Roman Coppola and American Zoetrope Meeting with Ringling College to Discuss Collaborative Film Projects and Teach Digital Filmmaking Studio Lab
Sarasota, FL (PRWEB) October 25, 2013 -- Ringling College of Art and Design today announced that noted filmmaker Roman Coppola and American Zoetrope producer Michael Zakin will be at Ringling College on November 4th and 5th to explore the potential for collaborative film projects as well as teach a Digital Filmmaking Studio Lab Master Class.
“Roman and I are excited to visit Sarasota and to grow the relationship with Ringling College that we began on ‘Life after Beth’,” stated American Zoetrope producer Michael Zakin. “The idea to produce a film on campus with Ringling students is one that very much appeals to us and we look forward to making great headway in this endeavor.”
Ringling College worked with American Zoetrope on Aubrey Plaza and John C. Reilly’s feature film ‘Life After Beth’ this past summer following Aubrey’s stint as a guest lecturer at Ringling College last season. The benefit of these collaborative projects extends not just to Ringling Digital Film students – students from all Ringling disciplines have the opportunity to be involved, from initial set design to final marketing and advertising program development.
“These are precisely the kinds of opportunities we created the Digital Filmmaking Studio Lab to develop,” stated Ringling College president Dr. Larry R. Thompson. “A collaborative feature film project with Roman and American Zoetrope would provide mutual benefit on many levels for the producers, our students and our community. Ringling students have had the opportunity to work and learn with Werner Herzog on ‘Death Row’, Forest Whitaker on ‘Peace Earth’ and Aubrey Plaza on ‘Life after Beth’, among others.”
The fifth season of the Digital Filmmaking Studio Lab is kicking into high gear with Justin Long arriving on campus on November 2nd. Ringling’s focus this season is to develop future engagements providing real-world production experience on various collaborative projects with visiting filmmakers. Mr. Long came to Ringling College last year with Sam Rockwell and is now returning to teach and collaborate with Ringling on a wide range of projects. After Justin, Roman Coppola and Michael Zakin will be on campus on November 5th with Luke Wilson and Matt Dillon scheduled for later this season. Anna Paquin, Werner Herzog and Forrest Whitaker are all also returning this season.
“We have been successfully working to create true collaborations with filmmakers we admire,” said David Shapiro, director of the Digital Filmmaking Studio Lab and Future of Films co-founder. “Working with American Zoetrope this summer provided Ringling Digital Film students with an invaluable experience. We firmly believe working directly on commercial productions will ensure Ringling graduates future success as filmmakers."
Roman Coppola is a film, commercial and music video director and attended New York University's film school at the Tisch School of the Arts. Coppola's feature-film debut, ‘CQ’ premiered at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. Coppola has directed clips for artists including Arcade Fire, Daft Punk, Moby, Green Day, The Strokes and Fatboy Slim. His music video for Phoenix's "Funky Squaredance" was invited into permanent collection at the New York Museum of Modern Art. Roman is also accomplished television commercial director as well, having worked with for Geico, Microsoft, Coca-Cola and Honda.
Roman has worked in other areas of film production, including second unit direction for such films as ‘Bram Stoker's Dracula’, ‘Jack’, ‘The Rainmaker’, ‘Youth Without Youth’ and ‘Tetro’ (all five directed by his father Francis Ford Coppola), ‘The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou’, ‘The Darjeeling Limited’ (both films by Wes Anderson; Darjeeling was co-written and produced by Coppola) and his sister Sofia Coppola’s ‘The Virgin Suicides’ and ‘Marie Antoinette’. Coppola also co-wrote the film ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ with Anderson, which earned him an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay nomination. Coppola's most recent feature film is ‘A Glimpse Inside The Mind Of Charles Swan III’, staring Charlie Sheen, Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray. Coppola is co-owner of American Zoetrope with his sister Sofia Coppola.
About Ringling College of Art and Design
Ringling College of Art and Design is a private, not-for-profit, fully accredited college offering the Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in 13 disciplines: Advertising Design, Computer Animation, Digital Filmmaking, Fine Arts, Game Art & Design, Graphic Design Illustration, Interior Design, Motion Design, Painting, Photography & Digital Imaging, Printmaking and Sculpture, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in the Business of Art & Design. Located on Florida's Gulf Coast, the picturesque 48-acre campus now includes more than 100 buildings, and enrolls nearly 1,300 students from the United States and abroad. It is recognized as being among the best and most innovative visual arts colleges in the United States as well as a leader in the use of technology in the arts. http://www.ringling.edu.
About Future of Films, LLC.
Future of Films leverages unique opportunities in media production and content focusing on convergences between traditional and new media. Co-founders Sam Logan (Sarasota) and David Shapiro (New York) are leveraging their extensive relationships in the entertainment industry to grow the Ringling Digital Filmmaking Studio Lab, a groundbreaking project that combines education with film development. The Studio Lab is designed to provide Ringling College of Art and Design students with hands-on experience with top-tier directors, producers, writers, and cinematographers as well as to help Sarasota become a film industry destination.
Rich Schineller
rschinel (at) ringling.edu
941.780.8100
Rich Schineller, Ringling College of Art and Design, http://www.ringling.edu, 941-780-8100, [email protected]
Share this article