Thursday, March 20, 2008

PROSTATE CANCER SURVIVOR ACKERMAN'S PLAY OPENS IN L.A.


Hal Ackerman, co-chair of the UCLA Screenwriting Department, has a play opening in Santa Monica. Check out this article from Yahoo News:
Actor-playwright Hal Ackerman takes a frank look at his own mortality in his poignant, humor-laced, autobiographical play, Testosterone: How Prostate Cancer Made a Man of Me, April 18-May 10 at The Powerhouse Theatre in Santa Monica, CA.

Ackerman - co-chair of the screenwriting program at the U.C.L.A. School of Theater, Film and Television - completed his treatment for prostrate cancer in 2001.

"I underwent a non-traditional hormone treatment that turned me into a chemical eunuch," he laughs. "The play is about how we define masculinity when the very thing that defines manhood is taken away. I look at all the relationships that define maleness: father, son, husband, friend and lover. It opens with what I jokingly call a 'manologue.'"

"Testosterone: How Prostate Cancer Made a Man of Me" was originally written as a long prose piece that was published in AARP magazine. After adapting it into a play, Ackerman has presented it at numerous prostate cancer conventions around the country including, most recently, the IMPAcT convention sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense and the Michael Milken Foundation.
Anyone who's ever attended screenwriting classes at UCLA knows Ackerman to be inspiring, insightful and wise. His book "Writing Screenplays That Sell - The Ackerman Way" is one of the best screenwriting books out there and one we recommend constantly. We look forward to what we're sure will be a great evening of theater. Good on ya, Hal!

Saturday, March 15, 2008

SHOWDOWN OF THE GODZ WORLD PREMIERE


SHOWDOWN OF THE GODZ HONORED AT 2008 BIG ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL

Big Island Film Festival, which celebrates independent narrative filmmakers and their movies, has selected Coverage, Ink's first production, SHOWDOWN OF THE GODZ, as part of its slate of films. Only 47 short and feature films from around the world were chosen.

A monsterous comedy with heart, SHOWDOWN OF THE GODZ demonstrates what devotion to Japanese monster movies can do to a marriage and a career. Jesse, the world’s biggest monster movie fan, is challenged to a trivia showdown with the soon-to-retire 84-year-old archivist and keeper of all knowledge for a major Japanese movie studio. But can Jesse keep his family and his job intact as he trains for the big event? Directed by Julien Calderbank, SHOWDOWN OF THE GODZ stars David Gasman (RAYMAN series, THE BOURNE IDENTITY,) Alixx Schottland, Craig “mUMS” Grant (OZ, BOSTON LEGAL,) adorable newcomer Ayla Guttman and the legendary George Takei (STAR TREK, HEROES) and features music by Blue Oyster Cult.


The Big Island Film Festival runs May 15–18 at Waikoloa Beach Resort on the famed Kohala Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. The movies are shown at two outdoor venues and one indoor venue. The festival also includes food and beverage events, an awards brunch, filmmaker panels, Hawaiian music and culture.

For information about SHOWDOWN OF THE GODZ, please contact Coverage Ink at info@coverageink.com. The website www.showdownofthegodz.com should be up by the end of March. For information about Big Island Film Festival visit www.bigislandfilmfestival.com or contact Leo W. Sears at 808-883-0394. Grab yer muu-muus and ukeleles and join us there!

Click HERE to check out the SHOWDOWN OF THE GODZ Facebook photo page.