MISSION OF THE CFAA:
To be the region's most respected and successful organization of film and digital professionals within all visual media crafts, and to contribute to the successful development if the Sacramento-Sierra film industry and it's people.
The Capital Film Arts Alliance (CFAA) was co-founded in 2004 by Laurie Pederson, Jason Bortz and Bryan Darling. It became a non-profit association in 2009. The CFAA is dedicated to the development of the film community and growth of the film and media industry in the Sacramento-Sierra regions. Offering monthly programs for filmmakers, writers, and actors; the CFAA’s workshops, advocacy and meetings have been pivotal in the successful training and communications required to educate and grow our creative economy. Our annual membership and single programs are offered at a low cost and the organization is run by professionals from every craft who volunteer their time.
To be the region's most respected and successful organization of film and digital professionals within all visual media crafts, and to contribute to the successful development if the Sacramento-Sierra film industry and it's people.
The Capital Film Arts Alliance (CFAA) was co-founded in 2004 by Laurie Pederson, Jason Bortz and Bryan Darling. It became a non-profit association in 2009. The CFAA is dedicated to the development of the film community and growth of the film and media industry in the Sacramento-Sierra regions. Offering monthly programs for filmmakers, writers, and actors; the CFAA’s workshops, advocacy and meetings have been pivotal in the successful training and communications required to educate and grow our creative economy. Our annual membership and single programs are offered at a low cost and the organization is run by professionals from every craft who volunteer their time.
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BOARD MEMBERS:
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BOARD MEMBER BIOS:
SCREENWRITING TEAM BIOS:
TODD BULL:
Heading up the new team is CFAA Board Member Todd Bull, who dons the role of CFAA Screenwriting Lab Director. Todd is an award winning screenwriter with twenty years of experience in the field. Todd spent 26 years as an actor, director and stage manager in regional theater productions throughout the West Coast. He began acting in community theater productions while still in high school, then in college. As an adult, he performed and directed more than 50 professional productions in Central California.
Todd enjoyed a hugely successful career of 40 years as sales professional and organizational effectiveness consultant. Todd consistently won national sales awards from his legendary employers, including Houghton-Mifflin, McGraw Hill/Random House, and Vista Higher Learning. Upon retiring from consulting, Todd was recognized by the California State Assembly in 2020 for his work in the Education field.
The success of “Flight of the Heron” convinced Todd and his screenwriting partner Olivia to form a production company together, Circle B Productions LLC in 2019. Since then, Todd has served as Producer and Publicist for all of the company’s productions. Todd and Olivia were married in 2023 in the theater of Sacramento’s Delta King Steamboat, where they screened cartoons and short films before the ceremony, including “Flight of the Heron.”
The new Screenwriting Lab leadership team is shifting the focus toward teaching the craft of screenwriting, reinforcing screenwriting skills, and modeling practical applications. While the Lab is limiting its focus, peer review will remain an important ingredient. Quoting Lab Director Todd Bull, “Our goal is to build on the outstanding work done by our past leadership team. Jack Dever and Rick Kuebler may have moved on, but they will not be forgotten.”
DAWN SPINELLA:
Joining the team is Dawn Spinella, who will anchor screenwriting instruction in her role as CFAA Screenwriting Lab Education Director. Dawn’s skills are as varied as they are impressive. She justifiably calls herself the Swiss army knife of screenwriting and filmmaking. She writes, directs, produces, teaches and brews a mean espresso. Dawn has snagged awards both in front of and behind the camera, and on the page. Not one to let her skills gather dust, she considers writing and filmmaking forever in beta mode.
Dawn’s biographical screenplay, “Mary & The Moon,” won the Alfred P. Sloan Science Screenwriting Award. Her pilot “When Men were Gods” scored a nod for a student Humanitas Award. Her short “Smashed” was a winning script with Women in Media”s Camaraderie Initiative, where it was produced by major industry organizations. Dawn’s pilot was a finalist in the Black/Women in Film pilot competition.
Dawn has been the Chief Cook & Bottle Washer behind the scenes on dozens of films, where she's known for her creative problem-solving and occasional rule-breaking leadership. Dawn has shared her screenplay passion at the University of Pacific and UCLA, and has been sprinkling her magic dust in workshops tailored for shorts, features, and TV formats. Under her wing, students thrive, consistently bagging awards and showcasing their films on a global stage while growing radically as writers and filmmakers.
Dawn holds an MFA in Screenwriting, and an MA in Creative Writing. However it’s her time in service as a Broadcast Journalist for the US Army that offers the most unique material for her writing. She’s rubbed elbows with high ranking soldiers and filmmakers alike and can still knock out a few pushups.
If Dawn's life were a film, it would be an action-packed, heartwarming indie cast with cats and dogs. She’s thrilled to be able to support screenwriters at all levels through CFAA.
Contact the CFAA Screenwriting Team at [email protected]
Heading up the new team is CFAA Board Member Todd Bull, who dons the role of CFAA Screenwriting Lab Director. Todd is an award winning screenwriter with twenty years of experience in the field. Todd spent 26 years as an actor, director and stage manager in regional theater productions throughout the West Coast. He began acting in community theater productions while still in high school, then in college. As an adult, he performed and directed more than 50 professional productions in Central California.
Todd enjoyed a hugely successful career of 40 years as sales professional and organizational effectiveness consultant. Todd consistently won national sales awards from his legendary employers, including Houghton-Mifflin, McGraw Hill/Random House, and Vista Higher Learning. Upon retiring from consulting, Todd was recognized by the California State Assembly in 2020 for his work in the Education field.
The success of “Flight of the Heron” convinced Todd and his screenwriting partner Olivia to form a production company together, Circle B Productions LLC in 2019. Since then, Todd has served as Producer and Publicist for all of the company’s productions. Todd and Olivia were married in 2023 in the theater of Sacramento’s Delta King Steamboat, where they screened cartoons and short films before the ceremony, including “Flight of the Heron.”
The new Screenwriting Lab leadership team is shifting the focus toward teaching the craft of screenwriting, reinforcing screenwriting skills, and modeling practical applications. While the Lab is limiting its focus, peer review will remain an important ingredient. Quoting Lab Director Todd Bull, “Our goal is to build on the outstanding work done by our past leadership team. Jack Dever and Rick Kuebler may have moved on, but they will not be forgotten.”
DAWN SPINELLA:
Joining the team is Dawn Spinella, who will anchor screenwriting instruction in her role as CFAA Screenwriting Lab Education Director. Dawn’s skills are as varied as they are impressive. She justifiably calls herself the Swiss army knife of screenwriting and filmmaking. She writes, directs, produces, teaches and brews a mean espresso. Dawn has snagged awards both in front of and behind the camera, and on the page. Not one to let her skills gather dust, she considers writing and filmmaking forever in beta mode.
Dawn’s biographical screenplay, “Mary & The Moon,” won the Alfred P. Sloan Science Screenwriting Award. Her pilot “When Men were Gods” scored a nod for a student Humanitas Award. Her short “Smashed” was a winning script with Women in Media”s Camaraderie Initiative, where it was produced by major industry organizations. Dawn’s pilot was a finalist in the Black/Women in Film pilot competition.
Dawn has been the Chief Cook & Bottle Washer behind the scenes on dozens of films, where she's known for her creative problem-solving and occasional rule-breaking leadership. Dawn has shared her screenplay passion at the University of Pacific and UCLA, and has been sprinkling her magic dust in workshops tailored for shorts, features, and TV formats. Under her wing, students thrive, consistently bagging awards and showcasing their films on a global stage while growing radically as writers and filmmakers.
Dawn holds an MFA in Screenwriting, and an MA in Creative Writing. However it’s her time in service as a Broadcast Journalist for the US Army that offers the most unique material for her writing. She’s rubbed elbows with high ranking soldiers and filmmakers alike and can still knock out a few pushups.
If Dawn's life were a film, it would be an action-packed, heartwarming indie cast with cats and dogs. She’s thrilled to be able to support screenwriters at all levels through CFAA.
Contact the CFAA Screenwriting Team at [email protected]
