Morgan Spurlock To Host Ovation TV’s Week-Long Programming Event “Every Big Artist Starts Small” Beginning August 29

LOS ANGELES – August 13, 2009   Documentary filmmaker, television producer and screenwriter Morgan Spurlock has been tapped to host Ovation TV’s week-long programming event “Every Big Artist Starts Small.” 

Beginning Saturday, August 29, “Every Big Artist Starts Small” will feature programming that celebrates the inspiration and education that creates the next generation of artists.  Morgan Spurlock provides background information on each of the featured documentary films and series, as well as personal anecdotes about his educational mentors who inspired him to fulfill his dreams of becoming a writer.

“We are thrilled that Morgan Spurlock was able and willing to lend his talent to this project,” said Kris Slava, SVP, Programming, Ovation TV.  “As an avid supporter of arts education, he shares our enthusiasm for the subject, and that comes across on screen.  His participation is above and beyond simply introducing the films.  He really wants to underscore the benefits of arts education, as well as the implications of losing school art programs and the impact on the future of this country’s children.” 

Spurlock is best known for his Academy Award-nominated documentary Super Size Me and as the executive producer and star of the reality TV series 30 Days.  He is also the executive producer of Class Act, which will have its World Television Premiere on Saturday, August 29, at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.   

Class Act is a fascinating documentary that tells the inspirational story of eccentric public school drama teacher, Jay W. Jensen, who taught for over 50 years and became known as the “teacher to the Stars” by teaching such accomplished individuals as actor Andy Garcia, director Brett Ratner,  and songwriter Desmond Child, among many others.  The film interweaves Jensen’s personal story with the story of the national arts education crisis.

Also included in “Every Big Artist Starts Small” will be Playing for Real, a documentary about the Young Concert Artists competition; a three-part documentary series called Dance School:  Juilliard, which offers a rare look at one of the world’s most prestigious dance schools from the perspective of the senior dance students who are preparing for their final dance performances; and OT:  Our Town, which follows students at a Compton, CA high school as they set out to put on the school's first theatrical production in more than 20 years: Thornton Wilder's "Our Town.”

About Ovation TV: Ovation TV is the only multi-platform network devoted to art and contemporary culture. The network creates and curates one-of-a-kind programming about all the art people enjoy most, from the popular to the avant-garde and everything in between. The channel reaches a national audience of 32 million households through carriage on DirecTV (channel 274), Dish Network (channel 157) and on cable and telco systems in major markets across the country. Ovation TV’s programming is also available on video on demand (in both standard and high definition) in the US. Ovation TV’s popular website (http://www.OvationTV.com) is a dynamic experience, featuring information about local and national happenings in the art world, as well as a vibrant community of artists who have downloaded over 60,000 pieces of original art.

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Patricia Frith
Patricia Frith Marketing (for Ovation TV)
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