Clients/Projects

LTV Strategic Media & Communications

 LTV  provides thought leadership, strategic advice, and communications and program development plans for nonprofits. Skills include program development, fund-raising and grant-writing, project management, evaluation, writing and communications. Clients have included educational institutions, university programs and schools, film festivals, arts enterprises and other nonprofits. Special area of interest involves the intersection of entertainment and education.

Clients/Projects include:

·   The Help Group

·   STEM3 Academy

·     Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics

·     Millennium Films

·     Hollywood Invades Tempe (speaker series),

·     Ticket News

·     Moving Pictures Magazine

·     Arizona State University School of Film, Music and Theatre

·     Quinnipiac University·    

·     Alternative Energy Group of Princeton University alumni.

Publications

Major works include:

·       Journal of Media, Technology and Society (2015). Toronto, Canada: Waterhill Publishing. Conference paper author: “Media Literacy for Media Makers.”

·       Media Literacy for Film and Media Students: Teaching Onscreen Violence to Future Entertainment Industry Professionals (2014) Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ (Doctoral Thesis).

•        Handbook of Children and the Media. (2011, second edition). Dorothy Singer & Jerome Singer, editors.  Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications. Chapter author: "Children’s Advocacy Groups: A History and Analysis."

·       The Sage Handbook of Child Development, Multiculturalism and Media. (2008).  Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications.  Joy Keiko Asamen, editor.  Chapter author: “Public Health Advocacy in the Media.”

·       More Than a Movie: Ethics in Entertainment. (2000) Boulder, CO: Westview Press, by F. Miguel Valenti. Volume editor.

·       Building Blocks: A Guide for Creating Children’s Educational Television. (1998). Los Angeles, CA: Mediascope Press.

·       Co-creator and instructor of Kids Build, award-winning curriculum for 4-6 graders on sustainability and architecture taught in public and private schools; received support from Arizona Institute of Architects and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

•        The Social Effects of Electronic Interactive Video Games. (1996). Los Angeles, CA: Mediascope Press. Editor

·       Creator and instructor of SmartKids TV, a four-part media education curriculum for elementary students taught in Arizona schools.

·       The Hospital Survival Guide: Getting In, Getting Out & Getting Better (unpublished nonfiction) 2012.

•        Cold Case, Warm Heart (unpublished nonfiction). Excerpts published in Northeast Magazine received 2003 award from Society of Professional Journalists (2008).

Key Panels & Events Produced, Moderated or Including LTV Media:

Facing Racism On Film and TV: A Panel Discussion Hollywood Comes to Chicago Conference for Screenwriters Chicago, Illinois;  David McKenna, American History X Laurie Trottta, media consultant ; Dr. Michael Dyson, activist and author Warrington Hudlin, director

Violence in America: Is the Media to Blame? Association of Alternative Newspapers Annual Conference Scottsdale, Arizona;  Moderator: Laurie Trotta Panelists: Jack Valenti, president, Motion Picture Association of America; Todd McFarlane, producer and writer, Spawn Jack Thompson, Esq. Kevin Saunders, Professor of Law, University of Oklahoma

God, Mom & Apple Pie: Exploring the Family-Friendly Programming Trend; NATPE Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana . Explored the current popularity and success of wholesome and spiritual themes on prime time TV. Panelists: Andrea Alstrup, VP Advertising at Johnson & Johnson, founder of the Family Friendly Programming Forum; Larry Poland, Mastermedia, a nonprofit group working to support spiritual programming; Tim Johnson, Senior Vice President of Programming, Paxson Communications; Bruce D. Johnson; President and CEO, Porchlight Entertainment.

The Effects of Violent Scripts on Society; American Film Institute - Screenwriters Weekend -- WGA Theater, Beverly Hills Panelists: Callie Khouri (Thelma and Louise); David McKenna (American History X) John Milius (Apocalypse Now) Laurie Trotta (More Than a Movie, editor) Jim Uhls (The Fight Club)

Through the Eyes of Children ; Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, North Hollywood, CA. This major conference for creators, producers and actors of children’s television was produced in association with the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Federal Communications Commission. Guests to address the 600 participants included actors Bill Cosby and LaVar Burton, FCC Chairman William E. Kennard and Academy President Meryl Marshall. Mediasope panel, ”Redefining Children’s TV,” brought academicians and entertainment industry leaders for a debate on the responsibility of TV makers.

Children’s Media Summit: Developing Voluntary Guidelines for Creative Professionals; DIC Entertainment. Co-sponsored with DIC Entertainment a two-day summit for leaders in children’s entertainment to develop guidelines for creators of programming for kids. Guidelines were written by Trotta and disseminated throughout the children’s TV industry.

Children’s Educational Television 101: Complying with the FCC Rules.  A panel discussion at NATPE on Children’s Educational TV to more than 80 buyers of children’s programming and others directly concerned with educational TV for children at the annual New Orleans conference.  Moderator: Panelists:  Laurie Trotta; Mediascope; Donna Mitroff; Fox Kids Worldwide; Robby London; DIC Entertainment Donald Roberts; Stanford University Catherine Montgomery; Center for Media Education Carol Martz; KCOP-TV.

Canadian Senate Subcommittee on Telecommunications; Organized and hosted a meeting of children’s programmers and members of the Canadian subcommittee. Topics included comparisons and similarities in Canadian/US law concerning children’s TV regulation, the international marketplace, and ratings.  Moderator/Host:: Participants:  Laurie Trotta; Mediascope ; Nancy Steingard; Universal ; Robby London; DIC Entertainment Christopher Keenan; Warner Bros. Carol Monroe; KCOP-TV (UPN) Jerry Kramer; Canadian Consul General of Los Angeles Michel Patrice, Senate Subcommittee

On-Screen Violence: How Much Is Too Much? Hawaii International Film Festival; Honolulu; Trotta organized and hosted a panel moderated by critic Roger Ebert for an exploration of the consistent popularity of violence in film and television.  Moderator:  Roger Ebert C. M. Chan, Producer (”Tongs: A Chinatown Story,” ”Guns of Dragon”) Miguel Valenti, Producer Bruce Fletcher, Former Canadian Government Censor Jeff Portnoy, First Amendment Scholar and Attorney Deborah M. Pratt, Executive Producer and Writer (”The Net,” ”Quantum Leap”)

Regulating Television in Canada and the US: A Look at the Issues; Beverly Hills, CA; Francoise Bertrand, Chairperson of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (equivalent to the US FCC) was guest of honor at an event during a briefing mission to Los Angeles.  Host: Laurie Trotta; Executive Director; Mediascope; Jerry Kramer; Consul; Canadian Consulate General Guest: Francoise Bertrand; Radio-television & Telecommunications Commission. 

Computer Game Developers Association Annual Conference ; Long Beach, CA In partnership with PCI, organized two major panel discussions as part of a new association to create a social track of discussions and breakout sessions for the 12,000 attendees of the CGDA Conference. The events marked the first time that social issues were raised as a focal point with the game developers. The panelists and discussions were as follows:

VIDEO GAMES AND CHILDREN -- FUN, FANTASY ... OR HEALTH RISK? Moderator: Hal Josephson, Executive Director, Invision NewMedia Festival . Eugene Provenzo -- Professor, School of Education, University of Miami ; Debra Lieberman -- media research consultant; Dr. Jeanne Funk -- Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Toledo

GOT ANYTHING FOR GIRLS?  Moderator: Annie Fox -- game designer & creator of Talk City’s The Insitute Yasmin Kafai -- Assistant Professor, UCLA School of Education ; Kaveri Subrahmayam -- Assistant Professor, Child & Family Studies, Cal State LA Cecilia Barajas -- Director of Civilization II at Activision; Kathryn Jones, Girl Games, Inc., producer and designer Alex Uttermann -- Journalist and game developer

FIRST ANNUAL COMPUTER GAMES FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY CONTEST  Trotta served as a judge for this first annual award, organized by PCI, to be bestowed upon a computer game designer who designs the most entertaining game with social responsibility aspects. Selection was made from one dozen submissions ñ growth of this contest is expected as news of the $10,000 award prize money (through PCI) circulates among the game industry.

Depictions of Tobacco and Illicit Drug Use in the Entertainment Industry; MGM Main Theater; Santa Monica, CA Trotta opened the day’s discussions of nonsmoking advocates, government health officials, nonprofit representatives, advertisers and entertainment industry executives assembled to examine the prevalence of smoking onscreen, and for a discussion on what could be done about it. Sponsored by CDC, SAMHSA and Next Generation Alliance.