In This Issue:

• Director's Notes
• Message from Allison

NEWS

• Featured Member Posting: Literary Acquisitions Coordinator (Amazon Studios) - LA
• Seeking volunteer interviewers/writers for our alum profiles!
• For companies: Meet & host Harvard interns this January — Los Angeles
• Apply to be matched with a mentor in 2017-18
• Students, learn about Hollywood over your J-term! Apply to Harvardwood 101

FEATURES

• Exclusive Q&A with Producer-Director Reginald Hudlin AB '83 (Marshall, Django Unchained)
• Industry Successes
• New Members' Welcome
• Alumni Profile: Producer-Director R.J. Cutler AB '83 (The Breach, Nashville)

CALENDAR & NOTES

• Calendar
• Program Spotlight: Harvardwood Publishing
• Become a member & get the lowdown on Hollywood!

Director's Notes

Finally, my favorite season is here! It was a delight to return to Cambridge for the Harvard Alumni Association's Question + Create Weekend last month. Watch the HAA's recap video of the weekend—and see if you can spot all the Harvardwood Board members in the mix! ;-)

Here in Los Angeles, Harvardwood members have a special opportunity to attend the Oct. 9th Hollywood Bowl premiere of JANE, produced by James Smith AB '10, featuring an original score by Philip Glass that will be performed by live orchestra! More deets below!

— Dona

Message from Allison

— Allison

Featured Member Posting: Literary Acquisitions Coordinator (Amazon Studios) - LA

Amazon Studios is seeking a dynamic, self-motivated Literary-Acquisitions Coordinator to support the feature film department, focused on book-to-screen evaluation & rights acquisition.

An ideal candidate would bring a daily passion for film and literature, and a fierce hunger to learn the business - both 'Hollywood' and publishing. They will need to be able to effectively multi-task a high volume workload; have the ability to complete administrative tasks and projects quickly with little to no guidance; react with appropriate urgency to situations and events that require quick response or turnaround; and efficiently and creatively solve difficult or complex problems that affect people within the group or other related groups. The candidate would also have great attention to detail while still meeting tight deadlines, have regimented organization skills, and have the ability to switch gears at a moment's notice, and be able to maintain a database & correlated updates with consistency, efficiency, and accuracy. Ideal candidate should also have awareness of the publishing landscape, particularly as relates to TV & film / adaptation. Ability to work across multiple teams and passion for literature is a must.

APPLY HERE

Seeking volunteer interviewers/writers for our alum profiles!

Harvardwood seeks writers to handle monthly profile pieces on Harvard alumni in the entertainment industry.

Responsibilities include researching, interviewing the subject(s) via telephone or in person, and writing a 1000-1200 word profile piece. Writers should be familiar with both the Harvard community and the entertainment industry, and may suggest profile subjects of interest. Some reporting and/or interview skills are required, as well as poise and a discreet manner.

This is a great opportunity for someone trying to build their portfolio of clips and/or are interested in the entertainment industry. If interested, please review a few sample profiles to get a feel for how they are written. More info on how to let us know you're interested here!

For companies: Meet & host Harvard interns this January — Los Angeles

READ ON if your arts, media, or entertainment company has offices in Los Angeles and you're interested in:

• Having Harvardwood 101 students visit your office;
• Hosting a company informational;
• Interviewing current Harvard students for summer internship opportunities
• Having a Harvard intern for two weeks in January (Jan. 9 - 20, 2017)

Since 2010, Harvardwood has assigned students J-termship opportunities during the last two weeks of the January term, so students can further explore their area(s) of professional interest. J-term-ship opportunities might include such experiences as shadowing an alum, doing an intensive 2-week "internship” at one or more companies, observing on a film or TV set, assisting with project research, etc.

Find out how your company can engage with Harvard students. If you are interested in providing a "J-term-ship” opportunity for one or more students, please complete this form.

Apply to be matched with a mentor in 2017-18

Seeking a mentor in your field in the arts, media, or entertainment? Apply by October 8th for your opportunity to be matched with a Harvardwood mentor this year. The Harvardwood Mentorship Program fosters meaningful professional relationships by matching Harvard graduates with more established alums in their fields of interest for a period of eight months of one-on-one career mentoring.

Mentees will connect with their mentors in three one-on-one meetings (preferred) or phone conversations over the course of the year, usually October - June. Although not required, optional experiences include shadowing a typical workday, meeting, or conference call; offering a tour of the mentor's company offices; or attending HMP events. Read on for full program and application details.

Students, learn about Hollywood over your J-term! Apply to Harvardwood 101

Exclusive Q&A with Producer-Director Reginald Hudlin AB '83 (Marshall, Django Unchained)

By Brittany Turner AB '10

Reginald Hudlin AB '83 is a television and film writer, director, and producer whose film MARSHALL, about the first African-American supreme court justice, premieres in theaters October 13. His Harvard VES thesis film, House Party, was the basis for the breakout teen comedy that launched his career in the 1990s. Since then, Hudlin has directed and produced films like BOOMERANG, BEBE’S KIDS, and DJANGO UNCHAINED,  and TV shows like THE BERNIE MAC SHOW, as well as a number of live awards specials and events. For three years, he served as President of BET Entertainment, overseeing the successful AMERICAN GANGSTER series, among others. Hudlin is also a lifelong comic book lover, and wrote many of the BLACK PANTHER series for Marvel Comics, as well as an award-winning run of SPIDER MAN.

Q. What made you want to get involved with MARSHALL and tell this story in particular?

A. I was always a Thurgood Marshall fan, always felt that he was one of the most underrated heroes in American history. I thought this would make an especially good movie because it’s a part of his life that we don’t know—we know about him as a judge, and fighting Brown vs. Board of Education—but this is a case that’s very lurid—sex, murder, mayhem, racial tension—and the audience doesn’t know the outcome. It had the makings of a really good legal thriller.

Q. Can you tell me a bit about your background and what inspired you to get into the entertainment industry? How did your VES concentration at Harvard help prepare you creatively for success in your career?

A. I knew I wanted to make movies since i was a little kid. And once I found out Harvard had a film major, it just seemed like the best opportunity. A lot of people learn how to make movies, but I thought having a great education would help you figure out what to make movies about. And I think that’s still true. The craft of filmmaking is important, but how you see and process the world is the most important part of being a good filmmaker.

The film program at Harvard was very documentary-oriented. Anything involving artifice was frowned up. In my year, there was a bit of a rebellion—there were more fiction films made than ever before. But, I think being grounded in reality is a good thing. I think too many filmmakers make movies about movies instead of movies about real life.

Q. How was your experience as President of Entertainment for BET different than one as a creative (writer/producer/director)? Did you prefer one experience over the other?

A. My experience as an executive was vastly different from being creative. But that said, I thought being a creative person made me a better executive, and having been a executive makes me a better creative. I really recommend that everybody switch jobs and be on the other side of the desk. It helps you learn how to be a better partner....

READ THE COMPLETE Q&A WITH REGINALD

Industry Successes

The latest recording by cellist Yo-Yo Ma AB '76, DMU '91 is out! Together with Emanuel Ax (piano) and Leonidas Kavakos (violin), Yo-Yo Ma performs the Brahms Piano Trios.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend showrunner Aline Brosh McKenna AB '89—and writer of The Devil Wears Prada—recently released a graphic novel adaptation of Jane Eyre. Purchase Jane via Amazon here, and tune in for the Season 3 premiere of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend on Oct. 13th!

The trailer for Annihilation, slated for release in early 2018, featuring Natalie Portman AB '03 is now out! Watch it here. Annihilation is the latest thriller from Alex Garland, Director of Ex Machina.

Curb Your Enthusiasm is finally BACK! Don't miss the premiere of the hit HBO comedy by Larry David with Executive Producer Jeff Schaffer AB '91 on Sunday, Oct. 1st. Check out The Hollywood Reporter's interview with Jeff about the new season! (Photo by John. P. Johnson / courtesy of HBO).

Congratulations to Joey Siara EDM '14, Harvardwood Board member and Director of the Harvardwood Writers Program - TV Modules! Joey is one of this year's Samuel Goldwyn Writing Awards Finalists for his screenplay Goslinged. The winner will be announced at the end of this month on Oct. 30th.

Brittany Turner AB '10, former VP of digital at Adaptive Studios, has joined Portal A as a development executive. At Adaptive, Turner led the digital studio spin-off of HBO’s Project Greenlight. Previously, Brittany worked at Maker Studios in women’s lifestyle channels The Moms View and The Platform, as well as comedy channel Nacho Punch.

Last month, the Writers Guild of America West announced the election results for the 2017 Officers & Board of Directors, including Marjorie David AB '71 (Vice President) and Luvh Rakhe AB '01 (Board of Directors). 

Harvard alumni in TV had great success at this year's Emmy Awards! Derek McLane AB '80 (Hairspray Live!) won the Emmy for Best Variety/Nonfiction Special Production Design. HBO drama Westworld, from co-creator & executive producer Lisa Joy Nolan JD '07, won five Creative Arts Emmy awards! Actor John Lithgow '67, Art.D. '05 took home the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in The Crown. And last but not least, Veep—helmed by showrunner David Mandel AB '92—was awarded the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series for the THIRD year in a row! Hearty congratulations to all! (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/Filmmagic).

New Members' Welcome

Harvardwood warmly welcomes all members who joined the organization over the past month, including:

• Heidi Baravalle, College, UK
• Marcie Bianco, College, NY
• James Blanchfield, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Kara Chyung, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Joseph Ebbinger, FOH, NY
• Bradlee Few, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Gretty Garcia, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Maxwell Gay, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Lisa Giglio Connor, College, LA
• Veronica Hackethal, College, NY
• Marie-Emmanuelle Hartness, FOH, Boston/On-Campus
• Andrew Hartness, GSD, Boston/On-Campus
• Matthew Hatfield, College, LA
• Yodahe Heramo, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Alice Highman, HLS, LA
• Alberto Him, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Mitchell Johns, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Merryn JohnsFOH, NY
• Eda Kaceli, College, CHI
• Michael Kassabian, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Brian Kenet, College, NY
• Rory Kulz, College, NY
• Jasi Lampkin, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Jessie Laurore, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Johnson Lightfoote, HMS, LA
• Julia Lu, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Donagh Mahon, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Beth Marino, College, CHI
• William Oh, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Jason Quinlan, Ext., Boston/On-Campus
• Peter Rafaelides, FOH, NY
• Megana Rao, College, NY
• Avila Reynolds, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Julia Riew, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Daniel Rivera, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Eli Russell, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Joe Russin, College, LA
• Mason Sands, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Robert Seidenberg, HLS, NY
• Laura Severse, Staff, Boston/On-Campus
• Zeke Smith, College, LA
• Sarah Smith, GSAS, Boston/On-Campus
• Khalid Sumner, FOH, NY
• Genine Tillotson, GSE, Boston/On-Campus
• Andrea Tyler, College, LA
• Jinzhao Wang, College, Boston/On-Campus
• Joy Young, Ext., LA
• Helen Zuman, College, NY
• Eli Zuzovsky, College, Boston/On-Campus

*FOH = Friend of Harvardwood

Alumni Profile: Producer-Director R.J. Cutler AB '83 (The Breach, Nashville)

By Nicole Torres AB '11

R.J. Cutler AB '83 has had a long and varied career spanning the worlds of theater, television, and film. He spent his early years after college in the theater, first at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, and later in New York working with the likes of Steven Sondheim, Bernadette Peters, and Kevin Spacey. His passion since the first grade and throughout college was theater, and initially he had no intention of transitioning to Hollywood.

The film that would ultimately spark his Hollywood career, the award-winning The War Room based on Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign, emerged from his own personal interest in politics. Cutler recalls, “In 1992, I got very caught up in the presidential election, really just as a citizen, and later that year had the idea to make a documentary about Clinton’s presidential campaign. That film became The War Room, which was directed by D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus and produced by myself, Wendy Ettinger and Frazer Pennebaker, and it was through that experience that I was exposed to the whole world of independent film and documentary filmmaking.”  

Cutler loved the experience of working on The War Room and from that point on shifted his focus to the world of film. After The War Room, Cutler directed and produced his first film, A Perfect Candidate, and a string of successful projects followed, including the Emmy-winning American High, The September Issue, The World According to Dick Cheney, Listen to Me Marlon, popular television series Nashville, and the feature film If I Stay, starring Chloe Grace Moretz—to name a few.

Although Cutler began his career in documentary film, these days his slate spans a multitude of mediums, with projects ranging from documentaries to nonfiction and scripted television to feature films. With so many options, it’s a wonder how one chooses which project to pursue.

Cutler answers, “If the work sparks my curiosity and imagination and passion, then I pursue it. Every one of these projects often takes years to develop and requires a tremendous amount of work—and they don’t all get made. So if you’re not going to love every step of the process of developing them and bringing them to life, even if they don’t ultimately end up being produced, then you don’t want to put your time into it. You have to really believe in it and that’s what gets me going. If I believe in something, then I love doing it.”

Cutler and his production team are currently working on The Breach, a six-hour limited series based on Bill Clinton’s impeachment, which will air on the History Channel. Whether or not intentional, the series feels loosely like a sequel to The War Room and a nod to Cutler’s filmmaking roots. However, the series is not a documentary but a nonfictional narrative retelling, based on chief New York Times White House correspondent Peter Baker’s book of the same name. 

The series has been a long time coming, nearly eighteen years in the making. Cutler recalls how he first read the book eighteen years ago, shortly after working with Baker on A Perfect Candidate. Although Cutler knew then he wanted to develop a project based on the book, the time and opportunity to do so had yet to align. He states, “It sat on my shelf all those years until the opportunity to make a scripted series about a presidential impeachment presented itself. But it took a long time; people weren’t doing these kinds of projects even five years ago.” Such is Hollywood.

Some projects come together quickly and others take years, and for Cutler, that is part of what he enjoys so much about the process: the relationships forged along the way. Asked what he considers to be the highlight of his extensive career, Cutler thinks for a moment and responds simply, “the people.” Referencing all the incredible people he’s had the opportunity to work and collaborate with over the years, he concludes, “The list goes on and on and on, so if you ask me what the category of my career highlights are, it’s all the extraordinary people I’ve had the good fortune of crossing paths with, collaborating with, spending time making a project with, creating art together, and that’s what stands out.”

These days, Cutler also finds himself itching to return to his roots in theater. He fondly recalls a life-changing memory from his Harvard days directing theater: “On the opening night, the lead actor in the play unfortunately just had a bad moment and skipped about an hour of the play—closer to 50 minutes, to be generous. He went from one line to the next, and all of a sudden, the entire middle of the play was gone. I felt like I had not prepared him properly; I felt awful and spent the night in a bar in Cambridge drinking Jack Daniels and crying into my beer and feeling very sorry for myself and thinking, ‘Well, that’s the end of that. I guess I’ll never direct another thing as long as I live, and I deserve it.’

“And the next night, he showed up and he gave what I would consider one of the most extraordinary performances I’ve ever seen anybody give on a stage in my life up to that point or thereafter. I learned in that moment, from that experience, that the process of creation, the work that we do, is very much a process, and it has its ups and downs. And like life itself, moments of glory and success are followed almost immediately by your greatest challenges, and moments of your greatest challenges lead you to your greatest triumphs. And embracing it all gives you the opportunity to really experience life through this work in its fullest way. That was an incredibly valuable lesson. So when I think back on my Harvard experience, though there were many lessons that I learned there as a young artist coming of age, that was the first significant one that made me think, ‘Oh, my God, this life is going to be interesting and challenging and exciting perhaps every moment, if indeed I choose this life.’ And I have chosen it, and it has in fact proven to be all of those things.”

In that vein, Cutler’s advice to aspiring artists is action-based. He states, “The most important thing is to do and make. The least important thing is to get an agent, to be in the news, or to tweet about what you’re doing. Know that the only path to success is through some failure. No one thing defines you, and the most important thing is to roll up your sleeves and, no matter what, carry on with your work. Or, as my friend Anna Wintour loves to quote Karl Lagerfeld as saying, ‘On to the next.’”

And with that, Cutler is off to the whirlwind life of production, moving the slate forward by answering calls, making calls, working in the writers’ room, and squeezing in interviews in between, hopefully making it home in time to put his 2-year-old daughter to bed.

Nicole Torres is an attorney, actor, and writer living in Los Angeles.

Calendar

FEATURED EVENT | Harvardwood Presents: Harvard Professor Martin Puchner on THE POWER OF STORIES - Thurs., Oct. 19

Stories and literature are more than "entertainment"—they shape our world. They have inspired the rise and fall of empires and nations, sparked our understandings of the world through basic political and philosophical concepts, and have given birth to religious beliefs. Stories and literature touch the lives of generations and change the course of history.

Harvard Professor Martin Puchner's about to be published new book The Written World: The Power of Stories to Shape People, History, Civilization examines the tangible importance of works from Gilgamesh to Harry Potter, exploring the impact of The Tale of Genji, the Thousand and One Nights, The Communist Manifesto, and more.

Martin Puchner is the Chair of Harvard's new program in Theater, Dance, and Media, and is the Byron and Anita Wien Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Harvard. His prizewinning books have ranged from philosophy to theater to literature and the arts. He is the General Editor of the 6-volume Norton Anthology of World Literature. Professor Puchner also teaches a Harvard X online course with students around the Globe.

Special thanks to Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu, and to Andy Goodwin and
the Plymouth Hill Foundation.

Los Angeles, CA

Harvardwood Is Invited to the JANE Premiere Screening at the Hollywood Bowl - Mon., Oct. 9

National Geographic invites you to join acclaimed director Brett Morgen, legendary composer Philip Glass, and Dr. Jane Goodall to experience an exclusive premiere screening of the upcoming film JANE (produced by James Smith AB '10). Featuring an original score by Philip Glass performed by a live orchestra!

Harvardwood members can each receive TWO free tickets (while supplies last). 

Harvardwood Salon with Peter Blake AB '91, JD '95 - Tues., Oct. 17

Who better to tell you EVERYTHING you've ever wanted to know about TV drama than Peter Blake AB '91, JD '95 of HOUSE, THE PRACTICE, GOTHAM, and more?! Join our small group for a candid discussion with Peter about his extensive TV writing experience. Seats for Harvardwood Salons are extremely limited (capacity = 10) in order to nurture a more intimate conversation among attendees and our Salon guest.

Peter Blake was a lawyer and management consultant before he started writing for television. He wrote for HOUSE, M.D. for eight seasons, and has written for THE PRACTICE, ELEMENTARY and BILLIONS, among other shows. He has also written screenplays for Universal, Warner Brothers and Paramount. He is currently a Co-Executive Producer on Fox’s GOTHAM.

Peter earned three Emmy nominations as producer for HOUSE, MD. His teleplays have won the PEN/USA literary award and the Edgar award, and have been nominated for the WGA and Humanitas awards.

Peter is from New York City and is a graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Law School. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Jennifer and two-year-old son Sullivan.

Harvardwood Heads To... Haunted Hollywood Halloween Party - Fri., Oct. 27

Haunted Hollywood is coming and you won’t want to miss it! Grab your tickets today to get into the most terrifying and tantalizing Halloween Party with The Ivy Plus Society as we condemn the gothic Cinematic Pictures Gallery. Ticket price includes a premium open bar, live DJ, small bites, and scandalous costume contest with awesome prizes.

This year's party will be held a the private Cinematic Pictures Gallery with a velvet rope and step-and-repeat – so dress to impress. Join Tinseltown icons, ghosts, goblins, and blood suckers as we haunt well into the witching hour. Only the brave will survive. $5 off promo code: ALUMNI5.

Chicago, IL

Harvardwood Heads To... Chicago Int'l Film Festival Opening Night: MARSHALL - Thurs., Oct. 12

Starring Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Dan Stevens, Sterling K. Brown, and James Cromwell, Marshall is based on a true incident in the life of Thurgood Marshall when he was a young lawyer, long before his appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Scheduled to attend:

• Director Reginald Hudlin AB '83
• Actors Chadwick Boseman and Josh Gad
• Producer Paula Wagner

Washington, DC

Harvardwood Meet-up at the Black List DC Happy Hour - Wed., Oct. 4

The Black List is creating social hubs for writers around the world where they can meet other screenwriters and discuss the craft and the reality of the screenwriter's life. So join your fellow writers at the DC happy hour! Come to enjoy the drinks and the company. You never know who you might meet! This event is free and open to the public (cash bar). 

Florence, Italy

Harvardwood Heads To... XI Florence Biennale 2017 featuring Romolo Del Deo '82 - Fri., Oct. 6

Program Spotlight: Harvardwood Publishing

Harvardwood supports our poets, novelists, and nonfiction authors through Harvardwood Publishing, led by Board member Patricia Danaher! Recently, Patricia curated and edited Harvardwood Publishing's first-ever fiction anthology, The Seven Deadly Sins. The anthology is available for purchase in paperback and Kindle formats!

More about Program Director Patricia Danaher NIE '05:

Patricia Danaher is an award-winning journalist and writer originally from Ireland. She has written about politics and culture in Ireland, South East Asia and South America and was awarded a Nieman Fellowship to Harvard University for her coverage of the Northern Ireland peace process.

Her radio play The Long Way Round won the Best New Voice Award on national radio in Ireland and has been rebroadcast several times. She is the Director of the independent publishing imprint, Harvardwood Publishing, and is also a juror on the Golden Globes. She contributes articles and criticism on film, entertainment and travel to a variety of European publications, including the Daily Mail and The Guardian.

A PhD candidate in Mythological Studies at Pacifica Graduate University in Carpinteria, Patricia has been awarded the Joseph Campbell Scholarship.

Become a member & get the lowdown on Hollywood!

All new Harvardwood members are invited on a quarterly basis to join our introductory conference call with Harvardwood leaders, so you can ask YOUR questions relating to careers in the arts, media, and entertainment industries and get them answered in real time! These calls take place on a quarterly basis. New members will receive an email invitation, so be sure to (1) subscribe to Harvardwood emails and (2) add emails ending in "@harvardwood.org" to your address book. Join Harvardwood today!

DISCLAIMER

Harvardwood does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the information, content or advertisements (collectively "Materials") contained on, distributed through, or linked, downloaded or accessed from any of the services contained in this e-mail. You hereby acknowledge that any reliance upon any Materials shall be at your sole risk. The materials are provided by Harvardwood on an "AS IS" basis, and Harvardwood expressly disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied.