Hollywood, Health & Society Director Sandra de Castro Buffington explored the importance of storytelling and the role of the writer in helping to shape the future during a presentation at the "State of the Arts 2012: Amplify!" conference on Sept. 22 in Los Angeles. The event, described as an "immersive symposium," was an "experiential showcase featuring cutting-edge entertainment, technology exhibits" along with music, dance and film. It was held in the Vortex Dome (pictured) at the LA Center Studios located downtown.
Calendar
Calendar
Tuesday, August 7, 2012 - 12:00am to Thursday, August 9, 2012 - 12:00am
Hollywood, Health & Society Director Sandra de Castro Buffington delivered a presentation on engaging TV viewers in stories that can improve their health and well-being at the National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing and Media in Atlanta on Aug. 9. The conference, co-sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, brought together representatives from education, government, public health and the private sector, and offered participants “new insights and tools to engage audiences and promote healthy behavior.”
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 - 9:00am
Hollywood, Health & Society Director Sandra de Castro Buffington delivered a talk June 26 on the power of entertainment storylines to bring about global change, at the World Bank-Annenberg Summer Institute being held on the USC campus. The World Bank Institute, in partnership with the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania and the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism at the University of Southern California, hopes to sharpen the skills of professionals and officials in new techniques in communication and reform implementation—from crafting strategies in building coalitions to measuring impact.
Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 9:00am
Hollywood, Health & Society Director Sandra de Castro Buffington traveled to the Netherlands to deliver a presentation on TV health storylines June 21 at a communications workshop held at the University of Amsterdam. Buffington’s address, “Is Hollywood Good for Our Health? Inspiring Hollywood’s Scriptwriters to Craft and Air Over 200 Compelling TV Health Storylines in 2011,” was presented as part of a workshop about using stories to make communication more entertaining and effective. The event was organized by StoryNet and the Amsterdam School of Communication Research.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012 - 12:00am to Friday, May 23, 2014 - 12:00am
Hollywood, Health and Society Director Sandra de Castro Buffington delivered a special briefing at the Roybal Campus of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta on May 22, exploring strategies, case studies and best practices used to incorporate public health messages into television storylines. On March 23, Buffington was the guest speaker at a HIV/AIDS presentation sponsored by the Prevention Communication Branch of CDC, where she talked about "Stories That Change Lives: Increasing Accuracy in TV Storylines and Measuring Impact on Viewers."
Monday, May 21, 2012 - 12:00am
Hollywood, Health & Society Director Sandra de Castro Buffington participated in a summit meeting in Atlanta on May 21 titled “Sustaining U.S. Leadership in Global Health and Water. The conference, which was co-sponsored by the Center for Strategic & International Studies, the World Affairs Council of Atlanta and CARE USA, outlined the “principles and policies that will be needed to sustain America’s leadership in improving people’s health worldwide.“ It featured leading representatives from government, non-governmental organizations, business, universities and others. Buffington took part in a discussion titled “Public Opinion on U.S. Support for Global Health,” which was moderated by Dr. J. Stephen Morrison, director of the CSIS Global Health Policy Center.
Monday, April 30, 2012 - 12:00pm to Wednesday, May 2, 2012 - 4:30pm
Hollywood, Health & Society Director Sandra de Castro Buffington spoke at a communications workshop on Tuesday, May 1 at the InterAction Forum 2012 in Arlington, Virginia. The workshop, “Get Your Message Heard During a Crowded Electoral Year,” explored how to use movies, TV and other forms of entertainment to spread awareness and advocacy of global issues. InterAction comprises more than 190 member organizations—faith-based and secular—working in developing countries to improve the lives of the poor, ensure human rights and safeguard a sustainable planet. The annual event serves as a meeting ground for leaders of non-governmental organizations, as well as decision-makers in government and representatives of the nonprofit, corporate and philanthropic sectors, and development experts.