STUDENTS GO STRAIGHT TO PROFESSIONAL FILM SET
For Immediate Release: August 21, 2002

Contact: Annetta Marion (917) 701-2938 or Bernadette Gillota (216)
926-6166, Co-Artistic and Executive Directors

Cleveland, Ohio-In keeping with Independent Pictures' mission to
enliven the arts world and improve the community, the organization,
which also runs the Ohio Independent Film Festival, is near
completing its 6th annual Film Production Training program that
teaches Cleveland high school students the basics of working on a
film production crew.

The three-week program culminates in an actual film shoot where a
motivational voting film, tentatively entitled "A Wise
Decision", will be produced. The film, the concept of which the
15 high school student participants from various Cleveland Public
Schools helped to conceive, will include numerous public figures from
the city of Cleveland including Arnold Pinkney and Ione Biggs.
Filming takes place starting today through August 23 at various
locations around Cleveland.

The only current school-to-work film program providing hands-on
training is run by Independent Pictures and was made possible through
the United Labor Agency, the Cleveland Municipal School District, and
the Cleveland Teacher's Union. Independent Pictures'
co-founders and training program directors Bernadette Gillota and
Annetta Marion agree that the training program provides a solid
foundation to those interested in pursuing film or video production
as a career. "They (the students) really walk away from the
program having learned new skills," says Ms. Marion,
"Additionally, we provide the students with the knowledge of how
to improve those skills and learn even more."

Independent Pictures supports emerging media artists and the
exhibition of their film and video projects to a wider audience
through the Ohio Independent Film Festival running November 2–10,
2002 and other programs such as the Ohio Independent Screenplay
Awards, Script Mill, film production training programs, and workshops.

SUPPORTERS: The George Gund Foundation, The Cleveland Foundation,
Ohio Arts Council, Writers Guild of America East, Sherwin Williams,
IBM, IFC/Bravo, Hankins Foundation, Association of Independent Video
and Filmmakers, Filmmaker Magazine, Media Design Imaging,
TVWriter.com, Hollywood.com Indie Films, FilmStew.com,
WritersScriptNetwork.com, WriteSafe.com, Final Draft, Scr(i)pt
Magazine, Cleveland Public Theatre.
___________________________________________________________________
Independent Pictures
1392 West 65th Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44102 USA
(216) 651-7315
(216) 651-7317 Fax
OhioIndieFilmFest@...
www.ohiofilms.com

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