Studio City, CA – With workshops focused on the latest technology in the media industry, secrets of box office success and the horror genre, the Biola Media Conference continues its 15-year tradition of gathering leading entertainment experts to navigate attendees through the challenging world of film, TV and digital media.

With an opening performance by Grammy winning recording artist and producer David Pack, former lead singer of the group Ambrosia best known for the hit song “Biggest Part of Me,” the day will commence strongly followed by a striking keynote and special award presentation to Mark Zoradi, former president of The Disney Motion Picture Group, as the 2010 recipient of the Briner Impact Award for excellence in media.  

Keynote speakers include Dick Cook, former Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, and Michael Flaherty, president of Walden Media. Phil Cooke, founding partner at TWC films, and director, Cooke Pictures, will host the conference held at CBS Studios Center lot on Saturday, May 1, 2010.

Throughout the day, workshops will be held — more than ever before.

“Our new BMC format allows us to offer an extra round of workshops this year to the event, adding even more value to the day,” said Jack Hafer, producer, To End All Wars and chairman of Biola’s Cinema & Media Arts department. 

Workshop session speakers and topics include:

THE LATEST TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGY IN PORTABLE PRODUCTION
This workshop will cover specially designed workflows and the latest advancements in mobile devices and apps for film production - making the organizational side of the craft more transparent and freeing up creativity to do its thing.

  • Jim O’Keeffe:  Director and veteran Cinematographer
  • Paul Skidmore: Producer, Shotgun Stories

THE HORROR GENRE: MORALITY AND MYTHOLOGY
Award winning writers, Jim Krueger and Brian Godawa discuss the horror genre in light of the Bible and explore the power of its mythology to embody redemption — with an emphasis on the vampire.  

  • Jim Krueger: Comic book writer, former Creative Director, Marvel Comics
  • Brian Godawa: Award winning screenwriter, To End All Wars, Cruel Logic

THE MORAL PREMISE & THE TOP 10 SECRETS OF BOX OFFICE SUCCESS
Learn the ten interrelated secrets to writing, which when consistently applied to character, scene, and dramatic beat of your tale will empower your storytelling and connect with your audience for box office success!

  • Stanley D. Williams, Ph.D.: Script Consultant on six of Will Smith’s films

CREATING AND MARKETING DIGITAL CONTENT IN A CONVERGENT UNIVERSE
Film, TV, Online and Mobile have all converged affecting the way content is created.  Learn how to create content and utilize each platform for distribution, marketing, and how to best to leverage social media to market your project.

  • Dan Rupple: Producer, Writer and former Supervising Producer for CBS
  • Cindy Ronzoni: Media Strategist, Former VP Publicity, Game Show Network
  • Brian Boyd: Media Strategist with TrakVu, BoydGroup Solutions

THE MOVIE MONEY TRAIL: 
FILM ECONOMICS FROM A STUDIO PERSPECTIVE
Get the complete insider look at how studios finance films and how to use this knowledge to tailor your script or project to be more financially inviting for a studio’s consideration.

  • Perry Lanaro: VP of Finance for Paramount Pictures

“WE’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE” – THE NEW AGE OF CHURCH MEDIA
The worship experience has forever been changed, thanks to a new generation of media producers with a passion to reach culture through the art of visual storytelling.  With media impacting the local church, what does this mean for the next generation of Christian filmmakers?

  • Jesse Bryan: Creative Director for Mars Hill Church, WA
  • Dave Schwarz: Producer, Prolifik Films & Willow Creek Global Summit

SCORING BIGTIME:
HOW TO GET THE SOUNDTRACK RIGHT FOR YOUR PROJECT
Understand the world of music licensing, music libraries, temp tracks, soundtrack deals, publishing, public domain, agents, and music on the web – and how to get composers to accomplish your vision and move your story from point A to point B!  

  • James Covell:Music Composer, The Elevator, The Ride
  • Adam Watts: Songwriter/Composer, High School Musical, Prince Caspian
  • Jennifer Campbell: Director, A&R/Strategic Markets, Sony Music

YOUR PROJECT THROUGH THE LENS OF A CRITIC
With more Christians watching and making films than ever before, what do movie critics think of our product?  Talk to the opinion leaders who have seen it all and then some.  What do they know that they wish every Christian filmmaker knew? 

  • Justin Chang: Film Critic and Editor for Variety Magazine
  • Lisa Swain:  Producer, Assoc. Professor, Biola Cinema & Media Arts

The Biola Media Conference, sponsored by Biola University, will close out the day with a talk entitled “The UglyTruth About of Launching a Production Company in 2010” by producers Ralph Winter and Terry Botwick, and the showing of never-before-seen CLIPS of the upcoming Narnia release, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, followed by Q & A with Micheal Flaherty, President of Walden Media.