Filmmaker Edward Burns receives the 2012 Artist of Distinction Award for achievement in film by the Gold Coast International Film Festival
(Long Island, N.Y.) A-listers and members of the press attended Petrepreneur New Product Showcase featuring the most exciting innovative pet products on Tuesday October 16th, 2012 at the Roger Smith Hotel in Manhattan.
National pet product designers, companies and brands journeyed to New York City to showcase their latest pet product items.
Pet lovers, A-list Celebrities and Press enjoyed a delightful afternoon while sipping cocktails, being photographed on the red carpet and being informed about the interesting new pet products as they collected press kits, product samples and gift bags.
Celebrity Pet “Henry” the Roger Smith Hotel’s Resident Boston Terrier strolled on the Celebrity “Grass Carpet” to publicize the event even more.
Pet News Now media showcases and connects pet product companies with national magazines, talks show producers, newspaper reporters, bloggers, pet trades, entertainment writers and gift guide editors who gather information and communicate to the world about ongoing pet product inventions and new pet services.
With over 15 years of combined experience in pet product publicity, Amanda Leesburg and Dana Humphrey from PNN have established, produced and publicized many events. PNN media showcases are the perfect venue to launch a new pet product, expand regional media outreach or simply connect with national mainstream media.
Amanda Leesburg is the president of Leesburg PR, a strategic public relations company, which specializes in consumer, environmental, entertainment and lifestyle communications services. Amanda is a national media relations expert with over 10 years of experience in the pet products industry. Her clients have included Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, PetSafe, Luxury Pet Pavilion, EcoSMART, Bubba Rose Biscuit Company, Hound & Gatos Pet Food Corporation, Designer Pet Products and more! Capabilities and expertise include New York and Los Angeles media tours, national broadcast placements, new product launches, product branding & development and celebrity red carpet events. Her pet product placements have included: New York Times, Martha Stewart Show, Fox & Friends, Family Circle, USA Today, People Pets, The Nate Berkus Show, Rachael Ray, Real Simple, Men’s Health, Wendy Williams Show, LA Times, Today Show, The Talk, Woman’s Day, OK Magazine and many more.
To learn information please visit: www.leesburgpr.com.
Dana Humphrey is the lead Marketing and PR Consultant and Owner at Whitegate PR with experience publicizing small and large businesses, artists, authors and nonprofits in the U.S. and abroad. Her specific focus is in consumer, professional services and retail industries especially in the pet industry. After working “in-house” in San Diego and New York for Muttropolis, Great White Wines and Women For Hire, Dana absolutely enjoys juggling many projects simultaneously where no job is too difficult. Despite tremendous competition Dana has secured media hits in People, Newsweek, Animal Planet, NBC’s Today Show, Good Morning America, Forbes, Prevention, USA Today, Time, Every Day With Rachel Ray Magazine, Southwest Airlines Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, Dog Fancy, Pet Product News, Doggie Aficionado, Bark Magazine, NBC News, ABC News, Fox News, LA Times, San Diego Union Tribune, Chicago Tribune and more! After traveling to 45+ countries and living in five, she currently resides in Astoria, New York and identifies as a global citizen.
To learn more information about Whitegate PR, please visit: www.whitegatepr.com.
Celebrities that came to give their support included Megan Hilty from the Hit NBC TV Show “Smash,” Realty TV Star Liz Margulies from Bravo-TV “Gallery Girls,” Pet Fashion Designers Ada Nieves, Anthony Bandit-Rubio and Realty TV Star Grace Forster from “Doggie Moms.”
A-listers and animal lovers attend “A Night of New York Class” on October 23rd, 2012 in Manhattan at the Edison Ballroom inside the Edison Hotel. Actress and Animal Activist Pamela Anderson was Master of Ceremonies at the star-studded event to abolish horse carriages.
The harsh reality of the life of a carriage horse working in New York City is no laughing matter. They routinely work at least 9 hours a day, pulling a vehicle that weighs hundreds of pounds, on hard pavement, while breathing exhaust from cars, buses and taxis. Unaccustomed to the urban environment, horses can be “spooked” easily and cause accidents that inflict great damage on vehicles, drivers and most often, the horses themselves. There were six accidents in the summer and fall months of 2011 alone.
At the end of the day the horses return to their tiny stalls in stables in run down buildings and tenements on the far West side of the city, or as Jon Stewart once called it, “The sad-eyed horse carriage district.” The small space doesn’t allow these enormous animals to lie down comfortably or to move about freely. Unfortunately there is no turn-out or pasture time that equine veterinarians agree is needed for horses to live healthy lives.
After they work the busy and unsafe streets of Manhattan, the carriage horses are sent to auctions in Pennsylvania where they are sold to kill-buyers who transport the animals to Mexico or Canada to be inhumanely slaughtered for exported meat.
Celebrities that came to give their support included Joan Jett & the Blackhearts performing LIVE, Russell Simmons, Kathy Najimy, Kristen Johnson, Richie Rich and Lady Bunny.
For more information on supporting this cause please visit www.nyclass.org.
On Long Island the Gold Coast International Film Festival celebrated their 2nd Year.
On October 25th, 2012 Actor and Filmmaker Edward Burns from Gibson, Long Island received the 2012 Artist of Distinction Award for achievement in film by the Gold Coast International Film Festival after his Long Island Premier of his latest film “The Fitzgerald Family Christmas.”
Mr. Burns began his show business career as production assistant to Oliver Stone on the Motion Picture Production, “The Doors.” His first independent production that he wrote, created, produced, directed and starred in was “The Brothers McMullen.” The movie had a world premiere at Sundance in 1995 and received the prestigious Grand Jury Prize. His latest indy production “The Fitzgerald Family Christmas” was filmed almost entirely in New York on Long Island. After the Screening and Q & A at the Port Washington Cinemas in Long Island, members of the press, sponsors and motion picture industry insiders were invited to an exclusive invitation-only special reception held at The Waterfront at Roslyn afterwards.
At the cocktail Reception Mr. Burns discussed the synopsis of the film which involves an Irish family struggling to agree on a family issue that is presented to them during the Christmas holidays.
The film is about an expansive Irish family with seven siblings confronted with their long-absent patriarch who declares his intention to come home for the holidays. The film depicts deeply buried anger and bitterness in the family over his abandoning them for twenty years.
His children are adults and dealing with significant issues of their own: one finds himself attracted to the nurse who cares for his late wife’s ailing mother; another is planning to propose to a much younger girlfriend; a third is having an affair with her gardener; and yet another and her Jewish husband tussle with baptism for their baby. The ensuing holiday will be a celebration of hope, forgiveness and the kind of gentle awkwardness every family can understand and relate to.
Mr. Burns revealed “The film opens on iTunes on November 21st and then it open in theaters on Long Island on December 7th.”
Regina Gil is the founder and executive director of The Great Neck Arts Center which created the festival and Caroline Sorokoff is the Associate Director. Aviva Miller is the Festival Director. L. Somi Roy, Artistic Director & Alexandra Gil Curator, Short Film Programs. Founder and Executive Director of the Great Neck Arts Center, Reginal Gil established the Gold Coast International Film Festival with the help of Associate Director Caroline Sorokoff.
I had a chance to interview Festival Director Aviva Miller who revealed that many Old Hollywood movie stars resided on the Gold Coast of Long Island as well as United Artists Films and Actor/Filmmaker Charlie Chaplin directed a film on the North Shore of Long Island.
For more information please visit www.goldcoastfilmfestival.org.
