A special CASCADIA/Bellingham Film LIVE Script Studio Session was presented during our April 2017 CASCADIA International Women’s Film Festival in partnership with Bellingham Film, a local organization that fosters community among area filmmakers. The event was held April 23, 2017, the final day of the festival, at the Mount Baker Theatre Encore Room.

CASCADIA presented the 3-hour event where portions of developing scripts were read by actors without prior rehearsal. The audience was able to follow along with each script via an overhead projector.

The scripts included:

  • Barrington Bunny by Sandy Wolfe
  • Luna by Natalie Fedak
  • Keys to Life by Kent Loomer
  • She by 2017 CASCADIA Director More Raca.

We invited several industry professionals (below) who offered their pro-writer feedback based on their vast experience.

Mel Damski, Director

Mel Damski Cascadia international womens film festival bellingham whatcomDamski is an Emmy- and Oscar-nominated Director of 28 films, many documentaries and more than 200 television episodes and TV movies. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,  the Writer’s Guild of America, the Director’s Guild of America and Director’s Guild of Canada. Damski also generously serves on CASCADIA’s Advisory Board.

Karen Kruper, Actress

Karen Kruper CASCADIA International Women's Film Festival Bellingham Whatcom Script StudioVancouver- and L.A.-based Kruper has appeared in numerous TV movies and series including the series Cold Squad. She is known for her work as Drew’s Mom on Scary Movie (2000), The Convenient Groom (2016) and Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog (1995).

 

 

 Candice Elzinga, Casting Director

Candice Elzinga Leo Award Script Studio CASCADIA international women's film festival bellingham whatcomElzinga is an Emmy-Nominated Vancouver-based Casting Director with more than 20 years in the business. She’s cast dozens of television movies and series and is known for her work on The Man in the High Castle (2015-2016), Elysium (2013), Rat Race (2001) and The Ron Clark Story (2006). She won a Leo Award in 2015 for Best Casting in a Television Movie.

Michael Pavone, Producer/Writer/Director/Actor

Michael Pavone CASCADIA International Womens filmm festival bellingham whatcom

Pavone created and executive produced critically acclaimed shows such as Against The Grain (NBC), and High Incident with Steven Spielberg (ABC). He’s been an Executive Producer/Show runner on ten television series including Jack & Jill (WB), Street Time (Showtime), Side Order of Life (Lifetime) and The Client (CBS).
 
Pavone has also gained acclaim as a feature film screenwriter, producer and director. Some of his projects include writing The Blue Wall (Disney), Seven Men from Now for Beacon Films, and Northmen for Warner Bros.
Pavone is perhaps best known for the film he wrote, directed, and produced, That’s What I Am (2011), which was nominated for a Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. He’s written, directed, and produced multiple television series and movies over the past 20 years.

 

Maggie Craig, Script Supervisor

Maggie Craig CASCADIA International Women's Film Festival Bellingham Whatcom Script Studio Script Supervisor Maggie Craig moderated the panel.

Craig is a Script Supervisor with international credits spanning three decades. Some of her more recent projects include DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, NBC/Amblin TV’s pilot, Reverie and the recently released feature film, Rupture. She is currently developing her first feature film based on the novel, Sunpath: The War Orphan Train, by Bellingham author Michael Maryk.