And indeed the stars came out to play in the packed square adjacent to St Sophia Cathedral. Hollywood’s favorite super-star couple Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson once again served as honorary chairs and celebrity guest hosts of the LA Greek Fest presented September 11-13 on the Grand Plaza grounds of Saint Sophia Cathedral.
This year’s theme was “Passport to a Grecian Holiday” and Billy Zane Kicked off Friday evening as celebrity judge of the Zorba Dance contest along with Debbie Mattenopoulos and Thaao Penghlis (from Days of our Lives).
Saturday, Tom and Rita visited for a few hours as well as Mayor Villaraigosa, a few city council members, Nia Vardalos and Debbie Mattenopoulos (again). The night was capped off with Robin Davis singing, and a 45 minute concert by Anna Vissi. After the concert the Greek singer signed autographs for her fans.

LA Magazine has recognized the LA GREEK FEST as one of the “must-see, must-do” September events in Los Angeles. An approximate 40,000 people passed through the gates of Saint Sophia over the three day event.
“We want to welcome one and all — not only to the Fest but into our beautiful Cathedral during their visit,” encourages Father John Bakas, dean of the Cathedral. “Come experience the ‘warm heart of Los Angeles’ and Greek hospitality at its finest — there’s nothing else like it anywhere!”

EXOTIC TRAVEL THEME
Food booths served Greek specialties from Athens as well as island delicacies from Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes and Saloniki. Delicious spanakopita, calamari, pastitsio, souvlakia, loukanika baklava and galaktoboureko were all on offer. The travel-themed raffle prizes included a trip for two to the Greek Islands, weekend getaways, a digital camera, luggage and more.
Befitting the burgeoning breadth and scope of the Fest, the Los Angeles City Council will be declaring September 11-13 as “LA GREEK FEST Weekend” in Los Angeles.
“In just a few short years, our FEST has become a blockbuster event for the city of Los Angeles” beams festival co-director Jan Pastras. “It’s such a fantastic way to enjoy a splash of the Aegean right here in Southern California!”

(Photo Credit: Alex Vacca for Greek Reporter – Anna Vissi picture courtesy of Phillip Georgious)

The Student Academy Awards competition is to support and encourage filmmakers with no previous professional experience who are enrolled in degree-granting programs and accredited colleges and universities as full-time students. Actor Gary Oldman, director John Landis and animator Andreas Deja have been tapped as presenters of the award show held Saturday, June 13, 2009, at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. The awards ceremony is the culmination of a week of industry-related activities and social events that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hosts for the twelve students from across the United States and one film student from Sweden who have been selected as winners.
While the U.S. winners know they will each receive an award, their placement – Gold, Silver or Bronze – will not be revealed until the June 13 ceremony. Gold Medal winners receive $5,000 cash grants, Silver Medal winners receive $3,000 and Bronze Medal winners receive $2,000. The Honorary Foreign Film winner receives a $1,000 cash grant.

So Robyn, you graduated from UCLA last year. Tell us about your time there and fill us in on your earlier education.

I began my education at a University in South Africa called the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. I graduated with my BFA (honours) in fine Arts, majoring in printmaking. Once I had immigrated from South Africa, I went on to study at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where I graduated with my MFA in Television, Film and Digital Media, majoring in animation. I graduted in 2008. I loved UCLA. It was an experience that I would never replace with any other school. The fact that I got to produce 2 award-winning films from the programme says a lot about its teachers and facilities. Not too many schools offer the opportunity for the student to make 3 independent films.
In amongst my formal studies, I took electives at Santa Monica College, the Academy of Entertainment Technology (I am currently taking a maya class there on the weekends), as well as at the Animation Guild in Burbank. I find it important to keep up with my skills!

And now tell us about ‘Alice’s Attic.’ Everything from start to finish…the concept, writing, the whole creative process.

The film was born out of the need to express personal experiences with fear and being overwhelmed by it. My previous film is a socio-political commentary about the current situation in South Africa, in terms of the effects of Apartheid. They are both symbolic films but I wanted to make ‘Alice’s Attic’ about my personal encounters with these moments in order for the film to appeal both emotionally and mentally to a general audience. I make films that allow the audience to engage with the filmmaker…to allow people to interpret and interact with the symbolism of the film in their own way. So for me, using stop motion animation was a practical decision that allowed me to express my thoughts by using tactile objects that are easily recognizable and associated with fear.
The film began with writing sessions with my producer and co-director, Brian LoSchiavo from UCLA. He was actually the person that got me involved in stop-motion animation and taught me how to make puppets and animate them. We would have long brainstorming discussions about fear and how I felt during times of fear. It was important for me to induce those emotions again because animating is just like acting, method acting if you will, where you have to express yourself through the puppet.
Once we had a story line on paper that I was happy with, I started storyboarding the film out. This is a process in animation where you basically map out the film using quick sketches in order to get the cinematography and continuity of the shots. Once this was ‘locked’, I made an animatic of the storyboards. This process allows the filmmaker to decide on the timing of the film and how long the action should take. It is a guideline for the animator. When this was done I began making the sets and puppets. I had an excellent puppet fabricator whom I work with, Dan Field, who helped me with the puppet and overcoming certain challenges. The puppet is made out of latex foam. It has a wire armature inside the foam that allows for the puppet to move and stay in position when animating. I wanted the puppet, “Alice”, to look vulnerable and in pain. This is why I made her look as if she is missing skin. Her muscles are showing through underneath the porcelain pieces. The porcelain was sculpted out of sculpting putty and then varnished to look cracked. The use of this idea was to show the fragility of Alice.
Once I had the puppet made and painted, I started working on the sets. I did not want to use a complex design…something that looked like a simple dark room. I used images that looked like photographs in order to invoke memory. These images are literally suspended in the set and in time. Once the puppet and sets were made, I began collecting and making the objects of fear. I went around Los Angeles and bought different bric-a-brac objects from thrift stores and flea markets that I felt a connection to. Each object is symbolic to me in one way or another.
Once this was completed, I could start animating. I was lucky enough to be allowed to use the animation studio in Burbank called BixPix Productions. Kelli Bixler is the owner. I have worked with the studio previously. They had a bit of free space for me to use one of their stages, where I could set up my sets and begin the shoot. The shoot itself took about 6 months. All of the pre-production took about 6 months as well. The editing took about 1 month. The shoot was pretty grueling. I would animate for about 12-13 hours a day. I had a lot more footage than what is seen in the film. I did a lot of tests and discarded a lot of the shots until I was happy with the final result.

In amongst the shoot I was hired to do some sand animation for a music video. Luckily it was at the same studio, so I could go back and forth between my shoot and the job! It was pretty exhausting!
Eventually I locked my edit of the shots and it was time to find a sound composer and mixer. I was fortunate enough to come across a composer, Hannis Brown, who did an amazing job of bringing the film to life. We used a combination of foley and sound mixing in order to come up with the very complex sounds that you hear in the film. I think that the sound of the film makes up for 50% of the film itself, so I was extremely happy with Hannis’ work.
That, in itself, is a ‘brief’ discussion of my film!

Wow, that’s quite a process! So you have won an award but you are waiting to find out your placement at the ceremony on June 13th. Does that mean you are doing the whole dress and Fred Leighton jewel thing? Borrowing designer bling?

About the ceremony: yes I have won but am awaiting to hear about the placement of gold/silver/bronze. I am rooting for gold! I think that I have a good chance. But I may just be biased! I am doing the full gown and jewelry. This opportunity doesn’t come around that often! So I may as well soak it up now! I think that I may be wearing Vera Wang! I’m not sure about the jewelry yet! I’ll keep you updated!

Good luck on Saturday! We’ll be waiting to hear the news and will let our readers know your placement. Thanks Robyn and break a leg.

Paris Mavroidis, (www.parismav.com ) a finalist in the 36th Student Academy Awards for his animated short “Divers,” spoke to us about his movie and his Greek background.

“Divers” is an experimental animation created by Mavroidis while pursuing his MFA in digital Arts at Pratt institute. As part of the project he developed a choreography based toolset which he subsequently used in the animation process. Experimental animation that was inspired by Busby Berkeley, mass gymnastics and experimental cinema from the 20s and 30s.

So, Paris, first of all, tell us a little about your Greek heritage.

My dad is Greek and my mom is Chinese. I was born in Greece, but I moved away when I was 8 and have since lived in England, Switzerland and the US. I do speak Greek though I’m afraid I’m pretty out of practice! So I’m technically Greek but it’s hard for me to identify with just one culture or nationality because I’ve spent so much time in other places and have friends and family all over.

So, Paris- son of Priam, king of Troy, best-known for his elopement with Helen, queen of Sparta, which caused the Trojan War and for fatally wounding Achilles in the heel with an arrow. Since you live in the USA most people probably think you are either named after a glittering city in Europe or an heiress to the Hilton fortune. Is there a story attached to your name? Why your parents chose it, what it means to be named after a Prince?

My full first name is Paraskevas, after my grandfather, but my parents shortened it to Paris (I’m guessing for simplicity’s sake). I like having a unique name and one with several very different things associated with it!

What about family- are you married, single, still living at home? And Where is home?

I’m happily engaged to a girl here in Brooklyn who’s a very talented artist and jewelry designer. My parents split their time between Switzerland and Greece and I travel there as often as I can to see them.

So you have a cosmopolitan background. Would you agree that travel is the best education?

Yes, moving around a lot was a great way to grow up and I think it has shaped me in a very profound way. If I had stayed in one place I don’t think I’d be as open-minded and my perspective on things wouldn’t be as nuanced. And the friends I’ve picked up along the way are a very mixed and interesting crew: doctors, bankers, filmmakers, designers, artists etc. from all over the place. On the flipside, I’m not strongly rooted anywhere and I feel like somewhat of a foreigner no matter where I am. One of the reasons I’ve loved living in New York for the past few years has been how diverse it is and how easily I blend in.

Tell us a little bit about living in London and Switzerland.

I spent a couple of years living near Windsor, where I learned to speak English, tie a tie and wear a uniform to school every day. After getting adjusted I had a great time and didn’t want to leave. Then I was in Zurich for eight years where I attended Zurich International School. Zurich is a perfect city to spend your high school years because it’s a very safe and beautiful place where a teenager can have a lot of freedom and fun.

What about mentors in your education. Who inspired you?

I did my undergraduate studies at Brown University and I also took classes at RISD, where I had a couple of professors (Michael Bierylo, Ann Lavigne) who were very supportive and encouraged me to continue pursuing my creative endeavors. Judy Budnitz (at Brown) and Jacob Burckhardt (at Pratt) exposed me to some very inspiring writing and film, respectively. Also at Pratt, my professor (and boss at the research lab I worked in) Rob O’Neill was very helpful and supportive of my film. And my Thesis Advisor Claudia Herbst-Tait gave me great guidance all the way throughout its production.

It looks like you had a background in computers which moved into a very creative realm. “Divers” is absolutely stunning and there are some definite influences I can see…like Escher. Can you tell me a little about the human aspect of how your career developed, what your interests are, which artists inspire you?

I started out in computer science and slowly began to realize that I had an artistic itch. I saw computer animation as a way to make films and be creative while still using some of my technical skills. Some of the work that influenced me early on: Michel Gondry’s music videos, Busby Berkeley dance sequences, Terrence Malick’s earlier movies. I still like to program and dabble in other things like music and writing from time to time.

You are nominated for and in receipt of a handful of awards and accolades. Which has meant the most to you and why?

It’s a bit too early to say. I appreciate any recognition the film gets and I’m just happy to have people watch something I made!

Ok, now I am your fairy Godmother. I wave my wand and you get whatever you desire. What is it? Forget the great sex and mounds of food; tell me about your mega buck major life altering invention/movie/alchemy.

That’s a good question but I’m having a hard time answering it. Let’s come back to it later perhaps?

You like to dabble in music and writing. Sounds like you are developing an uberforce of creative skills. Does that mean that one day we are going to see movies written, directed, composed for and designed by a Gondryesque impressario, Paris Mavroidis? Maybe that’s what your fairy godmother is going to bring, the amalgamation of all your skills into fruition. Tell us more.

I play guitar, bass and drums. I used to play in bands in high school and I’ve recorded a few songs on my own over the years, mostly as school assignments and very quickly put together. They’re kind of all over the place stylistically and don’t include much I’d want to share with the world! I did write and record the soundtrack for a short documentary my cousin made (www.topwomanshooter.com) a few years ago, which was a lot of fun. At some point, I’d like to record music over a longer period of time so I can craft something more complete and presentable. As far as writing is concerned, I’ve written some short stories that won’t ever see the light of day and some random scribblings here and there, but I enjoy it and it’s definitely something I’m going to continue playing around with.

And your lovely fiancée…is she going to design your wedding rings? And, without spoiling the surprise, what are your wedding plans?

Her jewelry website is http://www.discreet-charm.com Also a short interview about her work, http://www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/fresh-shops-discreetcharm-2869/

And yes, she’s currently in the process of designing our wedding rings. We’re having a low-key ceremony in Illinois in July with our families and closest friends.

Thanks for talking to us Paris and congratulations.

An odd choice? From kid friendly cartoons to assasins who can curve bullets and kill for breakfast? Apparently not. Spiliotopoulos, who has so far written kid friendly flicks, including sequels to The Lion King and TheLittle Mermaid is no newcomer to the world of comic books, having recently adapted Dave Roman’s graphic novel Agnes Quill: An Anthology of Mystery for Paramount Pictures.

The original Wanted movie stars James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie and follows the story of Wesley Gibson, a hapless loser whose life is changed after he is recruited by a secret society of assassins, the Fraternity. Slick, sexy, beautifully choreographed. Rated R for strong, bloody violence throughout, pervasive language and some sexuality. Since its release in June 2008, it has raked in as much as $341.4 million worldwide.

The Greek-American writer, who also penned the script for Lionsgate Films’ Battle for Terra, directed by Aristomeni Tsirba (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9JQAHP_twM) is expected to develop the script based on a story by Chris Morgan. With A lister Jolie’s character dead at the end of Wanted (oops, forgot spoiler alert!)
it will be interesting to see what Spiliotopoulos can come up with to fill those theatre seats again.

Wanted 2 will be produced by Marc E. Platt and Jim Lemley with Universal production executive Jeff Kirschenbaum overseeing. Director Timur Bekmambetov, who helmed the first film, is attached to direct. Mark Millar, the graphic novel creator says re the sequel,

“As a producer on the thing, I’m excited… we have serious money to spend on everything from cast to crew to script.” Looks like Spiliotopoulos is on to a good thing. Since the news broke last week his popularity has surged a whopping 469% on IMDb.