Behind the Scenes

Jeff Witzeman is the director of the recent film Cancer Can Be Killed, which explores alternative, non-toxic treatment options for cancer. Learn more at cancercanbekilled.com. You can connect with Laura at www.laurapowers.net, on Facebook @thatlaurapowers, on Twitter @thatlaurapowers, and on Instagram @laurapowers44.

Jeff Witzeman is the director of the recent film Cancer Can Be Killed, which explores alternative, non-toxic treatment options for cancer. Learn more at cancercanbekilled.com. You can connect with Laura at www.laurapowers.net, on Facebook @thatlaurapowers, on Twitter @thatlaurapowers, and on Instagram @laurapowers44.

Mark Pellington is an American film director, writer, and producer. He worked at MTV from 1984–1990 winning awards as promo producer and created the landmark TV show Buzz.

He became a freelance director in 1990 doing videos for U2, Crystal Waters, De la Soul and Pearl Jam. His video for Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" won many MTV awards in 1993.

In 1994, his Music Video for Whale's song "Hobo Humpin' Slobo Babe" won the inaugural MTV Europe Music Award for Best Video. He then directed Arlington Road in 1999 starring Tim Robbins and Jeff Bridges, as well as The Mothman Prophecies in 2002, starring Richard Gere dealing with mysterious deaths[1] foretold by a strange red-eyed flying creature, Mothman.

Film-wise, he also co-directed U2 3D (2005), Henry Poole Is Here (2008), I Melt with You (2011), The Last Word (2017) with Shirley MacLaine and Amanda Seyfried and the recently premiered film Nostalgia. Find more about Mark at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0671210/. You can connect with Laura at www.laurapowers.net, on Facebook @thatlaurapowers, on Twitter @thatlaurapowers, and on Instagram @laurapowers44.

Jen McGowan is a director based in Los Angeles. Her first feature KELLY & CAL (starring Juliette Lewis, Cybill Shepherd & Jonny Weston) premiered at SXSW Film Festival where she won the Gamechanger Award. The film was released by IFC Films to rave reviews. Entertainment Weekly described her work as having "the unhurried, naturalistic instincts of Nicole Holofcener or Alexander Payne".
McGowan got her start with award-winning short films, CONFESSIONS OF A LATE BLOOMER and TOUCH, both of which played at over a hundred festivals in the US and abroad.

She is the creator of filmpowered.com, a skill-sharing, networking and jobs resource for professional women in film and television. With over 1,400 active members, Film Powered was named Best in LA of 2016 by LA Weekly, was featured on Indiewire and is part of the Sundance Women’s Initiative Resource.

You can also find more about Jen at her website www.jenmcgowan.com and by following her on Twitter @IAmJenMcG. You can connect with Laura at www.laurapowers.net, on Facebook @thatlaurapowers, on Twitter @thatlaurapowers, and on Instagram @laurapowers44.

Elliot V. Kotek is an Australian award-winning producer, filmmaker, and photographer, as well as CEO and founder of The Nation of Artists and founder and editor-in-chief of Beyond Cinema. To learn more about his work check out nationofartists.com. He is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Beyond Cinema magazine. You can connect with Laura at www.laurapowers.net, on Facebook @thatlaurapowers, on Twitter @thatlaurapowers, and on Instagram @laurapowers44.

Elliot V. Kotek is an Australian award-winning producer, filmmaker, and photographer, as well as CEO and founder of The Nation of Artists and founder and editor-in-chief of Beyond Cinema. To learn more about his work check out nationofartists.com. He is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Beyond Cinema magazine. You can connect with Laura at www.laurapowers.net, on Facebook @thatlaurapowers, on Twitter @thatlaurapowers, and on Instagram @laurapowers44.

Pilar Alessandra is the director of the screenwriting and TV writing program On the Page®, host of the popular On the Page Podcast and author of the top-selling book “The Coffee Break Screenwriter.” She started her career as Senior Story Analyst at DreamWorks SKG and, in 2001, opened the On the Page Writers’ Studio in Los Angeles where she directs her screenwriting and TV writing program On the Page®. Her students and clients have written for The Walking Dead, Modern Family, Grey’s Anatomy, Lost and Family Guy. They’ve sold features and pitches to Warner Bros, DreamWorks, Disney and Sony and have won the prestigious Nicholl Fellowship, Austin Screenwriting Competition and Warner Bros. TV Writing Workshop. In addition to her private classes taught out of the On the Page Writers’ Studio, Pilar has trained writers at ABC, Disney Animation, CBS and hosted the 2016 Pitch Conference at the American Film Market. Learn more about Pilar’s work at www.onthepage.tv You can connect with Laura at www.laurapowers.net, on Facebook @thatlaurapowers, on Twitter @thatlaurapowers, and on Instagram @laurapowers44.

Camille Brown most recent work is the The Nth Ward which tells a story in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. We discussed tips for submitting to film festivals including how to ensure that film festivals actually watch your submission. Learn more about the film at http://www.thenthward.com or watch it on Amazon. You can connect with Laura at www.laurapowers.net, on Facebook @thatlaurapowers, on Twitter @thatlaurapowers, and on Instagram @laurapowers44.

John Trengrove is the director and co-writer of the South African drama film The Wound. The Wound is South Africa's official submission for the 90th Academy Awards, Best Foreign Language Film. It tells a story of a closeted love affair in the context of a rite-of-passage to manhood in the traditional Xhosa cultural group. You can connect with Laura at www.laurapowers.net, on Facebook @thatlaurapowers, on Twitter @thatlaurapowers, and on Instagram @laurapowers44.

Steve La Rue is a veteran television development executive with 20+ years experience having championed such iconic series as Buffy The Vampire Slayer, The X-Files, The Simpsons, King of the Hill, Battlestar Galactica and Farscape. He is also a writer/performer having logged many hours onstage at The Groundlings, Pinata, Muse Literary Salon, and To Whom It May Concern. We discussed what's hot in tv and what's not right now. His blog, www.SurfingHollywood.com, chronicles his chill view of all things entertainment. You can connect with Laura at www.laurapowers.net, on Facebook @thatlaurapowers, on Twitter @thatlaurapowers, and on Instagram @laurapowers44.