Film Festival Week LA Gears Up To Launch Its Inaugural Showcase of Films, Webisodes and TV Programs

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) April 10, 2012

Perhaps one of the most ambitious independent films events in the U.S., the newly created Film Festival Week LA will be held April 11-19 in Hollywood, CA. The event comprises four unique film events and will screen a wide array of films, webisodes and TV programs from all over the globe, exclusively at Raleigh Studios, 5300 Melrose Ave, Hollywood (Chaplin Building). An Opening night kick-off party to welcome participating filmmakers will take place on Wednesday, April 11 at hotspot Confidential (424 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills) from 7pm- 11pm.

Organizers programmed selections for ITN DISTRIBUTION FILM & WEBISODE FESTIVAL; LA FILM, TV & WEBISODE FESTIVAL; INDEPENDENT FILM QUARTERLY FILM & WEBISODE FESTIVAL; NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (NYIFF).

Dozens of gems are expected to unspool over the week with many titles available for distribution. The current changes in modern technology allow entrepreneurial filmmakers both young and old to realize their celluloid dreams. 150 Filmmakers will represent 20 countries including, Australia, Argentina, Canada, Colombia, China, France, Germany Israel, Mongolia, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, India, Nepal, Ireland, Norway, Turkey, Trinidad & Tobago, UK, and all over the US.

Not surprisingly talent ranges in scope from novice to established. Notables include: Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon; Emmy award-winning actress and comedienne Lily Tomlin; Paul Sorvino; Oscar-nominated actor Eric Roberts; Richard Chamberlain (The Thorn Birds); Piper Perabo (Covert Affairs); Jon Heder (Napolean Dynamite); Sally Kirkland; Missi Pyle (The Artist); Patrick Muldoon; Rene Ashton; Stefanie Powers (Hart to Hart); Michael Sorvino (Summer of Sam, Human Trafficking); Betsy Rue (My Bloody Valentine, Halloween II); Phil Messerer creator of the Vampire Diaries Franchise; Daeg Faerch (Rob Zombie’s Halloween); Dee Wallace (ET); actress/model/musician Tila Tequila; Nick Hogan (Hogan Knows Best); Lorenzo Lamas (Falcon Crest); Charlene Tilton (Dallas); Tom Christensen (Squatters); Robert Prescott (Burn After Reading, Michael Clayton); Tony Award-winning and Oscar-nominated producer Marc Shaiman (Hairspray, When Harry Met Sally); award-winning producer Michael Landon Jr. (Love Comes Softly, The Velveteen Rabbit); Jonathan Bennett (Mean Girls), Sandy Martin (Napoleon Dynamite), Kirsten Vangsness (Criminal Minds), up-and-coming actor Coleman McClary (star of the award-winning Bar Noise); producer Evan Ginzburg (The Wrestler) and rising stars Sybil (The Temp) and India Irving.

FILM FESTIVAL WEEK HIGHLIGHTS:

ITN DISTRIBUTION FILM & WEBISODE FESTIVAL:

ASHES: The story of two brothers from the inner city whose lives are unraveling. As one plummets deeper into mental illness, the other, Ashes, copes by throwing himself into the dangerous New York underworld. Cast: Ajay Naidu, Piper Perabo, Faran Tahir, Heather Burns, Debargo Sanyal, Firdous Bamji, Maurice Carr, Peter Macon, Reena Shah, Samrat Chakrabarti, Wayne Kasserman.

Directed by Ajay Naidu. 77min. Feature Drama.

**Friday, April 13th, 8:00pm Chaplin Theatre

MASTERMINDS: A legitimate businessman named Rocket sets up a sophisticated underground scheme to steal from criminals, so that he may avoid legal ramifications.

Cast: Tila Tequila, Nick Hogan, Tray Chaney, Luke Marr, Darius Willis. Directed by David Keary, 90 min. Feature Drama/Crime/Action.

**Saturday, April 14th 6:00pm Fairbanks Theatre

NOTHING LIKE CHOCOLATE: Narrated by Susan Sarandon, this compelling documentary tells intimate stories of anarchist chocolate-maker, Mott Green, founder of the Grenada Chocolate Company Co-operative and independent cocoa farmer, Nelice Stewart. Directed by Kum-Kum Bhavnani. 67min. Documentary.

**Thursday, April 12th, 6:00pm Pickford Theatre

LA FILM, TV & WEBISODE FESTIVAL:

GOD DONT MAKE THE LAWS: In a town frozen in time, a boy with a past comes for a girl with no future. This is the picturesque Village of Rockwell where nobody gets sick; nobody ages, and nobody dies due to a tragic bus crash that took the lives of the 1977 undefeated Rockwell High School Basketball Team. Cast: Paul Sorvino, Bruce Davison, Ella Rae Peck, Lucas Salvago, Robert Prescott

Directed by David Sabbath,100 min. Drama.

**Saturday, April 14, 12 Noon Pickford Theatre

JOURNEY TO JAMAA: A true and deeply moving account of the difficult and often dangerous journey two orphaned children are forced to make to find their only remaining family. Directed by award-winning producer Michael Landon Jr. and produced by World Vision.42:02min. Short Film/Family/Drama/Cultural.

VEGAN 101, SEASON 2: The second season stars Oscar-nominated actor, Eric Roberts as Dr. Eaton Wright, in a hilarious look at what happens when Dr. Wright takes the vegan lifestyle by storm with this TV show Eating Right. Cast: Eric Roberts. Music by Keaton Simons.

Directed by Joanne Rose. Comedy.

INDEPENDENT FILM QUARTERLY FILM & WEBISODE FESTIVAL:

MONT REVE: Marco della Riva, an Italian student at the elite Swiss boarding school, Mont Reve, is not your ordinary guy. A fierce athlete and secretly a writer, he is quite the trouble maker and of course a ladies man. But when Marco’s eyes set upon Divina V. Rawling, a British classmate and dancer with a perfect record and lineage extraordinaire, his charm is tested.

Directed by Rocky Collins and Lynn von Kesting. Cast: India Irving and Mario Rivelli. 116min. Romantic Comedy. Featuring music by George Michael, Sting, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Otis Redding, Boyz II Men, Jamie Foxx, The Pointer Sisters, Pino Daniele, Corneille, Etta James, Neri Per Caso and more!

** Thursday, April 12th 7:30pm Chaplin Theatre & Fairbanks Theatre

SEBASTIAN: Miranda Barnes (Meadow Williams) is a tragic yet gallant

figure. Stunning events rapidly awaken strength and spiritual awareness essential for her survival. Is Sebastian an angel sent from God or a psychopathic serial killer. Directed by Gregori Martin. Cast: Meadow Williams, Daeg Faerch, Betsy Rue, Dee Wallace. 107 min. Sci-Fi/Action.

** Saturday, April 14th 8:00pm Fairbanks Theatre

DEAD GRANDMA!: A young college student named Andy finds himself in a world of trouble when his grandma comes back from the dead to help him find love.

Directed by Will Kindrick. Cast: Jon Heder, Matt Heder, Beverly Welsh,

Chase Bingham, Don Lucas, Michael Coady, Nicholas Zaharias, Shannon

Mary Dixon, Umberto Riva, Will Kindrick. Family Comedy.

** Saturday, April 14th 6:20pm Pickford Theatre

NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (NYIFF):

ACTORS ANONYMOUS: Rehabilitating actors back into society using a 12-step program.

Directed by Bryan Stratte. Cast: Rene Ashton, Sally Kirkland, Lorenzo

Lamas, Charlene Tilton, Brian Krause, Deena Dill, Lou Pizarro, Wally

Campo, Paul Witten, Shawna Craig. 22min. Television/Comedy.

**Friday, April 13th 8:00pm Fairbanks Theatre

MILF MONEY: A dramedy about three single, suburban moms who turn to prostitution to keep their heads above water.

Directed by Aaron Priest. Cast: Missi Pyle, Patrick Muldoon, Brian Krause, Rene Ashton, Deena Dill. 22min. Television/Drama/Comedy.

**Friday, April 13th 8:00pm Fairbanks Theatre

HUBRISTIC: The rise and fall and lesser rise and greater fall of Tristan Stanfield.

Directed by Owen Stanley. Cast: Coleman McClary and Tom Christensen.

75 min. Comedy.

**Saturday, April 14th 4:00pm Chaplin Theatre

TICKETS & BOX OFFICE INFORMATION FOR FILM FESTIVAL WEEK LA: Tickets are $ 12 in advance on http://www.ticketweb.com. Guests can go to http://www.ticketweb.com and type in the name of your films title in the

Film Festival Week LA Gears Up To Launch Its Inaugural Showcase of Films, Webisodes and TV Programs

Nashville, TN (PRWEB) August 31, 2012 Unsigned Only is pleased to announce its 2012 winners selected from almost 7,500 entries worldwide. The Grand Prize, Unsigned Onlys highest honor, goes to San Francisco, CA artist Lara Johnston with the song, K.I.S.S. Johnston was the highest scoring artist overall in the competition and a favorite among the judges. Upon learning the news, she stated, The Unsigned Only Competition presents truly unique, hands-on opportunities for an undiscovered artist like myself, and I’m beyond honored and excited to be recognized as their first Grand Prize winner! What makes Lara Johnston so captivating, aside from her girl-next-door beauty, is her powerful voice, dynamic stage presence, creative spirit, and great songwriting. Only 22 years old, she has shared the bill with such acts as Willie Nelson, Huey Lewis and the News, Journey, Heart, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Miller, Don Henley, rapper J. Dash, and many others. Over the past three years she has toured throughout the world, writing and co-writing songs in LA, London, and Nashville, and balancing her career pursuits with her time as a student at USCs Thornton School of Music. This summer, Lara is touring locally, collaborating as a writer and singer with multiple producers, and putting the final touches on her debut album. Launched only a year ago and judged by a roster of celebrity notables such as Cyndi Lauper, 3 Doors Down, Kelly Clarkson, Kenny Rogers, St. Vincent, and many more, Unsigned Only is a unique music competition designed for solo artists, bands, and singers who are not signed to a major label. With 36% of the entrants and 47% of the winners coming from outside the USA, Unsigned Only has quickly established itself as the international music competition for unsigned artists. Unsigned Onlys goal is to find outstanding, talented artists: newcomers or veterans… raw or polished the gems that need to be discovered. Candace Avery and Jim Morgan, the founders and directors of Unsigned Only, emphasize that what is different about Unsigned Only is the mentoring component. The Grand Prize winner will be mentored by a group of upper echelon music industry executives, ranging from label presidents to heads of A&R. Because these industry pros are typically hard to reach, this is a rare opportunity for an artist. Gaining access to them for guidance on a one-to-one basis could be a career changer, and we are pleased to offer the opportunity to this years Grand Prize winner, Lara Johnston. She is an exciting artist with a great future. In addition to the Grand Prize winner, many other deserving artists are winners in their respective categories. With a total of nine categories and First and Second Place in each (along with a list of Honorable Mentions), Unsigned Only covers all genres of commercial contemporary music, including: Adult Album Alternative (AAA); Adult Contemporary (AC); Christian; Country; Folk/Singer-Songwriter; R&B/Hip-Hop; Rock; Pop/Top 40; and Vocal Performance. For a complete list of Unsigned Only winners and to hear the winning songs, go to unsignedonly.com/winners 2012 Judges include: 3 Doors Down; Kelly Clarkson; Robert Smith (The Cure); Kenny Rogers; Jeremy Camp; Musiq Soulchild; St. Vincent; Manchester Orchestra; Angie Stone; G. Love; Craig Morgan; Aaron Shust; Charlie Daniels; Steve Lillywhite (Producer); Matt and Kim; Cyndi Lauper; The Mountain Goats; Josh Jackson (Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief, Paste Magazine) and Scott Lapatine (Founder/Editor-In-Chief, Stereogum. 2012 Mentors include: Monte Lipman (President of Universal Republic); Pete Ganbarg (Executive VP/Head of A&R, Atlantic Records); David Wolter (Senior VP of A&R, RCA Records); Kim Stephens (President, Forward Entertainment and A&R/Capitol Music Group); Trevor Jerideau (VP of A&R, J Records); David Wilkes (VP of A&R, eOne Music); Pete Giberga (Head of A&R, Razor & Tie Records); and Jason Geter (President, Grand Hustle Records). Sponsors include: Posse, Steamboat Ampworks, Verve Management, Music Business Registry, Mrs. Fields Cookies, and Spider Capo Unsigned is now accepting entries for 2013. Many new judges will be added, as well as a new Teen category for artists 18 years old and younger. Information on how to enter can be found at unsignedonly.com. The complete list of 2012 Unsigned Only winners is below: GRAND PRIZE Lara Johnston San Francisco, CA, USA K.I.S.S. AAA (ADULT ALBUM ALTERNATIVE) First Place Jacob Butler Melbourne, VIC, Australia Mind Waltz Second Place Village (AKA The Village Musicians) Yakima, WA, USA All This Time Honorable Mention Jen Foster Nashville, TN, USA Venice Beach Jonell Mosser Nashville, TN, USA Come On Home To Me Kelsy Davis Radical Soul Atlanta, GA, USA No Grudge (Classic) LeeMon Albury, NSW, Australia Land On The Moon Matthew Curry & The Fury Normal, IL, USA Blinded By The Darkness Oh Village Abbotsford, BC, Canada Red Death OTiS Brooklyn, NY, USA Making Love Easy Skipping Girl Vinegar Melbourne, VIV, Australia You Can Tommy Indian Prague, Czech Republic Slow Slow Slow ADULT CONTEMPORARY (AC) First Place The Franklin Electric Montreal, QC, Canada Old Piano Second Place Kate Vigo Melbourne, VIC, Australia Wanna Run Honorable Mention Amoric Burgas, Bulgaria Symphony Benjamin Dunn & Friends Santa Cruz, CA, USA Circus Of Love Jen Foster Nashville, TN, USA There For You Jessica Beach Vancouver, BC, Canada Warning Signs Lucio Rubino St. Augustine, FL, USA Fallin From The Start Tiki Taane Waitakere, New Zealand My Lion (RWC Remix) Worldfly Darwin, NT, Australia A Small Boat CHRISTIAN First Place The Amorous Clarksburg, WV, USA Here It Goes Second Place AMP Burtonsville, MD, USA Shine Honorable Mention Alathea Unicoi, TX, USA The River American Swim Lesson Saratoga Springs, NY, USA Lovers Anna Weatherup Sydney, NSW, Australia Miracle Dan Bremnes Kelowna, BC, Canada Beautiful David Upton Trabuco Canyon, CA, USA Unshackled Nathan Ironside & The Stirring Sydney, NSW, Australia Born To Worship The Amorous Clarksburg, WV, USA Free The Classic City Collective Athens, GA, USA God On High COUNTRY First Place Molly Hunt Franklin, TN, USA He Only Broke My Heart Second Place Burly Clyde Nashville, TN, USA Enjoying The Ride Honorable Mention Brandon Lepere Seabrook, NH, USA She Drives Me Country Brantley East Dublin, GA, USA Plainville Brantley East Dublin, GA, USA Country Life Bryce Hitchcock Franklin, TN, USA Fortune Cookie Chance Cody & Spur 503 Denison, TX, USA You Cant Argue With That Codie Prevost Saskatoon, SK, Canada Rolling Back To You Jaylene Johnson Winnipeg, MB, Canada When It All Goes South Kenny Scharlatt Marshalls Creek, PA, USA Lie Memphis High Memphis, TN, USA Pistol Heart Michael Whitworth Athens, GA, USA Just As Surprised As You FOLK/SINGER-SONGWRITER First Place Timothy Nelson & The Infidels Perth, WA, USA Let Her Go Second Place Ed Romanoff Brooklyn, NY, USA I Must Have Done Something Right Honorable Mention Related Argentina Music Press Releases Grand Prize Winner Lara Johnston Sets the Bar in Inaugural Unsigned Only Music Competition

Nashville, TN (PRWEB) August 31, 2012

Unsigned Only is pleased to announce its 2012 winners selected from almost 7,500 entries worldwide. The Grand Prize, Unsigned Onlys highest honor, goes to San Francisco, CA artist Lara Johnston with the song, K.I.S.S. Johnston was the highest scoring artist overall in the competition and a favorite among the judges. Upon learning the news, she stated, The Unsigned Only Competition presents truly unique, hands-on opportunities for an undiscovered artist like myself, and I’m beyond honored and excited to be recognized as their first Grand Prize winner!

What makes Lara Johnston so captivating, aside from her girl-next-door beauty, is her powerful voice, dynamic stage presence, creative spirit, and great songwriting. Only 22 years old, she has shared the bill with such acts as Willie Nelson, Huey Lewis and the News, Journey, Heart, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Miller, Don Henley, rapper J. Dash, and many others. Over the past three years she has toured throughout the world, writing and co-writing songs in LA, London, and Nashville, and balancing her career pursuits with her time as a student at USCs Thornton School of Music. This summer, Lara is touring locally, collaborating as a writer and singer with multiple producers, and putting the final touches on her debut album.

Launched only a year ago and judged by a roster of celebrity notables such as Cyndi Lauper, 3 Doors Down, Kelly Clarkson, Kenny Rogers, St. Vincent, and many more, Unsigned Only is a unique music competition designed for solo artists, bands, and singers who are not signed to a major label. With 36% of the entrants and 47% of the winners coming from outside the USA, Unsigned Only has quickly established itself as the international music competition for unsigned artists.

Unsigned Onlys goal is to find outstanding, talented artists: newcomers or veterans… raw or polished the gems that need to be discovered. Candace Avery and Jim Morgan, the founders and directors of Unsigned Only, emphasize that what is different about Unsigned Only is the mentoring component. The Grand Prize winner will be mentored by a group of upper echelon music industry executives, ranging from label presidents to heads of A&R. Because these industry pros are typically hard to reach, this is a rare opportunity for an artist. Gaining access to them for guidance on a one-to-one basis could be a career changer, and we are pleased to offer the opportunity to this years Grand Prize winner, Lara Johnston. She is an exciting artist with a great future.

In addition to the Grand Prize winner, many other deserving artists are winners in their respective categories. With a total of nine categories and First and Second Place in each (along with a list of Honorable Mentions), Unsigned Only covers all genres of commercial contemporary music, including: Adult Album Alternative (AAA); Adult Contemporary (AC); Christian; Country; Folk/Singer-Songwriter; R&B/Hip-Hop; Rock; Pop/Top 40; and Vocal Performance.

For a complete list of Unsigned Only winners and to hear the winning songs, go to unsignedonly.com/winners

2012 Judges include: 3 Doors Down; Kelly Clarkson; Robert Smith (The Cure); Kenny Rogers; Jeremy Camp; Musiq Soulchild; St. Vincent; Manchester Orchestra; Angie Stone; G. Love; Craig Morgan; Aaron Shust; Charlie Daniels; Steve Lillywhite (Producer); Matt and Kim; Cyndi Lauper; The Mountain Goats; Josh Jackson (Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief, Paste Magazine) and Scott Lapatine (Founder/Editor-In-Chief, Stereogum.

2012 Mentors include: Monte Lipman (President of Universal Republic); Pete Ganbarg (Executive VP/Head of A&R, Atlantic Records); David Wolter (Senior VP of A&R, RCA Records); Kim Stephens (President, Forward Entertainment and A&R/Capitol Music Group); Trevor Jerideau (VP of A&R, J Records); David Wilkes (VP of A&R, eOne Music); Pete Giberga (Head of A&R, Razor & Tie Records); and Jason Geter (President, Grand Hustle Records).

Sponsors include: Posse, Steamboat Ampworks, Verve Management, Music Business Registry, Mrs. Fields Cookies, and Spider Capo

Unsigned is now accepting entries for 2013. Many new judges will be added, as well as a new Teen category for artists 18 years old and younger. Information on how to enter can be found at unsignedonly.com.

The complete list of 2012 Unsigned Only winners is below:

GRAND PRIZE

Lara Johnston San Francisco, CA, USA K.I.S.S.

AAA (ADULT ALBUM ALTERNATIVE)

First Place

Jacob Butler Melbourne, VIC, Australia Mind Waltz

Second Place

Village (AKA The Village Musicians) Yakima, WA, USA All This Time

Honorable Mention

Jen Foster Nashville, TN, USA Venice Beach

Jonell Mosser Nashville, TN, USA Come On Home To Me

Kelsy Davis Radical Soul Atlanta, GA, USA No Grudge (Classic)

LeeMon Albury, NSW, Australia Land On The Moon

Matthew Curry & The Fury Normal, IL, USA Blinded By The Darkness

Oh Village Abbotsford, BC, Canada Red Death

OTiS Brooklyn, NY, USA Making Love Easy

Skipping Girl Vinegar Melbourne, VIV, Australia You Can

Tommy Indian Prague, Czech Republic Slow Slow Slow

ADULT CONTEMPORARY (AC)

First Place

The Franklin Electric Montreal, QC, Canada Old Piano

Second Place

Kate Vigo Melbourne, VIC, Australia Wanna Run

Honorable Mention

Amoric Burgas, Bulgaria Symphony

Benjamin Dunn & Friends Santa Cruz, CA, USA Circus Of Love

Jen Foster Nashville, TN, USA There For You

Jessica Beach Vancouver, BC, Canada Warning Signs

Lucio Rubino St. Augustine, FL, USA Fallin From The Start

Tiki Taane Waitakere, New Zealand My Lion (RWC Remix)

Worldfly Darwin, NT, Australia A Small Boat

CHRISTIAN

First Place

The Amorous Clarksburg, WV, USA Here It Goes

Second Place

AMP Burtonsville, MD, USA Shine

Honorable Mention

Alathea Unicoi, TX, USA The River

American Swim Lesson Saratoga Springs, NY, USA Lovers

Anna Weatherup Sydney, NSW, Australia Miracle

Dan Bremnes Kelowna, BC, Canada Beautiful

David Upton Trabuco Canyon, CA, USA Unshackled

Nathan Ironside & The Stirring Sydney, NSW, Australia Born To Worship

The Amorous Clarksburg, WV, USA Free

The Classic City Collective Athens, GA, USA God On High

COUNTRY

First Place

Molly Hunt Franklin, TN, USA He Only Broke My Heart

Second Place

Burly Clyde Nashville, TN, USA Enjoying The Ride

Honorable Mention

Brandon Lepere Seabrook, NH, USA She Drives Me Country

Brantley East Dublin, GA, USA Plainville

Brantley East Dublin, GA, USA Country Life

Bryce Hitchcock Franklin, TN, USA Fortune Cookie

Chance Cody & Spur 503 Denison, TX, USA You Cant Argue With That

Codie Prevost Saskatoon, SK, Canada Rolling Back To You

Jaylene Johnson Winnipeg, MB, Canada When It All Goes South

Kenny Scharlatt Marshalls Creek, PA, USA Lie

Memphis High Memphis, TN, USA Pistol Heart

Michael Whitworth Athens, GA, USA Just As Surprised As You

FOLK/SINGER-SONGWRITER

First Place

Timothy Nelson & The Infidels Perth, WA, USA Let Her Go

Second Place

Ed Romanoff Brooklyn, NY, USA I Must Have Done Something Right

Honorable Mention

Related Argentina Music Press Releases

Grand Prize Winner Lara Johnston Sets the Bar in Inaugural Unsigned Only Music Competition