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19th Ann Arbor
Spring Art Fair
May 3 & 4 1997
The Write Stuff
Washtenaw Farm
Council Grounds
Caryle Crisler
Liz Tekus
Photo G. Post
Audree Levy presents 250 of the
finest artists and craftspeople in the country.
Take 1-94 to Exit 177 (State St.). Turn South to
Textile Rd. Turn right (West) to Ann Arbor -Saline Rd.
Turn right (North) to entrance of the Washtenaw
Farm Council Grounds. Indoor Heated Facility
on the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds
Jim Reinert
5055 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd.
Annette Morrin
Sat., May 3-110am to 6pm
Sun., May 4-11am to 5pm
2500 Free Parking Spaces
Indoor Heated Facility
– Admission $5.00 • Under 10 Free –
The Detroit Actors Guild Production of
"This is our best.
Come and
admire, and laugh
a lot, too."
"...very sweet,
mdraordinarily
fumy, romantic
and ribald comedy."
- abe names,
- The Detroit News
New York Post
A
perfect
gift...
renter
Call (313) 963-9339 RESTRICTED
for Info &Tickets
(810) 645-6666 www.ticketwaster.com
1Adult situations, adult language .
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JEWISH
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TVscreenwriter Alan Belanoff will share his
trade secrets at a workshop _in Southfield.
SUZANNE CHESSLER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
I
f you've laughed out loud TV show "Star Trek — The Next
while watching early Generation."
episodes of "Wings," later
"I pitched a story and ended
episodes of "Murphy Brown" up writing it," said Belanoff, 34.
or recent episodes of "Cosby," "I like to joke that it was heavi-
you probably were responding ly rewritten because I wrote it in
to the talents of Adam Belanoff; Yiddish, but of course it was
who has written for all three se- rewritten because I was inexpe-
ries.
rienced at the time, especially in
Belanoff is very serious about the format of a one-hour drama.
writing comedy and will share
"I quickly made the switch to
some trade secrets as one of what I felt more comfortable
three presenters in "Writing for with, and that was half-hour
Television," a Hollywood Liter- comedy. I wrote a spec script for
ary Retreat workshop scheduled `Seinfeld' and another one for
Saturday-Sunday, May 3-4, at `The Simpsons.'
the Plaza Hotel in Southfield.
"A writer doesn't necessarily
"I will talk about the produc- expect to see a spec script pro-
tion process — how we generate duced because it's really a writ-
ideas, come up with drafts and ing sample to hopefully woo a
go through post-production," producer into first making a
said Belanoff, whose own career
began by writing original revues
as an undergraduate at Colum-
bia University in New York.
"If there's time, I'd like to
guide people through their own
process of mining potential ideas
and getting a handle on how
they might approach their own
scripts," he said.
Although Belanoff has at-
tended screenwriting workshops
since earning his master's
degree from the Graduate
Screenwriting Program at the
University of Southern Califor-
nia (USC), this will be the first
time he has been asked to be a
facilitator.
Joining him will be Andy
Guerdat, who teaches writing at
the University of California at
Los Angeles and has been a
writer- producer for "Herman's
Alan Belanoff: "I'd like to think there
Head," "The Jeffersons" and are
certain values that I've gotten from
"Mork & Mindy." Also on the
my heritage that I draw into the
program is Charles Eglee, who
material I write."
has been a writer-producer for
"Murder One," "Civil Wars" and
"NYPD Blue."
freelance assignment and then
"I think the writing pie is offering a staff writing job."
ever-widening," said Belanoff,
Belanoff found an agent who
who is especially proud of a circulated the "Seinfeld" script
"Murphy Brown" script that ad- and quickly was hired to write
dressed the issue of sexual ha- for "Wings." His opportunity to
rassment.
work on "Murphy Brown" came
"There are new networks in soon after that, and he stayed
a surge that started three to four with that show for two years.
years ago with Warner Bros.,
Location was one of the en-
Paramount and Fox, which are ticements when accepting em-
certainly adding to the shows ployment with "Cosby," which is
being done. I think there are produced in New York. Belanoffs
more opportunities for writers wife, Carole, whom he married
than there were when I was try- last May, is an assistant gener-
ing to break in during the early al counsel for the Planned Par-
'90s."
enthood Federation of America,
Belanoff got his break as a and she is based in New York.
student at USC. He was offered
When Belanoff visits South-
a fellowship ,at Paramount, field, he will make a side trip to
where he spent a lot of time with Ann Arbor to see his brother-in-
people who were working on the law, Ronald Chervin, an assis-