalez Valencia + Brenda Avila-Hanna)

•KAKSORI! (dir./prod. Shirley Kim-Ryu + Eben Portnoy)

•MY DISABILITY ROADMAP (working title) (dir. Dan Habib + Samuel Habib; prod. Dan Habib)

•NIGHT FIGHT (dir. Khary Saeed Jones; prod. Khary Saeed Jones + Kendra Taira Field)

IMAGINE has chosen one to feature here in our side bar. To see all the grantees and learn about their documentaries visit www.lef-foundation.org/.

The next Moving Image Fund grant deadline is Monday, August 7, 2023, for New Englandbased directors and producers seeking Preproduction and Early Development support for feature-length documentaries. Please check lef-foundation.org for details regarding LEF

Co-Producer/Co-Director Sabrina Avilees is an award-winning independent filmmaker, whose work has taken her throughout Latin America, Canada, and Europe. During her over twentyfive-year career, she has worked on many PBS programs, among them the six-hour Peabody award-winning series, Latino Americans. She recently completed her first documentary short, RAISING THE FLOOR, which won Best Documentary Short at the 2022 GlobeDocs Film Festival.

Sabrina has received grants from ITVS’ Diversity Development Fund, the LEF Foundation, Mass Humanities, Latino Public Broadcasting, and the New England Foundation for the Arts. She was a 2019 LEF Foundation Flaherty Fellow, is a member of the Documentary Producers Alliance and currently serves on the boards of Filmmakers Collaborative and Massachusetts Production Coalition.

Moving Image Fund guidelines and eligibility.

For more information on the Foundation or its funded projects, please contact Program Officer Matthew LaPaglia at matthew@leffoundation.org.

left page, Images from the twelve documentaries selected to receive LEF grants. above, The city of Chelsea.

In addition to her film production career, in 2016, Sabrina became the Executive Director of the Boston Latino International Film Festival. During her tenure, the festival received a special commendation from the Boston Society of Film Critics, “...for bringing to Boston audiences a varied, challenging line-up of local, national and international films by Latinx filmmakers, and for prioritizing outreach to community partners.” In 2022, Sabrina founded CineFest Latino Boston film festival.

Born in Washington Heights, Sabrina’s family originates from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. She earned a B.S. in Broadcasting/ Film from Boston University and currently lives in Boston, MA.

Co-Producer/Co-Director Jenny Alexander is a Senior Producer at Northern Light Productions and an independent filmmaker. Her independent Continued on page 27

LEGAL LENS

By Mark Litwak

What’s in the Public Domain

To be current read this

Many people are confused about which works are in the public domain and which are not. Materials protected by copyright, such as books, articles, photos, videos, and artwork, enter the public domain when their copyright term expires. At that time, material previously protected is free to use without seeking any permission.

It can be difficult to determine what is in the public domain. Just because material is posted on the internet, for example, does not place it in the public domain. Likewise, material that does not bear a copyright notice is not necessarily in the public domain. Furthermore, every country has its own copyright laws, and those laws vary, so material that is in the public domain in one country is not necessarily in the public domain in other countries. This has become an increasingly important concern as companies like Netflix often desire worldwide rights to enable them to distribute content across the globe.

Moreover, what is in the public domain has changed over the years as the U.S. Congress has repeatedly modified copyright law, usually increasing the term of protection, and reducing what goes into the public domain. The major studios lobbied to extend copyright protection to protect their classic films even though many of them are based on fairy and folk tales, Shakespeare’s plays and other public domain materials like the Bible that were freely available to them to make into movies without having to pay a dime for any underlying rights.

Under the 1909 Copyright Act, published works received a copyright term of 28 years, and that could be extended for another 28 years if the owner filed a timely

renewal. Many copyright holders, however, forgot to file renewals and consequently copyright usually lasted no more than an average of thirty-two years[i]before the law was changed as of 1978 when the United States moved to a single term of copyright.

[ii] Compare that with the term of copyright protection since 1978 which lasts for the lifetime of the author plus seventy years for

In the United States, works created

by a federal government employee within the scope of their duties are in the public domain.

individuals. Consequently, a 20-year-old author who lives to age 90, would have 140 years of protection. If a work is written by multiple authors and published today, the copyright will not expire until 70 years after the last surviving author dies. For an

anonymous work, a pseudonymous work, or a work made for hire, the copyright endures for a term of 95 years from the year of its first publication or a term of 120 years from the year of its creation, whichever expires first.

On top of the already complex system of rules for determining how long copyright lasts, Congress decided as of 1996 to retroactively restore copyright protection to some foreign works that had fallen into the public domain under U.S. law. Under the provisions of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA), certain foreign works whose U.S. copyright protection had been lost because of the failure to comply with U.S. formalities like filing for renewal, were restored. The restoration is automatic, and the duration of the restored term is based on the term of protection the work would have otherwise had.

While determining what is in the public domain often requires considerable research and a deep understanding of copyright law, there are some general guidelines one can follow. As a general rule, as of 2019, United States copyright has expired for all works published in the United States before 1924. In other words, if the work was published in the United States in 1923 or earlier, you are allowed to use it in the United States without permission. As the years go by, more work will fall into the public domain. So next year, works published before 1925 will expire.

In the United States, works created by a federal government employee within the scope of their duties are in the public domain. Consequently, many government publications and films are available for use for the cost of duplication. There are numerous films made for the Army, EPA and other government agencies that are freely available. Perhaps one of the best bargains is the amazing images

from JPL and NASA. However, not everything owned by the federal government is public domain. Works created by third parties and assigned to the United States Government can be protected under copyright. And the federal government is legally entitled to claim copyright for use for its works outside the United States depending on the laws of each foreign nation.[iii]

The National Archives has an extensive library of public-domain photos and footage. However, not everything in their collection is in the public domain. It is common practice for image libraries like Getty Images to provide access to public domain content and charge for it.

The copyright office provides a brochure about the duration of copyright.

Cornell University publishes a chart that is useful in determining what material is in the public domain in the United States.

Continued from page 25 [i] Under the 1909 Copyright Act, published works received a maximum of two twentyeight-year copyright terms, with the second term beginning only if the work was timely renewed. Since many works were never renewed, the average term for all published works was only thirty-two years. Lessig, Free Culture, 24 (2004).

[ii] Likewise, works registered or first published in the United States published between 1924 and 1977 without a copyright notice are in the public domain.

[iii] Copyright and the Public Domain § 2.04

Mark Litwak has served as an expert witness for both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration. He is an authority on customs and practices in the movie industry, entertainment law, deal making, economic damages, chain of title, and the financing and distribution of films. For more information visit www.marklitwak.com.

films focus on the impact of immigration policies on families. Her LEF-funded film, THE VIGIL tells the story of undocumented mothers fighting to stop the toughest immigration law at the time, Arizona’s “Papers Please” law. Her first film, DETAINED, follows families in the aftermath of the largest workplace immigration raid in Massachusetts. Her award-winning films have screened at festivals in Tel Aviv, Poland, Germany, and China as well as within the United States. In 2022 she produced RAISING THE FLOOR, about the city of Chelsea’s response to the COVID pandemic.

Her work with Northern Light includes producing the Discovery ID documentaries, and WHITEY BULGER: THE MAKING OF THE MONSTER as well as films and interactive media for museums. Her latest project is an installation projection of an animated film celebrating the contributions of immigrants to Canada for the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. Prior to film, Jenny worked as a community organizer in East Boston and a union organizer for the United Farm Workers and the Puerto Rican Workers Union.

By Steve McGrath

The Elephant in the Room, “AI vs The Hollywood Writers”

The great Hollywood writers’ strike of 2023 is still grinding along as of the end of June 2023. The writers are seeking things we can all relate to: Fairer payment, better working conditions with more writers per show, and more exclusive contracts. Better conditions, and more security. Who can’t get behind that? But there is another topic that keeps popping up… We (the writers) cannot be replaced by AI models!”

We have all heard the pros and cons of AI. Some of the pros are that it can quickly gather information like a high school kid skimming the encyclopedia collection. AI does that over the internet – it just skims for information. Its Cliff’s Notes being created in real time based on your question. It then finds popular information, parses, and presents that in its reports to you. However much of the data used is over two years old. So, if you asked an AI program (like Chat GPT) about OceanGate expeditions, it would note all their successes and not the catastrophic events of June 2023.

One of the other pros is that AI models can kick start you when you are in a creative rut. I have listened to more podcasts lately from people who also write for television where they admit to using AI to use as a kickstart. I have spoken to people in person in all occupations who have used an AI program to kickstart creativity. From Hollywood to the boardroom – people are using AI for creative jump starts.

Now let’s look at the cons: the biggest con of AI models at the moment is they don’t seek truth, nor do they verify anything. So, any information presented is popular, but not always truthful. And with that, AI models don’t fully understand, and they have no soul. They skim for what is popular on a topic and piece it together.

above, Hollywood writers. Photo courtesy of AP. Hollywood writers strike outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles . Photos courtesty of Getty Images.

Another major con is the information they are based on is usually at least two years old. Imagine where you work today if there was someone on the front lines of your work just presenting twoyear-old information to your customers and trying to close today’s business with it. It sounds needlessly challenging.

So, should Hollywood writers be afraid of AI? Absolutely they should. But to make a show and have characters fleshed out and developed takes time. Rarely do we yearn for the days of Season 1 of a show (except Lost). But where AI models could start taking writing jobs is on established shows. You can chip away a writer or two and have remaining use AI models to jump start ideas. A studio perceives a writer is not worth the weight and is demanding more money, then I’m certain the idea of “Just replace them with AI and see how it goes” will come up.

However, you can use an AI model to write a scene from your favorite shows and it is amazing how quickly it comes together. However, when you read it – it’s not always true to the exact character of the characters. But does it get close

enough where with some minor modifications to the text presented to you, you can shave a lot of time off your work? And to think that we are on a first version of this technology and look how close it is to being fantastic. In its first few years, Netflix was not quite as a robust and enriched user, nor content experienced as it is today.

So, AI is here, and it’s only going to get better as most technology does.

Which is where we will circle back to the elephant in the room…

Writers are afraid of the AI replacing them, but I will bet that most of them have used AI. And when I say “used AI” – I don’t mean professionally –but most people have been curious enough to at least try a Chat/AI program. If you are enthusiastic enough about what you do for work, would you not consult an AI program just to see what it has to say and what it can do – and most important if it can replace your job? But let’s speculate that possibly a handful of writers have used an AI program already to jump start creativity? Or at least used AI at home and then

some of those ideas made their way into the script.

I have used AI programs to get information quickly, but I have seen AI get information wrong enough to know that today, I need to verify AI info. But would I use AI to jump start my work? Absolutely I would. But again, this is version 1 of this product, so it’s only going to get better.

So why wouldn’t writers who care about their product invest time into this tool? But you can’t get too dependent on AI, or else it will replace you. So, the big takeaway is, if you are using AI to do your job daily, someone else will figure that out too and replace you.

Steve McGrath is a Senior Solutions Engineer for Zixi, helping broadcasters discovernew and innovative content distribution workflows. Steve has been in broadcasting for twenty-plus years and has worked in all aspects of broadcasting from post-production to distribution of content all over the world. Through his career, he has worked on projects with ABC, Fox, NBC, HBO, CBS, FuboTV, CNN, NHL, NFL, UFC, AWS, Verizon, and many others.

By Justin Droll

THE BLUR Joe Miale To Direct From Compelling Pictures

Compelling Pictures is coming on to produce and finance the high-concept psychological horror thriller THE BLUR, written and being directed by emerging director Joe Miale. Denis O’Sullivan and Jeff Kalligheri are producing for Compelling, alongside Scott Carr and Josh Crook. Carr brought the project to Compelling back in 2020 as a pitch and Miale wrote the script.

In the vein of A QUIET PLACE, the film aims to employ actors in key roles who are legally blind or otherwise differently abled.

The film follows a visually-impaired family tormented by a ghost only seen by those who have severe myopia. It introduces a villain named Smudge to the horror pantheon, and will use innovative visual techniques–largely in-camera–to bring the terrifying character to life. Producers cited a 2021 study by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness estimated that 43 million people worldwide are considered legally blind, while 295 million people worldwide live with

moderate-to-severe visual impairment. And also noted the World Health Organization has estimated that approximately 2.2 billion people worldwide have some level of near or distance vision impairment.

In the vein of A QUIET PLACE, the film aims to employ actors in key roles who are legally blind or otherwise differently abled.

Joe is an incredible talent who places the same premium on character and emotion as he does on innovative thrills and chills. Having the opportunity to depict differently abled characters on screen as heroes in their own story is something that means a lot to all of us involved, for our own personal reasons,” O’Sullivan and Kalligheri said on behalf of Compelling.

The production is targeting a late Fall start in Boston, pending the WGA and SAG labor actions. Executive producers are Marina Cappi, Dennis Casali, and Josh Kushner.

Miale previously co-wrote and directed the sci-fi actioner REVOLT starring Lee Pace, Berenice Marlohe, and Jason Flemyng for Voltage Pictures and Automatik Entertainment. That film is currently streaming on Peacock. Prior to REVOLT, Miale was an award-winning director of shorts as well as an accomplished commercial director. Miale is repped by Scott Carr and UTA. Compelling is repped by Evan Krauss of Eisner Law.

Compelling Pictures is currently in postproduction on THE COLLABORATION starring Jeremy Pope and Paul Bettany.

ELAINE VICTORIA GREY

ON THE PAGE

THE VOICE OF THE WRITER

SWe’re talking about the “personality” of the page. The approach to genre. The writer’s special stamp.

It helps us readers truly experience your story. We live for the well-chosen adjective or the perfect action verb. We love the nuanced description of character, event, or emotion.

All of these things contribute toward bringing out a writer’s voice and help us to truly visualize and feel the moment on screen.

That “voice” can be gritty and ugly:

A super-depressing dance floor on a Thursday night. 2-For-1 shots and a sticky floor.

(From Promising Young Woman by Emerald Fennell)

That “voice” can be crisp and cool:

The door swings open and Fran sees:

HARLAN THROMBEY himself. 85 years old. Slung across a white leather day bed.

Throat slit. Drenched in blood. Very much dead.

(From Knives Out by Rian Johnson)

It just needs to be completely yours.

WRITER SPOTLIGHT: WRITERS with a VOICE

Here’s a list of ten unproduced writers I work with who have captured a unique writing voice in their body of work. (If you’re a producer, agent or manager reach out and I will connect you.)

LINDSAY CLIFT

The voice: Quirky and original. Lindsay has this way of finding the funny in grief and pain.

Favorite project: Roadkill

LILY GWYER-MILLER and JANNA TAYLOR

The voice: Deliciously and darkly funny. This writing team skewers forbidden subjects like religion and motherhood and does so with glee.

Favorite project: Model Child

NICK JOHNSON

The voice: Wacky and wonderful. Nick had me from the moment he first wrote his first script about a bratwurst eating contest in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

Favorite project: You’ve Gotta Stand for Something

JOHN W. KIM

The voice: Comically honest. It’s difficult not to grin as John’s “every-man” main characters attempt to deal with the whirlwind of insanity around them.

Favorite project: Reunion

PATRICK MAHON

The voice: Psychological and haunting. No matter the genre, Patrick digs up and exposes the secrets of his characters.

Favorite project: Penance

CHRIS PITTAS

The voice: Darkly disturbing. Full disclosure –Chris is my brother. But I’d be doing this list a disservice if I didn’t include him. He might be one of the “voiciest” writers I’ve ever read.

Favorite project: Scars

JUDE ROTH

The voice: Intense and important. Jude’s stories focus on determined women in the midst of messy situations.

Favorite project: Not Dead Yet

PILAR ALESSANDRA is the director of the Los Angelesbased On the Page Writers’ Studio dedicated to teaching and consulting with screenwriters and TV writers at all levels. She is the author of The Coffee Break Screenwriter and host of the On the Page Podcast. She’s currently training writers at the NBCUniversal Writers Program and has led seminars at Disney Animation, DreamWorks TV, ABC, CBS and the AFM. Pilar’s student and client success stories include working writers, filmmakers, producers and show-runners with projects in theaters, on TV and on streaming platforms. Visit her www.onthepage.tv/ to learn about all that Pilar has to offer.

RAE SHAW

The voice: Dream-like and thematic. Rae takes the reader through a maze of moments and images that ultimately bring home her theme or message.

Favorite project: Hear Me Scream

WILL WARREN

The voice: Entertaining and historical. Will spotlights the high stakes and camaraderie that come out of world wars, period aviation and, most recently, the origin of football.

Favorite project: The Last Campaign

ROBERT WOOLDRIDGE

The Voice: Quiet and powerful. Robert writes psychological thrillers and personal dramas with dark twists.

Favorite project: Strays

Question: “What about me? I’m a client and you said you like my writing!”

Answer: To make this list, you must be a writer who has several projects written and has yet to be produced or staffed. I assure you, there will be other “spotlight” lists this year. You might be on them!

2023AMERICAN FILM MARKET

October 31 – November 5

Le Meridién Delfina Santa Monica

Welcome to the beach, American Film Market 2023 attendees! This year, we are thrilled to announce the new location at the beautiful Le Meridién Delfina Santa Monica. For years the AFM has occupied Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. This year it is closed for a long-planned renovation.

The halls will be filled with writers, producers, buyers, actors (looking to be noticed), entertainment attorneys, along with all the studios, TV networks, cable networks, streamers, and major producers from around the world.

AFM attendees with proof of AFM badge and available through the duration of the market.

The AFM is a marketplace where producers and distributors license films. The AFM is not a festival – there are no competitions or prizes.

If you are planning to attend, book hotel rooms through AFM to receive the guaranteed lowest rate and maximize your experience by staying at a hotel on the AFM Campus. AFM has partnered with twenty Santa Monica hotels to provide AFM participants with their guaranteed lowest rate. Travel agents do not have access to AFM’s low rates!

Santa Monica is situated between the Pacific Ocean and Los Angeles with Venice to the south and Malibu to the north and located just 8 milles/13 km from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Santa Monica is easily accessible to greater Los Angeles via the Metro E Line, which connects Downtown Santa Monica to Downtown Los Angeles.

There’s so much to do in the award-winning beach city during AFM; the hope is you’ll sneak some time in between meetings to enjoy the sand between your toes, a Pacific Ocean sunset, an award-winning meal, or an indulgent shopping trip. Take advantage of special offers, which are all exclusive for

The AFM is the most efficient film acquisition, development, and networking event in the world. More than US$1 billion in production and distribution deals are closed every year — on both completed films and those in every stage of development and production. Over six days in November, seven thousand plus professionals from more than seventy countries access the entire global catalogue of available films and projects, attend world class conferences, and connect with decision makers. The AFM is produced by the Independent Film & Television Alliance®.

I, myself, love catching up with New Englanders in the LA area. Sometimes at AFM and sometimes at a lovely eating space in Santa Monica. Meeting new industry professionals is also high on my list. Early on in my annual attendance, I met Tyler Perry – attended his press conference where he let the world know what his plans were for his future in his home base of Atlanta, Georgia. Twenty years later, everything he predicted for himself came true and then some. New trends, new people, what more could you ask for?

There are many reasons to go – very few not to go.

AFM Location Expo help you explore all the film tax credits and nuances from countries all over the world and those in the United States as well.

Special sessions are the highlight of attending AFM. Industry professionals share trends and what’s next for the industry.