-Hello Industry Friends!
Board Update
An email went out on Monday, April 30th from the Office of the WVFG from Justin Owcar, the former WVFG President, announcing his decision to step down as President. We appreciate all that Justin has done as a member of the board and all that it has accomplished in recent years to support the WVFG. We know he will continue to be a valuable member of the Guild.
Vice President Steve Kwiatkowski will be acting as interim President. We will hold elections at a member meeting in the near future to fill the vacant board position. Details will be provided about the member meeting and elections as appropriate.
If you or anyone you know is interested in a board position, please email the WVFG at wvfilmguild@gmail.com.
Guild Update
Member Spotlight Nominations
We would love to receive nominations from you for our quarterly Member Spotlight Feature! If you have someone you’d like to nominate, please email us at wvfilmguild@gmail.com.
Please provide the name of your nomination and include two to three sentences as to why you are nominating the individual by June 15 for 2Q nominations.
We look forward to receiving your nominations!
Industry and Local News Requests for Newsletter
Do you have information about local and industry news that you would like to have included in the WVFG quarterly newsletter, inlcuding projects, casting calls, and more? Email us by June 15 at wvfilmguild@gmail.com with the details.
Next Member Meeting
Our Board is working on scheduling our next member meeting for later this quarter. We will be holding an election at our next member meeting to fill our vacant Board position as a result of Justin Owcar stepping down as president. We will provide more details as they become available.
Workshops and Training
Our Board is in discussions to bring more acting workshops and other industry training to the state. We will share more as information and plans are solidified.
Grants Update
Pending:
We applied for a Monongalia County Grant earlier this year.
Awarded:
We received the 2017 Charles Naillor Foundation Grant in the amount of $3000 earlier this year.
Grant Opportunities:
We’ve helped other projects receive grant funds, and we’d love to help you. If you have a grant of any sort that you believe you or your organization might qualify for, we are willing to help you complete and submit the grant. Contact wvfilmguild@gmail.com for more info.
Local Industry Updates
Oscar Party Highlights
Our Oscar Party event with guest charity Girls on the Run in early March was a hit. We had several members in attendance, gave out some awesome raffle prizes, and enjoyed good company as we watched the Oscars (after some slight technical difficulties ;-)).
We were thrilled to have Girls on the Run show their support with several of their team present, including Executive Director Laurie Abildso, Program Director Joanna Mizener, and 5K Director, Rachel Byrne. The raffle included prize contributions from Lakeview Resort, Roman’s Acupuncture & Wellness Center, Girls on the Run, and more. Thank you to Aristotle Jones for hosting the event with the help of Board Memeber Ronda Suder, Tom Heckman for technical support and leading our live stream, and Justin Lawrence for technical support and emcee-ing the event .
WVFG donated 40% of proceeds from the event to Girls on the Run.
We hope you enjoy the fun photos below captured by Anthony J Sparks during the event. More can be found on our Facebook page.
Member Spotlight – Ronda Suder
Ronda Suder is an actress, writer, director, entrepreneur, and wellness advocate. She was nominated as Secretary of the West Virginia Filmmaker’s Guild in 2016.
Ronda has more than 100 titles to her name in film and media production. Her most recent work as an actress includes lead roles in the feature films Choices and The Cabin, as well as a supporting role in the LA-based pilot “Flicks.” Ronda was cast in a Frostburg, MD based web series slated to begin shooting later this year. She is currently completing a screenplay she was commissioned to write for and LA-based Director and her thesis film, “Back in the Saddle,” is currently in pre-production.
Ronda holds a Masters in Human Resources and Industrial Relations and is on target to receive her Masters of Art in Film and Media Production by the end of this year. She is Founder of Words You Need, an initiative that provides individual marketing materials and writing and social media content for individuals and businesses.
To learn more, visit www.rondasuder.com
Member Spotlight Nominations
Have someone you’d like to nominate for our “Member Spotlight” section? Email us at wvfilmguild@gmail.com. Please provide the name of your nomination and include two to three sentences as to why you are nominating the individual.
Crew & Casting Calls
To stay informed of upcoming local casting and crew calls, check the WVFG Facebook pages frequently at:
https://www.facebook.com/
Choices Premiere
Choices, a movie that filmed in Huntington, WV in March and April 2017, premiered in Huntington on Friday, April 20th. Several members of the WVFG were a part of the cast and crew and attended the premiere. The film is based on the real-life story of Ron James, who was in and out of prison for 20 years, in part due to a drug addiction. Eventually, James became clean and now travels the country in outreach efforts to support recovery efforts through sharing his life story.
View the Choices Movie Trailer.
For updates on the film and showings, check The Choices Movie Facebook Page.
Loophole Premiere
The Loophole feature film premiere will take place at 7:00PM on May 18th at Chestnut Ridge Church in Cheat Lake (Morgantown), WV. Loophole was shot in Morgantown and surrounding areas as well as in and around Pittsburgh, PA. Several members of the WVFG were involved with the project.
View the recent Loophole trailer.
You can purchase tickets at:
https://theloopholemovie.
Volunteer Opportunity
Girls on the Run will be hosting their 5K run on Saturday, May 26. Don’t worry. Very little “running” is involved from what we have been told. It’s sure to be a fun time for a good cause!
To find out more about this fun event, visit their Volunteer page.
Member Meeting