• April 2013 DPA Meeting: Directors in the Spotlight

    A conversation with two Texas directors: Norry Niven's CHASING SHAKESPEARE and Clay Luther's CRY will have their world premieres during the upcoming Dallas International Film Festival. In advance of the festival, these two Texas directors discuss their films and the journey to making their feature directorial debuts.

    Born and raised in Texas, Norry graduated in film from U.T.A. He is founder of Dallas-based commercial production company Stone Core Films and Los Angeles-based Three-One-0, and he has directed spots around the world for clients like Gatorade, Electronic Arts, McDonalds, Ford, Showtime, HBO, Walmart, Hasbro, Nestle, Disney and Visa among others. CHASING SHAKESPEARE stars Danny Glover, Tantoo Cardinal, Graham Greene, Chelsea Ricketts and Ashley Bell and has been described as "A beautiful film, an incredible, dream-like experience, filled with powerful acting that takes you on a mystical journey via an enchanting love story".

    Clay is a life-long Texan who began making 8mm movies as a child. After a life-detour through the technology sector, Clay returned to his first passion, directing film, and founded the production company New Trick Flicks where he has made shorts and corporate films. CRY is dramatic feature film that Clay both wrote & directed starring Bill Flynn, Del Shores, and Skyy Moore that was shot in Dallas. A tragic accident forces a bullied teenager and his widowed elderly neighbor to confront their fears of how to love and how to die.

    Stone Core Films and New Trick Flicks are members of Dallas Producers Association.

    SPONSORS
    INMOTION IMAGERY: A creative environment for creative types. InMotion Imagery is an independent facility supporting producers with all types of projects. The complex was designed by John Doty, a television veteran, and a team of industry professionals including gaffers, sound engineers, and television specialists. InMotion Imagery is the result of careful planning. There's several studios within 13,000 square feet of space. The sound stages can be configured for live television or film style productions. InMotion is located in Dallas' Design District conveniently close to downtown and our areas top hotels and dining. We can accommodate film-style shoots or multi-camera television broadcasts. Our company is a great place to create. www.inmotionimagery.com/.

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    March 2013 DPA Meeting

    Dallas Producers Association's March 2013 meeting was A Filmmaker's Guide to Entertainment Law. This panel discussion / Q&A reviewed many of the legal issues that filmmakers and production companies face on a regular basis.

    PANELISTS
    Brian Landa
    Danica Mathes
    David Small
    Shameer Soni

    SPONSORS
    MPS STUDIOS - Equipment Rental Company - sound stages, grip trucks, film and HD camera's, production offices, producer services. www.mpsfilm.com

    SETOUTFITTERS - Catering and craft services by Chef Adrian Creasey www.setoutfitters.com

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    January 2013 DPA Meeting

    Dallas Producers Association kicked off the new year with a meeting at Irving Convention Center. Our main event was a presentation by guest speaker Terri Maxwell, CEO of Succeed on Purpose, Inc. Terri shared her insights on the "New World of Work - Where the Jobs Are" helping us launch into a prosperous new year!

    SPONSORS

    IRVING CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU - Home to thousands of corporations and the global headquarters of five Fortune-500 companies, you'll discover gleaming skyscrapers, two spectacular master-planned communities (Las Colinas & Valley Ranch) and the state's only five-diamond rated resort, surrounded by the bustling cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Discover for yourself what makes the city of Irving, Texas such a desirable place to work and live. Contact the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau for the most up-to-date Irving information. www.irvingtexas.com.

    WAVE MAKER AUDIO, LLC - Wave Maker Audio, LLC is a professional audio services firm specializing in production and post-production delivery. Wave Maker Audio services five lines of business: (1) Corporate Communications, (2) Advertising, (3) Television & Film, (4) Music, and (5) Broadcast. Call Wave Maker Audio to help bring clarity to your next project. www.wavemakeraudio.com.

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    December 2012: Holiday Party

    Oh what fun it is to party!! Over 300 industry collegues gathered at our annual holiday party hosted by AMS Pictures. Raffle prizes were aplenty with great food & drinks, photos, rock band and a chnace to network and clelbrate the holiday season. Thanks to all for jumping starting the holidays with a bang!!

    SPONSORS

    AMS PICTURES - AMS Pictures is a Texas-based creative media company. Master storytellers who use digital media tools to create unique experiences that engage, enlighten and entertain audiences. AMS porvided our raffle prize - 4 tickets to an upcoming Texas Rangers game. www.amspictures.com.

    WAVE MAKER AUDIO, LLC - Wave Maker Audio, LLC is a professional audio services firm specializing in production and post-production delivery. Wave Maker Audio services five lines of business: (1) Corporate Communications, (2) Advertising, (3) Television & Film, (4) Music, and (5) Broadcast. Call Wave Maker Audio to help bring clarity to your next project. www.wavemakeraudio.com.

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    November 2012: Members Showcase

    The Dallas Producers Association presented a bi-annual Members Showcase meeting on November 5 at the NEW Studio Movie Grill at Spring Valley & Central Expressway. We added a new twist to the format... All-Time Favorites!

    Thanks to the people/production companies who presented clips:
    Chris Taylor / Abernethey Media Professionals
    Scott Hadden / Film & Video Direction
    Nathan Fletcher / Fletcher Productions
    Travis Petty / Shine 49 Media House
    Don Stokes / Post Asylum
    Steven Emrick / Split Reel Digital
    Christopher Bigbie / BigB Creative
    Tim Pirello / AMS Pictures
    Will Raymond & Greg Tomlin / Studios 121
    Garry Potts / Potts Productions

    And thanks to Lone Star Film Festival for giving away fest passes as raffle prizes. Go the the festival this week in Ft. Worth!!

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    October 2012: WHAT’S A PRODUCER TO DO?

    What's an interactive producer?
    What's internet commerce and how do producers use it?
    How has technology affected the role of a producer?
    How do you make a business out of the New Media?
    What skills does the producer in today's marketplace need to bring to the table?

    These are some of the questions discussed at DPA's October 2012 meeting with a panel of media producers discussing their work in today's rapidly changing marketplace. Agora Entertainment hosted with great food, drinks and a tour of their production studio.

    SPONSORS

    AGORA ENTERTAINMENT is a full turn-key video production services studio in Las Colinas. www.agoraentertainment.com.

    WAVE MAKER AUDIO, LLC - Wave Maker Audio, LLC is a professional audio services firm specializing in production and post-production delivery. Wave Maker Audio services five lines of business: (1) Corporate Communications, (2) Advertising, (3) Television & Film, (4) Music, and (5) Broadcast. Call Wave Maker Audio to help bring clarity to your next project. www.wavemakeraudio.com.

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    August 2012: DPA Networking Mixer Summer Bash

    Beat the heat while you meet and greet. LMG, Inc. hosted the DPA Networking Mixer Summer Bash and a great time was had by the large crowd that gathered to mix and mingle with peers and catch up on what has kept everyone busy so far in 2012. LMG demonstrated their video, audio, lighting support and show technology for meetings, trade shows, and live events. Very cool stuff!

    SPONSORS

    LMG - LMG Inc. is a national provider of video, audio, and lighting support with offices in Orlando, Las Vegas, and Dallas. LMG delivers show technology for meetings, trade shows, and live events, and will work with you to provide the technical solutions and expertise to ensure your event is a success. www.lmg.net.

    WAVE MAKER AUDIO, LLC - Wave Maker Audio, LLC is a professional audio services firm specializing in production and post-production delivery. Wave Maker Audio services five lines of business: (1) Corporate Communications, (2) Advertising, (3) Television & Film, (4) Music, and (5) Broadcast. Call Wave Maker Audio to help bring clarity to your next project. www.wavemakeraudio.com.

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    June 2012 DPA Meeting: Member Showcase

    Dallas Producers Association held their bi-annual Members Showcase meeting on Tuesday night, June 5th at Studio Movie Grill on North Central @ Royal. This event is an opportunity to see DPA members' projects ranging from corporate, commercials, documentaries, features and more. Each showcase selection is followed by Q&A with the filmmaker.

    PRESENTERS
    Abernethy Media Professionals - PSA spot & Behind the Scenes clip
    Agora Entertainment - Indie Feature Trailer
    Altair IV Productions - Film Festival Tribute (Laura Linney)
    AMS Pictures - Commercials
    Best Video/Alan LeFebevre - Indie Feature Trailer
    Big B Creative - Corporate Films
    Images for Life Productions - Documentary
    Liquid Assets - Broadcast Television (Into the Drink on National Geographic channel)
    Screencraft Films - Feature Film Clip

    Special guest presenters at this meeting were the DPA sponsored winning team from VideoFest's 24-Hour Race who are students at Booker T. Washington High School.

    SPONSORS

    AMS PICTURES - AMS Pictures is a Texas-based creative media company. Master storytellers who use digital media tools to create unique experiences that engage, enlighten and entertain audiences. AMS porvided our raffle prize - 4 tickets to an upcoming Texas Rangers game. www.amspictures.com.

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    May 2012 DPA Meeting: Navigating Digital Workflow

    DPA's May 1, 2012 panel discussion topic was "Navigating Digital Workflow from the Set through Post Production" and panelists included a range of pros responsible for files from DIT through editorial and color for a conversation about newest developments in digital asset management and best practices for dealing with today's digital workflow.

    Panelists:
    Omar Godinez – Colorist/Owner – Colour Cafe, LLC
    Chuck Johnson – Editor/Owner – Big Bad Wolf Creative Group
    Ryan Patterson - Data Tech/DIT - MPS Studios
    Ron Gonzalez – DP/Editor – Deadmen Productions
    Michael David Weis – President – Confidence Bay

    SPONSORS

    STUDIOS 121 - Our world class facility, technology and creativity deliver a client’s vision of any scale. Located ten minutes from the DFW Airport, STUDIOS 121 operates a state of the art digital facility servicing clients from around the globe. The producers, directors, editors and artists who make up the creative team have more than 75 years of combined creative know-how and they’ve worked on projects for high profile clients including commercial brands, broadcast and cable networks, and professional sports teams. www.studios121.com.

    WAVE MAKER AUDIO, LLC - Wave Maker Audio, LLC is a professional audio services firm specializing in production and post-production delivery. Wave Maker Audio services five lines of business: (1) Corporate Communications, (2) Advertising, (3) Television & Film, (4) Music, and (5) Broadcast. Call Wave Maker Audio to help bring clarity to your next project. www.wavemakeraudio.com.

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    April 2012 DPA Special Event - Filmmaker POV

    DPA's April 2012 meeting was a special event held on Friday April 13th at InMotion Imagery. Dallas Producers Association welcomed Academy Award nominated screenwriter/director Peter Hedges for a filmmaker dialogue concerning how producers have influenced his work and helped shape the vision for his films. Peter's films include What's Eating Gilbert Grape, A Map of the World, About A Boy, Pieces of April, Dan in Real Life and soon to be released The Odd Life of Timothy Green starring Jennifer Garner & Joel Edgerton.

    SPONSORS

    INMOTION IMAGERY: A creative environment for creative types. InMotion Imagery is an independent facility supporting producers with all types of projects. The complex was designed by John Doty, a television veteran, and a team of industry professionals including gaffers, sound engineers, and television specialists. InMotion Imagery is the result of careful planning. There's several studios within 13,000 square feet of space. The sound stages can be configured for live television or film style productions. InMotion is located in Dallas' Design District conveniently close to downtown and our areas top hotels and dining. We can accommodate film-style shoots or multi-camera television broadcasts. Our company is a great place to create. www.inmotionimagery.com.

    TLC CREATIVE WORKS: Terry Lynn Crenshaw, Personal Chef (her friends call her ‘TLC’). TLC’s passion is cooking. Offering a wide range of catering services from meals for film production to candlelit dinners for two to full scale receptions, mouth-watering brunches and practical business lunches. TLC is your personal chef who can fit your profile for an event! www.terrylynncrenshaw.com.

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    March 2012 DPA Meeting - "Total Tweetness"

    DPA's March 2012 meeting was a panel discussion "Total Tweetness: Smart Social Media for the Production Industry". Social media experts and producer members of DPA who are making extensive use of social media shared their insights into incorporating social media into your business strategy.

    Panelists for this discussion included:
    Giovanni Gallucci, social media consultant
    Lissa Duty, social media consultant & trainer
    Amy Lou Abernethy, producer, DPA member & president of Abernethy Media Professionals
    Ross Mason, producer, DPA member and CEO of Motion Media Solutions
    Moderator: Russ Jolly, DPA president

    We also raffled off 5 copies of social media consultant Shama Kabani's book "The Zen of Social Media Marketing: An Easier Way to Build Credibility, Generate Buzz, and Increase Revenue".

    SPONSORS

    CRM STUDIOS is a full service state of the Art production facility offering turn-key solutions for corporate clients. We are one of the largest production/post production studios in the Southwest. www.crmstudios.tv.

    WAVE MAKER AUDIO, LLC is a professional audio services firm specializing in production and post-production delivery. Wave Maker Audio services five lines of business: (1) Corporate Communications, (2) Advertising, (3) Television & Film, (4) Music, and (5) Broadcast. Call Wave Maker Audio to help bring clarity to your next project. www.wavemakeraudio.com.

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    February 2012 - It Came From Dallas - The Magnificent 7th!

    In lieu of our regular membership meeting, February is the month for DPA's event "It Came From Dallas - The Magnificent 7th!" This show is a celebration of filmmaking and filmmakers in North Texas… from the ridiculous to the sublime.

    It Came From Dallas was created to not only honor the trailblazers of the Dallas film industry, but also to serve as an annual Dallas Producers Association fundraiser that would benefit the Texas Motion Picture Alliance, a group founded by DPA which has been integral in supporting the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program responsible for bringing film and television production jobs to Texas. www.ItCameFromDallas.com

    For the 2012 version of It Came From Dallas, DPA has reached out to the community – the local production industry as well as local celebrities – to introduce film clips with a Dallas/North Texas connection. We’ll have local filmmaking professionals share behind the scenes anecdotes as lead-ins to a clip from a film they worked on and we’ll have personalities from 1310 The Ticket and from FOX4 Good Day introduce a film made in the DFW area that left a lasting impression. Join us for this fun evening celebrating North Texas filmmaking and contributing to the effort to keep production jobs in Texas!

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    December 2011 Holiday Mixer

    Over 200 film & media industry pros turned out as Dallas Producers Association celebrated with their annual Holiday Mixer on Tuesday night, December 6th at Agora Entertainment. Our hosts provided food, drinks, tours of the Agora Entertainment studio sets and there were lots of raffle prizes including an Amazon Kindle. And members and guests brought over 220 pounds of canned food item which was donated to the North Texas Food Bank. Thank you all for a memorable night!

    SPONSORS

    AGORA ENTERTAINMENT: Agora Entertainment is a mini-studio modeled after the New York and Los Angeles mechanisms, but its partners, employees and affiliates stay true to the southern hospitality approach that Texas is known for. Agora Entertainment is dedicated to producing feature film, television, commercial, music video and documentary projects that balance artistic merit with commercial appeal. Agora adheres to a high standard of excellence on each of its projects and builds relationships within the local film community and into the Hollywood arena to help foster a smooth production and distribution process. Agora has assembled a team of artists, both creative and cogent, to ensure the success of every project from start to finish. www.agoraentertainment.com.

    WAVE MAKER AUDIO, LLC - Wave Maker Audio, LLC is a professional audio services firm specializing in production and post-production delivery. Wave Maker Audio services five lines of business: (1) Corporate Communications, (2) Advertising, (3) Television & Film, (4) Music, and (5) Broadcast. Call Wave Maker Audio to help bring clarity to your next project. www.wavemakeraudio.com.

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    October 2011 Meeting

    Budgeting, logistics, legal, fund-raising - these are all common parts of a producer's everyday life. But what about being an advocate for the story? A large audience turned out at AMS Pictures on October 4th for a conversation with three Dallas producers who shared their thoughts on working with the director, screenwriter, editor to help realize the creative vision and successfully get the story told.

    Dennis Bishop
    A native Texan, Dennis has overseen numerous commercially successful and award winning feature and television productions including: Horton Foote’s Academy Award winning, The Trip to Bountiful; Universal Pictures’ The Fast and the Furious and the acclaimed TV pilot, Dexter for Showtime. As VP of Production at HBO Pictures Dennis oversaw such award winning films as Barbarians at the Gate and And the Band Played On during HBO’s unprecedented Emmy reign. He was a resource advisor for the Sundance Institute and as an educator has served as an adjunct professor at USC, guest lectured, and mentored for the Producers Guild and Directors Guild. Having recently returned to Texas he serves as Senior Advisor of the Lone Star International Film Festival and Film Society after three successful years as Director. Dennis created and is Program Director of the KD College Motion Picture Production Program. He is producing a documentary and consulting on feature films.

    James M. Johnston
    James was awarded a Creative Producing Fellowship at the Sundance Institute in 2011. He produced the award-winning and critically acclaimed short film Pioneer (written & directed by David Lowery). Other producing credits include feature films St. Nick, Carried Away and Ciao. He is currently producing David Lowery's next feature Ain't Them Bodies Saints and Yen Tan's feature Pit Stop, and has written and directed several short films of his own including his latest Knife which has been playing festivals around the country in 2011.

    Angie Meyer
    Angie is fast becoming the guru of independent film production in Texas. Her experience, range of skills and sheer force of personality keep productions on schedule, on budget and on track. In ten years as producer, assistant director and production coordinator Angie has mastered the complexities and nuances of low-budget production and gained a deep knowledge of local crews and resources. Her credits include Wuss, The Playroom, St. John of Las Vegas, Hate Crime, Rain, Night of the White Pants, Living and Dying, ExTerminators and television shows Lone Star, Chase and Walker Texas Ranger.

    SPONSORS

    AMS PICTURES - AMS Pictures is a Texas-based creative media company. Master storytellers who use digital media tools to create unique experiences that engage, enlighten and entertain audiences. www.amspictures.com.

    WAVE MAKER AUDIO, LLC - Wave Maker Audio, LLC is a professional audio services firm specializing in production and post-production delivery. Wave Maker Audio services five lines of business: (1) Corporate Communications, (2) Advertising, (3) Television & Film, (4) Music, and (5) Broadcast. Call Wave Maker Audio to help bring clarity to your next project. www.wavemakeraudio.com.

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    September 2011 Meeting

    George Lucas has been quoted as saying, "Sound is 50 percent of the moviegoing experience, and I've always believed audiences are moved and excited by what they hear in my movies at least as much as by what they see." DPA's September meeting, Now Hear This, concentrated on all things audio for the production community.

    A panel of audio pros discussed location audio, audio post/sound design and music for film/video providing tips and insights that will help producers create more efficient and effective productions whether for feature films, documentaries, commercials or corporate projects.

    SPONSORS

    WAVE MAKER AUDIO, LLC - Wave Maker Audio, LLC is a professional audio services firm specializing in production and post-production delivery. Wave Maker Audio services five lines of business: (1) Corporate Communications, (2) Advertising, (3) Television & Film, (4) Music, and (5) Broadcast. Call Wave Maker Audio to help bring clarity to your next project. www.wavemakeraudio.com.

    THE TAPE COMPANY - The Tape Company is the nation's largest stocking master distributor of video, data, and audio recording media, media storage systems, and accessories. You can also purchase disc publishing equipment, inkjet cartridges & thermal ribbons, external hard drives, batteries and much more. We provide next day ground delivery to most U.S. cities. Our knowledgeable and friendly staff has been supporting the Texas production community for over 15 years. www.thetapecompany.com.

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    July 2011 Meeting

    DPA's July meeting will be a panel discussion focused on the relationship between producers and the camera/electrical department. A panel of DPs/Directors will discuss the latest trends that can help producers create successful projects for a variety of productions. What kind of workflow issues arise from newer camera formats? How can communication be improved between producers and camera/lighting department? Learn how to make smarter, more cost-effective decisions for your next project by tapping into the knowledge base of the pros behind the camera! Panelists: Bill Schwarz, Phillip Thomas, Sandy Abernethy, Christopher Bigbie and David Maddox.

    WHEN
    Tuesday, July 5, 2011
    6pm to 7pm - Networking & Mixer
    7pm to 9pm - Program
    DPA Members - FREE
    Special Guest Price - $5 for the 5th of July (Normally $15 for guests)

    WHERE
    IdeaMan Studios
    166 Express Street
    Dallas, TX 75207

    Map It

    SPONSORS

    IDEAMAN STUDIOS - Imaginative productions come from IdeaMan Studios. At IdeaMan, we specialize in full-scope production work. From original films, commercials, and corporate image…to visual effects, motion graphics and broadcast television shows, our clients rely on our expertise and experience for “one stop shopping” when it comes to producing their projects. From visioneering, shooting and cutting – to suiting all your production needs, IdeaMan Studios is your answer. www.ideamanstudios.com.

    WAVE MAKER AUDIO, LLC - Wave Maker Audio, LLC is a professional audio services firm specializing in production and post-production delivery. Wave Maker Audio services five lines of business: (1) Corporate Communications, (2) Advertising, (3) Television & Film, (4) Music, and (5) Broadcast. Call Wave Maker Audio to help bring clarity to your next project. www.wavemakeraudio.com.

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    April 2011 - Film Festivals: A Panel Discussion

    On the eve of DALLAS International Film Festival, DPA members and guests gathered at Studios at Las Colinas for a special panel discussion with leaders of several North Texas film festivals. A big thank you to Justin Muller at the Studios for providing a fantastic location and terrific food and beverages for the event.

    The Panel:
    Alec Jhangiani, Artistic Director, Lone Star International Film Festival
    Bart Weiss, Director, Dallas Video Festival
    David Small, Festival Director, Texas Black Film Festival
    Joshua Butler, Festival Director, Thin Line Film Festival
    James Faust, Artistic Director, DALLAS International Film Festival
    Russ Jolly, Moderator, President, Dallas Producers Association

    SPONSORS
    THE STUDIOS AT LAS COLINAS - MULLER ENTERTAINMENT, LLC - Muller Entertainment has an extensive range of entertainment and commercial production services available at The Studios at Las Colinas. Muller Entertainment also acquires, develops and produces film and video productions. www.mullerentertainment.com

    WAVE MAKER AUDIO, LLC - Audio Services for Production and Post www.wavemakeraudio.com.

Copyright 2011 Dallas Producers Association. All Rights Reserved