Happy Birthday: Michelle Stafford

September 14, 2016 festreviews Uncategorized actor, Happy Birthday, Michelle Stafford

Michelle Stafford

Born: September 14, 1965 in Chicago, Illinois, USA

Two-time Emmy (R) Award-winning actress Michelle Stafford starred in the #1-rated The Young and the Restless (1973), viewed by more than 20 million people every day in some 20 countries worldwide. Michelle joined the cast of “The Young and the Restless” in 1994 and has since developed her role of “Phyllis” into one of the most popular and vivacious characters on daytime to date.

(on turning to surrogacy) After a three-year journey through hell, I’m elated, ecstatic and feel ultimately lucky to be able to announce I’m expecting my own child via surrogate in December.

Happy Birthday: Amy Winehouse (1983–2011)

September 14, 2016 festreviews Happy Birthday, Uncategorized actor, Amy Winehouse (1983–2011), Happy Birthday

Amy Winehouse (1983–2011)

Born: September 14, 1983 in Southgate, London, England, UK
Died: July 23, 2011 (age 27) in Camden, London, England, UK

Musically, Amy Winehouse created a cross-cultural and cross-genre style. She experimented with an eclectic mix of jazz, soul, pop, reggae, world beat and R&B. She had a special ability to channel hurt and despair into her performances. Her voice, phrasing and delivery sometimes sounded like a mix between Billy Holliday, Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan, and coupled with similarities in personal problems, she at times resembled another incarnation of legendary “Lady Blues”.

Amy Winehouse died at the age of 27, on 23 July 2011, in her London home following a long-running battle with alcohol addiction. She was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium and her ashes were laid to rest in Edgwarebury Jewish Cemetery in London, United Kingdom. Her death caused considerable mourning worldwide.

Happy Birthday: Melissa Leo

September 14, 2016 festreviews Uncategorized actor, Happy Birthday, Melissa Leo

Melissa Leo

Born: September 14, 1960 in New York City, New York, USA

[Excerpt from her 2011 Academy Award acceptance speech] When I watched Kate Winslet two years ago, it looked so fucking easy – Oops!

[on interpreting the title role in Francine (2012)] To play someone when the character masks their own emotions, doesn’t understand their own emotions, has no release for their own emotions, and yet is full of emotion – that is a much harder character to play than someone who has somewhere to put it.

The Fighter
dir. David O. Russell
Stars:
Mark Wahlberg
Christian Bale

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
2005
dir. Tommy Lee Jones

Mr. Woodcock
Directed by Craig Gillespie
Starring
Thornton
Susan Sarandon
Sean William Scott

RED STATE
dir. Kevin Smith
Stars:
Michael Parks
Melissa Leo

Everybody’s Fine
dir. Kirk Jones
Stars:
Robert De Niro
Kate Beckinsale
Sam Rockwell

CONVICTION
dir. Tony Goldwyn
Stars:
Hilary Swank
Sam Rockwell

OBLIVION
2013
dir. Joseph Kosinski
Stars:
Tom Cruise
Morgan Freeman

OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN
2013
dir. Antoine Fuqua
Stars:
Gerard Butler
Angela Bassett

FLIGHT
2012
dir. Robert Zemeckis
Stars:
Denzel Washington
Melissa Leo

PRISONERS
2013
dir. Denis Villeneuve
Stars:
Hugh Jackman
Jake Gyllenhaal

Happy Birthday: Emma Kenney

September 14, 2016 festreviews Uncategorized actor, Emma Kenney, Happy Birthday

Emma Kenney

Born: September 14, 1999

She is an actress, known for Shameless (2011), Epic (2013) and Bittersweet (2008).

SHAMELESS
Review of the television show

Happy Birthday: Jessica Brown Findlay

September 14, 2016 festreviews Happy Birthday, Uncategorized actor, Happy Birthday, Jessica Brown Findlay

Jessica Brown Findlay

Born: September 14, 1989 in Cookham, Berkshire, England, UK

I have endless playlists on my iPod so will throw on, say, Bruce Springsteen or The Smiths, depending on what kind of day I’m going to have. When I was 13, I was playing music really loudly in my room. My dad stormed up and told me I could do one of two things: turn it down or keep the volume but play decent music.

DOWNTON ABBEY Season 3
2012
Best of the series
Created by Julian Fellowes

WINTER’S TALE
2014
dir. Akiva Goldsman
Stars:
Colin Farrell
Jessica Brown Findlay

DOWNTON ABBEY TV Series
Best of the series
Created by Julian Fellowes

DOWNTON ABBEY REVIEWS of EVERY EPISODE
Watch video reviews of the entire series.

DOWNTON ABBEY Season 1
2011
Created by Julian Fellowes

DOWNTON ABBEY Season 2
2012
Created by Julian Fellowes

Upcoming Writing Festival Deadlines: TV/Feature Screenplay. Short Films. Novels.

September 13, 2016 festreviews Uncategorized

WILDsound Festival

Deadline September 15th

SUBMIT your TV PILOT or TV SPEC Script
Voted #1 TV Contest in North America.

SUBMIT your SHORT Film
Get it showcased at the FEEDBACK Festival

1st CHAPTER or FULL NOVEL CONTEST
Get full feedback! Winners get their novel made into a video!

SUBMIT your FEATURE Script
FULL FEEDBACK on all entries. Get your script performed

Deadline September 20th

SHORT SCRIPT CONTEST
Submit your short film screenplay!

FREE TWITTER SHORT STORY CONTEST

Submit 140 character story. Get made into movie.

Deadline September 25th

SHORT STORY CONTEST
Get full feedback! Winners get their short story made into a video!

VIDEO PITCH FESTIVAL

Submit your own video pitch today.

FEEDBACK Film and Writing Festival.Three events a month! Daily deadlines to submit. Full Feedback on all entries. Get your screenplay, novel, short story, play, or poem performed by professional actors at the festival and then showcased online for agents…

View original post 106 more words

Submit to the FanFiction Festival via FilmFreeway

September 13, 2016 festreviews Uncategorized

WILDsound Festival

I know it’s often hard to get fan fiction work recognized and when I found out about the festival I saw it is a wonderful opportunity. The the quality of the feedback was amazing. I feel like it has helped me understand further into the screenwriting craft and will ultimately help me become a better writer.
– Andrew Akler (Batman: Patient Zero, screenplay)

Guaranteed winner every single month!

Submit via FilmFreeway:

In today’s market, agents and producers are looking for new talent who can write under the parameters of existing works and franchises. The art of adding a new twist/plot while knowing the themes and characters of the works you’re writing for. That is why the Fan Fiction Festival has been created.

Submit a FAN FICTION Script of a classic television show, movie series, or iconic franchise. Any past TV show or movie in the history of cinema. For example:…

View original post 277 more words

Today’s TIFF Movie Reviews:

September 13, 2016 festreviews Uncategorized

WILDsound Festival

Today’s Toronto International Film Festival reviews: https://festivalreviews.org/category/tiff-2016-movie-reviews/

TIFF 2016 Movie Review: UNLESS (Canada/Ireland 2016) ***

Academy Award nominee Catherine Keener and Hannah Gross star in this adaptation of the final novel by the late, great Canadian novelist Carol Shields, about a writer who discovers her runaway daughter panhandling on the street and seemingly deprived of speech.

TIFF 2016 Movie Review: TRESPASS AGAINST US (UK 2016) ***1/2

Like the 2010 Australian film ANIMAL KINGDOM, also the name of the film’s production company, TRESPASS AGAINST US is a film about a dysfunctional crime family – British style. The family live in a trailer park in England a kind of white British trailer trash.

TIFF 2016 Movie Review: TRAMPS (USA 2016)

Adam Leon’s low budget lonely hearts club romance has two newcomers Callum Turner and Grace Van Pattern play two unlikely pawns in a shady delivery deal.

TIFF 2016 Movie Review: THE LIMEHOUSE GOLEM (UK 2016)

This crime…

View original post 279 more words

Read Best of Professional Costume Designer Interviews

September 13, 2016 festreviews Uncategorized

WILDsound Festival

Interview via Matthew Toffolo at http://www.matthewtoffolo.com

Interview with Costume Designer Malgosia Turzanska (Maggie’s Plan)

Chatting with Costume Designer Malgosia Turzanska was inspirational, educational, and fun! She’s a true talent and someone who is obviously in love with her job. Maggi To learn more about Maglosia, go to her website: http://www.turzanska.com

Interview with Costume Designer Janelle Nicole Carothers (The Perfect Match)

No matter the medium it’s all a delicate balance between style and craft. I put 100% into every project so they all require the same amount of blood, sweat and tears.

Interview with Costume Designer Linda Muir (The Witch, Bitten)

What a terrific honour it was sit down with the talented costume designer Linda Muir, who is based in Toronto, Canada. She has worked in the industry for the last 30 years, on many successful films and TV shows, which she talks about in the interview. A must read for anyone working or…

View original post 133 more words