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Hooray for Hollywood
UB alums in entertainment business to teach grad seminars
By SUE WUETCHER
Reporter Editor
The university will go "Hollywood" next month as 19 alumni who have made it to the top of the entertainment industry return to campus to teach a graduate seminar series.
The Alumni Visiting Scholar Seminar Series, to be held Oct. 16-18 as part of UB's Homecoming festivities, will provide students with an unprecedented opportunity to learn about the business of "the business" from some of the top people in the industry.
The series will conclude with the world premiere of "Second String," a film by series participant Rob Lieberman, BA '71.
Roy Roussel, professor and chair of the Department of Media Study, which is co-sponsoring the lecture series along with the UB Office of Alumni Relations, noted that the series has been a big hit with students, with all slots in all courses being filled.
Roussel said UB's alumni in the media represent "an enormous—and very unique—educational resource for our students. Media production in all its various forms constitutes an enormous industry," he said. "Our alumni can give UB students access to this industry."
He pointed out that on the most basic level, alumni can offer students advice about the business. "Advice has a very bad rep," he said. "Fifteen minutes of good advice can change someone's life. So I don't think of alumni visits and lectures as just puffery or schmoozing. These serve a real educational purpose because they provide an important segue between the university and the industry by informing students about what the industry expects them to have in terms of skills, attitude, etc."
Beyond offering advice, these alumni will be teaching real skills to students while at UB, Roussel pointed out. "Most of them will teach courses in programs in their area (of expertise), so while they are here they will be functioning just like regular faculty—critiquing their students' work, etc. The courses will be small, with only 12-15 students in each course—so there will be lots of one-on-one."
And finally, many of the alumni have offered internships to UB students within their organizations. "Again, these provide a very valuable link between the academy and the world," Roussel said.
The Hollywood scholars series is the brainchild of Jennifer Koch-Gibson, director of development for Alumni House, who Roussel said has been in contact with many of these alumni. Five-time Emmy Award-winning writer/producer/director Alan Zweibel, BA '72, lectured at UB several years ago. Zweibel was part of the original "Saturday Night Live" writing team from 1975-1980, and later went on to reinvent the sitcom with "It's Garry Shandling's Show" in 1985.
"This (Zweibel visit) was a very successful visit on both sides," Roussel said, "so when Jennifer suggested to some of the alumni that they might want to come back and teach, things snowballed."
In addition to Zweibel—who will offer young UB writers an intensive course on comedic writing, from transforming a book to a script, as well as the process involved in the creation of his two new pilot sitcoms—other alumni who will teach a three-day course or a one-day seminar will be:
David Brownstein, BA '78, an agent with Los Angeles-based Writers and Artists Agency who has represented such noted actors as James Gandolfini and UB graduate Maury Chaykin. Brownstein's seminar will focus on the critical relationship between the actor and the agent.
Award-winning comedian Bobby Collins, BA '73, who has hosted VH-1's "Stand Up Spotlight," "HBO Comedy Showcase," A&E's "An Evening at the Improv," and Showtime's "A Pair of Jokers." Collins will talk about the business of comedic writing.
Maury Chaykin, BA '72, who has appeared in more than 100 films, including "Twins," "Dances with Wolves," "Hero" and "My Cousin Vinny." He will team up with newcomer Parry Shen, BS '95, who will be starring in his first lead in the film "Better Luck Tomorrow," to discuss the making of an actor's career from their different perspectives—one already well-established and one poised to take off.
Director James Foley, BA '74, whose credits include "Reckless," "At Close Range," "Glengarry, Glen Ross" and "The Chamber." He will focus on the realities of Hollywood filmmaking.
Documentary filmmakers Chana Gazit, BA '82, and David Steward, BA '79, whose Emmy Award-winning work includes "Honorable Nations" and the PBS series "The American Experience." The pair will discuss the art of the narrative and the business of funding a documentary.
Shep Gordon BA '68, a top agent whose clients have included Alice Cooper, Luthor Vandross, Raquel Welch and many world-famous chefs. Gordon will offer his extensive expertise on how to find the right agent.
Ted Kryczko, BA '76, vice president of product development for Disney Records. A 10-time Grammy nominee—and winner in 1994—with more than 60 gold and platinum records, Kryczko, will discuss the world of voice work in animation, record and commercial production.
Richard Lawrence, BA '67, president of the Los Angeles-based talent agency Rubaloff & Lawrence and the force behind such shows as "Judge Judy," "Crossing Over with John Edward" and "Real Stories of the Highway Patrol." His seminar will focus on the representation, packaging and selling of reality TV.
Rob Lieberman, BA '71, award-winning director/producer who has shot more than 2,000 commercials and directed 27 television films and four feature films. He will address the business of commercial and film direction and production, as well as offer a behind the scenes look at the making of his film, "Second String," a fantasy about a group of second-string players who lead the Buffalo Bills to victory in the Super Bowl.
Linda Philips Palo, M.A. '75, B.A. '72, a casting director known for such projects as Sophia Coppola's "The Virgin Suicides" and John Grisham's "The Rainmaker." Palo teaches an intensive seminar, entitled "Mastering the Actor Within," to advanced actors at the AIA Actor's Studio in Los Angeles. Drawing from that seminar, she will focus on getting rid of career and personal obstacles, working with "The Artist's Way," and combining mind, body and business, and integrating them into an acting career.
John Patterson, BA '67, an Emmy-nominated director whose extensive experience includes directing episodes of "The Sopranos," including the season finale. He will discuss the critical role of the director throughout the entire process production process.
Abbe Raven, BA '74, executive vice president and general manager of the History Channel who has been recognized repeatedly for her work in cable television. Raven will discuss the evolution of cable TV, as well as an overview of running a cable network.
John Reiss, BA '81, senior broadcast producer of "NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw." Reiss will offer students a behind-the-scenes look at the news: how the stories are selected, the writing and editing process, broadcasting techniques and on-air challenges.
Veteran actor Peter Riegert, BA '68, a veteran actor who has appeared on television, on Broadway and in more than 50 films, including "Animal House," "Crossing Delancy" and "Traffic." He will offer aspiring actors invaluable insight into the business of acting and provide a forum for an acting workshop.
Alan Steinberg, BA '68, 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. His seminar will address the art, craft and business of freelance journalism, including how to sell yourself and your material, and techniques for hard-hitting interviews.
Steve Sunshine, BA '67, a writer/producer for Warner Brothers who currently serves as producer of the Hollywood journalism program "E!" He also wrote the screenplay for "Son of the Pink Panther." In his course, Sunshine will take his students on a mini TV-journalism project, with one day devoted to shooting, a day spent on editing and a day in which students will add sound and voice over.
The speaker series will conclude with the world premiere of Lieberman's film, "Second String," expected to air on TNT early in 2003. The premiere will be held at 8 p.m. Oct. 18 in the Mainstage theater in the Center for the Arts.
Tickets are free and may be obtained at the CFA box office on a first-come, first-served basis one week before the premiere.
For further information, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 829-2608 or the Department of Media Study at 645-6902.