Issue date: 11/16/09 Section: News

Craig Titley, a screenwriter who has written for films like Warner Brothers' "Scooby Doo" and Twentieth Century-Fox's "Cheaper by the Dozen," discusses the business and technique of screenwriting at a screenwriter's workshop held in the Tarble Arts Center during the Embarrass Valley Film Festival. (Jordan Boner/The Daily Eastern News)

The Great Emancipator was honored with a film festival this weekend celebrating his life and achievements.

Abraham Lincoln was the focus of the Embarrass Valley Film Festival, which chooses a person's work with film or a connection and relevance to the Embarrass Valley area to spotlight, said English professor Robin Murray.

As 2009 is the 200th year since the birth of Lincoln, he was chosen for this year's festival.

While Lincoln was never in a movie, he has been the subject of many films, including "Young Mr. Lincoln."

Before "Young Mr. Lincoln" was shown to the audience of Eastern students, Lincoln enthusiast John Sellers, the curator of the Lincoln collection at the Library of Congress, spoke about the 16th president.

Sellers told the audience when Lincoln first came to Washington, he needed a place for him and his family to stay. He said Lincoln chose a boarding house that later became the site of the Library of Congress.

Sellers, an expert on Lincoln writings, helps researchers coming to the Library of Congress to find and understand presidential documents.

He spoke of the history of Lincoln's writings - telling stories of forgeries and theories surrounding Lincoln history.

More than Lincoln
Not all of the events centered on Lincoln.

Craig Titley counted his references to honest Abe and got to three.

This did not ruin the atmosphere as he spoke about screenwriting.

Using the movie "Zombieland" as a reference, Titley explained how a script is developed following a ubiquitous structure.

Titley has worked in the film industry and has since become a screenwriter.

He showed off the poster for his newest movie, "The Lightning Thief."

Titley has worked on several other movies, including "Cheaper by the Dozen" and "Scooby Doo."

While films like "Glory," "An Occurrence at Owl Creek" and "Young Mr. Lincoln" show the history behind the civil war, and its harsh realities, the stop-motion film workshop, scrap booking and the film "The General" provided a lighter look on Lincoln and the civil war.

When describing what the film festival meant to her Murray quoted the festival's motto: "Great films, homegrown stars - not such an unlikely combination."

James Roedl can be reached at 581-7942
or DENnewsdesk@gmail.com.

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