Consultants

Mr. Jerome Courshon, Distribution Guru

Jerome is an award-winning Producer/Writer, whose first movie was the critically acclaimed indie God, Sex & Apple Pie, ultimately released by Warner Bros.

His journey was profiled in the Los Angeles Times and documented on iFilm.com. Having acquired enormous experience from playing "the game" of getting distribution for his own movie, he has since written articles and primers on distribution for MovieMaker Magazine, Indie Slate Magazine and Film Festival Today. After assisting a number of different filmmakers in getting real distribution for their movies, Jerome decided it was time to "spread the gospel."

While the so-called 3rd battle of moviemaking is getting distribution -- generally considered the hardest battle to wage -- it is not as difficult when you know what to do. His desire to get the information out there and educate filmmakers gave birth to the groundbreaking seminar, "The Secrets to Distribution: Get Your Movie Distributed Now!"

 

Mr. Richard Morris, Sound Editor

Richard had a passion for movies all of his life, and has given a great deal of thought to the power of the stories they tell. As a sound editor, he has had the opportunity to have an amazing impact on the quality of those stories. Sound editing also takes advantage of his natural talent for sync.

Because Richard has been using editing systems since he was 13, systems like Pro Tools have become second nature - almost as if it is an extension of his hands, which allows him to work very fast. In addition, he's written stories, scripts, and a feature length stage play that he later directed, produced, shot and edited. He's also been creating films, wearing the hat of writer, editor, director, producer and anything else that needed to be done. Which means he has the capacity to "see" sound and communicate from the perspective of each person's role.

Sound editing also utilizes the skills he gained in ten years of playing the cello. Reading the screen is not unlike reading music. There is a logic to it, and when you understand how to follow that logic, you are also able to hear where a unique expression and artistry fits in. To Richard, this is communicating with sound.

 

Mr. Jeffrey Hardy, Film Financials

Jeffrey is president of FilmProfit, LLC, is the co-author of FilmProfit software and the sole author of The FilmProfit Guide To Film Distribution Deals, a respected primer to the deals in the key film distribution markets.

Jeffrey has acted as an expert resource for Hollywood Reporter, Fortune Magazine, The Washington Times, WSYR radio and The Black Film Report, among other publications, and interviews with Jeffrey have appeared in The Independent magazine, Black Talent News, Cue Magazine and FACES Magazine. His products and projects have been profiled in In Motion Magazine, MacWeek Guide to Desktop Video, Film/Tape World, Release Print Magazine, Movie Business Report and other industry publications, and FilmProfit contributed to The Independent Film and Videomaker's Guide (2nd ed.).

He has presented multiple all-day workshops for the Institute for Independent Film Finance and lectured by invitation to Media and Entertainment MBA students at The University of California Berkeley, and on the East and West coasts for the Independent Feature Project. He has appeared by invitation before the California Film Commission, National Media Network, Creative Financing Conference, The Boston Film and Video Foundation, Black Hollywood Film Festival, and other organizations as a lecturer and panelist on creative and business issues for independent films.

For two and a half years, Jeffrey served as the president of the Independent Feature Project of Northern California and drove it through its most successful high-growth period. He also founded the Independent Filmmakers of Northern California, which he headed for three years. This organization was consolidated into IFP under his tenure there.