Filmmaker John Putch to Host MAKING THE ANTI-HOLLYWOOD MOVIE Seminar in Arlington, 3/22

Arlington, Va. -- The National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts - the only accredited acting studio in the Greater Washington Area - announced today that the award-winning TV and film director (and Pennsylvania native) John Putch was returning to DC to offer a special seminar for East Coast filmmakers, screenwriters, producers and actors that reveals his unique strategies for making and marketing micro-budget movies the anti-hollywood way. The half-day seminar - called "Making the Anti-Hollywood Movie" - will be held Saturday, March 22, from 11 a.m. till 3 p.m., at the Hyatt Arlington, VA. Tickets for the event are $60 and available through Brown Paper Tickets at johnputchseminar.brownpapertickets.com.

A veteran director of popular network TV shows, feature films and TV miniseries, Putch's independent films have won 120 awards at film festivals around the country over the past 15 years. His indie filmmaking credits include "Valerie Flake," "Bachelorman," "Mojave Phone Booth," & the wildly popular "Route 30 Trilogy" of films. The seminar will include examples and discussions of how these award-winning films were made, marketed and distributed, specifically addressing:

• How to make and market independent films outside of the Hollywood system.

• How to kick start an independent film project with limited resources.

• How to adopt a "micro budget" mindset that leads to success.

• How to tailor a script to ensure it is filmable with available resources.

• Low-budget production do's, don't, tips and tricks.

• Advice and counsel on handling self-promotion and self-distribution.

• Secrets and tips for getting a film picked up by an independent film festival.

In announcing the seminar, Putch said, "This course will cover the entire process of making a good, solid, independent film on a budget, from pre- to post-production. It's not so much a class, as a lesson in reality. There is a way to make a quality, independent film . It requires a rebellious approach that ignores the Hollywood mystique and leverages the unique resources you have access to. The information will prove invaluable to anyone involved in independent filmmaking - saving you time, trouble, money and headaches. I tip my hat to the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts for taking the lead in putting this information in the hands of East Coast actors, writers, producers and directors."

Conservatory President Ray Ficca said, "The Conservatory is delighted and honored to have coaxed John out of the directing chair and into the classroom for a weekend to share his insights and strategies on film producing. This is a man who knows what he's talking about. His walls are literally covered with awards for independent filmmaking."

The son of the renowned actress Jean Stapleton and producer/director William H. Putch, John is often referred to by the media as an independent film "maverick." One of his first indie efforts, "Valerie Flake," landed him at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. He followed that up with a string of indie movies, including "Pursuit Of Happiness," "Bachelorman," "Mojave Phone Booth" and the "Route 30" trilogy of films.

Putch has directed nearly 90 episodes of popular network TV shows - including "Cougar Town," "The Middle," "Ugly Betty," "Scrubs," "My Name is Earl," "Family Tools," "Goodwin Games" and "Body of Proof" - as well as multiple TV movies for Hallmark Entertainment and NBC's epic mini-series, "The Poseidon Adventure." On the Hollywood movie studio front, he has directed 14 feature films, including big-budget comedies for Universal. Prior to becoming a filmmaker, John was an accomplished actor who started in the theater, then enjoyed a successful TV and film career before making the switch to directing. More information is available at www.putchfilms.com.

MARCH 22, 2014

11AM-3PM

Hyatt Arlington

1325 Wilson Rd.

Arlington, VA 22209