Luxury Universal [e]Xperience Sponsors Indie Filmmaker Panel

Luxury Universal [e]Xperience invites to a special UCC event.

"WHAT I DID FOR LOVE: The trials of an indie filmmaker."

A diverse group of filmmakers, many with beginnings in the live theater, share stories, answer questions, and present a few moments of their latest opus. This festive networking event brings together tomorrow's cinematic artists today.

Friday, August 4
6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Magno Screen Room
729 7th Avenue, NYC

Contact Jay Michaels at 646-338-5472 or JMAE.events@gmail.com for reservations.

The panel includes:

James Crafford is an actor/director and playwright, studied with the legendary Stella Adler who produced his first play at her studio. He was a guest member of the Actor's Studio playwriting unit under Harold Clurman and Elia Kazan. His indie movie CHEPACHET, originally done as a full-length play at American Theatre of Actors, won two Best Drama awards in international film festivals.

Diana Foronda - born and raised on Long Island - graduated from Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, achieving a B.A. in Film with Departmental Honors. Diana interned at film production companies in Manhattan and work studied at the Hollins Marketing Department as their assistant videographer. She aspires to be a film director with emphasis on dark comedy.

Jeff Frumess is a regional independent filmmaker working in White Plains NY. His debut feature, "Romeo's Distress", won best screenplay for a feature at the Macabre Faire Film Festival AKA "Sundance with Fangs". Romeo has been nominated twice for Best Feature at Macabre Faire and Toxic Film Festival in Italy. He is currently working on his next feature called "The Goo-Goo Muck".

Eric Ford Holevinski founded Hayride Films in 2012. He has produced numerous short films and music videos, including "Star Trek 420: Borough on the Edge of Forever," and worked as the head of video production for CityMD in New York City.

Carrie Edel Isaacman is co-director and producer of short film, "Unshamed" and producer and actor in the short film, "Joy" - both screened at New FilmMakers New York, with New World Cinemas who took the film to Cannes. Joy, written by Robert Strozier and directed by Elena Araoz, was originally a short play produced at Workshop Theater Company and is an adaptation from Chekhov's short story and Unshamed was a concept that I brought the screen writer, Diane Shilling, about cyberbullying.

Sonja O'Hara is an award-winning Canadian actress and filmmaker, Sonja was selected as one of the "Ten Filmmakers To Watch" by Independent Magazine, chosen by a jury from MovieMaker Magazine, the Sundance Institute and Austin Film Festival. Sonja created and starred in the critically acclaimed series "Doomsday" for which she and co-director Jaspal Binning won the "Best Director" award at The New York Television Festival last year.

Marcus Slabine worked in the film industry, full time, working on films and TV shows such as The Dark Knight Rises, The Amazing Spider Man 2, Premium Rush and TV shows such as Gossip Girl, MYSTERIES AT THE MUSEUM and indie films like Disappearance Of Elenor Rigby, and Angriest Man In Brooklyn. Marcus is currently hired to shoot a feature film NICK AND NICKY which stars Sean Young and in post on a new horror film, THE LAST CALL, which he wrote and directed starring DAY OF THE DEAD's Terry Alexander.

Laurie Rae Waugh, a theatrical director and stage manager with numerous awards for her stage work including the Jean Dalrymple Award (off-off Broadway's first honor), appeared in as well as served as a producer and co-director on Steve Silver's acclaimed film, The Watchtower, currently circulating national and international film festivals.

Christopher D'andre Williams has credits that include HBO's BOARDWALK EMPIRE and New York Raining music video. He wrote and directed award winning short, "The Audition" as well as a Taratinoesc short, "Relentless Scoundrels" which premiered at the Urban Action Showcase as well as Culver City Film Festival in Culver City California. He wrote two screenplays: "Horny Cannibals" and "Wicked Games" (with Andrew James Poole) currently in competition at Hip Hop Film Festival.

Johnny Zito, a filmmaker, born and based in Brooklyn, NY, studied under Mike Nichols at New Actors Workshop in NYC. His short film "a la Mémoire de Lune" is exclusive to film festivals, with a public release in the near future. The screenplay was an official selection of REBEL SEED Films & Entertainment Short Script Showcase 2016.

Joining the panel will be representatives from Luxury Universal [e]Xperience (LUX) who will discuss Proscenium Verité: The Ultimate Viewing [e]Xperience. Their exclusive UVX Cinematic Program allows LUX DELUXE Patrons the power to alter a film, catering it to their own viewing pleasure.

LUX, a world leader in experiential entertainment in the 1980s and 1990's, returns in the 21st Century with this revolutionary way to enjoy the cinema. This innovative and interactive method will be unveiled at this screening event featuring LUX's recent acquisition, the independent feature HOLMÉ. "Our method allows LUX Deluxe Patrons to join the filmmaker in the creation and augmentation of a movie," says John Pointe, spokesperson for LUX. "With the help of trained ushers and administrators, audiences will be provided with the Future of Tomorrow's Cinema... Today ... or at least starting in October," John said with a smile.

Holmé, shown in UVX format, will be screened for three weeks at the Abrons Arts Center, 466 Grand Street (at Pitt Street), New York City, from October 13 through November 5.