Category: PastEvent16

Posted on by

Winter party 2016



We loved our traditional Winter Party!

Mingling and a fine holiday meal at the Biltmore

We enjoyed the lap of architectural splendor as we got to know one another better and celebrated the holidays — at the beautiful downtown Millennium Biltmore Hotel! 

Across the street from Pershing Square, it is centrally located in downtown Los Angeles.

We love its frescos, murals, embroidered tapestries, carved marble fountains and columns, lead crystal chandeliers, cast bronze stairwells and doorways and more.

Here are a few photos from our tour — with thanks to the Los Angeles Conservancy.

Some photos from the party.

Date and Time

Wednesday, December 14

Mingling and no-host cocktails & book swap in the Rendezvous Court from 6 until dinner. Join us as you can.
or
6:15 p.m. —  Hour-long LA Conservancy-led Biltmore tour. Limited to 15 people, priority to first-timers.

7:30-10:00 p.m. — Dinner and door prizes.

Location

Millennium Biltmore Hotel:
Rendezvous Court & Smeraldi’s Restaurant

506 South Grand Avenue
Downtown Los Angeles, CA 90071

Jump down to map

Main number: 213-624-1011

Our party area in Smeraldi’s Restaurant. Center tables will be moved together for group seating.
Our party area in Smeraldi’s Restaurant.

bookswap_300

Book Swap — a new feature this year

Have a book you’d like to share with someone? 

You can offer a book you wrote or one you’ve simply enjoyed and would like to pass forward. Or none.

This is optional and casual. We’ll use a table in the Rendezvous Court. You can drop off a book if you’d like or sit nearby. Pick one up if one catches your interest. When we move into dinner we’ll bring the books with us. Any unclaimed books will be donated to a book giveaway.

 

RSPV and Meal Selection

We did things differently this year, using a form which included meal selection. After submiting the reservation guests were taken to our payment info.

 

The Menu

Starter – you choose one upon reservation

  1. Insalata Cesare — Romaine heart, shaved parmesan, and truffle croutons
  2. Minestrone di Verdure — Mixed vegetable soup served with grilled focaccia (vegetarian: no meat, poultry, dairy)

Main Course — you choose one upon reservation

  1. Spaghetti alla Bolognese
    Spaghetti with minced beef in tomato ragout
  2. Ravioli di Zucca
    Pumpkin and ricotta filling, sage, butter and parmesan
    (Vegetarian. Can be made without butter if you require a vegan meal. Indicate on your reservation.)
  3. Soppressata di Pollo
    Pan-roasted chicken, soppressata di Calabria, capers, lemon, cheese polenta, grilled asparagus and sauce di nonna
  4. Salmone Grigliato
    Grilled salmon fillet, cheese polenta, herb zucchini and lemon-thyme sauce

Dessert

Gelato Artigianale — Italian homemade ice cream, made on location

Beverages

The waiters will offer each of us several non-alcoholic beverage options such as Iced Tea, Iced Coffee, Lemonade, Tea, Coffee, and Decaffeinated Coffee. Alcoholic drinks will be available for purchase from your waiter.

Door Prize Drawing!

Everyone receives a door prize ticket at check-in. If your ticket is drawn you may possibly win one of these great items. The odds are quite good, too!
(Click an image to view a larger version.)

NewerTech case & keyboardNewerTech items for Macintosh laptops, maybe smartphones & iPad. NewerTech is sold by Other World Computing.

trackr_package_party_2016TrackR Bravo
You can learn all about it at this link.
A tracking device on your key ring, one attached to your camera, one in with your handbag or briefcase… When I traveled last year if my device walked my iPhone would tell me. -Deb, your webmaster and prize solicitor

RadTech items for cameras, iPhones, USB devices and more:RadTech UHD Lightning cable

party2016_prize-imageTicket to attend Media Law for Journalists workshop.
“A workshop for freelancers, bloggers, reporters, editors in print, digital or video spaces, podcasters – any media worker without the benefit of a legal department.”
Friday, January 20, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
To be held at Southwestern Law School, 3050 Wilshire Blvd. This is the old Bullocks building, which in itself appears to be a treat to visit.

superduper_300pxSuperDuper! backup/cloning software for Macintosh
Experts say if your data doesn’t exist in 3 places, it doesn’t exist? If your writing — and other info — matters to you, you must have it backed up. But a clone is even better! And SuperDuper! is the simple, incredibly reliable way to do this.
A license awaits for one Mac user who values his/her data.

defaultfolder_300pxDefault Folder X5 is Macintosh filing at its most efficient. The Open and Save dialog box is so much better. Getting to a folder to save: if you can see it you can jump to it. And so much more.
We have a license available for a Mac user who appreciates efficiency.

Parking & Transport

Car parking:

  • Hotel Valet, enter on Grand, just south of 5th. (Grand runs southbound only.)
    $8 flat rate covering up to 4 hours. The fee is $4.75 for every 15 minutes past that 4 hour period, maximum $45.
    Credit cards accepted.
    The Biltmore does not have self-parking
  • Pershing Square garage across from the hotel under Pershing Square. Enter on Olive immediately after you pass 6th Street. You can also enter on 5th or 6th.
    $7 flat rate entering after 5:00 pm
    Credit cards accepted, fully automated, 24-hour security.
  • Pacmutual Garage, next door to the Rendezvous Court entrance. The garage entrance is on Olive. Travel north on Olive, pass 6th Street, and it’s on the left, just after you pass the entrance to the Pershing garage on the right.
    $5.00 after 3 p.m. There is a live person at the entry and you can pay with cash (fastest) or credit card. The entrance closes at 10 but the garage has 24-hour security and an exit gate that opens as you approach it, so you can leave anytime. After the party, you’ll leave by the Biltmore front door, turn left on the street and enter the garage where a valet and/or security guard should be present.
  • Other nearby private lots and garages.

By train:

  • The Red Line and Purple Line stop at Pershing Square station. Exit/Entrance at corner of 5th and Hill.
  • The Expo Line from Santa Monica and the Blue Line from Long Beach end at the 7th Street/Metro Center where you can transfer for free and travel one more stop to Pershing Square or enjoy a .3 or .4 mile walk.
  • The Gold Line from the San Gabriel Valley comes into Union Station where you may transfer for free to the Red Line and Purple Line stop at Pershing Square.

NOTE: As of 2014 Transfers between trains and even between buses and trains are free. This was verified in person but you can also read about it here. The TAP card stores your time of first entry, enabling you up to 2 hours to complete your 1-way journey. However, this does not work when you pay a bus fare with cash or a token. Read TAP FAQ here.

By bus:

  • Buses that stop on Olive across from the Rendezvous Court entrance:
    4, 70, 71, 76, 78/79/378, 770, Sliver Streak
  • Buses that stop on 5th across from the Valet entrance:
    37, 60, 70, 71, 76, 78, 79, 96, 378, 442, 460, 487, 760, 770

Carpool:
If you’d like to carpool consider posting on our Yahoo discussion group or on our Facebook page.

This photo slideshow will show some of the parking options.

 

Some Biltmore History

Originally known as the Los Angeles Biltmore hotel, it was the largest hotel west of Chicago when it opened with 1500 rooms in 1923. (As rooms have changed, it now has hotel 683 rooms.)

This elegant Biltmore, designated as a California historic-cultural landmark in 1969, has a lot of history.

It has played host to Presidents, celebrities, dignitaries, and more. Among other things:

  • Eight Academy Awards ceremonies (1931, 1935–39, and 1941-42) were held there.
  • WWII military stayed there on their R&R.
  • The 1960 Democratic National Convention, which selected JFK was held there. JFK have his acceptance speech there. He and his VP, Lyndon B. Johnson, had campaign headquarters there.
  • The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded there, in the Crystal Ballroom, May 1927.
  • In 1964 The Beatles stayed in the Presidential Suite during their first U.S. tour. Because of the fan mobs they had to use the roof-top heliport. (You can see it on Google maps.)

The Rendezvous Court, where we enjoy conversation and optional drinks before dinner, was originally the hotel’s lobby. Its decor includes a Moorish Revival styled plaster ceiling painted with 24 Carat Gold accents, two original imported Italian chandeliers from 1923, and a grand Spanish Baroque Revival bronze doorway with an astrological clock.

Smeraldi’s is named for Giovanni Smeraldi, the famed Italian artist who, in 1922, with assistance from his team,  hand painted the fresco mural ceilings of the main Galleria and the Crystal Ballroom, His other work includes murals in Vatican and the White House.

You can learn more at:

 

 

Special Thanks to the LA Conservancy

la_conservancy-_logoIWOSC offers a special thank you to the LA Conservancy for providing us with excellent tours of the Biltmore for all the years we’ve celebrated there.

The LA Conservancy offers many excellent escorted and self-guided tours of Downtown Los Angeles. The website also offers a wealth of information. And, of course, it works to preserve Los Angeles.

 

While You’re Downtown

If you’d like to take in downtown before the party there is plenty to see and do. Nearby you will find:


Posted on by

Winter party 2016



We loved our traditional Winter Party!

Mingling and a fine holiday meal at the Biltmore

We enjoyed the lap of architectural splendor as we got to know one another better and celebrated the holidays — at the beautiful downtown Millennium Biltmore Hotel! 

Across the street from Pershing Square, it is centrally located in downtown Los Angeles.

We love its frescos, murals, embroidered tapestries, carved marble fountains and columns, lead crystal chandeliers, cast bronze stairwells and doorways and more.

Here are a few photos from our tour — with thanks to the Los Angeles Conservancy.

Some photos from the party.

Date and Time

Wednesday, December 14

Mingling and no-host cocktails & book swap in the Rendezvous Court from 6 until dinner. Join us as you can.
or
6:15 p.m. —  Hour-long LA Conservancy-led Biltmore tour. Limited to 15 people, priority to first-timers.

7:30-10:00 p.m. — Dinner and door prizes.

Location

Millennium Biltmore Hotel:
Rendezvous Court & Smeraldi’s Restaurant

506 South Grand Avenue
Downtown Los Angeles, CA 90071

Jump down to map

Main number: 213-624-1011

Our party area in Smeraldi’s Restaurant. Center tables will be moved together for group seating.
Our party area in Smeraldi’s Restaurant.

bookswap_300

Book Swap — a new feature this year

Have a book you’d like to share with someone? 

You can offer a book you wrote or one you’ve simply enjoyed and would like to pass forward. Or none.

This is optional and casual. We’ll use a table in the Rendezvous Court. You can drop off a book if you’d like or sit nearby. Pick one up if one catches your interest. When we move into dinner we’ll bring the books with us. Any unclaimed books will be donated to a book giveaway.

 

RSPV and Meal Selection

We did things differently this year, using a form which included meal selection. After submiting the reservation guests were taken to our payment info.

 

The Menu

Starter – you choose one upon reservation

  1. Insalata Cesare — Romaine heart, shaved parmesan, and truffle croutons
  2. Minestrone di Verdure — Mixed vegetable soup served with grilled focaccia (vegetarian: no meat, poultry, dairy)

Main Course — you choose one upon reservation

  1. Spaghetti alla Bolognese
    Spaghetti with minced beef in tomato ragout
  2. Ravioli di Zucca
    Pumpkin and ricotta filling, sage, butter and parmesan
    (Vegetarian. Can be made without butter if you require a vegan meal. Indicate on your reservation.)
  3. Soppressata di Pollo
    Pan-roasted chicken, soppressata di Calabria, capers, lemon, cheese polenta, grilled asparagus and sauce di nonna
  4. Salmone Grigliato
    Grilled salmon fillet, cheese polenta, herb zucchini and lemon-thyme sauce

Dessert

Gelato Artigianale — Italian homemade ice cream, made on location

Beverages

The waiters will offer each of us several non-alcoholic beverage options such as Iced Tea, Iced Coffee, Lemonade, Tea, Coffee, and Decaffeinated Coffee. Alcoholic drinks will be available for purchase from your waiter.

Door Prize Drawing!

Everyone receives a door prize ticket at check-in. If your ticket is drawn you may possibly win one of these great items. The odds are quite good, too!
(Click an image to view a larger version.)

NewerTech case & keyboardNewerTech items for Macintosh laptops, maybe smartphones & iPad. NewerTech is sold by Other World Computing.

trackr_package_party_2016TrackR Bravo
You can learn all about it at this link.
A tracking device on your key ring, one attached to your camera, one in with your handbag or briefcase… When I traveled last year if my device walked my iPhone would tell me. -Deb, your webmaster and prize solicitor

RadTech items for cameras, iPhones, USB devices and more:RadTech UHD Lightning cable

party2016_prize-imageTicket to attend Media Law for Journalists workshop.
“A workshop for freelancers, bloggers, reporters, editors in print, digital or video spaces, podcasters – any media worker without the benefit of a legal department.”
Friday, January 20, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
To be held at Southwestern Law School, 3050 Wilshire Blvd. This is the old Bullocks building, which in itself appears to be a treat to visit.

superduper_300pxSuperDuper! backup/cloning software for Macintosh
Experts say if your data doesn’t exist in 3 places, it doesn’t exist? If your writing — and other info — matters to you, you must have it backed up. But a clone is even better! And SuperDuper! is the simple, incredibly reliable way to do this.
A license awaits for one Mac user who values his/her data.

defaultfolder_300pxDefault Folder X5 is Macintosh filing at its most efficient. The Open and Save dialog box is so much better. Getting to a folder to save: if you can see it you can jump to it. And so much more.
We have a license available for a Mac user who appreciates efficiency.

Parking & Transport

Car parking:

  • Hotel Valet, enter on Grand, just south of 5th. (Grand runs southbound only.)
    $8 flat rate covering up to 4 hours. The fee is $4.75 for every 15 minutes past that 4 hour period, maximum $45.
    Credit cards accepted.
    The Biltmore does not have self-parking
  • Pershing Square garage across from the hotel under Pershing Square. Enter on Olive immediately after you pass 6th Street. You can also enter on 5th or 6th.
    $7 flat rate entering after 5:00 pm
    Credit cards accepted, fully automated, 24-hour security.
  • Pacmutual Garage, next door to the Rendezvous Court entrance. The garage entrance is on Olive. Travel north on Olive, pass 6th Street, and it’s on the left, just after you pass the entrance to the Pershing garage on the right.
    $5.00 after 3 p.m. There is a live person at the entry and you can pay with cash (fastest) or credit card. The entrance closes at 10 but the garage has 24-hour security and an exit gate that opens as you approach it, so you can leave anytime. After the party, you’ll leave by the Biltmore front door, turn left on the street and enter the garage where a valet and/or security guard should be present.
  • Other nearby private lots and garages.

By train:

  • The Red Line and Purple Line stop at Pershing Square station. Exit/Entrance at corner of 5th and Hill.
  • The Expo Line from Santa Monica and the Blue Line from Long Beach end at the 7th Street/Metro Center where you can transfer for free and travel one more stop to Pershing Square or enjoy a .3 or .4 mile walk.
  • The Gold Line from the San Gabriel Valley comes into Union Station where you may transfer for free to the Red Line and Purple Line stop at Pershing Square.

NOTE: As of 2014 Transfers between trains and even between buses and trains are free. This was verified in person but you can also read about it here. The TAP card stores your time of first entry, enabling you up to 2 hours to complete your 1-way journey. However, this does not work when you pay a bus fare with cash or a token. Read TAP FAQ here.

By bus:

  • Buses that stop on Olive across from the Rendezvous Court entrance:
    4, 70, 71, 76, 78/79/378, 770, Sliver Streak
  • Buses that stop on 5th across from the Valet entrance:
    37, 60, 70, 71, 76, 78, 79, 96, 378, 442, 460, 487, 760, 770

Carpool:
If you’d like to carpool consider posting on our Yahoo discussion group or on our Facebook page.

This photo slideshow will show some of the parking options.

 

Some Biltmore History

Originally known as the Los Angeles Biltmore hotel, it was the largest hotel west of Chicago when it opened with 1500 rooms in 1923. (As rooms have changed, it now has hotel 683 rooms.)

This elegant Biltmore, designated as a California historic-cultural landmark in 1969, has a lot of history.

It has played host to Presidents, celebrities, dignitaries, and more. Among other things:

  • Eight Academy Awards ceremonies (1931, 1935–39, and 1941-42) were held there.
  • WWII military stayed there on their R&R.
  • The 1960 Democratic National Convention, which selected JFK was held there. JFK have his acceptance speech there. He and his VP, Lyndon B. Johnson, had campaign headquarters there.
  • The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded there, in the Crystal Ballroom, May 1927.
  • In 1964 The Beatles stayed in the Presidential Suite during their first U.S. tour. Because of the fan mobs they had to use the roof-top heliport. (You can see it on Google maps.)

The Rendezvous Court, where we enjoy conversation and optional drinks before dinner, was originally the hotel’s lobby. Its decor includes a Moorish Revival styled plaster ceiling painted with 24 Carat Gold accents, two original imported Italian chandeliers from 1923, and a grand Spanish Baroque Revival bronze doorway with an astrological clock.

Smeraldi’s is named for Giovanni Smeraldi, the famed Italian artist who, in 1922, with assistance from his team,  hand painted the fresco mural ceilings of the main Galleria and the Crystal Ballroom, His other work includes murals in Vatican and the White House.

You can learn more at:

 

 

Special Thanks to the LA Conservancy

la_conservancy-_logoIWOSC offers a special thank you to the LA Conservancy for providing us with excellent tours of the Biltmore for all the years we’ve celebrated there.

The LA Conservancy offers many excellent escorted and self-guided tours of Downtown Los Angeles. The website also offers a wealth of information. And, of course, it works to preserve Los Angeles.

 

While You’re Downtown

If you’d like to take in downtown before the party there is plenty to see and do. Nearby you will find:


Posted on by

Ageism in Writing: How young do you really HAVE to be

Panel:
Ageism in Writing: How young do you really HAVE to be

Monday, November 21, 2016
7:30 to 9:15 p.m. (networking follows the program)
Jump down to register

Many professions have the burden of the issue of age, defined differently in every profession.

  • If you are of a “certain age,” you may be passed over because of the perception that your output is less dynamic, not speaking the language of the time, unable to put the time in due to family concerns.
  • Younger people often have the “Catch 22” needing to be young, but also needing to have experience in order to get noticed and validated.

In October we looked at one side of that coin. Now we are looking at the other.

Writers have experienced ageism famously within the TV and Film community, but it also exists in the publishing world and other outlets for our writing efforts.

We will explore some of the pitfalls that our panel have seen, some creative workarounds that they have discovered, and some thankfully creative oversights that actually opened the door for them.

Join us for a discussion that promises to be lively and perhaps a bit controversial, but not without the promise of hope for all.

Our panel:

Ray Richmond as Press Secretary
Ray Richmond as Press Secretary

Ray Richmond is considered one of the leading experts on television, media and the entertainment industry. For the past 25 years, Ray Richmond has worked as a television critic, columnist, and reporter for a number of publications including: The Hollywood Reporter, Daily Variety, the Los Angeles Daily News and The Orange County Register.Ray is also a prolific author.
His books include:
The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family (1997)
This is Jeopardy: Celebrating America’s Favorite Quiz Show (2004)
TV Moms: An Illustrated Guide (2000)
and My Greatest Day in Show Business (1999).

Ray is currently working on a memoir and film that carries the working title Improver of Love, centering on his life growing up in Hollywood with an eccentric mother who helped to invent the sex lube industry in the 1960s. He spends the remainder of his free time removing tags from mattresses in direct violation of federal law.

 

David Gittins
David Gittins

David Gittins started as a commissioned officer in Her Majesty’s Customs, David found himself changing careers once his play Madness and Vomit attracted the attention of TV producers. After spending some time writing for British TV, he segued into developing and financing independent features, working with companies in Italy, Ireland, France, UK and the US.

He has an MFA in screenwriting from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.

David is also the Executive Director of The TV Writers Fund for the Future, a nonprofit dedicated to enabling experienced TV writers to find new employment opportunities. The Fund runs seminars, industry panels and workshops focused on informing writers and empowering them to stay current by optimizing their ability, attitude and, application.

 

scott-kaiser-md_mptf-chief-innovation_connected
Scott Kaiser, MD

Scott Kaiser, MD is a practicing geriatrician and Chief Innovation Officer at the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF), which provides services and support to the entertainment industry community.

Scott leverages his expertise to advocate for the improvement of aging services and geriatric care.Dr. Kaiser received his medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine at USC and later joined the Harvard Geriatric Medicine Fellowship, then came back to Los Angeles as a Health Medical Fellow with the UCLA/VA Primary Care and Health Services Research Fellowship.

 

Jordan Oslin
Jordan Oslin

Jordan Oslin is an associate at The Bloom Firm. He completed his undergraduate degree in English Literature at Loyola Marymount University and minored in Classics and Archaeology.

Jordan earned his Juris Doctorate from Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. The recipient of many scholarships, Jordan specialized in Labor and Employment Law and Intellectual Property. He participated in Southwestern’s Negotiation Honors Program, winning the prestigious Annual Entertainment Negotiation Competition . His wide range of passions includes post-modern literature, historical preservation of Art Deco architecture, classic film, and physical fitness.

In law, Jordan is dedicated to the proliferation of fair use in copyright, criminal legislative reform, equal protection for sexual orientation, and the fight against domestic violence.

Jordan recognizes the challenges for clients in today’s legal market and immediately seized the opportunity to work for The Bloom Firm, a firm of exceptional attorneys that strives to minimize the confusion and obstructions of a complicated legal world.

Telly Davidson, Author
Telly Davidson

Moderator: Telly Davidson is a familiar face to IWOSC audiences, having moderated many panels for us in the past. He was senior film and TV reviewer for bestselling pundit David Frum’s FrumForum, has reviewed movies and TV and conducted interviews for FilmStew, 213 Magazine, iF Monthly, Entertainment Today, Guitar Player, All About Jazz, and has worked on TV specials for NBC and PBS including The Write Environment and Pioneers of Television. He currently works with top producer’s rep Jeff Porter of Porter Pictures on the placement of independent films.
Telly is the author of the Emmy magazine-cited TV’s Grooviest Variety Shows. His new book Culture War, on pop culture and politics, is now available on Amazon.

 

Registration is now closed as this event has passed.

Posted on by

Ageism in Writing: How young do you really HAVE to be

Panel:
Ageism in Writing: How young do you really HAVE to be

Monday, November 21, 2016
7:30 to 9:15 p.m. (networking follows the program)
Jump down to register

Many professions have the burden of the issue of age, defined differently in every profession.

  • If you are of a “certain age,” you may be passed over because of the perception that your output is less dynamic, not speaking the language of the time, unable to put the time in due to family concerns.
  • Younger people often have the “Catch 22” needing to be young, but also needing to have experience in order to get noticed and validated.

In October we looked at one side of that coin. Now we are looking at the other.

Writers have experienced ageism famously within the TV and Film community, but it also exists in the publishing world and other outlets for our writing efforts.

We will explore some of the pitfalls that our panel have seen, some creative workarounds that they have discovered, and some thankfully creative oversights that actually opened the door for them.

Join us for a discussion that promises to be lively and perhaps a bit controversial, but not without the promise of hope for all.

Our panel:

Ray Richmond as Press Secretary
Ray Richmond as Press Secretary

Ray Richmond is considered one of the leading experts on television, media and the entertainment industry. For the past 25 years, Ray Richmond has worked as a television critic, columnist, and reporter for a number of publications including: The Hollywood Reporter, Daily Variety, the Los Angeles Daily News and The Orange County Register.Ray is also a prolific author.
His books include:
The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family (1997)
This is Jeopardy: Celebrating America’s Favorite Quiz Show (2004)
TV Moms: An Illustrated Guide (2000)
and My Greatest Day in Show Business (1999).

Ray is currently working on a memoir and film that carries the working title Improver of Love, centering on his life growing up in Hollywood with an eccentric mother who helped to invent the sex lube industry in the 1960s. He spends the remainder of his free time removing tags from mattresses in direct violation of federal law.

 

David Gittins
David Gittins

David Gittins started as a commissioned officer in Her Majesty’s Customs, David found himself changing careers once his play Madness and Vomit attracted the attention of TV producers. After spending some time writing for British TV, he segued into developing and financing independent features, working with companies in Italy, Ireland, France, UK and the US.

He has an MFA in screenwriting from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.

David is also the Executive Director of The TV Writers Fund for the Future, a nonprofit dedicated to enabling experienced TV writers to find new employment opportunities. The Fund runs seminars, industry panels and workshops focused on informing writers and empowering them to stay current by optimizing their ability, attitude and, application.

 

scott-kaiser-md_mptf-chief-innovation_connected
Scott Kaiser, MD

Scott Kaiser, MD is a practicing geriatrician and Chief Innovation Officer at the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF), which provides services and support to the entertainment industry community.

Scott leverages his expertise to advocate for the improvement of aging services and geriatric care.Dr. Kaiser received his medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine at USC and later joined the Harvard Geriatric Medicine Fellowship, then came back to Los Angeles as a Health Medical Fellow with the UCLA/VA Primary Care and Health Services Research Fellowship.

 

Jordan Oslin
Jordan Oslin

Jordan Oslin is an associate at The Bloom Firm. He completed his undergraduate degree in English Literature at Loyola Marymount University and minored in Classics and Archaeology.

Jordan earned his Juris Doctorate from Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. The recipient of many scholarships, Jordan specialized in Labor and Employment Law and Intellectual Property. He participated in Southwestern’s Negotiation Honors Program, winning the prestigious Annual Entertainment Negotiation Competition . His wide range of passions includes post-modern literature, historical preservation of Art Deco architecture, classic film, and physical fitness.

In law, Jordan is dedicated to the proliferation of fair use in copyright, criminal legislative reform, equal protection for sexual orientation, and the fight against domestic violence.

Jordan recognizes the challenges for clients in today’s legal market and immediately seized the opportunity to work for The Bloom Firm, a firm of exceptional attorneys that strives to minimize the confusion and obstructions of a complicated legal world.

Telly Davidson, Author
Telly Davidson

Moderator: Telly Davidson is a familiar face to IWOSC audiences, having moderated many panels for us in the past. He was senior film and TV reviewer for bestselling pundit David Frum’s FrumForum, has reviewed movies and TV and conducted interviews for FilmStew, 213 Magazine, iF Monthly, Entertainment Today, Guitar Player, All About Jazz, and has worked on TV specials for NBC and PBS including The Write Environment and Pioneers of Television. He currently works with top producer’s rep Jeff Porter of Porter Pictures on the placement of independent films.
Telly is the author of the Emmy magazine-cited TV’s Grooviest Variety Shows. His new book Culture War, on pop culture and politics, is now available on Amazon.

 

Registration is now closed as this event has passed.

Posted on by

WordPress For Writers 2016

wordpress-logo-stacked-rgb

Seminar
WordPress For Writers 2016
with Steven Sanchez

Saturday, November 19, 2016
10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
IWOSC members: $15
Non-members: $35

Doors open at 10:00.
Please arrive by 10:20 to be assured a seat.

“One of the easiest ways for an author to get a site up and running is to use Blogger or WordPress.”
 -Jane Friedman, author of Publishing 101, former Publisher of Writers Digest.

“If you really want to maximize your message, you’ll want to upgrade to self-hosted WordPress”
 -Michael Hyatt, author of Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World, founder of Platform University.

“We highly encourage you to use WordPress as the foundation of your website.”
 -Rick Frishman, author of Mistakes Authors Make, founder of Author 101 University.

Again and again, writing experts agree: WordPress is THE way to publish your website to the Internet. Among the many reasons for using WordPress:

  • Approximately 1/4 of the top 10,000 websites in the world use it.
  • It is THE most popular Content Management System (CMS) on the Internet and THE solution universally recommended for writers.
  • WordPress is designed to help you rank better with Google, Amazon, and the Social Media networks.
  • Free or low-cost Themes and Plugins make changing your website’s look or adding capabilities much easier than with any other solution.
  • The New York Observer, New York Post, TED, Thought Catalog, Williams, USA Today, CNN, Fortune.com, TIME.com, National Post, Spotify, TechCrunch, CBS Local and NBC all use WordPress.

You might be using something else. You might have tried WordPress and found it challenging. That’s ok. Like anything new, there are a few things to learn to get up and running successfully. But given WordPress’ popularity and nearly unanimous recommendation for writers, shouldn’t you take another look?

Would you like to know:

  • How to get started with WordPress or how to convert your existing site to WordPress without spending a fortune?
  • How to make your website mobile-friendly?
  • How WordPress has changed in the last year?
  • How writers use WordPress to do things like link to your book on Amazon (and elsewhere), include a YouTube video or Facebook post, or add new capabilities to your website?
  • How to get your website ranked by Google and improve your Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
  • What are the best plugins other writers are using?
  • How to secure your website from hackers?
  • Even how to improve your writing!
  • And much, much more!

Isn’t it worth a couple hours to get your questions answered, learn whether WordPress is right for you and discover what your next step might be to make your life easier and get your writing out to the world?

About our presenter

Steven_Sanchez_800STEVEN SANCHEZ is an Internet developer, consultant, speaker, international bestselling author and an IWOSC Board Member. For over 20 years he developed and managed integrated Web marketing solutions for industry-leading companies. Now he recommends WordPress as THE solution for nearly ALL websites.

Steven has conducted numerous workshops on all aspects of Internet marketing, from social media management to website development. He has also worked on several bestselling books on business success, homepage usability, and designing a website on a shoestring. Steven is currently working on several books for writers, as well as developing websites to help smarter writers develop their platforms, connect with their audience, and sell more books.

Registration info

IWOSC members: $15
Non-members: $35
Reservations are now closed. People without reservations will be admitted as space permits starting at 10:20 a.m.

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WordPress For Writers 2016

wordpress-logo-stacked-rgb

Seminar
WordPress For Writers 2016
with Steven Sanchez

Saturday, November 19, 2016
10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
IWOSC members: $15
Non-members: $35

Doors open at 10:00.
Please arrive by 10:20 to be assured a seat.

“One of the easiest ways for an author to get a site up and running is to use Blogger or WordPress.”
 -Jane Friedman, author of Publishing 101, former Publisher of Writers Digest.

“If you really want to maximize your message, you’ll want to upgrade to self-hosted WordPress”
 -Michael Hyatt, author of Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World, founder of Platform University.

“We highly encourage you to use WordPress as the foundation of your website.”
 -Rick Frishman, author of Mistakes Authors Make, founder of Author 101 University.

Again and again, writing experts agree: WordPress is THE way to publish your website to the Internet. Among the many reasons for using WordPress:

  • Approximately 1/4 of the top 10,000 websites in the world use it.
  • It is THE most popular Content Management System (CMS) on the Internet and THE solution universally recommended for writers.
  • WordPress is designed to help you rank better with Google, Amazon, and the Social Media networks.
  • Free or low-cost Themes and Plugins make changing your website’s look or adding capabilities much easier than with any other solution.
  • The New York Observer, New York Post, TED, Thought Catalog, Williams, USA Today, CNN, Fortune.com, TIME.com, National Post, Spotify, TechCrunch, CBS Local and NBC all use WordPress.

You might be using something else. You might have tried WordPress and found it challenging. That’s ok. Like anything new, there are a few things to learn to get up and running successfully. But given WordPress’ popularity and nearly unanimous recommendation for writers, shouldn’t you take another look?

Would you like to know:

  • How to get started with WordPress or how to convert your existing site to WordPress without spending a fortune?
  • How to make your website mobile-friendly?
  • How WordPress has changed in the last year?
  • How writers use WordPress to do things like link to your book on Amazon (and elsewhere), include a YouTube video or Facebook post, or add new capabilities to your website?
  • How to get your website ranked by Google and improve your Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
  • What are the best plugins other writers are using?
  • How to secure your website from hackers?
  • Even how to improve your writing!
  • And much, much more!

Isn’t it worth a couple hours to get your questions answered, learn whether WordPress is right for you and discover what your next step might be to make your life easier and get your writing out to the world?

About our presenter

Steven_Sanchez_800STEVEN SANCHEZ is an Internet developer, consultant, speaker, international bestselling author and an IWOSC Board Member. For over 20 years he developed and managed integrated Web marketing solutions for industry-leading companies. Now he recommends WordPress as THE solution for nearly ALL websites.

Steven has conducted numerous workshops on all aspects of Internet marketing, from social media management to website development. He has also worked on several bestselling books on business success, homepage usability, and designing a website on a shoestring. Steven is currently working on several books for writers, as well as developing websites to help smarter writers develop their platforms, connect with their audience, and sell more books.

Registration info

IWOSC members: $15
Non-members: $35
Reservations are now closed. People without reservations will be admitted as space permits starting at 10:20 a.m.

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Building a Career as a Young Writer

Panel:
You’ve Graduated — So Now What?
Building a Career — and Getting Your Foot in the Door as a Young Writer Today

Monday, October 24, 2016
7:30 to 9:15 p.m. (networking follows the program)

It was never easy to begin a career in writing, journalism, or entertainment — but despite the advances made by women and people of color, it often seems like the barriers, obstacle courses, and glass ceilings getting past the “gatekeepers” has gotten harder for everyone over the past 15 or 20 years, not to mention since the 2008 meltdown.

This month we deal with the challenges faced by young, Millennial and Generation X writers, and first-time writers (of all ages) at the beginnings and the early mid-points of their careers.
Scheduled topics will include:

  • How to apply for jobs in online journalism and Hollywood — do’s and don’ts
  • What are editors, literary agents, and human resources screeners looking for — and what do they demand — in young, starting-out writers
  • How to protect the accomplishments you have against being normalized and dissed (e.g. “Anybody can do what you do! What’s so special about you?”) and how to confront and deal with that treatment
  • What are the specific changes that have affected, and are continuing to affect, the writing marketplace. Are there “new rules” or double standards for youngsters starting out?
  • Gender and racial diversity issues from all sides, from straight white guys to people of color to LGBT and women
  • Building a personal brand and aiming for career stability

There will be moderated question-and-answer sessions from the audience, and time to network with the panelists afterward.

This month’s writers’ panel is part of a two-part look at the nuts and bolts of getting — and keeping! — employment as a writer.
Next month, on November 21, we cover age discrimination against older writers — and the legal and career remedies for it.

Our panel:

jeff-porterJeff Porter is the founder, President, and CEO of Porter Pictures, one of the leading producers’ services agencies in Beverly Hills, providing both sales and investment strategies to indie filmmakers and reality producers.

He has successfully sold projects to HBO, Showtime, Starz/Encore, Discovery, BET, and countless international outlets.  Recent films include The North Star (RLJ Entertainment), Live Life! (Discovery), Mouthpiece, But Not For Me, and nearly 100 other titles from the horror, comedy, urban, and documentary/reality genres.

Jeff has worked with the Las Vegas Black Film Festival, Tyler Perry Networks, spoken at BET-Noize and the Las Vegas Film Festival, and helped found the Center for Music and Film at his alma mater, the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

carole-kirschner-headshot-2013Carole Kirschner, Director of the Writers Guild of America’s Showrunner Training Program and the CBS Diversity Writers Mentoring Program, has a passion for helping aspiring writers, producers and executives break in, stay in and move up in the entertainment industry.

Having worked as a senior level television development executive for eighteen years (including at CBS and as head of Steven Spielberg’s first Amblin Television), Carole has heard over 3,000 pitches, bought hundreds of projects and was involved in developing dozens of television series.

She’s also helped hundreds of talented ambitious newcomers break into Hollywood.

Now an international speaker and entertainment career coach, she teaches creative professionals how to navigate the often mystifying field of show business.

Her book, Hollywood Game Plan: How to Land a Job in Film, TV and Digital Entertainment, published by Michael Wiese Publishing, is assigned as a textbook in film/television classes at various colleges and universities.

mike-vainisiMike Vainisi is the Head of Editorial at ATTN:, an issues-driven media company with a mission to deliver engaging content to a mobile-first audience. Every day ATTN: produces videos, articles and commentary telling stories worth your attention.

Since joining the team in November of 2014, he has been managing the daily editorial operations for both the video and written content. He oversees a team of editors and writers and works with the video team to ensure that ATTN:’s content is issue-driven. In just two years, with no paid growth, ATTN:’s content receives more than 2 billion monthly impressions and over 400 million monthly video views.

Mike studied journalism at the University of Illinois and cut his teeth on political campaigns before attending law school. Mike and his wife Allison live in Los Angeles.

Josh Grapes
Josh Grapes graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 2013, one of LA’s prodigal sons returned from the East.
He’s a freelance editor and teaches writing and editing classes within the Los Angeles Poets & Writers’ Collective.His work in the field provides both inspirational and financial support for his own writing, and he hopes to publish a collection of poems by the end of 2017.

Posted on by

Building a Career as a Young Writer

Panel:
You’ve Graduated — So Now What?
Building a Career — and Getting Your Foot in the Door as a Young Writer Today

Monday, October 24, 2016
7:30 to 9:15 p.m. (networking follows the program)

It was never easy to begin a career in writing, journalism, or entertainment — but despite the advances made by women and people of color, it often seems like the barriers, obstacle courses, and glass ceilings getting past the “gatekeepers” has gotten harder for everyone over the past 15 or 20 years, not to mention since the 2008 meltdown.

This month we deal with the challenges faced by young, Millennial and Generation X writers, and first-time writers (of all ages) at the beginnings and the early mid-points of their careers.
Scheduled topics will include:

  • How to apply for jobs in online journalism and Hollywood — do’s and don’ts
  • What are editors, literary agents, and human resources screeners looking for — and what do they demand — in young, starting-out writers
  • How to protect the accomplishments you have against being normalized and dissed (e.g. “Anybody can do what you do! What’s so special about you?”) and how to confront and deal with that treatment
  • What are the specific changes that have affected, and are continuing to affect, the writing marketplace. Are there “new rules” or double standards for youngsters starting out?
  • Gender and racial diversity issues from all sides, from straight white guys to people of color to LGBT and women
  • Building a personal brand and aiming for career stability

There will be moderated question-and-answer sessions from the audience, and time to network with the panelists afterward.

This month’s writers’ panel is part of a two-part look at the nuts and bolts of getting — and keeping! — employment as a writer.
Next month, on November 21, we cover age discrimination against older writers — and the legal and career remedies for it.

Our panel:

jeff-porterJeff Porter is the founder, President, and CEO of Porter Pictures, one of the leading producers’ services agencies in Beverly Hills, providing both sales and investment strategies to indie filmmakers and reality producers.

He has successfully sold projects to HBO, Showtime, Starz/Encore, Discovery, BET, and countless international outlets.  Recent films include The North Star (RLJ Entertainment), Live Life! (Discovery), Mouthpiece, But Not For Me, and nearly 100 other titles from the horror, comedy, urban, and documentary/reality genres.

Jeff has worked with the Las Vegas Black Film Festival, Tyler Perry Networks, spoken at BET-Noize and the Las Vegas Film Festival, and helped found the Center for Music and Film at his alma mater, the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

carole-kirschner-headshot-2013Carole Kirschner, Director of the Writers Guild of America’s Showrunner Training Program and the CBS Diversity Writers Mentoring Program, has a passion for helping aspiring writers, producers and executives break in, stay in and move up in the entertainment industry.

Having worked as a senior level television development executive for eighteen years (including at CBS and as head of Steven Spielberg’s first Amblin Television), Carole has heard over 3,000 pitches, bought hundreds of projects and was involved in developing dozens of television series.

She’s also helped hundreds of talented ambitious newcomers break into Hollywood.

Now an international speaker and entertainment career coach, she teaches creative professionals how to navigate the often mystifying field of show business.

Her book, Hollywood Game Plan: How to Land a Job in Film, TV and Digital Entertainment, published by Michael Wiese Publishing, is assigned as a textbook in film/television classes at various colleges and universities.

mike-vainisiMike Vainisi is the Head of Editorial at ATTN:, an issues-driven media company with a mission to deliver engaging content to a mobile-first audience. Every day ATTN: produces videos, articles and commentary telling stories worth your attention.

Since joining the team in November of 2014, he has been managing the daily editorial operations for both the video and written content. He oversees a team of editors and writers and works with the video team to ensure that ATTN:’s content is issue-driven. In just two years, with no paid growth, ATTN:’s content receives more than 2 billion monthly impressions and over 400 million monthly video views.

Mike studied journalism at the University of Illinois and cut his teeth on political campaigns before attending law school. Mike and his wife Allison live in Los Angeles.

Josh Grapes
Josh Grapes graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 2013, one of LA’s prodigal sons returned from the East.
He’s a freelance editor and teaches writing and editing classes within the Los Angeles Poets & Writers’ Collective.His work in the field provides both inspirational and financial support for his own writing, and he hopes to publish a collection of poems by the end of 2017.

Posted on by

Get on GetPublished! Radio-The Inner-workings of an Actual Podcast

Seminar
Get on GetPublished! Radio-The Inner-workings of an Actual Podcast

Saturday, October 15, 2016
10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

geraldjones_getpublishedBring your most perplexing questions about writing and self-publishing to this on-location recording of an hour-long GetPublished! Radio episode. Since its launch last April Fool’s Day, GetPublished! has gained listenership steadily. The show is now available as a podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Feedburner, TuneIn, Libsyn, and RSS feeds.

The show is also carried on iHeartRadio, which has an audience of 85 million, and on the Public Radio Exchange (PRX), which distributes to NPR broadcast radio stations nationwide.

GetPublished! announcer Bill Navarro quips that host Gerald Everett Jones has the answers – because he’s already made the mistakes himself. So, bring your questions to this recording session, step up to the mic, and challenge him on the air! Also calling him out will be the show’s new, we’ll-see-about-that Millennial co-host, Cheyenne Cockrell.

Gerald and Cheyenne will be joined by some special guests who will bring their own surprises.

Members of our team will do short Facebook video and social media teasers and the Podcast release should be later that day or the following morning on iHeartRadio and PRX.

You can visit GetPublished! Radio at GetPublished.guru.

About the host

Gerald Everett Jones is a freelance writer. Bonfire of the Vanderbilts, about an art scandal in 1890s’ Paris, is his sixth novel.

Before concentrating primarily on fiction, he authored, coauthored, or ghost-wrote more than thirty business and technical books, including How to Lie with Charts. That book has become a classic for college-level courses in business math, and Jones has conducted seminars on the topic of honesty in financial presentations.

He expounded on his notions of male-centered humor in his collection of short stories, Boychik Lit, which includes an essay in which he nominates novelist and poet Peter De Vries as the father of the genre. Jones authored the boychik-lit series of Rollo Hemphill’s comic misadventures: My Inflatable Friend, Rubber Babes, and Farnsworth’s Revenge. His next novel was Mr. Ballpoint, a father-son comedy based on the true story of the Pen Wars of 1945. Christmas Karma is his homage to Anne Tyler, about a dysfunctional Pasadena family that has to arrange a funeral and cope with uninvited guests during the holidays. His screenplay for Christmas Karma was recently featured in a WGA Diversity showcase.

Jones is a member of the Writers Guild of America, the Dramatists Guild, Women’s National Book Association, and Film Independent (FIND), as well as a director of IWOSC. He holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honors from the College of Letters, Wesleyan University, where he studied under novelists Peter Boynton (Stone Island), F.D. Reeve (The Red Machines), and Jerzy Kozinski (The Painted Bird, Being There).

He blogs at www.boychiklit.com and www.getpublished.guru He is a top reviewer on Goodreads.com and has hosted a regular book review segment on KRLA 870 AM radio in Los Angeles. His reviews are also published on the Web by Splash Magazines Worldwide.

Gerald will be joined on the show by co-host Cheyenne Cockrell, a recent journalism graduate from Humboldt State, and announcer / broadcast pro, Bill Navarro.

Gerald lives in Santa Monica, California, with his wife — actress-comedienne, writer, and animal activist Georja Umano — and two Jack Russell Terrorists, Roxie and Romeo.

Posted on by

Get on GetPublished! Radio-The Inner-workings of an Actual Podcast

Seminar
Get on GetPublished! Radio-The Inner-workings of an Actual Podcast

Saturday, October 15, 2016
10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

geraldjones_getpublishedBring your most perplexing questions about writing and self-publishing to this on-location recording of an hour-long GetPublished! Radio episode. Since its launch last April Fool’s Day, GetPublished! has gained listenership steadily. The show is now available as a podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Feedburner, TuneIn, Libsyn, and RSS feeds.

The show is also carried on iHeartRadio, which has an audience of 85 million, and on the Public Radio Exchange (PRX), which distributes to NPR broadcast radio stations nationwide.

GetPublished! announcer Bill Navarro quips that host Gerald Everett Jones has the answers – because he’s already made the mistakes himself. So, bring your questions to this recording session, step up to the mic, and challenge him on the air! Also calling him out will be the show’s new, we’ll-see-about-that Millennial co-host, Cheyenne Cockrell.

Gerald and Cheyenne will be joined by some special guests who will bring their own surprises.

Members of our team will do short Facebook video and social media teasers and the Podcast release should be later that day or the following morning on iHeartRadio and PRX.

You can visit GetPublished! Radio at GetPublished.guru.

About the host

Gerald Everett Jones is a freelance writer. Bonfire of the Vanderbilts, about an art scandal in 1890s’ Paris, is his sixth novel.

Before concentrating primarily on fiction, he authored, coauthored, or ghost-wrote more than thirty business and technical books, including How to Lie with Charts. That book has become a classic for college-level courses in business math, and Jones has conducted seminars on the topic of honesty in financial presentations.

He expounded on his notions of male-centered humor in his collection of short stories, Boychik Lit, which includes an essay in which he nominates novelist and poet Peter De Vries as the father of the genre. Jones authored the boychik-lit series of Rollo Hemphill’s comic misadventures: My Inflatable Friend, Rubber Babes, and Farnsworth’s Revenge. His next novel was Mr. Ballpoint, a father-son comedy based on the true story of the Pen Wars of 1945. Christmas Karma is his homage to Anne Tyler, about a dysfunctional Pasadena family that has to arrange a funeral and cope with uninvited guests during the holidays. His screenplay for Christmas Karma was recently featured in a WGA Diversity showcase.

Jones is a member of the Writers Guild of America, the Dramatists Guild, Women’s National Book Association, and Film Independent (FIND), as well as a director of IWOSC. He holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honors from the College of Letters, Wesleyan University, where he studied under novelists Peter Boynton (Stone Island), F.D. Reeve (The Red Machines), and Jerzy Kozinski (The Painted Bird, Being There).

He blogs at www.boychiklit.com and www.getpublished.guru He is a top reviewer on Goodreads.com and has hosted a regular book review segment on KRLA 870 AM radio in Los Angeles. His reviews are also published on the Web by Splash Magazines Worldwide.

Gerald will be joined on the show by co-host Cheyenne Cockrell, a recent journalism graduate from Humboldt State, and announcer / broadcast pro, Bill Navarro.

Gerald lives in Santa Monica, California, with his wife — actress-comedienne, writer, and animal activist Georja Umano — and two Jack Russell Terrorists, Roxie and Romeo.