Month: August 2021

We would like to invite all Anaheim University students and alumni to attend our next Live from Hollywood guest speaker, Highland Film Group President of International Sales, Todd Olsson, on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 from 5:00 – 6:00 PM California time (PST). Todd Olsson adds to Highland Film Group a unique perspective; studio and indie experience on both the creative development and production side, coupled with extensive experience in financing, international marketing and distribution. Holding a Fine Arts degree in Cinema from Brigham Young University, Todd began his career at the Walt Disney Company as Director of Acquisitions at BVHE, acquiring more than 100 titles and managing the studio’s Studio Ghibli deal. He then went into the world of independent film, working in international sales positions for such companies as Mark Damon’s MDP and Lakeshore Entertainment. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0Ta9bM-A8yqSJ3eaaL5Yk79U-UXrXoe16AC44oxzF2Px1vw/viewform Todd Olsson, President of International Sales, adds to Highland Film Group a unique perspective; studio and indie experience on both the creative development and production side, coupled with extensive experience in financing, international marketing and distribution. Todd began his career at The Walt Disney Company as Director of Acquisitions for international at BVHE, over the next six years Todd acquired more than 100 titles. He also managed the Miyazaki (Studio Ghibli) deal for the studio, valued at over $1 billion. Todd co-produced English language versions of KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE and CASTLE IN THE SKY, working with Kirsten Dunst, Anna Paquin, Cloris Leachman, Andy Dick, James Van Der Beek, and many others. He was also integral in the dubbing and release of PRINCESS MONONOKE with Claire Danes and Billy Bob Thornton through Miramax. Todd left Disney to join independent film producer Mark Damon’s MDP (Behaviour, [now Media 8]) as VP International Sales. He handled such films as THE MUSKETEER, EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, FEAR.COM, and EXTREME OPS, along with a substantial library. Then Todd became Head of International for four years at Promark/Zenpix and American World Pictures, handling acquisitions, overseeing marketing, sales and worldwide distribution. For the next six years, Todd worked as head of International for Bauer Martinez Studios and then Mark Amin’s Sobini Films, when the company was paired with Lionsgate. Those Sobini titles included BURNING BRIGHT, GARDENS OF THE NIGHT (Exec Producer), and THE PRINCE & ME 2, and he was instrumental in developing Sobini titles: STONEHEARST ASYLUM and upcoming ZORRO: THE BLACK FOX, starring Gael García Bernal to be directed by Jonás Cuarón (in pre-production). At Bauer Martinez, Todd handled development, licensing, financing and marketing for such films as THE FLOCK (Richard Gere, Claire Danes), I COULD NEVER BE YOUR WOMAN (Michelle Pfeiffer, Paul Rudd), and THE GROOMSMEN (Ed Burns, Brittany Murphy), and for North American distribution; HARSH TIMES (Christian Bale) and VAN WILDER 2. Following Bauer Todd was brought in as SVP International at Lakeshore Entertainment, working with titles AGE OF ADALINE, THE VATICAN TAPES and WALK OF SHAME and developing an innovative and progressive plan to reinvigorate sales on their considerable library over the next few years. Todd spent several recent years as Head of International (SVP) at International Film Trust. At the time the company completed Stephen King’s CELL (John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson), Werner Herzog’s SALT AND FIRE (Michael Shannon, Gael Garcia Bernal), AND THEN I GO, and TO THE STARS. Todd then joined Highland film group as President of International Sales. Some current projects include THE TIGER RISING (Dennis Quaid, Queen Latifa), BANDIT (Mel Gibson, Josh Duhamel) THE MISFITS (Pierce Brosnan, Nick Cannon, Tim Roth, Jamie Chung), WASH ME IN THE RIVER (Robert DeNiro, John Malkovich, Jack Huston), NOT WITHOUT HOPE (Matthias Schoenaerts), MEDIEVAL (Ben Foster, Michael Caine), TWICE CUT (Samuel L. Jackson, Naomi Watts, Pete Davidson). Todd has a Fine Arts degree in Cinema from Brigham Young University

We would like to invite all Anaheim University students and alumni to attend our next Live from Hollywood guest speaker, President and Owner of Film Mode Entertainment, Clay Epstein, on Friday, Aug 27, 2021 from 7:00 – 8:00 PM California time (PST). Todd Olsson adds to Highland Film Group a unique perspective; studio and indie experience on both the creative development and production side, coupled with extensive experience in financing, international marketing and distribution. Holding a Fine Arts degree in Cinema from Brigham Young University, Todd began his career at the Walt Disney Company as Director of Acquisitions at BVHE, acquiring more than 100 titles and managing the studio’s Studio Ghibli deal. He then went into the world of independent film, working in international sales positions for such companies as Mark Damon’s MDP and Lakeshore Entertainment. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0Ta9bM-A8yqSJ3eaaL5Yk79U-UXrXoe16AC44oxzF2Px1vw/viewform Clay Epstein is the President and Owner of Film Mode Entertainment, a worldwide sales and distribution entity with a producer friendly initiative. The company has quickly become competitive with such films as CRYPTO starring Kurt Russel, LITTLE PINK HOUSE starring Catherine Keener and the upcoming SLAYERS starring Thomas Jane, Malin Ackerman and Abigail Breslin Clay Epstein began his career working as a Production Manager for local television before graduating from California State University, Northridge. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts, majoring in Film Production and minoring in Italian Language. He landed his first job in Distribution with Kushner-Locke and worked his way from Production Assistant to Worldwide Sales Coordinator. In 2001, he was hired as Sales Director at Overseas Filmgroup. While there, he helped transition the sales division from Overseas Filmgroup to First Look Studios. He was promoted to Director of Operations and then Sales Executive where he oversaw the sales of 300 titles. In 2006, Clay joined the newly created sales and production company, The Little Film Company as VP Sales & Acquisitions. He helped grow the company into a leading boutique sales agency representing prestigious titles such as TSOTSI (2006, Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language), THE LAST STATION (2010, Academy Award Nominee for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role) and EYE OF THE STORM (2012, AACTA Winner for Best Lead Actress). In 2012, Clay joined Arclight Films, as Senior Vice President Sales & Acquisitions responsible for all aspects of Marketing and Distribution. He was instrumental in acquiring and representing high profile films such as Paul Schrader ’s DOG EAT DOG starring Nicolas Cage, and the Spierig brothers’ PREDESTINATION starring Ethan Hawke. Clay is an Executive Producer, an instructor at UCLA Extension, and a frequent lecturer at film festivals worldwide. He is the Vice Chairperson of Independent Film and Television Alliance, a member of PGA, FIND, BAFTA LA, and the Australian Academy Cinema Television Arts.

Anaheim University will hold an online Open TESOL Conference on Sat. Aug. 28th PDT open to the public at no charge. The Anaheim University 2021 TESOL Residential Session will be held online from Thursday, August 26th to Saturday, August 28th, 2021 PDT for Anaheim University TESOL students and graduates. AU TESOL graduates may register to attend up to 3 of the non-public sessions at no charge. To register for the Open TESOL Seminars, click here. The sessions will be led by Anaheim University’s distinguished TESOL faculty and guest speakers, including: Dr. Sandra McKay, Anaheim University TESOL Prof Dr. David Nunan, David Nunan TESOL Institute Director, founding Dean of the Anaheim University Graduate School of Education & former President of TESOL International Association Dr. Julie Choi, Anaheim University Alumnus & University of Melbourne Senior Lecturer in Education (Additional Languages) Dr. Rod Ellis, Anaheim University Senior TESOL Professor & Founding Department Chair The online residential session is part of Anaheim University’s online graduate degree programs in TESOL: Online Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MA in TESOL) Online Doctor of Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Ed.D. in TESOL) Tentative 3-Day Schedule (Subject to change) All times are Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). Click here for a World Time Converter.  * Session Numbers 11, 12 & 13 in red are open to the public at no charge. Register here. Abstracts Inspiration, Motivation, Humiliation: Outstanding Teachers’ ReflectionsKathleen Bailey, Ph.D. Teachers influence learners in ways beyond promoting the mastery of skills and knowledge. Indeed, attitudes and emotions are also important part of the relationships among teachers and students. In this interactive presentation, we will explore the ways in which several award-winning teachers were inspired and motivated by their own teachers. But looking at the dark side of the past, we will also learn how their teachers humiliated and discouraged them. Participants will reflect on their own experiences and think about how they wish to be remembered by their future students. Value-Driven Research: Tips for Getting PublishedHayo Reinders, Ph.D. Click here for Bio In this informal presentation, I will look at the topic of getting published and – more broadly – at disseminating your work. I will start by looking at the many reasons (personal, professional, and academic) that teachers and academics have for sharing their research, observations, reflections and experiences with the wider community, and the range of possible ‘ outputs ’. I will review the broad range of platforms and channels available nowadays, from traditional anonymous peerreviewed journals, published teaching materials, practitioner-oriented forms of publishing, as well as less formal social networks. I will highlight some of the potential pitfalls and some strategies for choosing the most appropriate avenue for publishing your work. In the later part of the presentation, I will offer some ‘insider tips ’ to increase the chance of getting your work published. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions! The significance of the implicit vs the explicit distinction for language pedagogyRod Ellis, Ph.D. Click here for Bio This talk will begin by briefly examining the following distinctions: (1) implicit vs. explicit learning, (2) implicit vs. explicit knowledge and (3) implicit vs. explicit instruction. It will examine the significance of these distinctions for language pedagogy by addressing the following questions: How can teachers cater to ‘implicit learning’ in classroom instruction? How can teachers cater to ‘explicit learning’ in classroom instruction? What role does ‘explicit learning/ knowledge’ play in L2 learning? What constitutes an appropriate balance between implicit and explicit language instruction in a language curriculum? The talk concludes with examples of how ‘tasks’ can be used to construct a curriculum that maximises opportunities for students to develop their implicit and explicit knowledge of a second/foreign language in a classroom context. Being a ‘Good’ Leader (in Language Education): “How Hard Can It Be?”Andy Curtis, Ph.D. Click here for Bio That question became one of the recurring themes during the recent AU Ed.D. EDU 720 course, Leadership and Management in Language Education. And the answer to that particular question turned out to be: It can be extremely hard to be a ‘good’ leader/manager in language education, for a whole host of reasons, some of which are under the individual’s control, but many of which are not. And in terms of language educators being reflective practitioners (as we all are supposed to be these days) due to the highly compacted and intense nature of our Ed.D. courses, the time for in-depth reflection must often wait until the course has ended. In that sense, and perhaps somewhat paradoxically, the deepest levels of long-term learning may begin in earnest when the course ends. Therefore, in this presentation I will review the 100,000-plus words of EDU 720 written discussion, in the 500-plus Discussion Board postings, the 12 hours of live/real-time online classes, the assessments and the assignments, as well as primary questionnaire and interview data from leaders in different countries, to highlight some of the main leadership learning points that we hope will last long after the course itself has become a distant memory. In this talk, we will also be connecting the learning points from our EDU 720 course with a new book, which brings together, for the first time, three centuries of lived language education leadership experience: Reflecting on Leadership in Language Education (Curtis, January 2022, Equinox Publishing: https://www.equinoxpub.com) Making connections: Public memory and language teachingJohn Macalister, Ph.D. Click here for Bio If you travel around New Zealand, my home country, you will find memories of past wars evoked in cities and towns, in rural areas, even in what appears to be the middle of nowhere. These ‘memory places’ are not, of course, unique to New Zealand. They are found throughout the world, and can take many forms, such as museums, monuments, and memorials. Nor are all memory places evoking past conflicts. They are all, however, places that shape public memory. In the shaping of public memory, these memory places draw on different semiotic resources, including language. As a result, they can be

We would like to invite all Anaheim University students and alumni to attend our next Live from Hollywood guest speaker, Producer and Chairman of Foresight Unlimited Mark Damon, on Friday, August 20, 2021 from 6:00 – 7:00 PM California time (PST). Credited with having invented the foreign sales business as we know it today, Mark Damon is one of the world’s leading international film distribution authorities. His film productions have grossed over $2 billion in theatrical box office worldwide over the past 25 years. He has been involved in the international licensing of over 300 feature films and has produced over 70 films, with Monster (2005 Academy Award Winner), Das Boot and The NeverEnding Story receiving 10 Oscar nominations. He founded the Producer Sales Organization and is an original founding member of the American Film Marketing Association, now known as the International Film and Television Alliance (IFTA). We would love to have you join us for this special event. Please RSVP by clicking the link below and we can send you the access information for the session. Please also review the attached bio and bring your questions for this special session. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0Ta9bM-A8yqSJ3eaaL5Yk79U-UXrXoe16AC44oxzF2Px1vw/viewform

Anaheim University is excited to announce that we will be hosting Discovery Networks Asia Pacific Head of Production Vikram Channa on Friday, August 13th from 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm California time.   All Anaheim University students and alumni are invited to join us for this special event. Please RSVP by clicking the link below and we can send you the acce ss information for the session. Please also review the bio below and bring your questions for this special Q&A session.   https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScq9NvIJ1ciOX6bdco101se9YUUn1D_JSKcfrEeLZYJrEa5wA/viewform Vikram Channa, MBA, MA, Master’s in Film & Television Production Discovery Networks Asia Pacific Head of Production Vikram Channa serves as Associate Dean of the Anaheim University Akira Kurosawa School of Film. Vikram, who in addition to having a Master’s in Film and Television Production and a Master’s in History, earned his MBA from the University of Chicago and brings strategic thinking to the film set and innovation to the classroom. At Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, he is responsible for the production of all original Discovery content out of Asia-Pacific. Based in Singapore, he works closely with Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific’s (DNAP) senior management and country heads to provide editorial direction. Vikram and his team produce approximately 100 hours of programming every year across DNAP’s portfolio of eight channel brands. Vikram first joined Discovery in 1995. He has taken on various roles within the company from on-air promotions to programming and production. Together with his team, he executive produced over 500 documentaries, several of which garnered accolades at events such as the Asia Television Awards, New York Festival, Omni Intermedia, and the Academy Awards. Vikram began his working career in India as an independent producer of short films.