"Preview Edition" Launches with Andy Garcia

Hollywood's Master Storytellers is launching a "Preview Edition" to showcase new movies. The series will debut with Andy Garcia and his new movie about the famous artist "Modigliani."

Hollywood, CA (PRWEB) May 6, 2005 -- Hollywoods Master Storytellers Entertainment expands its flagship production with the launch of Hollywoods Master Storytellers Preview Edition" on May 10 at ArcLight Hollywood with the critically acclaimed film Modigliani, produced by and starring Andy Garcia, it was announced by Gordon Meyer, Hollywoods Master Storytellers creator and host. The new program will feature a mix of studio-based and independent features prior to their theatrical release.

Meyer and his producing partners Nadine Hamdan and John Culton, who share executive producer credits on the prestigious series, selected Modigliani as the premiere presentation of Hollywoods Master Storytellers Preview Edition after seeing Garcia win the Indie Producer Award for Outstanding Contribution to Film at the 2005 IP Awards Gala. Modigliani is the critically acclaimed true story of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani and his rivalry with Pablo Picasso. Ive been a fan of Andys as an actor for years, and recently discovered how talented he is as a producer" said Meyer. He was so passionate about how his love of independent films drove him to develop and produce movies like Modigliani that I just looked at John and Nadine and we immediately knew he was someone we had to bring to Hollywoods Master Storytellers. My brother saw Modigliani in Paris last year and raved about it, as have critics all over the world. When the opportunity came up to present Modigliani prior to its theatrical release, we jumped on it."

Although the Hollywoods Master Storytellers team works closely with all the major studios, they also maintain a passionate independence. One of the things that makes a Hollywoods Master Storytellers appearance so prestigious in the creative community is that we are very particular about who we invite to participate," explains Culton. From the very beginning, whether its an up and coming talent like screenwriter Stephen Susco (The Grudge) or a seasoned Academy Award® winning producer/director like James Cameron, weve always focused on talent. As a result, weve developed such a stellar reputation in the industry that studios and publicists are increasingly approaching us about showcasing their films and clients."

From the very beginning, studios, distributors and the publicity community have embraced Hollywoods Master Storytellers as an important venue to showcase the industrys top talent. In fact, our very first show under the Hollywoods Master Storytellers brand was sponsored by a major studio in support of its Awards Season campaign for one of their films," Meyer explained. Its the kind of endorsement that means a lot to filmmakers because only a few people who work in Hollywood can truly be considered Master Storytellers."

The home entertainment divisions of the studios have long recognized the value of an HMS presentation as a promotional tool, according to Nadine Hamdan, one of the founding partners of Hollywoods Master Storytellers Entertainment and VP of Marketing and Development for the company. According to Hamdan, about a third of Hollywoods Master Storytellers presentations are associated with DVD releases. For some time, the folks on the theatrical side have been asking us to create a program that will draw on the strength of the Hollywoods Master Storytellers brand to help build and generate advance word of mouth on certain features. We now have that vehicle with Hollywoods Master Storytellers Preview Edition." Hamdan said."

Although studios have been using pre-release screenings as a promotional tool since the early days of the motion picture industry, theyre increasingly curious about the tools that a Hollywoods Master Storytellers Preview Edition presentation will give them them." explains Culton. Because we feature these incredible conversations with the filmmakers, theres automatically a lot more interest in the event. But HMS is a lot more than that thanks to the fact that we professionally videotape each program." Hollywoods Master Storytellers Entertainment makes their videotapes available to the studios to distribute as part of an overall publicity package, including electronic press kits, webcasting and inclusion in the satellite-fed video pre-shows that are now seen in thousands of theatres around the country. Hearing these behind the scene stories told by the Storytellers themselves generates phenomenal interest," adds Culton. Hollywoods Master Storytellers Entertainment also provides video highlights of its programs to websites all over the world through its sister company, FilmStew.com, one of the entertainment industrys largest and most influential interactive information portals with millions of visitors annually. The cumulative effect of exposure through both the flagship and Preview editions of Hollywoods Master Storytellers is substantial and growing and the studios know it. Thats why theyve asked us to create this new version," said Culton.

About Hollywoods Master Storytellers: Twice a month, Hollywoods Master Storytellers showcases the motion picture industrys most fascinating Storytellers at ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood. Since its launch in January 2003, HMS has been host to such luminaries as Academy Award® winning writer/director James Cameron, Academy Award® winning actor/director Gary Sinise, director Richard Donner, DreamWorks principal and co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg and actor/producer/director George Clooney. A broadcast version is currently in development. Hollywoods Master Storytellers, which is open to the public, provides audiences with the opportunity to meet some of Hollywoods best Storytellers, telling the always-fascinating Great Stories Behind the Great Stories" and is a production of Hollywoods Master Storytellers Entertainment. FilmStew.com is the official online home of Hollywoods Master Storytellers. Visit Hollywood's Master Storytellers at: http://filmstew.com.

About ArcLight Hollywood: ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood, created by Pacific Theatres, represents a new evolution in the movie going experience. The beautifully designed facility, which opened in March 2002, offers an unprecedented combination of technology, amenities, comfort, and customer service. Facilities include the historic Cinerama Dome and 14 state-of-the-art black box" auditoriums as well as a café bar and a cinema-focused gift shop. Tickets can be purchased online without a fee and printed at home, at the theatres automated ticketing kiosks, lobby box office and over the phone. Plus, ArcLight offers a fee membership program with purchasing rewards and other members-only benefits. ArcLight Hollywood is located at 6360 W. Sunset Boulevard, between Vine and Ivar. For more information about ArcLight visit www.arclightcinemas.com

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