ILLUMINATE'S Take Twenty Mentoring Sessions Shines

As part of their Conscious Film Convergence (CFC), the ILLUMINATE Film Festival hosts the extraordinary Take Twenty Mentoring Sessions. The brainchild of festival founder Danette Wolpert who envisioned what twenty minutes of uninterrupted, full focus, one-on-one time with an industry leader would do for a filmmaker, the sessions are an unique opportunity for emerging voices in the industry. Participants can discuss projects, ask questions, and pick mentors' brains on finance, producing, marketing, distribution, impact strategy and more.

Over a dozen industry luminaries in the field of conscious entertainment will participate as mentors, including writer producer and founder of the Spiritual Cinema Circle Stephen Simon and John Raatz, who along with author Eckhart Tolle and actor Jim Carrey, co-founded the Global Alliance for Transformational Entertainment.

A storied veteran in the entertainment industry, Stephen Simon was the head of production for film companies owned by legendary Hollywood producers Ray Stark (Funny Girl, The Goodbye Girl, The Way We Were) and Dino De Laurentiis (Serpico, La Strada, 3 Days of The Condor). As an executive, Stephen supervised the development and/or production of films such as Smokey and The Bandit, Kuffs, The Cheap Detective, Russkies, and The Electric Horseman. He personally produced such acclaimed projects as the Academy Award winning What Dreams May Come (starring Robin Williams and Cuba Gooding Jr.), the cult classic Somewhere in Time (Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour), and All The Right Moves (Tom Cruise). Simon directed and produced Indigo and the film version of Conversations with God. In 2004, Simon co-founded The Spiritual Cinema Circle, a monthly DVD distribution service that became an immediate international success. The Circle is now in its 15th year with subscribers in all fifty United States and around the world.

John Raatz is the founder and principal of the pioneering "transformational" marketing & PR firm, The Visioneering Group, whose mission is Linking Spirit, Vision & Progressive Values with Compassionate Communication to Promote a Positive and Sustainable Future. Established in 1988, Visioneering exclusively serves the Cultural Creatives (body/mind/spirit) market and was the first such firm to do so. An industry veteran, Raatz has represented scores of clients including foremost transformational authors, performers, and thought leaders including Eckhart Tolle, Fritjof Capra, Peter Russell, Daniel Quinn, Madonna, Kenny Loggins, Donovan and films including Mindwalk, A Brief History of Time, What the Bleep Do We Know!?, Peaceful Warrior, The 11th Hour, and Tom Shadyac's I AM. Most recently Raatz was appointed Executive Director of the David Lynch Masters in Film Program at Maharishi University of Management. Raatz and GATE have joined with Pacifica Graduate Institute to create the world's first certificate program in transformational storytelling.

In addition to acting as a Take Twenty mentor, Raatz is part of the Pitching With Presence panel with Valerie Vandermeer, the Founder of Post Paradigm Consulting & Scaling Change on Saturday, June 2nd. From conceiving, crafting and developing a pitch to avoiding sabotaging body language, this workshop will show participants how to master one of the most challenging aspects of the film industry.

2017 ILLUMINATE Festival alumni Adam Schomer is also acting as one of this year's Take Twenty mentors. Adam Schomer produced and released the feature documentary HEAL (2017), which made its world premiere at ILLUMINATE last year. The film looks at the science and journey behind changing one's beliefs, thoughts, emotions and perceptions in order to cure disease. HEAL is a #1 Best-Selling Documentary on iTunes.

Other Take Twenty participants include Claire Aguilar, Director of Programming at the International Documentary Association, Corinne Bordeau, the founder and visionary behind 360 Degree Communications, Conscious Good founder Trina Wyatt, Good Influence Films founder JoAnne Fishburn, writer and producer Beverly Camhe, founder of Gathr Films Scott Glosserman, social media expert Mark DeNicola, and former director of UCLA's Global Media Center for Social Impact, Sandra de Castro Buffington. Take Twenty participants can sign up online for a maximum of three sessions (as available). The deadline is May 23.

Take Twenty is available to Filmmaker, All-Access or Convergence pass holders on a first-come, first-served basis. The Conscious Film Convergence Pass, available for $199, also includes unlimited access to Conscious Film Convergence panels and conversations with top industry professionals. If you are involved in the conscious film industry, or dream of being involved, the CFC is a must see and do opportunity.

For tickets and passes, go to: http://illuminatefilmfestival.com/tickets-passes.

ILLUMINATE Film Festival, the world's premier film festival for conscious cinema, will be held May 30-June 3, 2018. CFC events will be held at the Sedona Performing Arts Center, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Road, Sedona, AZ.

For more information, visit www.ILLUMINATEFilmFestival.com.

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