Join the Virginia Production Alliance on Wednesday, May 12 at 7PM for an exclusive online interview and Q&A with Virginia native David Crank, a 2021 Oscar nominee for the Tom Hanks film News of the World. Mr. Crank has worked for more than two decades in film, including Knives Out, There Will Be Blood, Concussion, Hannibal, and Fools Rush In. He… Read more »

Georgetown University’s School for Summer and Continuing Education invites you to Narrative Screenwriting: Careers for Writers in Film in Television, a 35-minute Knowledge @ Noon webcast hosted by faculty member Kevin Downs on May 6 @ 12:10 PM.   Admission is free and open to the public.  For more information and to register, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/narrative-screenwriting-careers-for-writers-in-film-and-television-tickets-151493805049

The W&M Global Film Festival is offering 15 free production workshops from alumni working in the arts and entertainment industry, running March 22-27. The full list of sessions is below. All workshops are hosted on Zoom and are free and open to the public. Registration, full session details, and presenter bios are available at wmglobalfilmfestival.com/workshops.  … Read more »

Film Case Study: NOBODY WANTS US Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 6:30 PM Register Here: https://bit.ly/3uedziP Laura Seltzer-Duny and Robert Kanner will share their multi-year journey to bring the doc, NOBODY WANTS US to audiences. The program doesn’t stop there!  In addition to sharing how the film was produced, they will also share how the… Read more »

The Virginia Production Alliance will be hosting a PBS Programming Distribution Workshop with American Public Television February 25 @ 7 p.m. Register HERE Submit your questions for the PBS Team to answer at the workshop HERE We’ll be featuring special insights from the actual PBS Distribution team on what they are looking for when considering the works… Read more »

Did 2020 set back your acting career? Get back on track with our online Acting for Film and Television course! https://www.finalactdrama.com/screen-acting.html Online Acting for Film and Television Course Online Screen Acting Course over Zoom Final Act Drama presents this 5-week acting course, designed to prepare an actor for commercials, feature films, and TV performance.  … Read more »

Join the VPA for our December virtual event featuring Anne Chapman! Dec 15 at 7:00 PM – Virtual Zoom With more than 25 years of casting experience in film and television, Anne Chapman has a keen eye for finding just the right actor to fit a part. Anne’s deep knowledge of Virginia’s actor and crew base makes… Read more »

Kevin Downs is offering two 6-week screenwriting courses this Winter/Spring. Introduction to Screenwriting will occur every Saturday, 11:00am-2:00pm, from January 16th through February 20th. Advanced Screenwriting will occur every Saturday, 11:00am-2:00pm, from March 13th through April 24th. The course will be held over zoom and costs $495. Kevin Downs has years of experience teaching at… Read more »

Register today for an actor-to-actor discussion about Tom Belgrey’s career — coast-to-coast. From studying with Stella Adler to taking direction from Steven Speilberg, you’ll want to hear Tom’s anecdotes and tips for fellow thespians. This virtual event is tomorrow, don’t miss it!   Register here: https://virginiaproductionalliance.org/event-4028783

ODU’s Department of Communication & Theatre Arts is proud to present an exciting upcoming online event! “But What I Really Want To Do Is Direct: Lessons From a Life Behind the Camera” With Film & TV Director Ken Kwapis (The Office, He’s Just Not That Into You) A Zoom Event Moderated by ODU Film Program Prof. Diane… Read more »

If you are a small business, non-profit, or sole proprietor affected by COVID-19, please take a minute to review the below info to see if you are now eligible for grant assistance, or now eligible for more funds even if you were approved and received assistance from this program already. Governor Northam’s grant program REBUILD… Read more »

Docs in Progress is offering a remote course led by Paul Moon to educate students on digital storytelling. This virtual class is designed for anyone new to documentary editing. 6 Zoom sessions will introduce participants to editing software and techniques. Costs range from $375-$425. Contact the Interim Executive Director, Barbara Valentino, through (301) 789-2797 or… Read more »

Opportunity: Research Assistance This Fall, the course “Research for the Arts” at Hollins University is looking for research projects. University students in the class will work with a filmmaker or arts organization to provide research materials for an upcoming production or event. The final product will be a research dossier for the writer or director;… Read more »

Q&A with the legendary Kasi Lemmons, writer/director of “Harriet”! She’s also known for “Eve’s Bayou,” “Talk To Me,” “Self Made” and acting in films like “Silence of the Lambs”!   On Thursday, August 20, writer/director Kasi Lemmons will share her writing process & directorial vision behind “Harriet” and her experience directing “Eve’s Bayou” and “Self Made.” The Q&A will be held on a… Read more »

Georgetown University’s Center for Continuing and Professional Education is offering two courses in Screenwriting this Fall – Introduction to Screenwriting and Advanced Screenwriting: Narrative Workshop – via the virtual conferencing interface Zoom. These affordable six-week classes are being taught by Kevin Downs, an independent filmmaker/writer who optioned four screenplays for theatrical films and held key creative positions… Read more »

Please join us for a presentation by longtime VPA lobbyist Josh Myers where he will answer questions about the state of film incentives and how you can get involved in legislative activity. Josh has represented the VPA on Capitol Hill for more than a decade, helping to increase the Virginia film incentive program in the process. Josh… Read more »

**Film/production companies, sole proprietors, and independent contractors in the industry that meet additional listed criteria can qualify for this program. Please see below.** Governor Ralph Northam today announced $70 million for small businesses and nonprofit organizations whose normal operations were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding will be made available through Rebuild VA, a… Read more »

Please join us for a chat with B.K. Fulton, CEO of Virginia-based Soulidify Productions and the SoulVision.tv streaming app. His film, “1 Angry Black Man,” is now streaming on the Byrd Theatre’s Virtual Screening Room. B.K. Fulton is founding chairman and CEO of Soulidifly Productions, LLC, a full feature film, stage and television investment and production… Read more »

DC Camera continues to sponsor special zoom discussions as part of their Ready to Roll Initiative, about the status and future of film production during the pandemic. This week features the topic of all ‘All Things Locations,’ with Virginia’s very own Andy Edmunds, film commissioners from DC and Maryland, and experienced location manager Wes Hagan… Read more »

Georgetown University’s Center for Continuing and Professional Education is offering Introduction to Screenwriting, this summer via the virtual video conferencing interface Zoom. This affordable six-week class is being taught by Kevin Downs, an independent filmmaker/writer who has written screenplays and held key creative positions with several Academy, Emmy, and Grammy Award-winning/nominated producers, directors, and recording… Read more »

Virginia is currently open to all safe, responsible production, following the suggested best health and safety practices set forth by the Virginia Department of Health, and Governor Northam’s Guidelines for All Business Sectors. The Virginia Film Office places the highest priority on the health and safety of our film community members.  As localities continue to enact measures toward… Read more »

Who: Light House Studio What: Summer Film Academy Where: Online When: June 1 – August 21 (workshops are one week, M – F) How Much: Prices vary. Financial aid available. See our website for more details.   2020 ONLINE SUMMER FILM ACADEMY UPDATE We hope you and your families are figuring your ways through quarantine.… Read more »

Who: Light House Studio What: Online Masterclass with Hollywood Executive Jocelyn Diaz (bio below) When: May 19, 5:30 – 6:30pm EST Where: Online via Zoom link How: Register on our website HERE and pay what you can ($20 suggested value) About Jocelyn Diaz After graduating from the University of Virginia in 1999 with a degree in… Read more »

Richmond International Film Festival presents the RIFFx Online Series, co-presented by the RIFF Arts Institute. Monday, May 4 at 2pm RIFFx Series episode features 16 BARS with some very special guests! Catch it at 2pm Eastern time via Facebook Live Broadcast @ Facebook.com/RVAFilmFest