Montclair Film Festival and Montclair State University Launch “Behind the Screen: Media Careers 101”

Montclair Film Festival Media Contact
Jillian Nannery, The TASC Group
(646) 723-4344
jill@thetascgroup.com

MONTCLAIR FILM FESTIVAL AND MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY LAUNCH

“BEHIND THE SCREEN: MEDIA CAREERS 101”

Film Professionals Participate on Panels to Educate Students on Careers in Film

(Montclair, New Jersey – November 22, 2011) – The Montclair Film Festival (MFF) has announced a unique new program for high school and college students interested in learning about jobs in the film, TV and media industries.  Presented in partnership with Montclair State University’s Film Program, “Behind The Screen: Media Careers 101”, is a day-long series of panels made up of working professionals who will describe their jobs, provide insight into the skills needed for those professions and the paths that they took to achieve them. Panelists are principally drawn from Montclair and surrounding communities and include many award winning filmmakers.

The panels are FREE to all students with an ID and will take place on Saturday, December 3rd at University Hall, Room 1070 on the campus of Montclair State University.

Susan Skoog, faculty member at Montclair State University’s Film Program said, “the MSU Film Program is very excited to be involved with the MFF and this symposium is a perfect collaboration. In this day and age with the difficult economy it’s especially important for students to not only understand what it takes to make compelling films but also what sort of industry jobs are out there and how to get them.”

Conrad Fink, filmmaker and member of MFF’s Board of Directors adds, “One of the primary goals of the MFF is to give back to the Montclair community.  The big event is in May, but we wanted to create this opportunity to nurture kids with an interest in film.  There are often no clear career paths to follow in film which makes it difficult to get guidance but, by drawing upon the abundance of people in Montclair that work in these fields, we can help provide that.”

The first annual Montclair Film Festival is slated for May 2-6, 2012 but the MFF has already become a presence in the Montclair community.  In September, MFF and MSU teamed up for a highly successful screening of Pray the Devil Back to Hell, the award-winning documentary featuring Nobel Prize Winner, Leymah Gbowee at MSU’s Kasser Theater.  The screening was followed by a “talk-back” with the film’s producer and director, Abigail Disney, Gini Reticker and MSU faculty member, Esperanza Brizuela-Garcia.  Additionally, MFF held an exclusive screening of Andrew Rossi’s critically acclaimed documentary, Page One: Inside the New York Times, featuring Montclair’s own David Carr, Media Columnist for the New York Times.  “Cinema Montclairisimo,” the free outdoor family film screenings series has taken place for the past two summers.  Stephen Colbert is helping to raise funds for the festival with a sold-out performance at the Wellmont Theater on Friday, December 2nd.

For more information on “Behind the Screen”, the schedule of panels, and registration information, please go to http://montclairnjfilmfestival.org/behind-the-screen/.

About the Montclair Film Festival (MFF):

The Montclair Film Festival (MFF) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to nurture and showcase the talents of filmmakers from around the world, while creating a cultural focal point for the Township of Montclair that unites, empowers, educates and celebrates our diverse heritage and robust artistic community.

About Montclair State University:

Montclair State offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, including nearly 300 majors, minors, concentrations and certificate programs. Located only 14 miles from New York City, the school also offers small class sizes that average 23 students. Eight residential facilities provide housing for 3,529 students. The 246-acre campus also provides a wide range of arts events and musical and theater performances throughout the year.