Pitt Welcomes Hollywood Insiders to Speak on New Film and Life Inside the Entertainment Industry

PITTSBURGH-The University of Pittsburgh will welcome producer Dana Jackson and writer/director Kurt Voelker to discuss their award-winning independent film, "Park," at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 27, Room 1700, Posvar Hall, 230 Bouquet St., Oakland. The student-film organization Pitt in Hollywood is sponsoring the event.

In addition to a discussion of the film, Jackson and Voelker will speak of their various experiences within the film industry. Jackson is a former resident of Mount Lebanon, Pa., who attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She has worked as director of development at Castle Rock Entertainment, senior vice president of Hunt/Tavel Productions, and the head of development for Freestyle Pictures. Voelker directed his first film, "Decade of Love," while attending the University of Southern California's (USC) Graduate School of Cinema-Television. Since graduating from USC in 1995, Voelker has worked as a writer producing the screenplays for "Park" and "Sweet November."

Park, which will premiere at the South Side Works Cinema Sept. 28, has won a number of awards, including Best Screenplay at the 2007 Fylmz Festival and the Bud Abbot Award at the 2007 Garden State Film Festival. The film stars William Baldwin, Ricki Lake, and Cheri Oteri.

Pitt in Hollywood is a student organization that aims to "demystify" how the film industry works by providing Pitt students with networking opportunities and internships in the film industry. Former guest speakers of the organization include John Dellaverson, producer for Lion's Gate Films; Ron Nyswaner, screenwriter for the film "Philadelphia"; Rusty Cundieff, director for the sketch comedy "Chappelle's Show"; and Louie Anderson, comedian and star of "Life with Louie" and "Family Feud."

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Mickey Newman at 412-576-7240 or Jen Florian at 412-624-6564.

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9/25/07/tmw