Cinemagic, the revered film and television charity, recently orchestrated a dazzling and inspirational celebration in collaboration with Imagine Entertainment in Los Angeles. This extraordinary event offered an unparalleled platform for burgeoning talent to interact with industry luminaries and glean invaluable insights into the filmmaking world.
The day commenced at Imagine Entertainment’s esteemed headquarters, where participants were immersed in an array of enriching activities. Workshops, panel discussions, and exclusive tours of the iconic production company’s facilities marked the agenda. Industry stalwarts imparted their wisdom and experiences, igniting a fervor for filmmaking in the young attendees.
This alliance with Imagine Entertainment stood as the crowning jewel of Cinemagic’s expansive week-long initiative in Los Angeles. The initiative aimed to inspire and recognize young talent from Northern Ireland and Los Angeles, culminating in the illustrious Cinemagic Los Angeles Showcase. Held on June 28th at The Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica, this prestigious gathering, in partnership with Belfast City Airport, welcomed 500 distinguished guests from the realms of film, television, entertainment, and business. Esteemed sponsors included NI Connections, NI Bureau, The Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, The Maybourne Beverly Hills, Screen Ireland, BritWeek, ELMA, CIACLA, and Loyola Marymount University.
The Showcase highlighted the achievements of participants in the Belfast City Airport IGNITE program and premiered Cinemagic’s latest short film productions. Crafted by young talents from Los Angeles and Northern Ireland, these films showcased their creative prowess and facilitated crucial industry networking. The event underscored Cinemagic’s pivotal role in the global creative industry, nurturing emerging talent and celebrating its international success stories.
Throughout the week, students from 12 schools and colleges in Northern Ireland and Los Angeles enjoyed exclusive talks at The Maybourne Beverly Hills, alongside tours and masterclasses at premier film and TV studios. Renowned speakers included Emmy-winning TV Producer Jillian King (Rachael, Red Table Talk); Dan Dark OBE, EVP of Worldwide Studio Operations at Warner Bros Entertainment; Ross King MBE, LA Correspondent for ITV Breakfast programs; Peter Devlin, Production Sound Engineer (Black Panther, Star Trek); and Shelley Reid, entertainment business affairs executive and independent producer.
Joan Burney Keatings MBE, Chief Executive of Cinemagic, expressed her heartfelt gratitude and enthusiasm: “Partnering with Imagine Entertainment has been an extraordinary privilege. Our young participants were profoundly inspired by the expertise and passion shared by the professionals at Imagine. This experience has undoubtedly ignited new aspirations and motivated them to pursue their dreams in the film industry.”
Imagine Entertainment, celebrated for its critically acclaimed films and television series, embraced the young creatives with warm enthusiasm. Co-chairmen Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, alongside key team members, shared their personal journeys and dispensed practical advice on navigating the film industry.
A standout moment of the event was a masterclass session where participants pitched their film ideas and received constructive feedback from the Imagine Entertainment team. This interactive segment allowed young filmmakers to hone their skills and bolster their creative confidence.
The collaboration between Cinemagic and Imagine Entertainment exemplifies the paramount importance of nurturing young talent and providing them with opportunities to learn from the industry’s best. The event concluded on a triumphant and inspiring note, leaving participants eager to apply their newfound knowledge to future projects.