"PRETTY LITTLE LIARS'" TYLER BLACKBURN TO HEADLINE ABC FAMILY SPIN-OFF SERIES "RAVENSWOOD"

"PRETTY LITTLE LIARS'" TYLER BLACKBURN TO HEADLINE ABC FAMILY SPIN-OFF SERIES "RAVENSWOOD"

ABC FAMILY ANNOUNCES "PRETTY LITTLE LIARS" STAR TYLER BLACKBURN WILL HEADLINE SPIN-OFF SERIES "RAVENSWOOD"

"Ravenswood" Set to Premiere in October

BURBANK, CA (April 30, 2013) - ABC Family announced today that "Pretty Little Liars" star Tyler Blackburn will be the first resident of the spin-off series "Ravenswood." Following the successful announcement of the "Ravenswood" pickup on social media, the network broke the casting news on all "Ravenswood" and "Pretty Little Liars" social media platforms.

Blackburn's character, Caleb Rivers, will travel to Ravenswood during the annual "Pretty Little Liars" special Halloween episode. The "Ravenswood" series will premiere immediately after. Blackburn will still be seen in the upcoming summer season of "Pretty Little Liars."

From "Pretty Little Liars" executive producers I. Marlene King, Oliver Goldstick, Joseph Dougherty and Leslie Morgenstein, "Ravenswood" will center on a town, not far from Rosewood, PA (the home base of "Pretty Little Liars"), which has suffered under a deadly curse for generations. Five strangers suddenly find themselves connected by this fatal curse and need to dig into the town's mysterious and terrible history before it's too late for each of them.


Season 4 of "Pretty Little Liars" will premiere Tuesday, June 11, on ABC Family, as the Liars strive to make sense of the mysterious "Red Coat" and what plans he or she may have in store for them.

"Pretty Little Liars" and "Ravenswood" are produced by Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television, and are executive-produced by I. Marlene King, Oliver Goldstick, Leslie Morgenstein and Joseph Dougherty.

Part of the Disney/ABC Television Group, ABC Family is distributed in over 97 million homes. ABC Family features programming reflecting today's families, entertaining and connecting with adults through relatable programming about today's relationships - told with a mix of diversity, passion, humor and heart. ABC Family's programming is a combination of network-defining original series and original movies, quality acquired series and blockbuster theatricals. Emmy(r) Award-winning ABCFamily.com provides a variety of interactive entertainment and community features from rich, fan-centric programming - including blogs, viewing parties, webisodes, full episodes of the network's hit programming, along with sneak peek exclusive previews and behind-the-scenes clips. ABC Family is also the destination for annual Holiday events with "13 Nights of Halloween" and "25 Days of Christmas." ABC Family. A New Kind of Family.

Ravenswood

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Ravenswood

Twitter: www.twitter.com/RavenswoodABCF

Official ABC Family "Ravenswood" website: www.abcfamily.com/Ravenswood

Contact:
Amanda Kell (818) 569-3391, amanda.kell@disney.com

Screenplay Analysis of The Godfather and Babette’s Feast: Hollywood Three-Act Structure versus European Alternative Screenplay Structure

Screenplay Analysis of “The Godfather” and “Babette’s Feast”:  Hollywood Three-Act Structure versus European Alternative Screenplay Structure

Abstract: Telling stories through film can be accomplished in different ways. The most commonly used storytelling approach in film is referred to as the Hollywood three-act structure. Other approaches that do not comply with the traditional Hollywood screenplay design are known as the alternative style of screenwriting. While the Hollywood three-act structure is common to American cinema, alternative screenplay structure is most widely used in production of European films. This article provides a screenplay analysis of the American film “The Godfather” and the Danish Film “Babette’s Feast.”  

Purpose

            The purpose of this article is to provide a screenplay analysis of “The Godfather” and “Babette’s Feast” in terms of their story structure.  I will accomplish this by first providing a brief description of the Hollywood three-act structure and how it differs from the alternative style of screenwriting.  Then, I will define the key terms that comprise a story’s design.  After this, I will provide an analysis of each film using story design terminology relative to the overall structure of each screenplay.

Hollywood Three-Act Structure

            The Hollywood three-act structure is the most common screenwriting approach used today.  It is most widely used in films produced in America.  The three-act structure is very easy for the viewing audience to comprehend and understand.  “The first act gets the audience involved with the characters and the story.  The second act keeps it involved and heightens its emotional commitment to the story.  The third act wraps up the story and brings the audience’s involvement to a satisfactory end” (Howard 24-25).  Basically, Act 1 is the beginning of the story, Act 2 is the middle, and Act 3 is the end of the story.  For a typical 120-page screenplay, Act 1 is 30 pages long (or 30 minutes), Act 2 is 60 pages (60 minutes), and Act 3 is 30 pages (30 minutes).  Usually, the Inciting Incident which is followed by Plot Point 1 occurs in Act 1.  Plot Point 2 occurs after the midpoint of Act 2.  Then, the Story Climax which is “the biggest scene in the movie, where good confronts evil and where the final battle is waged” (Keane 85) occurs toward the end of Act 3.

            Act 1 is characterized by Setup, Act 2 by the Confrontation, and Act 3 by the Resolution.  During the Setup phase in Act 1, the story begins with establishment of the characters, clarification of the “movie’s premise, location, and genre.  In other words, you start with a main character whose entire world is about to be shattered, who is going to be more severely tested than ever before, and whose way of looking at life is going to be changed forever” (Keane 72).  During Act 2 (the Confrontation Phase), “the character faces a series of obstacles” (Keane 79).  As the story progresses in this segment of the story, the number of obstacles as well as their intensity increases as the story progresses forward (Keane 79).  Act 3 (the Resolution Phase) is “where we find out if the main character achieves his or her goal… and… where the plot is resolved.  Once resolution has taken place, the three-act screenplay is over” (Dancyger 56).

Alternative Structure

            The alternative form of screenwriting is any form of screenplay that does not conform to the traditional Hollywood three-act structure.  For example, an alternative structure can be a film that increases the total number of acts to 4, 5, or even more.  Another variation could be accomplished by challenging the generally accepted genre characteristics of a film.  For instance, in a Western, the protagonist is usually a very positive, moral person that faces several challenges by himself.  In this case, the scriptwriter could challenge “the genre motif of the positive protagonist by making the main character an outlaw and a murderer and surrounding him with people who were worse” (Rush 8).

Story Design Terminology

            In order to properly analyze a screenplay, an understanding of the key terms of story design along with their definitions is necessary.  The key terms I use in my screenplay analysis of “The Godfather” and “Babette’s Feast” are provided below: 
            - Genre:  A category or style of screenplay depicting its content and affecting the author’s approach to writing the story.
            - Setting:  “A story’s setting is four-dimensional — Period, Duration, Location, Level of Conflict” (McKee 68).
            - Plot:  “To plot means to navigate through the dangerous terrain of [the] story and when confronted by a dozen branching possibilities to choose the correct path.  Plot is the writer’s choice of events and their design in time” (McKee 43).
            - Structure:  “Structure is a selection of events from the character’s life stories that is composed into a strategic sequence to arouse specific emotions and to express a specific view of life” (McKee 33).
            - Character:  “A part or role, as in a play, motion picture, or the like (Random House College Dictionary 225).
            - Scene:  “A scene is an action through conflict in more or less continuous time and space that turns the value-charged condition of a character’s life on at least one value with a degree of perceptible significance” (McKee 35)
            - Sequence:  “A sequence is a series of scenes — generally two to five — that culminates with greater impact than any previous scene” (McKee 38).
            - Act:  “An act is a series of sequences that peaks in a climactic scene which causes a major reversal of values, more powerful in its impact than any previous sequence or scene” (McKee 41).
            - Protagonist:  “The leading character or hero of a drama or other literary work” (Random House College Dictionary 1063).
            - Antagonist:  The adversary of the hero.
            - Inciting Incident:  “The inciting incident radically upsets the balance of forces in the protagonist’s life” (McKee 189).
            - Story Climax:  “A story is a series of acts that build to a last act climax or story climax which brings about absolute and irreversible change” (McKee 42).

“The Godfather”

            “The Godfather” (1972) is Part I of a trilogy of films directed by Francis Ford Coppola.  Based on a novel by Mario Puzo, the screenplay was written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola.  From a story perspective, the motion picture won an Oscar for Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (Dirks).  The film is of the gangster genre; however, it was different than the typical gangster films of the 1930s.  “The Godfather” was a film that ”re-invented the gangster genre, elevating the classic Hollywood gangster film to a higher level by portraying the gangster figure as a tragic hero” (Dirks).

Synopsis

            The film is about Don Vito Corleone (the patriarchal head of a Mafia family in New York) who is invited by Virgil “The Turk” Sollozzo (another New York family leader in the Mafia) to start selling drugs throughout the state.  However, Don Vito refuses to get involved with the drug business.  He is satisfied continuing with their gambling and protection efforts.  As a result of his refusal, Sollozzo orders an attempt to be made on Don Vito’s life.  As a result, Vito is gunned down in the middle of a street.  Thinking Vito was dead, Sollozzo then tries to get Vito’s son (Santino “Sonny” Corleone — the new family leader) to agree to sell narcotics as part of the family business.  However, Sollozzo’s plan is thwarted when he finds out that the ‘Don’ (i.e., Don Vito Corleone) did not die.  Don Vito’s other son (Michael ‘Mike’ Corleone) kills Sollozzo which leads to a war among the gangster/mob families of New York.  The war leads to Sonny’s death as well as the assassination of Michael’s wife (Appollonia) in Sicily.  Michael later remarries his previous sweetheart (Kay Adams), the aged Don Vito Corleone dies, and Michael becomes the new “Don Corleone” (Howard 189-191).

Main Characters

- Don Vito Corleone
- Don Michael ‘Mike’ Corleone
- Santino ‘Sonny’ Corleone
- Virgil ‘The Turk’ Sollozzo
- Kay Adams-Corleone
- Carlo Rizzi
- Constanzia ‘Connie’ Corleone-Rizzi

Act 1 – The Setting

            In Act 1, the story’s setting is established; and we are introduced to “the main conflict around which the story will be built” (Howard 25).  The “world of Don Corleone [is set up during Act 1]:  his responsibilities; his family members and their conflicts; the difficulties he faces with the law and competing families; the statesmanship he must possess in order to keep his family and friends supportive of his leadership” (Ryan 97).  “The story is told from the point of view of Michael Corleone… who is the emotional center of the movie” (Ryan 96).  The time period is in the mid-1940s.  The location of the story takes place in and around the city of Long Beach, New York, as well as in Hollywood, California.  The level of conflict throughout the story occurs in the human dimension and depicts the struggles between the Corleone and Sollozzo families.  In the first act, all of the main characters are introduced in the story.  In fact, they are all introduced during the opening sequence of the movie at Don Vito’s daughter’s wedding reception.  During the wedding, Michael Corleone tells his girlfriend (Kay Adams) about the murder and violence associated with his family’s business.  Then he tells her, “That’s my family, Kay; that’s not me” (Ryan 97).  This sets up an inquisitiveness among the viewing audience on whether or not Michael Corleone will be like his family or be different.  Later into the act, the inciting incident occurs where the attempt is made to kill Michael’s father (Don Vito Corleone).  During the first act, there are two protagonists in the story — Don Vito Corleone and Michael Corleone.  They have “similar and related objectives, but they aren’t quite identical” (Howard 191).  “Vito wants to maintain his power and wield it according to the traditions and expectations of his highly ritualized organized-crime upbringing.  Michael is faced not so much with an established and stagnant power base as with one that is eroding; his objective is to recapture and consolidate that power base” (Howard 191-192).  The antagonists to Don Vito and Michael are Virgil ‘The Turk’ Sollozzo and the other mob family leaders.

Act 2 – The Confrontation

            Upon notification of his father being gunned down, Michael Corleone immediately comes to help and be with his family.  With Vito being shot, the question looming over the minds of the audience is, “Who will now lead the family…?” (Ryan 97).  The second act amplifies the intensity of the pressure being placed on Michael and the circumstances he is confronted with.  During this act, Michael decides that Sollozzo must be killed, and he actually carries out the assassination by himself.  After killing Sollozzo, “Michael must go into exile; he must lie low until the shock waves of his bold action have subsided” (Ryan 98).  However, as time goes on, two other inciting incidents occur — Sonny (who was temporarily leading the Corleone family while Vito was recovering from his injuries) is ambushed and Michael’s new wife in Sicily is killed.  This leads to the close of the second act by leaving a vacuum in the leadership of the Corleone family.  With the loss of “the opportunity to start his own family” (Ryan 98), Michael now returns home and assumes leadership of the Corleone family.

Act 3 – The Resolution

            During Act 3, Don Vito calls all of the families together in an attempt to resolve all of the differences and put an end to the war among the 5 mob families in New York.  “In the spirit of resolution, Michael reconciles with Kay and achieves his goal of starting his own family” (Ryan 98).  Subsequent to this, Don Vito officially retires from his family business leadership role; and Michael becomes the new head of the Corleone family.  These actions all bring a sense of closure and resolution to the story.  However, the story climaxes when Michael arranges for the murder of his brother-in-law, Carlo, who has betrayed the family and set up Sonny to be gunned down” (Ryan 99).  It is at this time that Michael reveals his true character.  He has now shown that he “will now murder not only outside his family but also inside it” (Ryan 99).  He further demonstrates his lack of moral integrity when he “lies to his wife, Kay, about murdering Carlo” (Ryan 99).  In this scene, his action is totally opposite to what he told Kay during the wedding reception in Act 1 when he said, “That’s my family, Kay; that’s not me” (Ryan 99).

Closing Comments to “The Godfather” Screenplay Analysis

            “The Godfather” is built on the traditional Hollywood three-act structure.  It does a good job in setting up the story, developing the characters and their confrontations, and brings resolution to the story’s conclusion that all of the key conflicts are somewhat over… in spite of the prevailing winds of another storm about to enter over the horizon as revealed in the subsequent film, “The Godfather – Part II.”

“Babette’s Feast”

            “Babette’s Feast” (also known as “Babette’s gaestebud”) was directed by Gabriel Axel.  The screenplay was written by Gabriel Axel and is based on the novel by Isak Dinesen.  The film was produced in Denmark in 1987 and won an Academy Award for Best Picture in Foreign Film.  The film is of the drama/comedy genre.  It does not conform to the traditional Hollywood three-act structure; it actually has four acts which define its alternative story design.  Moreover, in lieu of being categorized as a Hollywood film, many movie critics place “Babette’s Feast” in the “art film” category.  “Art film, in the broadest sense, means non-Hollywood, more specifically foreign film, even more specifically European film” (McKee 59).

Synopsis

            “Babette’s Feast” is a story about “two adult sisters that live in an isolated village with their father, who is the honored pastor of a small Protestant church that is almost a sect unto itself” (Cannon).  Both of the sisters are provided an opportunity to leave their small village, but they choose to stay with their father and to help him serve in the local church he is pastoring.  The father later dies, and the two sisters assume leadership of the small congregation.  Several years later, the sisters are visited by a French woman immigrant (Babette).  She is in desperate need of a place to live and work.  The two sisters decide to let Babette work for them as a housekeeper and cook.  As time goes on, Babette gets a letter notifying her that she won the lottery in France.  She then gets permission from the sisters to prepare a special meal for the church congregation as they gather to honor the memory of their pastor and his 100th birthday.  The church members are suspicious of Babette and her preparations for this special, French meal — thinking that it is overshadowed by evil practices.  The story concludes with the church congregation finally enjoying themselves at Babette’s feast, which results in improve fellowship and unity among the brethren.

Act 1

            Much of the movie (approximately 40 minutes) out of the total 102 minute running time is spent on the first act where the background is told of the two sisters and the choices each made to stay with their father in the service of the church he was pastoring.  This is longer than the typical 30 minute maximum inherent in the Hollywood three-act structure films.  Act 1 ends when the Frenchman travels back to Paris leaving one of the sisters he loved so much behind.

Act 2

            Act 2 opens up about 35 years later.  The pastor of the church has died by this time, and the two sisters are older; but still remaining faithful to their religious beliefs.  This is the point where the story actually begins with Babette as a maid servant in the small village.  The movie shows her continuing to work for the sisters for 14 years.  In addition, schisms and grievances arise among the church members.

Act 3

            In the classic Hollywood three-act structure, the inciting incident usually occurs somewhere before the midpoint of Act 1.  However, in “Babette’s Feast,” the first inciting incident of the film occurs at the beginning of Act 3.  The inciting incident is when Babette receives a letter from France telling her that she has won 10,000 francs in the lottery.  Now that Babette has become wealthy, the sisters become terrified that she will leave them and return to France.  Babette offers to prepare a French dinner for the townspeople in honor of the pastor’s 100th birthday.  As Babette begins the preparations for the meal, another inciting incident occurs.  This incident is a dream sequence where one of the sisters has a horrifying dream about Babette.  In her dream, she believes Babette has evil powers and is practicing witchcraft as she prepares the meal.  This sets the stage for Act 4 which is the actual feast itself.

Act 4

            The final act of the film opens up with the church people having a great fear of the strange food being prepared by Babette.  They all have agreed prior to their arrival at the meal to not comment about the food during the dinner.  As the townspeople eat the lovely meal, they are enticed by the pleasure it brings them.  As a result, fellowship and unity among the brethren are restored.  Moreover, Act 4 concludes with Babette telling the sisters that she had spent her entire lottery winnings on the meal, that she was a famous chef in Paris years ago, and that she was going to stay with them in their small village instead of returning to France.  With this news, the hearts of the sisters are calmed and closure is brought to the story.

Closing Comments to “Babette’s Feast” Screenplay Analysis

            Being a European film, the screenplay to “Babette’s Feast” is built on the alternative structure of story design.  Although the film is structured in four acts which is distinctively different than the traditional American based three-act structure, the motion picture still does a wonderful job in setting up the story, bringing the characters and their various traits to surface in the narrative,  and bringing resolution at the movie’s end.

Summary

            In this article, I provided a screenplay analysis of “The Godfather” and “Babette’s Feast” in terms of the classic American Hollywood three-act structure and alternative European style, respectively.  I accomplished this by first explaining story design terminology; and then with these terms, performed an analysis of each story.  Although American and European films may “have much in common, they also have distinctive qualities… [and] understanding these distinctive narrative qualities may help the storytellers, the screenwriters, learn more readily from one another” (Rush 163). 
 

Works Cited

Cannon, Ed.  Plot Summary for “Babette’s gaestebud.”  (On-line).  The Internet Movie Database.
     Retrieved October 25, 2002 from the World Wide Web (http://us.imdb.com/Plot?0092603).

Dancyger, Ken.  Global Scriptwriting.  Boston:  Focal Press, 2001.

Dirks, Tim.  The Godfather (1972).  (On-line).  Retrieved October 22, 2002 from the World
     Wide Web (http://www.filmsite.org/godf.html).

Howard, David and Edward Mabley.  The Tools of Screenwriting — A Writer’s Guide to the
     Craft and Elements of a Screenplay.  New York:  St. Martin’s Griffin, 1993.

Keane, Christopher.  How to Write a Selling Screenplay.  New York:  Broadway Books, 1998.

McKee, Robert.  Story — Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting.  New
     York:  Regan Books, 1997.

Random House College Dictionary (Revised Edition).  New York:  Random House Publishers,
     Inc., 1980.

Rush, Jeff and Ken Dancyger.  Alternative Scriptwriting:  Writing Beyond the Rules.  Boston:
     Focal Press, 1995.

Ryan, James.  Screenwriting from the Heart — The Technique of the Character-Driven
     Screenplay.  New York:  Billboard Books, 2000.

NATHAN FILLION -- Richard Castle on ABC's "Castle"

NATHAN FILLION
Richard Castle on ABC's "Castle"

In addition to his starring role on "Castle," Nathan Fillion was a recurring star on "Desperate Housewives," playing Dr. Adam Mayfair, the new neighbor on Wisteria Lane and much younger husband of Katherine Mayfair (Dana Delany). On the big screen he recently finished shooting "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters," which will be released in August 2013, and starred in Joss Whedon's "Much Ado About Nothing," which will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Fillion's other film credits include "Trucker," opposite Michelle Monoghan, "Waitress," with Keri Russell, Universal's "Slither," co-starring Elizabeth Banks, "White Noise 2," "Serenity," which reunited him with director Joss Whedon, "Saving Private Ryan," the independent film "Water's Edge," "Blast from the Past," "Dracula 2000" and "Doubting Reilly." On television he earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the daytime drama "One Life to Live." Other TV credits include the series "Drive," "Two Guys and a Girl," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Pasadena" and "Miss Match."

A native of Edmonton, Alberta, Fillion wanted to be a high school teacher and studied at the University of Alberta. He later starred in productions at the Edmonton Fringe Festival and performed with comedy groups in town before moving on to pursue an acting career in New York and Los Angeles.

PERSONAL INFORMATION
HOMETOWN    Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
BIRTHDATE    March 27

ABC FAMILY IS HOST TO SUMMER'S HOTTEST MYSTERIES WITH SEASON 4 PREMIERE OF PRETTY LITTLE LIARS AND PREMIERE OF TWISTED

ABC FAMILY IS HOST TO SUMMER'S HOTTEST MYSTERIES WITH SEASON 4 PREMIERE OF PRETTY LITTLE LIARS AND PREMIERE OF TWISTED

ABC FAMILY IS HOST TO SUMMER'S HOTTEST MYSTERIES WITH THE SEASON 4 PREMIERE OF "PRETTY LITTLE LIARS" AND THE SERIES PREMIERE OF "TWISTED," AIRING TUESDAY, JUNE 11th, STARTING AT 8:00 PM ET/PT ON ABC FAMILY

Premieres Follow a "Pretty Little Liars" Marathon On June 11th from 2:00-8:00 PM ET/PT

The Network Will Premiere "Pretty Little Liars: A LiArs Guide to Rosewood" Recap Special on Tuesday, June 4th at 8:00 PM ET/PT

Burbank, CA (May 6, 2013) - ABC Family's summer of mystery kicks off with a bang when original series "Pretty Little Liars" and "Twisted" premiere with more twists, turns and drama in all-new episodes, starting Tuesday, June 11th.

"Pretty Little Liars: A LiArs Guide to Rosewood" recap special, encompassing all three previous seasons of "Pretty Little Liars," will premiere on Tuesday, June 4th (8:00 - 9:00 PM ET/PT). Featuring new voice over from the all-seeing Mona, this special will recap the Liars' history with "A" from the very first text message to the most recent spotting of Red Coat.

In the Season 4 premiere of "Pretty Little Liars," entitled "A is for A-l-i-v-e," airing Tuesday, June 11th (8:00 - 9:00 PM ET/PT), the Liars are desperate to uncover what new scheme "A" has in store for them in the wake of the lodge fire, and have no choice but to turn to Mona for answers, now that she is also being targeted. Aria struggles with seeing Ezra in the wake of their breakup, and Emily starts to make plans for life after high school. Meanwhile, "A" sets Toby on a new path, what's in the trunk is revealed, and a shocking discovery reverberates through Rosewood.

The intrigue continues with the series premiere of "Twisted," airing Tuesday, June 11th (9:00 - 10:00 PM ET/PT). The premiere episode follows Danny Desai, a charismatic 16-year-old with a troubled past who returns to his hometown after spending five years in juvenile detention. Immediately branded an outcast, Danny attempts to reconnect with his two childhood best friends, Jo and Lacey, and to smooth over tensions with his mother, Karen. When a fellow high-school student is found dead in her home, Danny instantly becomes the prime suspect and the town spirals into a frenzy of suspicion and mystery.

"Pretty Little Liars" is produced by Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television and is executive-produced by I. Marlene King, Oliver Goldstick, Leslie Morgenstein and Joseph Dougherty. The series stars Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Tyler Blackburn, Lucy Hale, Ian Harding, Laura Leighton, Shay Mitchell, Janel Parrish and Sasha Pieterse. "Pretty Little Liars: The Complete Third Season" will be available on DVD on June 4th.

"Twisted" is produced by Prodco, Inc and is executive-produced by Gavin Polone and David Babcock. Adam Milch is a producer who also wrote the pilot. The drama stars Avan Jogia, Maddie Hasson, Kylie Bunbury, Kimberly Quinn, Sam Robards, Ashton Moio and Denise Richards.

Part of the Disney/ABC Television Group, ABC Family is distributed in over 97 million homes. ABC Family features programming reflecting today's families, entertaining and connecting with adults through relatable programming about today's relationships - told with a mix of diversity, passion, humor and heart. ABC Family's programming is a combination of network defining original series and original movies, quality acquired series and blockbuster theatricals. Emmy(r) Award-winning ABCFamily.com provides a variety of interactive entertainment and community features, from rich, fan-centric programming - including blogs, viewing parties, webisodes, full episodes of the network's hit programming, along with sneak peek exclusive previews and behind-the-scenes clips. ABC Family is also the destination for annual Holiday events with "13 Nights of Halloween" and "25 Days of Christmas." ABC Family. A New Kind of Family.

Artwork and Video are available on www.abcfamilymedianet.com. You can also become a fan of the shows on Facebook and Twitter at:

Pretty Little Liars
Facebook: www.facebook.com/prettylittleliars
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ABCFpll
Official ABC Family "Pretty Little Liars" website: www.abcfamily.com/prettylittleliars

Twisted
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Twisted
Twitter: www.twitter.com/TwistedABCF
Official ABC Family "Twisted" website: www.abcfamily.com/Twisted

Contact:
Pretty Little Liars: Amanda Kell (818) 569-3391, amanda.kell@disney.com

Twisted: Amanda Kell (818) 569-3391, amanda.kell@disney.com Kimberly Weiss (818) 729-0555 kim@klearpr.com

STANA KATIC -- NYPD Detective Kate Beckett on ABC's "Castle"

STANA KATIC
NYPD Detective Kate Beckett on ABC's "Castle"

Stana currently stars in "Castle," playing intense NYPD Detective Kate Beckett who becomes the muse for crime thriller novelist Richard Castle. Katic also recently landed a role in the feature film "CBGB," which will offer an inside look at New York City's famed punk rock nightclub of the same name. She will play Genya Ravan, a music producer and former lead singer of the 1960s rock band Goldie & the Gingerbreads, and will star alongside Alan Rickman, Rupert Grint and Joel David Moore.

Katic's feature film work includes the upcoming film "Big Sur," about writer Jack Kerouac's life after he wrote "On the Road." In the film, she portrays real-life legend Lenore Kandel -- a San Francisco poet who played a pivotal role in the cultural revolution of the late 1960s. Katic was seen last year's Polish Brothers' film, "For Lovers Only," shot in Paris and in the spirit of French New Wave. Also in 2011, she was seen in "The Double," playing Amber, a prostitute who leads Richard Gere deep into the Machiavellian world of Washington politics. Other feature credits include roles opposite such major stars as Daniel Craig ("Quantum of Solace"), Morgan Freeman and Greg Kinnear ("Feast of Love"), and Samuel L. Jackson and Eva Mendez ("The Spirit").

As a natural athlete, Katic plays multiple sports and often performs her own stunts. She also sings so well that producers used her alto-mezzo soprano voice for the theme song in the third and final film of "The Librarian" trilogy, "The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice," in which she also starred. She recently voiced the character of Talia al Ghul in the video game "Batman: Arkham City." In 2008 Katic established her own production company, Sine Timore Films, which in Latin means "without fear." The film company is currently in development on two features.

In 2010 Katic started a campaign called "The Alternative Travel Project" (www.alternativetravelproject.com) in an effort to improve the environment, create a greater sense of community in Los Angeles and "to make Los Angeles its better self." This project encourages everyone, everywhere – but especially in car-centric Los Angeles – to go car-free for just one day. The campaign has been extremely successful, causing people from around the globe to write, tweet and blog about it.

Currently residing in Los Angeles, Katic speaks five languages and holds dual citizenship in the United States and Canada.

PERSONAL INFORMATION
HOMETOWN    Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
BIRTHDATE    April 26