Wednesday, June 25, 2008

BABYLON A.D. TRAILER
Here's the new trailer for Vin Diesel's new movie Babylon A.D. Looks...interesting. Interested in hearing what folks think about it.




Babylon A.D. Trailer
Uploaded by ohmygore


SYNOPSIS
Veteran-turned-mercenary Thoorop takes the high-risk job of escorting a woman from Russia to China. Little does he know that she is host to an organism that a cult wants to harvest in order to produce a genetically modified Messiah.

IN THEATERS AUGUST 29

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DAILY VARIETY REVIEWS HANCOCK

Okay so Daily Variety has put out one of the first reviews of my "Uncle" Will's new movie Hancock and it's not a good one. But do we really care? Is Will not gonna make his money because of a bad review or a few bad reviews (heard it thru the grapevine)? I think not. With the boring state the box office is in right now and the constant state of stuck that gas prices leave us in, I personally think folks would flock to Big Willie weekend even if he was breakdancing in roller skates while wearing a kilt. But I digress...
Below, is yet another trailer for the film and if you click on the word Hancock it will take you to the article.




Synopsis

There are heroes…there are superheroes…and then there’s Hancock (Will Smith). With great power comes great responsibility...everyone knows that...everyone, that is, but Hancock. Edgy, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood, Hancock’s well-intentioned heroics might get the job done. There are heroes…there are superheroes…and then there’s Hancock (Will Smith). With great power comes great responsibility...everyone knows that...everyone, that is, but Hancock. Edgy, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood, Hancock’s well intentioned heroics might get the job done and save countless lives, but always seem to leave jaw dropping damage in their wake. The public has finally had enough as grateful as they are to have their local hero, the good citizens of Los Angeles are wondering what they ever did to deserve this guy. Hancock isn’t the kind of man who cares what other people think until the day that he saves the life of PR executive Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), and the sardonic superhero begins to realize that he may have a vulnerable side after all. Facing that will be Hancock’s greatest challenge yet and a task that may prove impossible as Ray’s wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), insists that he’s a lost cause. --© Sony Pictures

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Tuesday, June 24, 2008

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

(click picture for more info)

FOCUS FEATURES AFRICA FIRST SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Focus Features is pleased to announce a Call for Applications for the Focus Features Africa First Short Film Program. Applications will be open starting May 12th, 2008. The postmark deadline for applications is July 15th, 2008.


The Focus Features Africa First Short Film Program will award up to five (5) emerging African filmmakers $10,000.00 (ten thousand U.S. dollars) each towards the pre-production, production, or post-production of their short film. The postmark deadline for application is July 15th, 2008; award recipients will be notified on or about August 15th, 2008 of their status.

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THE 2008 COSBY FELLOWSHIP


So, folks have been asking me about my experience while participating the Cosby Writing Fellowship this year. So I figured no better way to let them know than to talk about it in my new blog, so heregoes...

I had SOO much FUN!! No really, I had the most wonderful experience and met some of the most wonderful people in this program. It's not often in Los Angeles that you meet soo many people with soo much talent and intellect

Mondays were filled with learning about and discussing our black history. From slavery to the new millenium...from the cradle to the grave...we watched clips, read passages, did presentations on nothing but BLACK PEOPLE! Now, I've taken black history courses in college and usually read whatever I can get my hands on, but nothing...and I mean NOTHING...has taught me the facts about our history like our Monday night Cosby Class did. Then to learn and debate about it with my peers who cared just as much as I do about black people and our daily struggles made it all the more better.

Tuesday Nights weren't much different. The feature writers were seperated from the television writers. We were divided into three seperate classes (2 for screenwriters, 1 for tv writers) with three teachers who were all "working" writers/filmmakers. We started out by pitching our ideas to our teacher and classmates in the first weeks and finished with a completed first draft of our script. I'm not going to say this was easy because it certainly wasn't. I worked on a historical drama spec that required lots and lots of research so my work was cut out for me.

Every Tuesday, we turned in pages to be critiqued by our teacher and classmates. This was especially a challenge for me because I usually like to write as much and as quickly as possible and then get feedback later. But this process made me step my writing game up. The 10 or 20 pages I was supposed to turn in every week had to go before six other writers, including my teacher, and these pages (as far as I'm concerned) HAD to be good. So needless to say, I had to pay very close attention to every sentence, slugline, and paragraph of dialogue in my script. My former "only being able to focus on writing at night" self was transformed into an "all day every day" kinda writer.

Overall, I feel like I was a good writer before this program but what I learned and took from this fellowship has made me into an even better writer who can write under the pressure of a deadline and under the scrutiny of my peers. Which I think is an excellent attribute to have if you're trying to be a professional writer in Hollywood.

So folks, that's my review of the program. I hope that some of my fellow classmates (Negroes Amuck...inside joke...lol) leave voiceovers/comments on their experiences below. I highly recommend that all of you fellow black screenwriters on the rise apply. Below is the website...

Deadline...September 15, 2008
Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions.

Shequeta

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THE LONGSHOTS
Ice Cube and Keke Palmer star in this film about the first female quarterback in pop warner football. Aww Cube with the kiddies and Keke is just growing up. Here's the trailer and the logline is below...




THE LONGSHOTS - trailer
Uploaded by TheWeinsteinCompany


The true story of Jasmine Plummer who, at the age of eleven, became the first female to play in Pop Warner football tournament in its 56-year history.

In theaters August 22

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Monday, June 23, 2008


VARIETY LISTS 10 SCREENWRITERS TO WATCH
(sadly I wasn't listed...yet)

(Click picture for article)

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Michael Martin

He's the writer of the upcoming (as if we really needed it) New Jack City 2. Worked for the MTA in NYC before selling his script "Brooklyn's Finest" starring Don Cheadle and Richard Gere and directed by Antoine Fuqua.

BROOKLYN'S FINEST

Three unconnected Brooklyn cops wind up at the same deadly location after enduring vastly different career paths.

Kudos to Michael!





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MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA

Peep Spike Lee's new trailer for "Miracle at St. Anna," looks great. I actually thought Laz was Jeffrey Wright for the first minute of the trailer...lol. Gotta love Laz (-:. Anyhoo, the movie stars Laz Alonso, Derek Luke, Omar Benson Miller, Michael Ealy. Check out a few pics below.



Based on the Novel by James McBride...

Set in 1944 Italy, the story of four black American soldiers who get trapped in a Tuscan village during WWII.



In Theaters September 28

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BLACK HOLLYWOOD FILES
FADE IN:

Welcome to my newest blog venture "The Black Hollywood Files." I created this blog in an effort to focus on what's poppin off in the movie biz in Black Hollywood. Please check back frequently for updates on black writers, actors, movies...basically anything that involves us in the biz. Feel free to leave comments or to tell your family and friends about it. I look forward to chatting with you all from time to time.

Smooches,

Shequeta L. Smith

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