The University at Buffalo Goes Hollywood: Launches UBC2C HOLLYWOOD, First Coast To Coast Entertainment Conference June 27-28, 2009, in Los Angeles

BUFFALO, N.Y. – April 15, 2009 – The University at Buffalo today announced the launch of the first UB COAST TO COAST ENTERTAINMENT & MEDIA SYMPOSIUM (UBC2C HOLLYWOOD) to be held on JUNE 27-28, 2009, in Los Angeles, California. Open to the public, as well as targeting UB and Buffalo State alumni, students and friends of UB, UBC2C will feature workshops in acting, writing, directing, music production, independent film production and marketing, as well as new trends in media coverage of the entertainment industry, taught by UB industry alumni, including (alphabetically): Bobby Collins, B.A.'73; Rosalind Jarrett, B.A.'69; Ted Kryczko, B.A.'76; Christine La Monte, B.A.'69; Robert Lamoreaux, B.A.'94; Rob Lieberman, B.A. '71; Linda Phillips Palo, M.A.'75, B.A.'72; Alan Steinberg, B.A.'68; and Alan Zweibel, B.A.'72.

VarietyMediaCareers.com, Variety's new job site for those looking for careers in the entertainment and media industry, is the exclusive media sponsor for the UBC2C. The conference will take place at Writers Boot Camp at Bergamot Station in addition to various off-site studio locations. Writers Boot Camp, the event venue sponsor, is in its 20th year providing intensive coursework and support for the full development of creative material in the entertainment industry. The producers of UBC2C Hollywood are workshop presenters Christine La Monte, of La Monte Productions, a former studio marketing executive and independent film producer; and Rosalind Jarrett, Executive in Charge of Publicity for the Screen Actors Guild Awards®.

"UBC2C HOLLYWOOD is just another exciting example of our continued efforts to bring unique, on-going educational programs that reach beyond the borders of our campus; that open doors for the next generation, helping them gain access to the worlds they hope to inhabit – those

of entertainment, news media, arts management, journalism, etc.," said Bruce McCombe, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, University at Buffalo. "UBC2C HOLLYWOOD is just the first of several diverse conferences that we at UB are committed to producing in conjunction with our alumni over the upcoming five years, including our next conference, UBC2C NY taking place in New York City and revolving around the television industry and the performing arts."

The registration fee for UB and Buffalo State graduates of the last decade is $200. For others, the fee is $250 (with an early bird price of $225 for those who register before April 30). The price includes Saturday and Sunday workshops and a Saturday evening networking reception with conference presenters. Proceeds from the event will be used to bring UB students to Los Angeles to participate. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Further information and registration at http://www.ubc2c.buffalo.edu.

UBC2C will kick-off a full day of "hands-on" interactive workshops at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 27; lunch will feature a keynote speaker and roundtable discussions, followed by a networking reception at 7 p.m. June 28 will feature a half-day symposium and wrap up.

UB industry alumni presenters and workshops for UBC2C include (alphabetically):

• BOBBY COLLINS, B.A. '73, STAND UP COMEDY: American Comedy Award winner for Best Male Stand Up. He has hosted VH-1's "Stand Up Spotlight," A&E's "An Evening at the Improv," and Showtime's "A Pair of Jokers," and has opened for Frank Sinatra, Julio Inglesias and Dolly Parton. Collins has lectured extensively on the art and business of comedic writing and performing.

• ROSALIND JARRETT, B.A. '69, ENTERTAINMENT NEWS MEDIA: Executive in Charge of Publicity for the Screen Actors Guild Awards®, Jarrett has contributed to expanding the audiences for the SAG Awards telecasts on TNT and TBS since 1999. She was formerly Director of Program Publicity, West Coast, for the ABC Television Network Group. Jarrett has lectured on entertainment public relations at UCLA, USC, NYU and Loyola Marymount University.

• TED KRYCKO, B.A. '76, VOCAL PERFORMANCE: Vice President of A&R Catalog for Walt Disney Records. He is a 14-time Grammy nominee and two-time winner (1995 & 2008) , with more than 70 gold and platinum records to his credit.

• CHRISTINE LA MONTE, B.A. '69, PRODUCING AND MARKETING INDEPENDENT FILM: a former studio marketing executive at Disney, Universal and Orion Pictures, is a television, theatre and film producer. Under the La Monte Productions banner, she has several films in various stages of production, including two documentaries. La Monte's latest producing effort, "Dandelion Dharma," is a 30-minute "epic" short narrative film currently playing the festival circuit. She has lectured at UCLA, USC and taught film marketing at the School of Visual Arts in N.Y.

• ROBERT LAMOREAUX, B.A. '94, WRITING FOR ANIMATION: has written and produced some of the most popular animation series for Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and ABC Family including "Totally Spies," "Hey Arnold!," the Annie Award-nominated "Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi" and "Catdog." He has also worked on the generation-defining animated hit, "SpongeBob SquarePants."

• ROB LIEBERMAN, B.A. '71, FILM DIRECTING: an award-winning director/producer who has directed the feature films: "Table For Five," "Fire In The Sky," and "D3: The Mighty Ducks" and has just completed "The Tortured." His many credits include directing episodes of "Dexter," "Shark," and "Brothers and Sisters." Lieberman has directed 19 pilots, of which 16 sold through to series.

• LINDA PHILLIPS PALO, M.A. '75, B.A. '72, ACTING: a casting director who won the Artios, the highest casting honor, for Sophia Coppola's "The Virgin Suicides." She has worked with Frances Coppola on John Grisham's "The Rainmaker," as well as "Jack," "The Secret Garden," "Wind," "Jeepers Creepers II" and "The Young Black Stallion" for IMAX/Disney. She has worked with George Lucas ("Radioland Murders"), Phil Joanou ("Heaven's Prisoners"), and Dwight Yoakum ("South of Heaven, West of Hell"), among others. Palo teaches an intensive seminar, "Mastering the Actor Within," to advanced actors at the AIA Actor's Studio in Los Angeles.

• ALAN STEINBERG, B.A. '68, MAGAZINE JOURNALISM: renowned author and journalist who has published numerous nonfiction books with major New York publishing houses, as well as more than 100 magazine and newspaper articles in such periodicals as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times People, Saturday Evening Post and Inside Sports, where he was a special contributing writer for eight years.

• ALAN ZWEIBEL, B.A. '72, COMEDY WRITING FOR ALL GENRES: multi-Emmy Award-winning writer/producer/director, who began his career as part of the original "Saturday Night Live" writing team. His TV credits also include "It's Garry Shandling's Show" (which he co-created), "Monk" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Zweibel's best-selling book "Bunny Bunny – Gilda Radner: A Sort of Love Story" became an Off-Broadway hit and he collaborated with Billy Crystal on the Tony Award winning Broadway show "700 Sundays." A frequent guest on talk shows such as Late Night With David Letterman, Zweibel authored the popular children's book "Our Tree Named Steve" and in 2006 won the Thurber Prize for American Humor for his novel "The Other Shulman."

In addition to those involved as presenters at the conference, the University at Buffalo boasts many high-profile entertainment and media industry alumni, including film producer and studio chair Harvey Weinstein, Paramount CEO Brad Grey; NPR's Ira Flatow, Terry Gross, Michael Silverblatt; CNN's Wolf Blitzer; actor Peter Riegert; producers Shep Gordon, Mitch Ackerman and Steve Sunshine; award-winning television writer Alfonse Ruggerio; media writer Howard Kurtz, directors Bob Yannetti and James Foley, entertainment attorney Leon Sacks, media executive Jesse Levine and photojournalist Francis Specker, in addition to scores of others.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.