Best in Fest – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Meet the unsung hero of the Hollywood hustle: Xaque Gruber, the assistant who went from scheduling star-studded brunches to writing the screenplay everyone is buzzing about. In this episode, we spill the tea (and probably a few too many cappuccinos) on how navigating the land of demanding divas, impossible deadlines, and snack-fetching missions led to a script, a wild tale of scripts, stars, and the sweet revenge of a screenplay gone right!

Lina Suh grew up in Seoul, Korea, the American Midwest, and New York. She received an MFA from the University of Southern California in film production, and previously a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in Dramatic Writing. Lina produced award-winning fiction shorts in New York and Los Angeles, and directed a short humanitarian documentary FLOW ON THROUGH in Cambodia that was in a World Bank-issued “Water and Sanitation” guide distributed to NGOs in developing countries. Lina has taught screenwriting at ESRA (Ecole Superieure de Realisation Audiovisuelle) a French film school satellite in NYC. She directed short films SO F*CKING HAPPY FOR YOU and GOOD FACE (now in development as a one-hour drama series) as well as music videos for Los Angeles artists. Lina is in development to write and direct film and TV projects with an eye toward co-productions with Korea. Lina is also passionate about empowerment through education, and has volunteer tutored regularly. She was the story editor on DR. BRAIN, Apple TV+'s first Korean language series. Lina recently completed her first feature film MEETING YOU, MEETING ME as a writer/director.

Sam Okun Productions is a film and television development and financing company specializing in the discovery and production of forward thinking content with broad international and multi-generational appeal. In collaboration with other leading production companies, financiers, and film studios, Sam Okun and his team consistently strive to push boundaries with modern adaptations of classic novels by some of the most world renowned best selling authors while also working with young, up and coming authors to bring their visions to the screen. In addition to adaptations, Sam Okun Productions develops original content of all genres with a particular interest in cross-genre works. Sam Okun Productions is committed to innovation, and is heavily involved in pursuing adaptations of video-games and other forms of new media.

Have you ever wished you could get free advice from a Public Relations and Marketing guru to promote your independent film? Leslie sits down with AJ Adelman the Chief Innovation Officer at Infinity Films who drops golden nuggets on how to get your film out into the world.

AJ Adelman

A.J. Adelman brings more than 30 years of corporate account
management, sales/sponsorships, producer/development
executive, consultancy, training/teaching and market research
experience to the team.

His award-winning experience includes film, video, commercials,
print, social media, sponsorships, product placement, exhibits
and events. His experience also includes the development and
production of a variety of projects including national and
regional meetings, tradeshow and consumer videos, print
materials, product training seminars, direct mail campaigns and
web sites.

Currently AJ heads up an Integrated Marketing Research +
Communications Agency and is Faculty at Santa Monica
College.

Should you start a production company if you're a filmmaker.  Almost definitely.  In this episode, Leslie talks about why you should think about setting up a corporation and how you should set up your corporation.  You'll learn everything from finding the right legal fictitious name to tax benefits and corporate protections.  Don't miss this episode.

What are the laws of attraction in the universe and can you learn how to use them to attract everything you've ever wanted? Well, sure! In this episode Leslie talks with J Cynthia Brooks who teaches her techniques to attract what you want in your life.  These techniques are fantastic for actors and any other industry professionals who have to pitch their projects.

Do you need to raise money for your film? Maybe you 're looking to attract a production company to your pilot or film script?  In this episode Leslie speaks with Literary Agent and Producer John Beach about how to develop projects and what stands out when he's looking for a script

John has worked in the entertainment industry for over 20 years – starting as a literary agent at Paradigm and later with ACME Talent & Literary, where he was instrumental in the sale of Oliver Stone’s WORLD TRADE CENTER w/ Nicolas Cage and YOUTH IN REVOLT w/ Michael Cera. 

After ACME, John and 2 producers created Fortress Features, where he aided in the raise of Fortress' development fund. As the Director of Development, John sought out property for Fortress to acquire and develop into rich film/television projects. 

In 2011, John opened the Angeles office of INDYCAR where he invited and managed celebrities (Dan Aykroyd, Howie Mandel and Gladys Knight to name a few) at INDYCAR events and races. Mostly, John produced Branded Integrations for TV shows like MYTHBUSTERS, LET’S MAKE A DEAL, HOW IT’S MADE and many others.

In 2015, after surviving cancer, John started Gravity Squared Entertainment, a Los Angeles based management/production company. Gravity Squared has over 170 books/treatment/scripts under management, many being Pulitzer Prize winners and New York Times bestsellers. They currently have over 25 projects in various stages of development/production - including: sold and developed a Primetime TV Sitcom to ABC based on a Chicago comedienne’s life; developing and producing a project with Mosaic & Legendary Pictures with Will Ferrell starring and Adam McKay producing; optioned a book to DreamWorks Animation TV about a unicorn being raised by narwhal, which is in production at Netflix; and they just optioned Judith Heumann's memoir, BEING HEUMANN to AppleTV+, which they will produce with David Permut and the Academy Award winning writer/director of CODA, Sian Heder, at the helm.

Frank Kelly went from working in Corporate America to becoming a self-taught filmmaker  and Leslie learns the story and the nuggets of lessons he's learned on the way.

Frank Kelly is the founder and creative director of Reel City Films, a film & video production company dedicated to creating content for brands and agencies. Through his company,  Frank writes and directs the majority of the work he and his team produce. Current and past clients include Bacardi, Princess Cruise Lines, the Biltmore Hotel, Mercedes Benz, SLS Hotels, Dream Hotels, the Greater Miami Visitor's Bureau and Baptist Health to name a few. 

​Frank was the executive producer and creator of the Reel Miami Project, a short film series released in 2013 designed to showcase Miami through a series of films. The project garnered national awareness and media buzz for the films, the attached spsonsors and the selected directors that each told a story specific to a certain Miami neighborhood. 

Frank is a triple threat as he writes, directs and produces the majority of his work. He has an immense appreciation and love for the art of cinematography and is always chasing that cinematic look in every story he tells. 

After hours, Frank works on his passion and writes scripts and ideas for films and TV series. "The Critic" is a result of his late night writing and it's his official directorial debut. He enjoys writing within the romantic thriller genre and loves a great twist ending. His goal is to continue to create shorts, films and content that entertain and bring smiles to audiences' faces. 

In today's episode Leslie talks with Director Drew Ann Rosenberg about her time on Broadway and her move toward directing films.

Drew grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, later graduating from Brown University. She found her love of the arts through her years of study as a classically trained singer, performing in Boston and NYC. After graduation, Drew began working behind the scenes in New York's off-Broadway Theatres- Playwright's Horizons and American Place, before transitioning to film. She began her film career working with directors Sidney Lumet, Arthur Penn, Woody Allen, Paul Newman, Barbet Schroeder and Abel Ferrara.

How do you break in, produce and have a career in Hollywood? Today Leslie talks with Tony Boldi with over 25 years of practical experience in the film industry about the brutality and fun of working in Hollywood.

More About Tony

Tony is the Founder and CEO of Lifeforce Foundations which is a For-Cause Organization focused upon Global and Local Social Concerns.

Tony has received numerous honors and awards such as the Official People's Mayor of Hollywood and a honorary PhD from his former learning institution.

Tony continues to grow his relationships with his newest position as the West Coast Director of Acquisitions for Blairwood Entertainment and is the Director of Celebrity Memberships with a top PR/events firm called F.A.M.E. located in Hollywood, California.

Tony also owns his own branding company where he continues to take his clients from obscurity to celebrity status.

Tony Boldi and Associates is an acclaimed acting studio (with enrollment of more than 200).

Tony is the Co-Host of the LA Music Awards and new Co-Producer of the World Dance Awards and Choreographer's Carnival as of 2011.