In late April, I featured a TV News clip of Brian Yanish (C'95, Mask and Wig, Friars) talking about his Scrap Kins children's character property.

For all of you with kids out there and are doing some back to school shopping, Brian's "The Scrap Kins" recycled paper stationery is already on shelves in your neighborhood.  His pocket folders feature "Green Tips" on the back and his spiral themebooks give instructions for a recycled craft project kids can make using recyclables found at home.

Support Brian by choosing "Green" for your back to school supplies.

He has pocket folders ($1.29) and spiral themebooks ($2.49) at these stores nationwide: (Click on each name to locate a locate a store near you.)

• Rite Aid (They're also carrying Brian's soft lunchboxes).
• Albertsons
• ShopKo
  
• Duckwall-Alco

Brian's limited edition stationery is only in stores for a Limited Time through Labor Day, so get these collectibles before they're gone!

And this just in! Scrap Kins Recycled Plush dolls (made from recycled polyester (fabric spun from plastic PET bottles (soda & sports drink bottles) are planned for release in Spring 2010. Congrats Brian!

Follow Brian on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/ScrapKins

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Comedienne Lesley Wolff (C'93, Bloomers) was recently featured on HGTV's "Buying and Selling: 20 Best Secrets".

Watch Lesley put her comedic spin on these secrets in the video clip above.

For you aspiring Penn undergrad and alumni stand-ups, Lesley is definitely someone you should know.  She produces and hosts a "Fresh Faces" comedy workshop and shows at Los Angeles' famous Improv for all stand-ups early in their career. If you're interested, contact Lesley at LesleyWolff at gmail.com

And from a previous DT post, check out Lesley's advice for the actor who wants to move out to Los Angeles.

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Those who succeed in Hollywood, are those that are in it for the long haul.

Case in point: Jonathan London (C'01, WQHS Radio, The Hollywood Club)

After film school, Jonathan stuck to his guns, got to know the right people and created really well produced films you'll want to see. Pay attention to this guy Hollywood alumni...he's doing some really good films...

CLICK HERE to learn how did Jonathan got his start, what led to his success and watch two professionally produced short films of his you will love. (hint: if you love stories having to do with being single and/or love Ninja comedies, then you'll love these!)

How did Jonathan get his start?

Per Jonathan,

"After graduating from Penn in 2001 I entered the Film MFA program at Columbia. I had been accepted to Columbia and USC but ultimately chose Columbia for their approach to self-financing your film, the faculty they had on staff and their support for owning your own film. I was a fan of the directors coming out of the school and I don't think other schools could compete with recent grads like James Mangold, Kimberley Pierce and Greg Mottola (to name a few). A lot of other schools had more storied reputations but I was excited for what was currently going on at the school.

I left in 2003, moved to L.A. and shot a film for school called Gay By Dawn (featured in Pennfest 2006 - program HERE, photos HERE). It was a comedy horror short and it played really well at festivals for about two years. I knew it played well with festival audiences because it was weird, but just kept sending it to any festival that would take it and was shocked that it lived so long.

At the same time, I was working as a PA runner for a few different film companies. One of the companies was Fox Television Studios and I made friends with the assistants and gave them copies of my movie. About two years after THAT, the assistants had moved up the ranks and were now executives and needed to bring in projects of their own to develop. Luckily, any DVD that reads "Gay By Dawn" in big letters really stands out on a shelf so I got some calls and pitched my series ideas.

The one that really struck a chord was "Singledom", which I think is pretty relatable for people a few years out of college who are lost in the post-grad limbo.

I wrote and directed a presentation for "Singledom" and while that went through sales pitches and further development the studio asked me to take a look at a project they had called "When Ninjas Attack". My geeky enthusiasm and ridiculous knowledge of old ninja and kung fu movies made it a pretty good fit and a few weeks later the scripts were written and I was directing the six episodes that are being released this summer."

Stay tuned this fall when DT announces another big endeavor Jonathan has been working on!

HOT TIP!: Get some of Jonathan's great tips HERE and learn about a great free screenwriting tool he's using that I didn't even know about until he mentioned it!



More posts from my "Penn's REEL deals" series

More of my Funny Friday posts

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I could have saved this post for another "Love Week" series I'll be doing in February 2010, but I just couldn't wait.

Why? Well, you'll see when you finish this very smart film called "Love Notes".

This film was created by Erin Sougstad (C'12), Kyle Olson (C'10), Luv Patel (C'12), Abhay Sharma (C'12) and Shreyans Goenka (C'12) for their Writing class in Cinema- Witness Spectators and Voyeurism (Spring 09).

This film reminds me of the 1996 student film I did where one man runs through campus all in the name of love!

Keep up the great work undergrads!


Other impressive Class Project films

More of posts from my "Penn's REEL deals" series

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Oscar Nominated Alum Colin Campbell (C'91, President of Intuitons, Without A Net, Penn in Pictures 2001 panelist) has created a great 4 minute video he directed for Instant Films, a 48 hour Los Angeles film festival. Colin drew the script and then the cast out of a hat on Saturday morning and by Sunday night he handed in the finished film.

And Colin is no stranger to directing films by any means. In fact his short film "Seraglio" was nominated for an Oscar back in 2000. This was a great film that we showcased in our first Los Angeles Pennfest 2002 (photos HERE, program HERE) and am trying to see if we can get it posted on DT at some point soon.

"Delicious" is definitely on the not-safe-for-work side.  ...So much in fact that the video and the image I'm using for this post associated with this film can only be seen when you expand the post by clicking HERE.

*Besides Colin, we actually have two other Penn alumni whose short film was nominated for an Oscar in 2006.  Get the scoop HERE and watch their film!



More of posts from my "Penn's REEL deals" series

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