Arkansas Society for Cinema & Television Production (ASCTP)

Arkansas Non-Profit Educational Cooperation chartered July 6, 2005

“Cinema” is a shortened version of the French word “cinematographe, which in turn is derived from the Greek words “kinema”(motion) and “graphikos” (to draw or write). Hence, in American parlance, “cinema” refers to the art and industry of “motion pictures”—or simply: “the movies”.

Mission Statement:

The Arkansas Society for Cinema & Television Production (ASCTP) is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the “hands-on” introduction to—and development of—professional motion picture skills among Arkansas students in order to increase their economic and cultural opportunities among this $300 billion (and growing) worldwide industry.

ASCTP Goals and Objectives:

1) To coordinate with Arkansas secondary schools, colleges and universities currently offering filmmaking instruction in order to increase interdisciplinary awareness and to offer contributions to help increase higher levels of professionalism in these programs.

2) To introduce new programs for students independently seeking instruction in basic and advanced filmmaking skills.

3) To cooperate with the Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute, the Ozark Foothills Film Festival, Arkansas Motion Picture Office, the Arkansas Department of Economic Development, the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission the Department of Arkansas Heritage and other state agencies to increase the availability of trained filmmaking artisans for out-of-state and indigenous producers making economic investments in feature films, documentaries, television programs and other media projects to be shot in Arkansas.

4) To develop an Arkansas Moving Image Museum and Archive (AMIMA).

ASCTP Programs & Activities:

1) Environmental Awareness Basic Media Production Skills

A) “Video Camps”—Day-long summer video production workshops targeted for secondary school students and held in conjunction with the selected Arkansas State Parks and Game & Fish Nature Centers. Experienced filmmakers and qualified naturalist “interpreters” introduce interested students to “hands-on” basic filmmaking as a means of exploring and discovering “The Natural State”.

B) Annual “The Natural State” Video Contest for short, student-produced films on Arkansas environmental issues and topics.

2) Cultural, Historical and Heritage Broadcast-quality Media Production Skills

A) “Documentary Workshops”—two-day weekend production workshops available to college communications students and selected high-school students and held in conjunction with the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and with other education “partners”. Experience documentary filmmakers provide “hands-on” training at the broadcast-quality level with an emphasis upon Arkansas cultural, historical and heritage topics.

B) Annual Arkansas Cultural & Heritage Documentary Film Contest for program-length productions produced by independent student filmmakers or school filmmaking groups.

3) Advanced Narrative Feature Film Production Skills

A) On-going workshops in screenwriting, cinematography, lighting and editing and students and adult Arkansans wishing to enter the motion picture industry. Experienced filmmakers and visiting professionals provide instruction and “hands-on” opportunities to help create short narrative films with emphasis upon Arkansas “stories”.

B) Annual ASCTP feature film-length “Arkansas Stories” Screenwriting Contest.

ASCTP Funding:

Support for ASCTP would come from volunteer and in-kind donations from commercial production companies in Arkansas, from volunteer and in-kind donations from Arkansas schools and from matching grants from arts, humanities and public service foundations.

ASCTP Distribution of Assets on Dissolution:

Upon any future dissolution of the Arkansas Society for Cinema & Television Production, any assets would be donated to the Arkansas State University College of Communications Department of Radio/TV in Jonesboro.

2006 ASCTP Board of Advisors:

Sandra Hubbard—Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, University of Arkansas; award-winning documentary filmmaker

Melanie Masino—Master’s Degree in International Relations, Boston University; former executive director of the Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute

James Neihouse—Bachelor’s Degree, Brooks Institute of Photography; award-winning IMAX director of photography; member national advisory board for the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa

Vickie Newton—Master’s Degree in Journalism, University of Detroit; Emmy-winning prime-time co-anchor KMOV (CBS) in St. Louis; former news anchor for CNN Headline News and WSB-TV Atlanta

Dr. Lynda Wall Wilson—Doctorate in Mass Communications, Webster University; former chairperson of University of Arkansas—Little Rock Department of Radio/TV/Film

Gary W. Jones—Ph.D. program in Heritage Studies at Arkansas State University; Master’s Degree in Television; 42-years as successful commercial filmmaker

Geoffrey Ryan Jones—B.A. Business, Hendrix College; actor/writer

Zachary Alex Jones—New Media major, University of Washington; veteran feature-film crew member