reported by Donna Abrams, CyberScreenwriter.com

A Purdue University professor is taking podcasting beyond the typical course lecture audio by using a variety of moviemaking techniques - and comedy borrowed from "South Park," Will Ferrell and Jeff Foxworthy - to increase students' ability to learn in the classroom.

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reported by David C. Brown, CyberScreenwriter.com

The oldest running movie theatre west of the Mississippi River will host its first ever film festival September 15 ? 17, 2006 in Estes Park, Colorado.

The Estes Park Film Festival will take place at the Historic Park Theatre, which is located in the popular mountain town of Estes Park, Colorado. It will showcase some of the latest independent feature length films, documentaries, and short films. In addition to the films, the festival will serve as a fundraising event to help renovate and restore The Historic Park Theatre to its original cinematic elegance.

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reported by John Goldstein, CyberScreenwriter.com

Christal Films Distribution has secured the distribution rights for Woody Allen's next film, which will start shooting in London, England in June. Christian Larouche and Sylvain Gagne (President and Vice-President respectively of Christal Films) both fell under the charm of its delightful mix of romance and Hitchockian suspense and are looking forward to sharing with the Canadian public the originality and subtlety of the script of Woody Allen's new film.

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reported by Dan Wilson, CyberScreenwriter.com

The Voices of Color(TM) (VOC) Film Series on Tour, an expansion of Walmart's sponsorship of television programming and events that celebrate African-American life in film, will sponsor and participate in three dynamic film festivals:

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reported by Brian Scott, CyberScreenwriter.com

On May 31st at 7:00 PM, Arts Engine, an organization that unites media makers and activists, will premiere its sixth annual Media That Matters Film Festival at the IFC Center, 323 Sixth Avenue @ West 3rd Street. The premiere is open to the public.

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reported by Tony Blic, CyberScreenwriter.com

Hard Case Crime announced today that Caribou Films has optioned the movie rights to Richard Powell?s classic comic crime novel, "Say It With Bullets" and has attached veteran filmmaker Blaine Novak as screenwriter and producer. Films written by Mr. Novak include "They All Laughed," directed by Peter Bogdanovich and starring Audrey Hepburn, and "Strangers Kiss," starring Peter Coyote. Mr. Novak also wrote and directed "Good to Go," starring Art Garfunkel, as well as "Blue Champagne," produced by Jack Nicholson.

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reported by Edward Strong, CyberScreenwriter.com

John Lesher announced today the name of Paramount's new specialty division, Paramount Vantage. The label is expected to release approximately 8-10 films annually and will focus on a broad range of titles, from sophisticated films with a strong art-house sensibility, as well as smaller budgeted comedy and horror films.

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reported by Kevin O'Connor, CyberScreenwriter.com

Big Screen Entertainment Group recently closed deals for two new feature films. The first project was written by Jonas Barnes, who currently works at Original Films ("Fast and the Furious," "Triple X," "Sweet Home Alabama"). The script is in the thriller/horror genre, titled "Babysitter Wanted." The movie will begin pre-production in July 2006. Barnes and BSEG Senior VP Michael Manasseri will co-direct.

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reported by Brian Scott, CyberScreenwriter.com

WGBH's Open Call: 6:55 Shorts is a competition which gives independent video producers a chance for funding and to gain exposure with a wider audience than ever before.

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reported by Sam Kirkman, CyberScreenwriter.com

Got a minute? Make a movie! The 2006 New York Minute Film Festival wants your 60-second masterpiece.

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reported by Jason Miller, CyberScreenwriter.com

Acclaimed filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, director of 8-time Oscar(R) nominated Elizabeth, has created the first -- of what will become many -- director developed stories published by Virgin Comics. His Snakewoman series is the sexy and mysterious story of Jessica Peterson, a woman who will eventually kill 68 men. It will debut in stores on July 19, 2006.

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reported by Fran Dee, CyberScreenwriter.com

Hitchcock, Bogart, Astaire, Hepburn, Grant ... even Stallone. It's an all star film legends line up at this year's HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival, presented with Citi, in association with the Bryant Park Restoration Corporation.

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reported by Rudy Carn, CyberScreenwriter.com

Most girls her age are busy. There's homework, SATs, fashion, hair, music, boys. Whew! So much to do, so little time. All of that is on Natasha's agenda. All of that, and her movie. She stands fully five foot three, with a face of innocence that might make an angel blush. Now between planning for graduation and her coming out party this summer, she is making history on the silver screen, yet you may never see her there -- unless you read the credits. You see, it would not be enough for her to simply be a star. 17-year-old Natasha Gill is calling the shots -- Co-Executive Producer on a $2 million dollar feature length motion picture.

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reported by John Goldstein, CyberScreenwriter.com

A former script reader for a Hollywood mega-production company said she intends to reveal the system she had to use to analyze and ultimately reject hundreds of scripts and books from Hollywood hopefuls.

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reported by Justin Holland, CyberScreenwriter.com

Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and Legendary Pictures have entered into an agreement to develop a live-action film based on Blizzard Entertainment(R)'s award-winning Warcraft(R) universe. Based on the terms of the agreement, Legendary Pictures has acquired the movie rights for the best-selling game universe, and both companies are now focused on translating the high-quality Warcraft entertainment experience to the big screen.

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reported by Jason Miller, CyberScreenwriter.com

Hollywood's halcyon days of big budget blockbusters and guaranteed theater turnouts are feeling the pain of a new consumer driven media world.

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reported by Brian Scott, CyberScreenwriter.com

The Northern California Underwater Photographic Society will present a special seminar, "Turn your best underwater footage and passion into a film," on Friday, May 12, 2006, presented by San Francisco-based documentary film production company, Friday's Films.

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reported by reported by Rudy Carn, CyberScreenwriter.com

An innovative, new movie quotes collection web site, MovieParrot.com, takes the collection, publishing and browsing of movie quotes to new heights with a highly interactive web site. MovieParrot.com enables its visitors to add, rate, rank and discuss the most famous, most memorable, best and worst movie quotes ever recorded in cinema history.

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reported by Barbara A. Schloman, Cyberscreenwriter.com

Noble House Film and Television Inc. (NHFT) has entered into a first look production agreement for the intellectual properties of Crystal Star Productions Limited ("CSP"), a private production company.

CSP and NHFT have agreed to jointly develop, finance and produce an unspecified number of films, with the first film scheduled to commence principal photography in the fall of 2006.

reported by Brian Scott, CyberScreenwriter.com

Augusta Pictures has launched its second annual screenplay contest. The 2006 Augusta Pictures Screenplay Contest starts now and runs through October 15, 2006. The winning screenwriter will work directly with Augusta Pictures founder and producer Diana Osberg to develop the winning screenplay for possible production.

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reported by John Goldstein, CyberScreenwriter.com

Spike TV has created "SCREAM," an annual televised event devoted to celebrating the horror, sci-fi and fantasy genres. Promising to be to be a raucous and visually dynamic two-hour telecast, "SCREAM 2006" is slated to premiere this October.

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reported by Dana Horton, CyberScreenwriter.com

In the heat of the 2004 presidential election campaign, no single work of speechmaking, writing, or media production fueled the fiery debate over George W. Bush?s leadership as much as Michael Moore?s Fahrenheit 9/11. Certainly, no American documentary film ever provoked as much political controversy.

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reported by Brian Scott, CyberScreenwriter.com

In an arrangement that will bring a number of children's book properties into development, Penguin Young Readers Group and Walden Media LLC, have embarked on a multi-year creative and strategic joint venture encompassing publishing, film and television.

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