▌FESTIVAL ▌Hola, Mexico! And Why 'Naco' is ALWAYS Chido @ E St (thru 6/1)

Landmark 'E Street' Cinemas

555 11th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20001

202.452.7672

NOW through 6/1

You may have heard about 'Norteado'--which opened the festival, but the people's choice is worth your eyeballs and attention to staying 'woke', too. Yours truly viewed Sergio Arau's Naco es Chido ("Kitch Is Cool") Friday at Landmark, and may I say, it is indeed a timely faux tale.

For would-be revolutionaries who are losing their vigor since hope-dope became too much, I recommend you take a whiff of the beauty in Mexican cinema at Sam Douek's Hola Mexico Film Festival, running now through Tuesday, June 1st.

This year marks the 200th anniversary of Mexican independence from Spain and the 100th year since the Mexican Revolution. To celebrate in cinematic style, Hola Mexico Film Festival is here in the DMV for the first time since the international fest began.

Catch it before it's gone!

▌SCREENINGS ▌Saving Screen on the Green, #HBO #DMV #Summertime!

Screen on the Green is indeed the mark of summer in the city (cue Regina Spektor!) HBO pulls out the big screen on the National Mall, and beginning at sundown every Monday night, an ole, nostalgic classic revs up to crowds gathered on blankets and lawn chairs. (Sweet!) The festivities were almost nixed last year, and according to the pushers behind "Save Screen on the Green," (their advocacy earned Screen on the Green 2nd place in Washington City Paper's "Best Festivals" category) there's still no final word from HBO that it's committed to a 2010 movement. If you've ever partaken, do read on. The viral movement continues:

Dear Movie Lover,

One year ago this week, HBO canceled "Screen on the Green."

In response, a citywide campaign to "Save Screen on the Green" was launched - and it worked.
But the campaign's not over yet. HBO hasn't yet decided whether or not they'll host "Screen on the Green" this year, so we're back in action.

The DC Film Alliance needs $2,000 to upgrade our website and prepare it for our next letter writing campaign. Will you chip in $20 to help build our website and save "Screen on the Green"?

"Save Screen on the Green" isn't being run by the city - or a bunch of fancy corporate sponsors. It's being run by regular Washingtonians, just like you, who care about saving our favorite film festival. The project is a program on the DC Film Alliance-- the same folks who bring you the DC Shorts Film Festival.

Last year, the "Save Screen on the Green"  website was used to contact  Washington companies about co-sponsoring "Screen on the Green" -- and Comcast came to the rescue. This year, our website has attracted attention of other potential corporate sponsors who want to save "Save Screen on the Green."

But we want to do this right - and run the best possible campaign we can. That's why we need your help. Please make a donation to "Save Screen on the Green" now. Thanks for your support - and don't forget to tell your friends to visit savescreenonthegreen.org to join the campaign!

[RSVP] The Official Screening Party for “Just Wright” Starring Queen Latifah & Common « The Fab Empire - DC Fab

[RSVP] The Official Screening Party for “Just Wright” Starring Queen Latifah & Common « The Fab Empire - DC Fab

DC Fab will be in the house tomorrow at Policy for the DC advance screening of Just Wright. RSVP today by 5:00P to catch an early look at the Queen Latifah and Common'd pic. See you there! Just Wright opens Friday 5/14 in theaters everywhere.

▌PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ▌2 Resources #DMV Writers Need to Read Right Now

Now, I shared the goods in the go-meet-people, go-get-upgraded depot. It's time for that gud'a, gud'a, intensive care--if you want it. The Story Department and Screenwriting U are amazing outlets for writers who are looking for resources in the mean time, entirely gratis. (I get it. I promise. No pennies to speak of. Thanks, higher ed!) So if you wanna hear it--here it go! 

P.S.

I'm sharing MONEY SHOTS only! If you want more, follow the hyperlink, hun. *Mwah*

Story Department (the money shot)

Karel Segers is a producer and a script consultant who started as a [film] rights buyer in Europe, and upgrades scripts the world over from Australia. (Always feels official to get international, no?) Here's where he stands on perfecting your script format:

In newbie screenplays I often read "POV: [Character Name]". This is almost always unnecessary. BTW, Any technical element that is about HOW it is filmed rather than WHAT is filmed, takes us out of the read. This includes "Point of View". 

So it is annoying. 

But more importantly, it is totally superfluous. //Follow me. I'm green. And a hyperlink to greatness//

Screenwriting U (the money shot)

Hal Croasmun has been in the biz, read the whack, the good and the utterly ugly in scripts, and here's his two bits for the week on engaging characters:

Let's be blunt for a second: If your lead characters don't engage a reader, your script will be turned down. So it is very important that the top three characters have great introductions. I can't tell you how many times a lead character is introduced in a bland way -- often through "talking-heads" scenes that do little to make the character memorable. 

My advice: Make those character introductions as interesting as you can by putting your character into action right away. To do that, we'll use a simple "action/insight" format on characters from five movies. //Follow the pretty green hyperlink//

▌BIOPICS ▌Turnaround: Don Cheadle as Miles Davis (via @shadowandact)

Once the dust settles from the Iron Man 2 gig, prepare to see the Don [Cheadle] as woodwinded great, Miles Davis.

Cheadle will star and direct in the pic about the man who got Pearl Cleage readers a dash past peeved in 1990 (and forward!), but whose sound is unapologetically epic in the halls of jazz.

How does one treat a respected, revered, fundamentally and brazenly flawed legend--and not piss people off? Cheadle tells MTV to expect the "truth," but don't look for facts. Very diplomatic answer. *Nodding my head* He also advises that this is not a biopic. Mhmmmmmmm. I'm gonna be a likkle geeked for this one. He's working on the script now.

Til' then, go try to cop those Iron Man 2 tix from @WCP and check Cheadle's full interview aqui.

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