Yesterday I attended the bi-monthly LIFT Out Loud screenplay reading series at XPACE. For those who are interested in screenwriting, I highly recommend this series. Though it was my first time attending this event, it’s been a bimonthly occurrence for the past two years.
For only $5, attendees receive free pizza, great readings, great advice, and the chance to mingle with other screenwriters and hear about their craft.
LIFT Out Loud encourages LIFT (Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto) members to submit scripts to a panel of readers. If selected, the script is read by a live cast for a live audience, with a critique and Q&A session afterwards.
Last night LIFT presented TV pilot scripts moderated by Denis McGrath, award winning writer of the mini-series, Across the River to Motor City. Two pilots were read: Ride the Dream, a sitcom by Vickie Fagan, and Marble City, a drama by Kevin Parnell.
I was exhilarated to hear excellent scripts, great readings, and invaluable advice. It sparked my blood enough to encourage a return to my own script. If you’re looking for some inspiration, come to LIFT Out Loud next time around!
“So Far From Home” was created from over three years worth of footage, wherein five exiled journalists’ daily lives were filmed and interspersed with discussions about each individual’s experience. The documentary provided an intimate look into the lives of those who suffer for things we take for granted: freedom of speech, security, and justice.
Tomorrow evening (Wed., Sept. 23) I will be attending the international premier of Vladimir Kabelik’s documentary, “So Far From Home” at the Signy & Cléophée Eaton Theatre in the Royal Ontario Museum. “So Far From Home” is “a documentary exploring the challenges and dangers faced by five local reporters working in conflict regions. The film documents the journalists’ experiences and their efforts to come to terms with their past and their struggle to build a future in Canada.”