William M. AkersChair, Head of ScreenwritingB.S., Vanderbilt University, M.F.A., University of Southern CaliforniaLocation: Johnson Center 465View BioA native Nashvillian and an example of the city's extraordinary creative culture, Will Akers is a Lifetime Member of the Writers Guild of America. For 25 years, he has written scripts for studios, independent producers, and television networks. Three feature films have been produced from his screenplays. Akers taught screenwriting and filmmaking at Vanderbilt University for 19 years. His script consulting clients live all over the world. Akers' bestselling book, Your Screenplay Sucks!, 100 Ways To Make It Great, has a five star rating on Amazon.
He fervently believes that hands-on is a great way to learn and that motion picture production is a wonderful field of study -- no matter what you end up doing. He loves teaching and helping students learn. Just ask any student he has ever taught!
For the Nashville Public Library, Akers co-founded The Nashville Writers Circle. A former Boy Scout Scoutmaster, he is on the board of the Nashville Composers Association, speaks nearly unaccented French, and was a Jeopardy! contestant.
Publications:
Your Screenplay Sucks! 100 Ways To Make It Great
Mrs. Ravenbach’s WayAkers’s Book Ranks No. 1 for Second Year in a Row
Watch the following video and learn more about Will's philosophy on writing, teaching and what it's like to be part of the Belmont community.
Amy Bertram, Ph.D.Film HistoryPh.D., M.A., University of Tennessee - Knoxville, B.A., Davidson CollegeLocation: Johnson Center 468View BioA Tennessee native and Renaissance woman, Amy Bertram demonstrates the possibilities offered by academic study, travel, and experience. She is trilingual, well versed in art, literature, culture and film, and a scholar. Her approach to film history and filmmaking stems from her work as a graduate student in French at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. With a focus on French film and theater for her M.A., she completed her Ph.D. with a second concentration in Cinema Studies.
With a passion for cinema and teaching, Amy has over a decade of experience teaching at the college level. After recognizing that most film students respond best when film history is mixed with practical exercises, she has developed an approach that incorporates film production. In the classroom Amy is energetic and engaged as she strives to make film history exciting, informative, accessible, and meaningful. She cares about her students success beyond the classroom. Some of her former students have worked on the ABC series Nashville, while others have gone on to find jobs in Los Angeles.
Amy is actively involved with Nashville’s film and francophone communities. She and her students have volunteered with the Nashville Film Festival (NaFF) since 2010. She is a member of NaFF and the Belcourt Theatre, where she introduces French films as part of the Vanderbilt FLiCX program. She is a member of the Alliance Française, which promotes French culture, as well as Sister Cities Nashville, which links with Nashville’s sister city Caen, France. Amy is a rock climber and whitewater paddler.
Terry DullEditingB.A., University of Nebraska - LincolnLocation: Johnson Center 460View BioBefore landing as an Adjunct Professor at Belmont University, Terry was on a ride that ran through: editing 200+ music videos, from Country to R&B to Hip-Hop, including several "famous first" videos (only dropping half names) for Garth, Toby, Trisha, Billy Ray (and so on), TV specials, including the Florida State Emmy-winning documentary Wards of the Street for post-Newsweek stations, thousands of spots and hundreds of presentations, shows, teaching series and specials for Lifeway and United Methodist Communications, 400 episodes of the weekly entertainment news show CMT Insider, four years in military broadcasting/journalism and film editing for the US Air Force, ending at Strategic Air Command Headquarters. His lifetime of experience started off with a BA in Broadcast Journalism and English from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and Terry is eager to share with the next wave of Motion Picture Editors.
In addition to teaching at Belmont, Terry is the Supervising Video Editor at CMT in Nashville, overseeing 17 edit systems, 12 edit rooms (on shared storage) and more than a score of video editors. He sometimes edits on Avid Media Composer, and does special effects on After Effects or BMD Fusion. He attends a small church in Hermitage, where serves as an Adult Sunday School Teacher and Worship Leader. Just for fun he sings bass in a five voice vocal band. His nature photography has won a few blue ribbons, and his friends would tell you of his long-term care-giving.
The center line in all of this is Terry’s passion to teach; to share what he has seen, done, and experienced and to help others know and grow.
Robin FosterLecturer of Motion Pictures, Head of CinematographyB.F.A., Vanderbilt University; M.S., University of Tennessee, KnoxvilleLocation: Johnson Center 467View BioRobin Foster’s roots are in the Mississippi Delta, but his passion for motion pictures as personal expression began in his first film course at Phillips Academy, outside Boston. Forty-plus years later, his experience ranges from the art and theater scene of the 70’s, the music video boom of the 80’s and 90’s through over twenty-five years as an independent filmmaker, shooting and lighting, writing and directing documentaries, corporate productions, commercials and entertainment.
A core component of Foster’s professional experience consists of developing and producing educational and training films for healthcare, manufacturing, faith-based and educational institutions. Locations have included: surgical suites at Vanderbilt; factories in Mexico; hometowns across Tennessee; blues clubs back in the Delta; the floor of the New York Stock Exchange; and the rain forest of Peru. Production credits include documentaries for ITV London and Discovery Channel, news for ABC and CNN, entertainment television for CMT, Tangible Vision and Deaton Flanigan Productions, music videos for Ruckus Films, Taillight Pictures, Scene 3 and Tacklebox Films, commercials for Running4Cover, Filmhouse and Rink Entertainment, and corporate/educational for Envision, Inc., United Methodist Publishing House, and Arts & Sciences.
Evident in the cameras, lights, strips of film and digital memory is Foster’s drive to organize, evaluate, and communicate information and experience through his productions, one-to-one mentoring and classroom teaching.
He has a BA in Fine Arts from Vanderbilt University with an interest in film and a MS in Information Science from University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with an interest in film and arts information management.
Richard GershmanProfessor of Practice, Motion PicturesLocation: Johnson Center 461View BioRichard Gershman began his career in theatre where he served on the Artistic Staff of two of the most prominent theatres in America, the Mark Taper Forum and the Seattle Repertory Theatre. He has over fifty stage productions to his credit. Among his credits as a director are: GRANDMA MOSES with Cloris Leachman (Elitch Theatre), THE WRONG BOX (Catalina Productions), BODIES with Lawrence Pressman and Cristina Pickles (South Coast Repertory), DEAD WRONG and AGNES OF GOD (Stage West), SPOKESONG (Seattle Repertory Theatre), LUCKY LINDY (Mark Taper Forum), and as an assistant director: CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD (Broadway, London, National Tour), FOOLS (pre-Broadway), THE LADY AND THE CLARINET (pre-Broadway), CHEKHOV IN YALTA, PAL JOEY, SAINT JOAN, THE TEMPEST, TERRA NOVA and TWELFTH NIGHT.
Mr. Gershman's work in television and film includes his direction of multiple episodes of JUDGING AMY and CHICAGO HOPE, and the award winning short subject, JONI & THE WHALES (HBO, A&E Network). He has also worked as an assistant director on the features, THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, QUEEN’S LOGIC, ONCE BITTEN, ZOOT SUIT, THE LAST MOVIE STAR and on numerous TV shows as a UPM or 1st AD including LOST, UGLY BETTY, CLOSE TO HOME, NIGHTSTALKER, BONES, JUDGING AMY, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, CHICAGO HOPE, L.A. LAW, ELVIS, THE OLDEST ROOKIE, CHINA BEACH, and COLUMBO.
Mr. Gershman's work has earned him grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the American Film Institute Center for Advanced Film and Television Studies. His theatre productions have earned him a total of 10 Dramalogue Awards including 2 for Best Direction, and his film, JONI & THE WHALES was a top award winner at the Chicago and Houston International Film Festivals.
Mr. Gershman is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and holds advanced degrees from New York University Tisch School of the Arts and the American Film Institute Center for Advanced Film and Television Studies.
Stephen HauserInstructor of Motion PicturesLocation: Johnson Center 469View BioStephen has been working in Hollywood for over 20 years. He moved from Los Angeles to Nashville four years ago to help produce the TV show “NASHVILLE” for ABC, CMT and Hulu. During his three-season stint on the show, Stephen began teaching Screenwriting Fundamentals at Belmont and now teaches Screenwriting and Production full time.
After growing up in St. Louis and graduating from Wheaton College outside Chicago, Stephen began his career in Hollywood reading scripts for Academy Award-winning director and screenwriter Barry Levinson. He assisted Mr. Levinson on the NBC show “Homicide: Life on The Street” and the Warner Brothers films, DISCLOSURE (starring Michael Douglas) and SLEEPERS (starring Brad Pitt, Robert De Niro, and Kevin Bacon).
During this time, Stephen adapted his first screenplay based on the Michael Crichton novel, SPHERE, for Warner Brothers, directed by Mr. Levinson and starring Dustin Hoffman and Samuel L. Jackson.
Over the last 15 years, Stephen has written and sold original screenplays and been hired to adapt books and doctor scripts on projects for Miramax, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, the Weinstein Company, Paramount Pictures, and financiers in the independent film world. He’s represented by the Paradigm Agency in L.A. and Writ-Large Management.
Stephen’s passion lies in helping students develop their creative process and hone their unique voice for the marketplace.
John Lloyd MillerAssistant Professor of Motion Pictures, Head of ProductionB.S., Northeastern UniversityLocation: Johnson Center 464View BioMiller has worked in virtually every aspect of the film and television business as a director, writer and producer.
Upon graduating from high school in his hometown of Westfield, New Jersey, Miller enlisted in the United States Navy. After leaving the armed forces, he attended Northeastern University in Boston, where he worked as an editor and director for the school's television station. Miller graduated with honors and left for California to attend the MFA program at the University of Southern California.
Miller began directing music videos while in graduate school, and has directed hundreds in all genres, including Garth Brooks', “The Dance”, The Smithereens, "A Girl Like You", Eazy E and NWA, "Easier Said than Dunn", The Goo Goo Dolls, "There You Are", The Fat Boys and Chubby Checker, "The Twist", Joe Cocker, "You Are So Beautiful" and Vince Gill, “Go Rest High on That Mountain.”
He also played tambourine on The Kentucky Headhunters, “Blue Moon of Kentucky” recording from their album, “Rave On.”
Miller is a 7 time CMA nominee, a CMA Video of the Year Award winner as well as winning countless Video of the Year awards from the ACM, Billboard Magazine, Cine Golden Eagle and many more.
In 1999 Miller collaborated with country music star Mark Collie to create the short film, “I Still Miss Someone,” the first film portrayal of Johnny Cash. The film won awards from festivals around the world and was the only short film shown in the Woodstock Festival's "30 Greatest Films of the Last 30 Years," alongside "Blue Velvet", "Easy Rider", and "Pulp Fiction."
Miller has directed TV shows for HBO, VH1, FX and many more.
He is the founder of The AV Squad, his production company in Tennessee, and a co-creator of Beacon Bay Creative, with offices in Los Angeles, Hilton Head and Nashville. Miller is the father of twin teenagers, an alumnus of Leadership Music, and a member of the WGAe.
Jeff PhillipsScreenwritingLocation: Johnson Center 466View BioJeff’s journey as a writer is a winding narrative that stretching from coast to coast; a pilgrimage toward enlightenment–from his birthplace in Walt Whitman’s New Jersey, through his formative years growing up in a movie theater in Los Angeles, to his twenty plus years as a working writer-producer-director in film/TV. He is a twelve-time produced feature screenwriter, has written and developed several projects for television, worked with all of the Hollywood major studios and networks, and is a member of the Writer’s Guild of America. Think of it like Captain Willard’s quest up the Nùng River to find Kurtz, except not quite as dark and with considerably less bloodshed. After teaching screenwriting and production at Loyola Marymount and Chapman University, Jeff docked his figurative ship in Nashville. He looks forward to showing Belmont students how the emotional connection between the page and ones’ audience can lead to personal and professional success in this most collaborative of businesses.
Jeff, still ridiculously writing in the third person, believes in living a life to write about. Among other adventures, he has traveled to seventeen countries, most of the fifty states, kayaked the west coast, driven cattle across Wyoming, worked air and ground search and rescue, seen Baryshnikov perform “Giselle,” Sinatra sing “My Way,” and Clayton Kershaw pitch. When he’s not writing… scratch that. He’s always writing. He does, however, save most of his time for his greatest creation: his family whom he has in tow. Including his cat.
Favorite TV shows: Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Orphan Black
Favorite movie: 8 ½
Favorite book: War and Peace
Favorite band: Led Zeppelin
Favorite word: Omphaloskepsis
Publications
Houdini: The Man from Beyond
@urFRENZ The Shooting Script
Valorie QuarlesProfessor of Practice, Motion PicturesLocation: Johnson Center 462View BioValorie Quarles has worked as a filmmaker and educator for more than three decades. She has spent her career focusing on bringing diversely talented individuals together and creating cohesive production teams to serve stories that matter.
Her love of storytelling stems from an undergraduate degree in English and teaching creative writing. Here, she also discovered the power of film when asking her students to develop their short stories into films. This led her to pursue an MFA in Motion Pictures from Florida State University. After graduation, she started a non-profit film company where she wrote and produced projects for the educational market and received grants from the Florida Department of Cultural Affairs to do so.
Valorie relocated to Nashville where she continued to write, direct and produce projects. For her work, she received grants and recognitions from the Tennessee Arts Commission, the Southern Arts Council and film festivals. As a leader in the film community, she served as the president of the Nashville Film Festival and a guest speaker for film festivals, universities and conferences. Furthermore, she had the opportunity to serve as the unit production manager on the distributed faith-based feature film Love Again.
Valorie has taught both undergraduate and graduate students at the Watkins College of Art and Lipscomb University. Her current work at Belmont allows her to mentor students to create quality motion pictures that lead students to meaningful and successful careers.
She is a member of Women in Film and Television, Catholics for the Creative Arts, the University of Film and Video Association and an ongoing volunteer for the Nashville Film Festival. This allows her to collaborate with other creatives and to remain current with industry trends.
Valorie enjoys spending time with her husband, two children and their dog, traveling and learning about other cultures, and pursuing her interests in adoption advocacy. She is active in her church which directs her moral compass in her personal and professional life.
Nancy Roche, Ph.D.Film HistoryPh.D., Middle Tennessee State University, M.F.A., Brown UniversityLocation: Johnson Center 460View BioNancy McGuire Roche grew up on a family farm in Western Kentucky and now lives in an historic house in East Nashville. Film is both her passion and her profession. She holds a Ph.D. in English with Concentrations in Film Studies and American Literature 1930-Present from Middle Tennessee
State University, as well as a B.S. degree from Vanderbilt University and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Brown University. Her academic awards include The Arnstark and Rome Prizes for Poetry and the Feldman and Harris Awards for Fiction, while at Brown, and a Provost Writing Fellowship from MTSU. She has been a university professor for almost two decades and has taught film studies for twelve years.
Dr. Roche specializes in film genres, Women in Film, Cinemas of the 1960s, and American Independent Film, with an emphasis on culture studies, narrative, and gender and identity performance. Her recent publications include a chapter in Modern American Drama on Screen from Cambridge University Press and the book Conversations with Edmund White from
University Press of Mississippi. A chapter on Mike Nichols in The Other Hollywood Renaissance and her book Cinema in Revolt: Censorship Reform in 1960s British and American Film are both forthcoming from Edinburgh University Press. She also writes the column “Film Beat” for the East Nashvillian Magazine. Her passions include travel, gardening, yoga, and challenging herself to see how many movies she can view at the Belcourt Theatre in one week.
Lisa ArpinoMusic Supervision & Music EditingView BioStarting piano at age 6, songwriting at 10, and guitar at 12, Lisa was blessed with musical gifts at a young age. Knowing that she, “wanted to make people feel the things I felt when I heard great music,” led her to songwriting, then composing. After graduating from the University of Miami School of Music with a bachelor’s degree in Music and a minor in Electrical Engineering, Lisa moved to Los Angeles and began her career in the Television & Film industry.
In a career spanning almost 30 years, Lisa has written music for TV and film (both score and songs), and worked as a music supervisor and music editor. Her experience has given her a unique understanding of how music pairs with picture from many perspectives.
Some of Lisa’s credits include Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Two Guys Talking About Girls, ER, Criminal Minds, Against The Tide, Finding Carter, and Justified, to name a few. She has received 16 Golden Reel Award nominations and won twice. Outside of TV and film, her band, Twist Of Faith, has produced two records and toured across the country.
In teaching Music Supervision and Music Editing, Lisa’s mission is to develop in her students an understanding of the practical aspects of these positions and the powerful role of music in film and television.
Jennifer BergenView BioAs editor, producer, and storyteller, Jennifer is regarded as much for her understanding of the artistic and aesthetic principles of editing as for her even-tempered approach and knack for creating compelling content. Inspired by a class in high school, the Kentucky native found she enjoyed editing and graduated from Western Kentucky University with a BA in Television Production.
In a career spanning over three decades, Jennifer’s work runs the gamut from music specials, commercials, music videos, variety shows, and live award shows to documentaries, trailers and presentations. While her focus has been primarily rooted in the music industry, she’s also edited many sporting events including drag racing, rodeos, NASCAR, and the PBR. Among her clients, Jennifer counts companies like CMT, Netflix, GAC, The Tennessee Titans, The Nashville Predators, PBS, United Methodist Communications, Rock Productions, Elite Post, ESPN, CBS Sports and TNN.
Jennifer is deeply committed to her community and has volunteered with Hands on Nashville, the Make A Wish Foundation and as a Girl Scouts leader for eleven years where she led her scouts to achieve the Gold Award, the organization's most prestigious honor. A member of the Nashville Filmmaker’s Guild and Nashville Women in Film and Television, Jennifer has a passion for teaching and sharing her knowledge and unique experience with students. Outside the edit bay, Jennifer enjoys hiking, watching movies, reading and spending time with her family.
Lawrence BoothbyCinematographyView BioA graduate of The New England School of Photography, Lawrence's in depth knowledge of technical photography - color and black & white - gave him the experience to work as Quality Control Engineer for Pako Photo Labs Inc., a world wide photo processing corporation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Utilizing his second major, Documentary Photography, he continued to build a strong resume while working freelance for two years as a 16mm news film Cinematographer / Editor with the NBC and ABC affiliates in Bangor, Maine.
After accepting a staff position at the ABC affiliate, his skills in studio lighting became evident as he designed and implemented lighting for live news programs as well as studio and remote television programs. In less than a year, he was directing live News and live and taped Entertainment programming.
In 1979, his move to Nashville began a long successful career as a Director / D.P. / Operator with the area's largest film and video production company. In two years he was promoted to Vice President in charge of Production while still involved as Director / D.P. on countless national and regional commercials and over 100 music videos. His work included 35 and 16mm film and video tape.
In 1992, his decision to free-lance as an independent was well received coast to coast.
As his experience grew, so did the demand for his talents. Lawrence has had the privilege to shoot feature film projects and programming for HBO, Cinemax, NBC, CBS as well as other major cable networks. Special projects have required his skills in a variety of locations such as Italy, Austria, England, Ireland, Taiwan, Mexico and Canada.
His feature film, TV programming and commercial work has been viewed around the globe.
After twenty years in the industry, Lawrence has developed a reputation for delivering quality and creative vision. Whether the project is a feature film, prime-time network special, syndicated television series, commercial or music video, he is committed to the philosophy of providing excellence and innovation to his clients.
From initial extensive technical preparation through wrap, Lawrence places a trademark emphasis on integrity and a thoughtful approach to theory, lighting design and craftsmanship for each project. The execution of compelling, intelligent, state-of-the-art direction and cinematography is a constant goal. His award winning work is the result of meticulous planning, attention to detail and singular vision which ensure the creative technical and visual excellence his clients have come to expect.
Today, his award winning performances continue while he appreciates the honor of being, “a person you enjoy working with.”
More importantly, it is his honor and privilege to have the opportunity to share his vast experience and expertise with the new generation of future filmmakers attending Belmont University.
PT GazellLocation & Post AudioView BioPT Gazell’s working career is a study in two disciplines. He has logged over 20 years as a location audio engineer, a post production engineer and sound designer. He also has a solo music career as a jazz and swing harmonica instrumentalist that includes 7 solo releases and spans a 25 year period.
His film industry credits include postproduction SFX editing and Foley work on successful indie features including FIREPROOF, COURAGEOUS and WAR ROOM. For a decade, he was lead sound designer and mixer for in excess of 300 commercial spots per year for Armed Forces Radio and TV. Other credits include Blue Cross Blue Shield, O’Charley's, Vanderbilt Hospital and Tennessee Department of Tourism.
ADR credits include “Double Jeopardy,” and “Second Chance.”
From the early days of his career, his musical credits include extensive touring and Gold Records with Johnny Paycheck and Mel McDaniel. Studio work on jingles and CDs for artists including Jerry Douglas and Christian music producer and artist Mike Waldron. More recently, two of his 7 solo CD’s, “2 Days Out” & “A Madness To The Method,” were in the initial round of Grammy nominations for Best Jazz Instrumental Album and Best Engineered Album - Non Classical.
Gazell owns golf clubs and is punctual for his tee times. In addition, no one has ever been emotionally injured during one of his rounds of golf.
Nick PalladinoLocation & Post Production SoundView BioAs the owner and creative force behind NPALL Audio, award-winning sound designer Nick Palladino has developed an international reputation for excellence for over 30 years. In addition to Sound Designing film projects like box office hits Fireproof, Facing the Giants, Courageous, War Room, I Am Not Ashamed, and Priceless, Palladino has left his distinctive mark on countless films, television programs, national commercials, and music videos. Palladino oversees three state of the art post production facilities in Nashville, is a past Co-Chair of the Recording Academy’s Producer & Engineer Wing, currently serves on the Board of Governors for NARAS and is an alumnus of Leadership Music.