If you were lucky enough to get a seat in Chad Gervich’s class about writing and pitching TV shows, then you know what a great and chatty guy he is. In fact, we had him all set to come to StoryStudio from LA to teach another class this December.
Then he cancelled, citing a crazy work schedule.
Well, we have to admit, he’s got a great reason!! Chad is working on the new ”The Wanda Sykes Show,” FOX’s new late-night talk show, which premieres Saturday night at 11 pm. Chad writes, “I’m actually a huge Wanda fan, so I’m very excited to be working on it. It’s kind of a hybrid between a traditional talk show, but it also uses a panel-- like ‘Chelsea Lately’-- and clips, like “‘The Daily Show.’”
Who isn’t a Wanda Sykes fan???!!!! She stole my heart a couple years ago when she started popping up on TV to do guest spots on sitcoms and the Jay Leno show. Of course, she’s been a regular on the TV show, “The New Old Christine.”
So I’ll be home watching on Saturday night and while I know I’ll be laughing with Wanda, I’ll be riveted to the screen watching for Chad’s name. KUDOS!!!
Our very own Jason Hardy, who teaches our Science Fiction & Fantasy writing classes, will be a featured reader at the next Orange Alert Press reading series. He’ll be reading on June 28th, 6 PM, at the Whistler, 2421 N. Milwaukee, Chicago.
Jason’s been teaching at StoryStudio since we were at the old space. His SciFi classes are terrific and we’re working to keep him busy here at the studio. He’s also an incredibly prolific writer, including five published novels, including Drops of Corruption and Principles of Desolation, which were both released in 2006. Just over a dozen of his short stories have been published, and he is a regular contributor to the Battlecorps web site. His work has also been published by Nth Degree and in the compilation Ghost Breakers: Sinister Sleuths.
If you haven’t been, Orange Alert gets some great Chicago readers. As a press, they’re located right here in Illinois (St. Charles to be exact).
Kudos Jason! Happy Reading.
If you’re a screenwriter in the Los Angeles area on June 13th and 14th, check out the Great American PitchFest – a two-day festival where writers, directors, and filmmakers network, take classes, and pitch their ideas to agents and production companies.
StoryStudio instructor Chad Chmielowicz will participate in the “Making it Reel” panel on Saturday, June 13 at 10:30 a.m. He’ll speak with such reality producers as Tim Crescenti (“I Survived a Japanese Game Show”) and Donna Michelle Anderson (“Big Brother,” “Queer Eye for the Straight Girl”).
For more information, or if you’d like to start planning for next year, check it out at http://www.pitchfest.com.
The personal essay is such a fascinating form because it’s so, well personal. Our instructor, Ranjit Souri, has a new Mother’s Day essay printed in India Currents this month where he has a regular column. I’ve known Ranjit for a couple years now since he walked into the studio with a very organized notebook of essays and teaching materials. But what’s been lovely has been learning all the different facets to Ranjit, the many talents he was born with and has chosen to develop. For instance, I’ve seen Ranjit perform his comedy (really funny!), I’ve heard his songs and enjoyed his piano playing, and of course I’ve read his essays. But for some reason, this one really got to me. It’s a Mother’s Day essay so yes, it’s about his mother.
I won’t give you any more information but I do encourage you to take a read and then spend a few minutes to think about the power of the essay; its ability to keep you sitting in your chair long after you’ve finished reading. Its skill at getting to the heart of the matter in comparatively few words. And its potent look into an author’s soul.
Well done Ranjit!
(The essay is storming its way onto the radio waves a lot these days. If this is your genre, check out Writing the Radio Essay.)
It’s really a lot fun to post these short announcements when StoryStudio students and instructors get published. This week, our favorite Freelance Magazine class instructor Erin O’Neill Mott let us know she’s the lead story on a military spouse website she contributes to while her husband is stationed overseas. Kudos to Erin!
Take a look at the website called CinChouse, a website for military wives and women in uniform.
Erin: we can’t wait to have you back in Chicago!
