June 26th Navigation Session

These sessions, led by experienced industry professionals, will provide you with ideas, suggestions, and guidance for your practical, professional, and spiritual needs while pursuing your career in the entertainment industry! Each session covers a wide variety of helpful topics, while connecting you to other people in the industry.

When: 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (9:45 registration)
Where: Hollywood Presbyterian Church
            1760 N. Gower St, Hollywood
Cost:
FREE (Coffee, juice and Continental Breakfast will be provided - donations welcome)

Space is limited for each session, so please RSVP.  Register Now!

Navigation Sessions

"Last Saturday's session was such a blessing. I've been in Hollywood for almost two years and I had no idea there were so many resources available to Christians in Hollywood. Thank you for making all of this information available to us!" -Hannah, Actress

These sessions, led by experienced industry professionals, will provide you with ideas, suggestions, and guidance for your practical, professional, and spiritual needs while pursuing your career in the entertainment industry! Each session covers a wide variety of helpful topics, while connecting you to other people in the industry. Topics include:

  • Information to orient you to the realities of life in Hollywood
  • Finding employment and networking how-to's
  • Tips from industry insiders
  • How to connect with fellow Christian industry professionals
  • The spiritual climate of Hollywood
  • Local Christian entertainment ministries and industry-friendly churches

June 26th, 2010 Speakers

Speakers: Doug Folsom, Jim O'Keefe, Kris Young
Moderator:
Shun Lee Fong

Doug Folsom:
A native of Massachusetts, Doug Folsom became interested in acting as a teenager and went to New York City to study with Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler, Shelly Winters, and William Greaves.  After years of "pounding the pavement" in New York, Doug felt a call to the ordained ministry.  After being ordained and pastoring a couple of churches, Doug wanted to find a way to put together his two interests of entertainment and Christian faith.  He moved to Los Angeles in 2000 and began working for Media Fellowship International as their Los Angeles area Chaplain at Los Angeles Center Studios for two years.  Doug eventually branched out to produce five short films and act in them.  His latest short film, Up In The Air, won Best Film at the 2009 168 Film Festival.  Currently Doug continues his "hyphenated career" as an actor, producer, and pastor.  His wife of two years, Renee, is a psychologist.

Jim O'Keeffe:
James has just wrapped production directing his first feature this fall and is currently directing a pilot for a cable television series.

With his production company, Blue Field Productions, James has directed documentaries, webisodes, commercials, PSA's, music videos and the award winning short film "MAX". He has honed his directing skills by wearing a variety of hats in the production world including cinematographer, editor and producer.

Directing, however, has always been James' ultimate creative desire and "MAX", his narrative directorial debut. "MAX" was honored as Best Short Film at five film festivals along with being an International Cinematographer's Guild Showcase Award winner.

James is also an adjunct professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and is currently in development on TV and feature film projects. He is married to Dawn Carson O'Keeffe, a television and film producer, and they have four fabulous kids and reside in Pasadena, CA

Kris Young:
Kris Young is a native Angeleno who’s Chinese parents never pressured him to be a doctor. To avoid the 9-5 life, Kris was a staff disco lyricist for a Grammy Award winning R&B record producer, contributing editor of JADE magazine, wrote national TV commercials for Skechers, co-authored Four Paws From Heaven a best-selling devotional for dog lovers, wrote six films for Disney Channel, including Secret Bodyguard, Teen Angel, Teen Angel Returns, as well as pilots for CBS and Nickelodeon —and features for such producers as Terence Chang, John Woo & Bill Badalato. He has a BA in film from USC and an MFA from UCLA where he was a finalist in the Screenwriting Showcase and Goldwyn Awards. Kris teaches screenwriting at UCLA, the L.A. Film Studies Center and co-chairs the WGA Asian-American Writers Committee. All this done in his spare time, his real job is to wander the mountains and pray. 

February 27, 2010 Speakers

Speakers: David Atkinson, Tamara Khalaf
Moderator:
Shun Lee Fong

September 26, 2009 Speakers

Speakers: Caren Bream, Christinna Chauncy, Rev. Joel Pelsue
Moderator: 
Shun Lee Fong

June 13, 2009 Speakers

Speakers:  Clay Banks, Lita Minger, Korey Pollard
Moderator:  Shun Lee Fong

March 7, 2009 Speaker Bios

Speakers:  Dean Batali, Cheryl McKay
Moderator:  Shun Lee Fong

November 22, 2008 Speaker Bios

Phil & Kathleen Cooke, Brandon Lippard
Moderator:  Shun Lee Fong

July 19, 2008 Speaker Bios:

Janet Scott Batchler, Shun Lee Fong, John David Ware
Moderator:  Matt Chapman