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CINE Newsletter - November 2007 IN THIS ISSUE: President’s Letter
I’m Donald Thoms, the new President of the Board of Directors here at CINE. Welcome to our Fall Edition Newsletter. Besides being the President of the Board, I’m also the Vice President of Talent Development for Discovery Communications. I'm honored to be a part of this incredible organization and happy to have so many talented Board members to collaborate with. This is CINE’s 50th anniversary year, and we are very proud of the many years we have celebrated the works of experienced filmmakers, as well as student and emerging filmmakers. This year we have so many brand new and exciting things for you. Please visit our website often and if you can, please tell us your ideas that can make this organization better for you. I want to tell you about our newest addition the website: CINE’s Master Class Series. This feature offers webcast interviews with some of the best minds in the film and television industry: directors, writers, actors, producers, heads of networks, and musicians. In these interviews, you’ll get a chance to understand the craft, the science and the passion that these extraordinary people have. Ken Burns is our very first Master. I met Ken several years ago when I was a programming executive at PBS and the masterpiece The Civil War had just finished broadcasting. It was an amazing time! Ken is just as brilliant in this interview as he was back then. I hope you enjoy his chat with former CINE President Mathew Tombers. We are lining up many more Masters for you. This is our other big news … I want to introduce you to our brand new Executive Director, Wendy Revel. Wendy is an amazing bundle of energy and intelligence who has been planning ways to make CINE bigger, better and more important to you. She comes to us from the state of Georgia, where she practiced law, performed on stage, and got involved in politics and fundraising. In Washington, D.C., she was Staff Director for Congressman Ben Jones, consulted with the American Jewish International Relations Institute and began raising her two children. Wendy has a great enthusiasm for CINE and she’s delighted to be a part of this team. The Board is so lucky to be working with her. There is so much more in this edition. We hope you keep coming back! The Board of Directors is excited about the 50 years that CINE is celebrating. Come celebrate with us!
Sincerely, The CINE Master Class Series … Featuring Ken Burns
We are delighted that our first Master Class is with Ken Burns, the celebrated documentarian. Mr. Burns’ first film was Brooklyn Bridge; his first award, a CINE Golden Eagle. More than twenty five years and fifteen Golden Eagles later, he is one of the preeminent documentary filmmakers of his — or any — generation. His latest work, The War, an epic miniseries on World War II, premiered in September on PBS to record ratings and critical praise. Former CINE President Mathew Tombers spoke with Mr. Burns about his passion for history, the state of nonfiction film, and “being accepted into the club” of filmmakers by winning his first Golden Eagle Award. Click here
to listen to the audiocast Click here to read the transcript The CINE Honorary Board of Directors CINE’s mission — to serve emerging and established film, video and new media professionals and to honor them with our prestigious award — has enabled us to enhance the careers of many, and has put us in the paths of some truly exceptional people. In its first half-century, CINE has a remarkable track record for its early recognition of talent. As we begin our next fifty years, we are honored to introduce our Honorary Board of Directors, comprised of some notable CINE Golden Eagle Award winners and others who have had a significant impact on the industry of mass media. In 1969, the then-unknown Steven Spielberg was awarded a CINE Golden Eagle for his first film, Amblin’. In the years following, Mr. Spielberg has written, produced and directed a number of celebrated films through his production company, Amblin Entertainment, including E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial, Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan. He is one of most respected professionals in the film industry, and through his remarkable films he has won awards, audiences and hearts around the world. The pre-eminent documentarian of his generation, Ken Burns won his first CINE Golden Eagle Award for Brooklyn Bridge in 1981. This early achievement was followed by critically acclaimed documentary series such as The Civil War, Baseball and Jazz. Mr. Burns has won 16 Golden Eagle Awards and was presented with the CINE Leadership Award in 2003. Jennifer Lawson, the general manager of Howard University Television (WHUT), has been a pioneering influence in film and television. As Vice President of National Programming for PBS, she oversaw the groundbreaking Ken Burns’ series The Civil War, which drew 50 million viewers. Through her company, Magic Box Mediaworks, Ms. Lawson developed for PBS the eight-part Africa series. Called the "dean of documentary filmmakers," Albert Maysles is a renowned producer and director. Along with his brother, David, Mr. Maysles pioneered the "direct cinema" (or "cinema verité") style of nonfiction film, and his films Salesman, Gimme Shelter and Grey Gardens are considered three of the seminal films in the history of American documentary filmmaking. Mr. Maysles is the recipient of eight CINE Golden Eagle Awards and the CINE Lifetime Achievement Award. Legendary composer Marvin Hamlisch is one of only two people in history to have won the five major American awards for performance: the Academy Award, the Emmy Award, the Tony Award, the Grammy Award, and the Pulitzer Prize. He is best known for writing the scores of A Chorus Line and The Way We Were. He has composed the music for three CINE Golden Eagle Award-winning productions, and in 1989 he served as the musical director for A Salute to Broadway: Chorus Lines, which also received a Golden Eagle Award. Renowned for his influential broadcast journalism, Bill Moyers has been the recipient of over thirty Emmys, the Peabody Award, two CINE Golden Eagles and the CINE Leadership Award. In 1986, he and his wife, Judith Davidson Moyers, founded an independent production company, Public Affairs Television (PAT), which has produced hundreds of hours of programming, including Moyers Reports, Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth and NOW with Bill Moyers. Mr. Moyers currently hosts Bill Moyers Journal for PBS and serves as the president of the Schumann Center for Media and Democracy. A featured personality on NBC’s The Today Show, Bob Dotson is a longtime friend of the CINE organization. He has won two CINE Golden Eagle Awards (and multiple Emmys) for his work as a journalist, as well as serving as a former member of CINE’s Board of Directors and the longtime host of the annual CINE Awards Gala in Washington, D.C. Mr. Dotson hosts American Story with Bob Dotson, a recurring segment of The Today Show that features "the extraordinary in ordinary lives." As the general manager of VOOM HD Networks, Greg Moyer is helping to pioneer the high-definition revolution of television content. Mr. Moyer oversees the operation of VOOM's high definition channels, which comprise the "the world's largest suite of high-definition content for distribution," with programming in the areas of sports, movies, fashion, music and art. Mr. Moyer previously worked for Rainbow Media and Discovery Communications, where he served as Chief Creative Officer. In 2005, Johnathan Rodgers was named the President and CEO of TV One, a new cable and satellite network targeted for the African American community. Providing a wide variety of content, TV One “offers a broad range of lifestyle and entertainment-oriented programming that respects their values and reflects their intellectual and cultural diversity.” Mr. Rodgers was previously the President of Discovery Networks U.S., where he oversaw all of the programming and operations for the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, TLC, The Travel Channel and many others. We are honored to have these distinguished professionals join us in this capacity. We are proud to celebrate their achievements as we continue to honor emerging and established filmmakers, bringing CINE’s past and future together. CINE and the International Visitor Leadership Program
The filmmakers (pictured, from left: Pyotr Slesarenko, Dmitriy Kachanov, Larysa Artiugina, Elena Voloshyna and Dmitriy Kozhema) spoke at length about their backgrounds and the Ukrainian film industry, while showing a great interest in CINE’s history and present work. The panelists found an interesting connection in each group’s relationship to the Cold War-era of filmmaking. CINE was created at the height of the Cold War in 1957, with a primary function of promoting American values overseas by disseminating the best American documentary films to international film festivals. In contrast, the Kiev-based filmmakers explained that the Ukrainian film industry has grown from the ashes of the Soviet experience, flourishing in the years since the demise of the USSR. They described the climate of Ukrainian film as youthful, vibrant and creative, full of fresh young filmmakers tapping into a bevy of unrealized ideas. The visiting filmmakers were also excited to promote the Ukraine as an ideal place for film shoots. The Ukraine boasts the largest sound stage in Europe, a set 2500 square meters in size. In addition, the diversity of cultures, scenery, climates and architecture provides filmmakers a variety of locations to utilize. Explained Elena Voloshyna, "Anyone that has been to the Ukraine leaves amazed and impressed, wanting to go back." The filmmakers will continue touring the United States until early November, with other stops in Baltimore, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Santa Fe and New York City. The trip was coordinated by Delphi International of World Learning for International Development in conjunction with the U.S. State Department. CINE Executive Director David L. Weiss Retires It’s been my great pleasure to get to know many of you, and to have worked with such a wonderful group of Board and staff members over the years. How can I express my thanks? I have far too little space here to adequately acknowledge everyone who has helped me and who has been devoted to CINE during this period. But I do want to be sure to thank Bruce Bucklin, who served so ably and tirelessly as Director of Competitions during my entire tenure, and Betsy Walters, the wonderful successor to Bruce. My gratitude goes also to all the dedicated CINE Board members who have worked so respectfully and effectively with me over the years, and who have put in so much volunteer time in support of CINE’s mission. Our current President, Donald Thoms, and our immediate past President, Mat Tombers, have been particularly kind to me and generous in the time and resources that they have devoted to CINE. I also cannot forget to pay tribute to Mary Frost, CINE’s longstanding competition committee chair, who has been a friend and supporter of the very highest order. Thanks also to all of you who enter the competition and who serve as volunteer jury chairs and judges. You are as integral a part of CINE as the rest of us, because CINE exists for you. Lastly, congratulations to my charming and skilled successor, Wendy Revel. I know Wendy will do a great job in running the show and positioning CINE for its next 50 years! I pledge her my unending support, and I hope you all will do the same. Au revoir and best to all. Sincerely, CINE Sponsors CINE thanks its distinguised sponsors for their
generous support.
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Hello Everyone! 
CINE
is proud to present our new Master Class Series,
audiocasts of conversations with those who have shaped the
media, including legendary filmmakers, journalists, and other
personalities…many of whom are CINE Golden Eagle Award winners. 
CINE
Board Member Leslie Sewell, an accomplished filmmaker, and
Betsy Walters, the CINE Director of Competitions, recently met
with a group of Ukrainian filmmakers touring the United States
as part of the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor
Leadership Program, which seeks to promote "mutual understanding
through communication at the personal and professional levels."
Hello
everyone in the CINE world. As you can see from the announcement
above, I have retired after nearly seven years as Executive
Director of CINE. I am proud to have served this wonderful
organization, and to have had a role, however small, in
CINE’s distinguished history of supporting and rewarding
the best in film and video. 
