Though not observable in the icy sky, UB's own brand of stars were visible last week.
The professionals of Hollywood and New York's entertainment industries visited the classes of the department of media studies, discussing the business and the artistic creativity, hoping to give students an inspired push into the professional world.
Co-sponsored by the departments of media studies, theatre and dance, English and communication, the second annual Celebrity Scholar Seminar Series hosted 10 industry professionals for student lectures, including Hollywood director James Foley and former Saturday Night Live writer Alan Zweibel.
Besides feature films and television, the eclectic group of speakers covered broadcast journalism and animated children's programming.
But they weren't simply celebrities who just happened to find time for a few chilly days in Buffalo. All the speakers are alumni of UB, and for some, this event brought them back to their alma mater for the first time since graduation.
While last semester's roster was almost double the size, the unpredictable nature of show business left some speakers canceling just days before their scheduled arrival. Abbe Raven, class of 1974, executive vice president and general manger of the History Channel, cancelled for the second time, while Calo's scheduled teaching partner John Reiss, class of 1981, was busy covering the war in Iraq as senior editor of NBC Nightly News.
Husband and wife Robert and Michelle Lamoreaux, class of 1990, taught their series as a pair. They discussed their roles as head writers on popular animated childrens television shows, such as "Spongebob Squarepants." Focusing on crafting and formatting a script, the Lamoreauxs had students participate in table readings of various shows. After reading through a show's manuscript, the group screened the episode.
Bob Fisher, a prominent commercial director in New York City, had a more hands-on approach - students created, wrote, filmed and edited their own commercial. Students registered for Fisher's lecture had prepared months before his arrival to shoot a mini-musical, but changed their focus once the war in Iraq became headline news.
"Voice Your Opposition," an anti-war public service announcement featuring fragments of interviews with students, guest celebrities, department faculty and UB staff, was screened Friday evening in the CFA screening room. Three versions were shot, each of different lengths, and were combined in a montage. Compared to what a mini-musical production might have involved, the work on the toned-down public service announcement was no less intensive.
"We shot ten hours of interviews," said junior media study major Anna Lavatelli. Two minutes were used in the final product.
"You guys are as professional as those I work with in New York," Fisher said to his students proudly.
Fisher's group wasn't the only one to feature hands-on instruction. Although director Rob Lieberman had to cancel a few weeks before the series, he made plans for his students to visit him at his Toronto film shoot.
In addition to the speaker series, which the department intends to host annually, other entertainment related events have sprouted from continued development of alumni relations.
On March 28, Brad Grey, producer of the HBO original series "The Sopranos," gave a lecture to students after receiving an honorary degree. Also, Alan Zweibel, an original writer for Saturday Night Live, gave a performance of his latest comedic writing. Director James Foley premiered "Confidence," his new film starrng Ed Burns and Rachel Weisz on March 31.
Robert Calo, class of 1969, a former producer of NBC's news magazine show "Dateline" and ABC's "Primetime Live," reinforced a positive idea to his students.
To make it in the professional world, Calo said the three things students must be are: "lucky, connected and good."
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
