You are Invited to The Hollywood Disabilities Forum October 24

I AM PWD (AEA, AFTRA, SAG), WGA AND ALLIANCE FOR INCLUSION IN THE ARTS INVITE YOU TO JOIN US FORTHE HOLLYWOOD DISABILITIES FORUM

AN EXECUTIVE INDUSTRY FORUM ON THE ACCURACY, INCLUSION AND ACCESS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN ENTERTAINMENT. FIFTY-SIX MILLION AMERICANS -- 20% OF THE US POPULATION -- HAVE A DISABILITY. DESPITE BEING THE LARGEST MINORITY GROUP IN THE COUNTRY, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE VIRTUALLY INVISIBLE IN ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA. THE HOLLYWOOD DISABILITIES FORUM WILL FOCUS ON THE BEST PRACTICES OF INDUSTRY PIONEERS WHO INCORPORATE STORIES FEATURING CHARACTERS WITH DISABILITIES AND WHO HIRE PERFORMERS WITH DISABILITIES FOR TV, FILM, RADIO AND STAGE PRODUCTIONS. JOIN US FOR THIS UNIQUE AND GROUNDBREAKING EVENT!

DATE AND LOCATION:
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2009 (9-5 PM) @ UCLA SCHOOL OF THEATER, FILM AND TELEVISION

PANELISTS INCLUDE:
KEYNOTE: PETER FARRELLY (THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY)
VINCE GILLIGAN*, RJ MITTE (BREAKING BAD)
DARYL "CHILL" MITCHELL, JANIS HIRSCH (BROTHERS)
DAVID MILCH, GERI JEWELL (DEADWOOD)
ROBERT DAVID HALL (CSI); DANNY WOODBURN (SEINFELD); LINDA BOVE (SESAME STREET)
WITH A SPECIAL VIDEO APPEARANCE BY RICKY GERVAIS (THE OFFICE)

* SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY

RSVP TO DIVERSITY@SAG.ORG OR (323) 549-6644 BY OCTOBER 16, 2009. WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY AND ASL INTERPRETERS WILL BE AVAILABLE. IF ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS ARE REQUIRED, PLEASE NOTIFY US AT LEAST ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE EVENT. PARKING IN STRUCTURE 3: FREE WITH HANDICAP PLACARD; $10 OTHERS.

THIS EVENT IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL, NATIONAL ARTS AND DISABILITY CENTER AND UCLA SCHOOL OF THEATER, FILM AND TELEVISION.

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9 – 9:30 a.m. – Welcome and Introductions/Continental Breakfast
9:30 – 11:30 a.m. – Concurrent ACTORS and WRITERS Workshops
• 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. – Actors Master Class
• 10 – 11:30 a.m. – Writers “Business Impression Management” Workshop
12 – 12:30 p.m. – Box Lunch
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. – Keynote Address: How Far is Too Far?
2 – 3:30 p.m. – Joint Actors/Writers Panel: People Who Do This For A Living
4 – 5 p.m. – Networking Reception
Map & Directions: http://www.tft.ucla.edu/about/map/

PROGRAM DETAILS:
Master of Ceremonies: Robert David Hall (CSI), National Chair of Performers With Disabilities (PWD) Committee
Special Video Appearance: Ricky Gervais (The Office)

ACTORS MASTER CLASS
I AM PWD presents an “Actors Master Class” for actors with disabilities to perform five-minute scenes for critique and direction by a Master Teacher, in front of an audience of fellow actors, casting directors and interested industry professionals, to demonstrate non-traditional casting and showcase the great wealth of untapped professional disabled actors in the industry.
Master Teachers: Bill Duke* (Sister Act 2); Howard Deutch* (The Replacements); Paul Kampf (Breadline Productions); and additional TBA. Casting Director: April Webster (April Webster & Associates)

BUSINESS IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP
Writers Guild of America, West presents “Business Impression Management”, a workshop for professional and aspiring writers with disabilities presented by Carole Kirschner, career consultant and creator of CBS Diversity Institute Writers Mentoring Program and Program Director for WGAW Showrunner Training Program.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS - How Far is Too Far? Finding the Comedy in Disability
Peter Farrelly (There’s Something About Mary; Dumb & Dumber; Me, Myself & Irene) discusses How Far Is Too Far in depicting people with disabilities in comedy and various forms of art and media.
Keynote introduction by: Geri Jewell (Facts of Life; Deadwood).

PANEL DISCUSSION – People Who Do This For A Living: Integrating People with Disabilities in Entertainment
This joint actors/writers panel introduces writers/producers who have been creating stories and characters with disabilities for years. They will be joined by working actors with disabilities, the small handful seen and heard on television, film and stage. Both actors and writers will share best practices: why and how they do this for a living, including the many creative and business benefits of integrating people with disabilities in entertainment.

Panelists: Linda Bove (Sesame Street; Deaf West Theatre); Vince Gilligan* (Breaking Bad); Janis Hirsch (Brothers); David Milch (Deadwood); Daryl “Chill” Mitchell (Brothers); RJ Mitte (Breaking Bad); Margaret Nagle (Warm Springs); Dr. Olivia Raynor (National Arts and Disability Center); Danny Woodburn (Seinfeld).
Moderated by: Allen Rucker, Chair of WGAW Writers with Disabilities Committee.

NETWORKING RECEPTION – Wine and Cheese Reception for Participants

*Subject to Availability

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