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Tips for Directing Non-Professionals

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Lights. Camera. Action. You hope. Directing professional talent isn’t always easy, but they usually know their jobs. Directing non-actors requires a different set of skills.

Directing non-professionals can be both rewarding and a real challenge. Whether it is the producer’s daughter or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company who insists on delivering the opening statement, directing non-professional talent takes a steady and patient hand. It also helps to have in your arsenal a few helpful hints and techniques ready to pull out at any given moment. In this column, we will discuss some ways to avoid potential pitfalls when directing non-professionals and ways to make your budding talent comfortable and capable of delivering a stellar performance.

Professional or Non-Professional – That Is the Question

Before trusting your production to the acting or speaking abilities of a non-professional, you need to ask yourself a few questions:

  • Are you under a strict deadline?
  • Will a national or even regional audience see your project?
  • Is it essential that the script be delivered completely as written, or will you be able to rewrite it to make it more easily presented by a non-professional?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you should probably seek out a professional who would be willing to work for you within your budget. Why? A professional will be able to work through your project quickly and efficiently, using years of training and practice to deliver the script with the right emphasis, tone and pace. Professionals will not only save you time, but also will be able to present the script as written and adapt their voices or act their parts with an eye on the final outcome.

The practiced ability and polish of a professional usually will play more effectively for a regional or national audience. There will be no glaring accent or local feel to the talent, and this will enhance the credibility of the project. This doesn’t mean that non-professional talent will not be able to deliver a valuable performance – it will just take longer, and you will need to be aware of your audience.

Directing the Non-Professional in a Narrative Piece

The key to using non-professionals in a narrative piece is to typecast your roles. Typecasting means you cast people in roles they closely resemble in look and personality. Famous Russian director Sergei Eisenstein used to cast butchers as butchers and military men as soldiers to add authenticity to the performance. While the role you are casting may be no more than a support player in an ensemble cast, choosing someone who resembles the role will make it a lot easier on both of you. If, however, the producer insists on casting his daughter in the lead role of a production, hope that person is similar to the character she will be playing because, otherwise, you will need to work much harder to make sure she delivers the performance you need.

When you are working with non-professionals on the narrative set, rehearsal is essential. Make sure your actors are very familiar with their blocking (the movement of the actor from one point to another), motivation for their lines and any “business” you may want them to perform while acting their parts. Business is a film term for the actions the actor may be doing to make the character authentic. If you are shooting a scene with a mother, you may have her making sandwiches for her children before they run off to school. The making of the sandwiches is the actor’s business. A chef may be preparing food, a doctor performing surgery or a police officer cleaning a gun. It is essential that the business be well-rehearsed, so it looks very natural.

Acting is more than delivering lines. It is inhabiting the character in such a way that it becomes real. Nothing is more distracting than watching a character perform an action he doesn’t understand or has not practiced and perfected. Non-professionals, if typecast, can perform quite well if they relate to their characters and are familiar with the type of business their character is assigned.

While knowing the characters and their business is important to the non-professional, understanding the technical requirements of the craft also plays a role in the success of the performance. Walk the talent through their scenes, and explain what is going on around them and how they need to relate to the various technical aspects of the set. Get them used to the lights, the ever-present crew, the closeness of the camera and any other equipment or personnel that may invade their space at any given time. Have them practice walking up to their marks and delivering their lines, while doing their business. Explain to them how close the camera position may be, as well as the amount of space in the screen within which they have to work. Always make sure you present these details in layman’s terms, so your non-professional talent can easily understand them. Throwing jargon at novice actors will do nothing to build their confidence.

As you rehearse the scene, listen carefully to what the actors say and the way they deliver their lines. Give them encouragement if they blow a line or two. If they stumble on a particular line, work with the scriptwriter, if available, to find a way to say the same idea in a way the talent can handle. Sometimes certain words don’t seem to fit in an actor’s mouth, and a slight tweak of the dialogue without changing its meaning helps.

Before rolling tape, explain to the actors the typical procedure for doing the scene: the commands they will hear and the importance of each. The more familiar and comfortable the talent is on the set, the better the performance will be.

When rolling, watch the talent’s performance, and make sure you get what you are looking for. Do not be afraid to shoot multiple takes. Explain to the actor what you want during each take, and gently shape the performance so that both of you will be happy with the end result.

Directing the Non-Professional in a Non-Fiction Piece

More often than not, the non-fiction world is where you will be working with the non-professional talent. Often when you produce corporate video, the client prefers to use in-house people. This is actually to your advantage, since you will not have to explain to actors something they have no clue about. It is a bit like typecasting in the fiction narrative. The talent knows how to work the machinery, speak the jargon of the workplace or maneuver through a difficult procedure.

When working with the CEO or other administrative personnel, treat them with respect, but do not give in to their demands. They will often ask for cue cards or ready-made speeches. Both will lead to very stilted and drab performances they will not like in the end. You may allow them to use note cards, but, if they do, type the cue words on blue note cards in large letters, and have them hold the cards so that they are visible. Walk them through the material until they get comfortable working in front of the camera. When you do roll tape, their delivery will be a lot more relaxed, they won’t appear to be reading and they will present the information in a much more credible fashion than by reading a written speech.

On the technical side, when working with non-professionals, make sure you explain the equipment you are setting up and the objective of that particular shoot. Turn off the tally light so there isn’t a glaring red light in the talent’s eyes, reminding them they are on camera. This also will prevent their knowing when the camera is rolling.

As in the fiction narrative, rehearse both camera and talent moves. If you are looking for a certain emphasis during a moment in the script, place a mark on the floor and rehearse the movement with the talent. Make the movement as simple as possible to avoid confusion and make the final result professional in quality and tone.

The Director’s Role

When directing non-professional talent, you have to maintain an air of professionalism and confidence in the talent’s ability to perform to the standard needed to produce a great project. Walk them through everything, be patient, be supportive and always make sure your goal is very specific. A wishy-washy director would spell doom to a non-professional who might already be uncomfortable in front of the camera and crew. Explain everything as you go, and be prepared to answer questions that may arise. If needed, tweak the script so it fits better in the talent’s mouth. Above all else, do not yell, scream or carry on if they blow a line. Treat them with respect and kindness, and they will respond.

Final Cut

Working with non-professional talent, while at times seeming to be an all-consuming project, can be full of pleasant surprises. If you go to the set with a plan, work patiently with your talent and break the script into small, bite-size pieces, your shoot should be a big success.

Contributing editor Robert G. Nulph, Ph.D., teaches video and film production at the university level and owns an independent video production company.

THE PRODUCERS GUILD WEEKEND SHORTS CONTEST

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Open to Entrants Worldwide
September 28 to 30, 2012

UPCOMING DEADLINE
September 12, 2012 – Regular Registration Deadline

MISSION AND OBJECTIVE
The mission of the Producers Guild Weekend Shorts Contest is to support talented producers through the Producers Guild’s Debra Hill Fellowship and to bring the inspirational spirit of Debra Hill’s life and work to new generations of storytellers. Entries for this competition will reflect themes and elements found in Debra Hill’s films, and revenues raised by the contest will fund the PGA’s Fellowship.

MORE ABOUT THE CONTEST
Filmmakers must pre-register to participate in the Contest, and all films must be submitted by the completion deadline on September 30 to be considered in competition. Exact challenge details and story requirements will be distributed to all registered entrants at the beginning of the 48-hour filming period and will reflect themes and elements found in Debra Hill’s films. Completed films should be no longer than five minutes in runtime, and will be evaluated based on creative merit, technical execution, and fulfillment of the assignment. Winners will be announced on November 9, 2012.

Register for the Producers Guild Weekend Shorts Contest today, and get ready to flex your creative muscles in a fast-paced and fascinating storytelling challenge while benefiting the Producers Guild’s Debra Hill Fellowship!

The 2nd Annual Producers Guild Weekend Shorts Contest, is benefiting the Producers Guild of America’s (PGA) Debra Hill Fellowship. A pioneer among women in film production, Debra Hill charted a course from production assistant to writer-producer of some of the most successful films in history. By the time of her death in 2005, her filmography included crowd-pleasing hits like Halloween and Escape from LA, as well as the critically-lauded Academy Award-nominee The Fisher King . Uniquely dedicated to honoring Hill’s memory and achievements, the Weekend Shorts Contest is proud to bring the adventurous spirit of her life and work to a new generation of filmmakers and audiences. The Contest is open to all filmmakers worldwide 18 years and older; registrants need not be a member of the Producers Guild to enter.

The Producers Guild invites producers of all experience levels to participate in this exciting contest. Tailored to test both storytelling ability and production efficiency, entrants must craft memorable and effective films based upon a pre-assigned topic, with a maximum of 51 hours at their disposal. All entrants will receive the same assignment, but each will no doubt approach the subject with his or her own individualized flair. Completed productions will be submitted online and evaluated by accomplished industry professionals – including producers Gale Ann Hurd and Stacey Sher – each of whom had strong personal friendships with Hill.

The Contest will award First-, Second-, and Third-Place prizes, each of which includes guidance and mentorship from a well-respected member of the PGA. Additional prizes designed to help emerging talents advance their filmmaking careers include a $60,000 USD gift certificate from Panavision, a one-year subscription to Movie Magic, and a $10,000 gift certificate for grip and electric rentals from Cinelease.

 


Palm Springs International Film Festival

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24 Annual January 03, 2013 to January 14, 2013

The Palm Springs Film Festival welcomes narrative feature submissions from the United States and internationally.

The festival welcomes non-fiction documentaries for programming during the festival.

MISSION & OBJECTIVE
“The Palm Springs International Film Festival is the premier presenter of world cinema on the North American continent”.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Located in the beautiful Coachella Valley at the base of Mt. San Jacinto in southern California, the Palm Springs International Film Festival is one of the largest film festivals in the country, screening over 200 films from more than 60 countries to an audience of over 120,000.

From ages 5 to 85, the festival brings together communities as diverse as the retired citizens of the desert, the young, hip industry crowd of Los Angeles and film aficionados from around the world. The festival also features cultural events, filmmaker tributes, industry seminars and an annual black-tie gala award presentation.

The festival screens a majority of the official international submissions to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Best Foreign Language Film. We also present the largest festival of short films in North America. Our 23rd Annual Festival will be held January 5-16, 2012. This festival is a “must see.”

ORGANIZERS
Christine Asaro (Accountant) ; Christine Asaro (Accountant) ; Darryl Macdonald (Executive Director) ; Helen Du Toit (Artistic Director) ; Ken Jacobson (Programming Coordinator) ; Ken Jacobson (Programming Coordinator) ; Ken Jacobson (Programming Coordinator) ; Ken Jacobson (Programming Coordinator) ; Rhea Lewis (Managing Director) ; Rhea Lewis (Managing Director) ; Rhea Lewis (Managing Director) ; Rhea Lewis (Managing Director) ; Rhea Lewis (Managing Director) ; Rhea Lewis-Woodson (Managing Director) ; Steve Wilson (Publicist)

GENERAL RULES
PLEASE NOTE ALL DEADLINES ARE “RECEIVED BY” DEADLINES, NOT POSTMARK DEADLINES!

SUBMISSION REGULATIONS:
1. Submitted films must be 70+ minutes for narrative features and 50+ minutes for documentary features. No short films will be accepted.

2. Please label the submitted DVD with the film title, running time and contact email and phone number

3. the film must have been completed in 2012 or 2013. Films completed in 2011 will only be considered if they premiered in 2012; films premiering prior to 2012 will not be considered

4. The film must not have been screened previously in the Coachella Valley (includes Palm Springs)

5. The film must not have been broadcast in U.S. prior to end of 2013 Palm Springs International Film Festival or viewed on the Internet

6. Rough cuts or cuts with “temp” sound will be accepted. Please list directly on the DVD what elements of your film are missing

7. More than one entry may be submitted. Each entry must include a separate entry form and submission fee. Films submitted without proper payment will not be considered. Entry fees are non-refundable.

ONCE YOUR FILM IS ACCEPTED FOR THE FESTIVAL:
1. Films accepted for the festival must be feature length (70+ minutes) or Documentary Feature (minimum 50 min) and must be shown in 35mm, DCP, Digibeta, HDCAM, or BluRay formats only in their original language with English subtitles.

2. The number(s), date(s), time(s), and location(s) of the screenings of films are at the discretion of the Festival.

3. The print supplier will be responsible for the cost of shipment to the Festival. The Palm Springs International Film Festival, in turn, will return the print postage prepaid to the supplier or to the next destination as indicated by the supplier. The Festival will not be responsible for international return shipping costs for U.S.-produced films.

4. The Festival takes utmost care of your entry, and provides insurance for loss or damage to a maximum value of $500.00 USD. The Festival does not pay additional charges for originals, masters, or special prints.

5. Participation in The Palm Springs International Film Festival implies understanding and acceptance of all terms included in this application.

Foyle Film Festival

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25 Annual November 21, 2012 to November 25, 2012

MISSION & OBJECTIVE
The Foyle Film Festival‘s main aim is to provide access to cultural cinema, film industry workshops and moving image education to a regional and visiting audience, and to showcase the films of emerging local and international filmmakers.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Foyle Film Festival is the flagship project of the Nerve Centre. From its earliest days, it has pursued an integrated development strategy, linking together the different art forms – film, music, animation, new media – across the interlocking sectors of production, training, education and exhibition. The key elements of Foyle Film Festival are its thematic content, diverse programme strands and special industry events which have been developed to meet the evolving interests of its audience.

The ethos is to offer a range of contemporary, classic, cultural and new cinema to a local and visiting audience and to provide access to cultural cinema to the general cinema going public in this region.

In addition, the Festival targets schools and colleges with a series of curriculum based screenings, workshops and presentations which runs for five days of the event. A new theme is adopted each year which shapes the Festival forum as well as the main education programme.

The Festival is also committed to showcasing indigenous work and providing opportunities for the local industry to meet and hear leading experts from the film industry in a masterclass and workshop situation. These have included workshops with special effects experts, composers, writers, cinematographers, actors and animators plus film historians and film journalists.

Please see our website http://www.foylefilmfestival.org for the awards list which we qualify for including the Oscar, BAFTA and BIFA.
ORGANIZERS
Bernie McLaughlin (Festival Director & Programmer) ; Bernie McLaughlin (Festival Director & Programmer) ; Bernie McLaughlin (Festival Director & Programmer) ; Eavan King (Competition Manager)

GENERAL RULES
Regulations for Participation 2012

Please read ALL of the below rules and regulations for the Foyle Film Festival before entry.

Keys: FFF – Foyle Film Festival, CM – Competition Manager, LIM – Light In Motion, DVD can also mean Blu Ray as we accept both.

Anything in CAPITALS means that you should pay particular attention to the rule/regulation stated.

Date and Venue
The 2012 Foyle Film Festival will take place in Derry, Northern Ireland from Wednesday 21-Sunday 25 November 2012.

Organisers
The 2012 Foyle Film Festival is a project of The Nerve Centre and will be organised and managed by the Festival Director Bernie McLaughlin. The competition will be managed by Eavan King.

Rule 1: By entering FFF your agreeing to all of the Competition rules and regulations stated below by FFF, Withoutabox and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (for International Short, Irish Short and Animation). Please see http://www.oscars.org/awards/ academyawards/rules/rule01.html for full Oscar rules and regulations.

COMPLETION DATE
All films must be completed after 1 January 2011.

Rule 2: All entries are to be made through Withoutabox. No exceptions. You must enter online and then send your DVD to the festival office.

Competition
The Competition section of the Festival is divided into the following categories:

A. Best Short Film
B. Best Animated Short Film
C. Best Documentary Film

Rule 3: You can only enter your film into one category.
If you are entering more than one film please make sure that they are eligible for each category you wish to enter that and you pay a separate fee for each film. If you wish to enter a number of films (Film Collective) you must put each film on a separate DVD and pay a fee for each entry.

Rule 4: The Festival reserves the right to place films into alternative categories if it feels it is to the benefit of the filmmaker. This will be discussed with those relevant before any decision is made.

Rule 5: Your film must not be available online or have shown on another medium e.g. TV. If your film is on YouTube, etc. then it will be automatically withdrawn from the competition. The only exception to this rule is the documentary category which can have been shown on another medium, but again not online.

Rule 6: Subtitles
The significant dialogue or narration of all films must be in English, or the entry must have English-language subtitles. Exceptions can be made for films that contain little or no dialogue.

Rule 7: Film Format (Submission and Exhibition)
Films selected for screening during the Festival are to be on DVD format. Both submission and exhibition will be on DVD. In most cases, we will use the DVD screener sent for submission, for exhibition, unless otherwise stated by the filmmaker at time of acceptance with due cause.

We accept all regions and aspects (NTSC, PAL and SECAM). We would prefer regions 0, 1 (USA) or 2 (UK), but all are acceptable. Please see the category technical requirements for a complete list of acceptable regions. Please make sure that your DVD plays in a DVD/Blu-Ray player before sending it to us.

PLEASE NOTE: ALTHOUGH YOU CAN SCREEN YOUR FILM ON DVD FORMAT DURING THE FESTIVAL, IF YOUR FILM WINS AT FOYLE FILM FESTIVAL, IT MUST BE AVAILABLE ON 35mm FILM PRINT ONLY IF YOU WISH TO ENTER IT FOR OSCAR CONSIDERATION. THE ACADEMY WILL MAKE NO EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE.

The Documentary category is not eligible for Oscar consideration.

ONLY SEND THE FINISHED VERSION OF YOUR FILM. WE DO NOT ACCEPT RE-EDITS OR WORKS IN PROGRESS..

Rule 8: Duration
All Short films should not be more than 40 mins. long.
A Documentary must be a minimum of 40 mins. long.

What you must send
For each entry the following must be sent:
* A DVD copy of the film being entered with your tracking number on the disc and the box or envelope for postage.

On your disc please put:
Name of film
Tracking number
Category you wish to enter
Aspect ratio
Contact details for submission contact

Due to the high number of entries we receive, DVDs will be separated from their boxes for storage.

We do not require a full press kit at time of entry. If successful, we will ask for a press kit if/when your film is accepted. PLEASE use the Withoutabox on-line press kit service. It’s free for all the basic press kit requirements.

In the interests of saving the environment please do not send lots of paper.

Rule 9: Publicity
The Festival reserves the right to use extracts from submissions for TV coverage or any other publicity that is used in the promotion of the Festival.

Submission

SUBMISSION REFERS TO SUBMISSION OF THE DVD (NOT THE ONLINE APPLICATION FORM). The 25th Foyle Film Festival 2012 submission dates are Friday 11 May-Friday 21 September. There are no Early Bird Entry Dates this year and no staggered payments. Entry fee the whole way through the submission process is fixed at £40 standard entry and £35 for WAB members. PLEASE NOTE: The discounted WAB Fee is only available to submitters that have upgraded their project.

All fees must be paid. FFF and Withoutabox take failure to pay the relevant and correct fee very seriously. An email from the CM will be sent to the entrant in this event. After a warning, failure to pay will result in disqualification. YOUR FILM WILL NOT BE VIEWED IF THE RELEVANT PAYMENT HAS NOT BEEN MADE.

Waivers (free entry) are granted only to select filmmakers who have been invited to submit by the Festival Director. Please do not email us and ask us for waiver. We receive thousands of requests and all are turned down.

Rule 10: All entries for FFF must arrive before the final deadline of 21 September 2012. (Applications after this date will not be accepted).
Please ensure you keep a copy of the accompanying rules and regulations.

The Festival reserves the right to change the criteria under certain circumstances. If changes do happen – submitters will be notified in writing of any changes to submission terms or criteria.

Shipping Instructions
Both submission and exhibition will be on DVD. In most cases, we will use the DVD screener sent for submission, for exhibition, unless otherwise stated by the filmmaker at time of acceptance with due cause. When accepted, if you do wish to send an exhibition DVD, it must reach the FFF office at the time stated by CM once accepted. This date must be respected. Beyond this deadline the film’s participation in the Festival cannot be guaranteed. Notification of despatch of the DVD to the Festival should be sent in advance.

The shipping cost of the DVD (Submission/Exhibition) to the Festival plus the customs and fees is the responsibility of the sender and the sender alone (this includes customs fees incurred at either end). MARK ON YOUR SHIPMENT “FOR CULTURAL PURPOSES ONLY TEMPORARY IMPORT” and of low/no value. If you want to pay for insurance, this is done solely at your own discretion.

PLEASE NOTE: THE FOYLE FILM FESTIVAL WILL NOT PAY ANY COSTS RELATING TO ANY COURIER/POSTAGE – INCLUDING FEDEX – THAT FILMMAKERS CHOOSE TO SEND THEIR ENTRIES WITH. THE FILMMAKER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF GETTING BOTH THE ENTRY COPY AND IF THEY WISH THE FINAL EXHIBITION COPY OF THE FILM ON DVD TO THE FESTIVAL. ALL COSTS AND DUTIES, ETC., ARE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FILMMAKERS. FURTHER, IF ANY FILMMAKER USES A COURIER AND TRANSFERS THE COST TO FOYLE FILM FESTIVAL, THEN THIS ENTRY WILL BE DISQUALIFIED WITHOUT ENTERING INTO ANY DISCUSSION.

Use of packaging
If at all possible please avoid using padded envelopes. We cannot recycle them. If your DVD arrives broken through postage we will allow you to send another copy without paying an extra fee. Again, another reason to enter early. If this happens at a much later stage we may be unable to allow for time to post and screen. The CM has discretion in all matters.

We regret that we cannot return any submission/exhibition DVDs.

Selection
A special committee nominated by the Festival management selects the films for the Festival programme. The Festival management may invite films for the competition and programme.

Unsuccessful applicants will be informed via email and your submission status on your entry page will reflect this on or before the 12 October 2012. Emails can be mislaid … so please assume if you have not heard from us by the specified deadline (12 October 2012) that you have been unsuccessful at this time.

All successful applicants will be informed by email/telephone before or on the 12 October 2012. The selection committee’s decision is final. A final list of those films screening in Competition at the 2012 FFF will also be posted on the festival website (www.foylefilmfestival.org). If your film does not appear on this list then your film is not screening in competition in the 2012 FFF.

The category winners will be announced at the closing evening LIM Awards Ceremony, Sunday 25 November 2012. Absent winning filmmakers will be contacted by telephone or email. Winners in all categories will receive a Light In Motion (LIM Award). If you cannot be present at the ceremony, your LIM Award will be posted out to you.

Please send your entries to the address below:

Eavan King
Competition Manager
Foyle Film Festival
Nerve Centre
L/Derry
BT48 6HJ
N. Ireland
UK

Any enquiries or if you would like clarification on any of the above please get in touch.

E: e.king@nerve-centre.org.uk
T: +44 (0)28 7126 0562 (Ask for Foyle Film Festival Office)

Good Luck.
Eavan King, Competition Manager FFF 2012

KEY WEST FILM FESTIVAL

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Key West, Florida – USA
November 29 to December 2, 2012

 

The Key West Film Festival (KWFF) showcases independent films that exhibit excellence in storytelling and capture that alluring essence of Key West: creativity, diversity, sustainability, and breathtaking beauty. The festival promises a relaxed, welcoming setting in which filmmakers will find ample opportunities to network with industry talents while dreaming up their next projects.

KWFF is proud to launch its inaugural celebration of film at Tropic Cinema and at the historic San Carlos Institute, the home of Cuban independence. All festival venues are within easy walking distance of one another, and all are just a few steps away from legendary Duval Street, offering dozens of galleries, attractions, and watering holes.

The festival is accepting narrative and documentary feature film entries from Florida and around the world. KWFF’s program will also include stimulating panels and workshops with film professionals that complement the festival’s dynamic slate of films.

UPCOMING DEADLINE
August 31, 2012 – Late Deadline

MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Key West has a formidable history of inspiring some of America’s greatest creative thinkers, including Ernest Hemingway who wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls, Death in the Afternoon, and several other classics in the warmth of Key West, and Tennessee Williams, who lived in the region for several years.

For the chance to trace the footsteps of some of the greatest American storytellers while enjoying a welcoming festival experience, submit your film to the Key West Film Festival today!

ANGAELICA FISCAL SPONSORSHIP

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December 15 to 31, 2012

 

The 7th Annual Angaelica Fiscal Sponsorship Program, is offering support to filmmakers with a passion for the arts and ecology. Through Angaelica, artists and collaborators are connected and elevated through the shared experience of creativity, social good, and development of sustainable communities. A non-profit organization, Angaelica is eager to help bold and innovative artists at any stage of their respective film projects.

Through an independent and collaborative community of artists, Angaelica seeks to help artists create memorable new films, connect to a broader community, and develop vital artistic and financial relationships that will help them sustain their careers well into the future. Through the Columbia Gorge International Film Festival, now in its sixth year, Angaelica draws upon a sizable network of knowledgeable contacts ready to be connected to great creative works. By aligning with Angaelica as your fiscal sponsor, your project will receive added benefits upon completion including complimentary submission to the Columbia Gorge International Festival, as well as to Angaelica’s independent exhibit unveiled during Art Basel Miami Beach.

Recipients of the Angaelica Fiscal Sponsorship will receive aid in legal areas, publicity, and fundraising, and will share a common platform with the Angaelica organization that promotes sustainable communities and ecological empowerment. Every project sponsored by Angaelica will also receive aid in the planning and execution of a red carpet premiere at an Angaelica event. Whether your project is in its infancy or is in the can, Angaelica is eager to learn more about it.

UPCOMING DEADLINE
September 1, 2012 – Late Deadline

MISSION AND OBJECTIVE
Angaelica is a non-profit organization dedicated to promotion of the arts and ecology. It connects artists and collaborators through the power of storytelling and the desire to build sustainable artistic communities.

MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
In addition to offering financial aid to filmmakers and their films, Angaelica is proud to reward screenplays with similar support. Talented writers are invited to submit a treatment, project concept, or finished screenplay. Teleplays, stage plays, and live performance pieces are also accepted. At Angaelica, the true value of a work is not measured by its format, but rather by its spirit.

Angaelica is a collaborative of environmental artists and farmers that believes in creating sustainable communities through artistic excellence. Its members are enthusiastically involved in urban farming projects and alternative energy endeavors and are active participants in ensuring each is responsible for what is used, reused, and created during any artistic process. If you’re a filmmaker or screenwriter with an eye for cinema and a heart for our planet, submit your creative work to Angaelica today!

SAN DIEGO BLACK FILM FESTIVAL

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San Diego, California – USA
January 31 to February 3, 2013

 

The 11th Annual San Diego Black Film Festival (SDBFF), is showcasing African American and African Diaspora films. Located in gorgeous San Diego, California, this celebration combines sun, sand, and cinema with countless networking opportunities, and is one of the largest black film festivals in the country. Screening over 100 films a year in a broad variety of categories, SDBFF has cultivated a strong industry reputation as a place where talent is regularly scouted and discovered.

Each year the SDBFF program includes an awards dinner, filmmaker’s breakfast, panel discussions, opening reception, and a red carpet for filmmakers. The dynamic film program includes narrative and documentary features and shorts, as well as comedies, animated films, and music videos.

Opportunities for success at SDBFF are as varied and as exciting as the festival’s lineup; SDBFF awards include Best Dramatic Feature, Best Dramatic Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Religious Film, Best Cutting Edge Film, Best GLBT Film, Best Animation, and a host of others. Winning an award at the San Diego Black Film Festival adds significant industry prestige to a filmmaker’s resume and has helped launch the careers of past winners.

UPCOMING DEADLINE
August 31, 2012 – Regular Deadline

MISSION AND OBJECTIVE
The San Diego Black Film Festival celebrates cinema and community by providing a vehicle for worldwide exposure of quality African American and African Diaspora films.

MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
SDFF takes place in downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, the historic heart of the city with numerous shopping venues and electric nightlife. Submit your film to the San Diego Black Film Festival today for the chance to participate in one of the largest and most prestigious black film festivals in the country!

GOTHAM SCREEN Film Festival and Screenplay Contest

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6 Annual October 04, 2012 to October 14, 2012

 

MISSION & OBJECTIVE
The mission of the GOTHAM SCREEN Film Festival & Screenplay Competition is to create an opportunity for filmmakers to have their work shown and critically judged in New York. The festival aims to create a positive industry and audience exposure for works that would otherwise not easily get seen, and for new writing, directing and acting talent to get discovered.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The 6th Annual GOTHAM SCREEN Film Festival and Screenplay Contest will take place October 4-14, 2012 in New York City.

Following the success of the 2011 edition, this years event has been expanded to showcase more short and feature films during a week of screenings at the storied Quad Cinema in Manhattan, New York City, and other locations.

Gotham Screen is looking for fresh voices and perspectives from local, national and international filmmakers.

The 2012 Screenplay Contest comes again with a $2,500 cash prize for the winning screenplay! In addition, excerpts from selected contest entries will be performed live by professional actors at a staged reading during the festival.

Recognizing the need for quality projects in the industry, and realizing that this need can not always be satisfied by established writers with agency representation, the GOTHAM SCREEN Screenplay Competition has been set up with the goal to find the Next Great Screenplay, and to give previously undiscovered writers a chance at getting their craft recognized and their projects produced.

The GOTHAM SCREEN Screenplay Competition specializes in lower- to mid- range budgeted projects. We are actively looking for scripts that can be produced with budgets in the 2-15m dollar range. While we realize that great writing exists beyond this range, the GOTHAM SCREEN Screenplay competition is not the appropriate venue for it. Our targeted budget range will most likely exclude high budget action or special effects driven stories, most science fiction, many epics and/or historic movies, as well as most animation projects.

Producers and Financiers have as much interest in great stories and screenplays, as the struggling writer has to get her or his next project onto the screen. Realizing that this is a two way relationship that calls for a new kind of approach, GOTHAM SCREEN strives to find projects and writers that can have a real chance in the marketplace.

ORGANIZERS
Alex Blakeney ; Michael Gunther (Festival Registrar) ; Michael Gunther (Festival Registrar) ; Walter Gamper ; Walter Gamper

GENERAL RULES
– Entrants must fully comply with the Entry Rules & Regulations, including deadline(s), entry material requirements and selected film requirements. Submitting to GOTHAM SCREEN constitutes acceptance of these Rules, Regulations and Requirements.

– The GOTHAM SCREEN Film Festival and Screenplay Contest is open to everyone. You must be 18 years or older (21 in some states) to participate, or have written consent from your parent or guardian.

– Screenplay submissions must be in English, Film submissions must be in English, or subtitled in English.

– International submissions are encouraged, as long as they are in English (screenplays and English language films), or subtitled in English (non-English language films).

– Multiple entries are admissible, but each entry must be accompanied by its own separate submission. You may submit more than one screenplay per writer, or more than one film per director, and you may submit more than one film or screenplay per category

– Contest winners and selected films will be notified by early-October 2012 (approximately). You must give us a valid e-mail address to be notified.

OPEN CALL FOR ENTRIES • Select a Category of Entry to continue.

SCREENPLAY
While we are looking for great stories of any kind, we are encouraging submissions in the following genres: 

– DRAMA
– COMEDY
– HORROR
– THRILLER/SUSPENSE
– FAMILY
– ADVENTURE
– ROMANTIC COMEDY
– ROMANCE
– ACTION
– SCI-FI
– FANTASY
– SUPERNATURAL
– WESTERN
– URBAN
– DOCUMENTARY
– SCIENCE

Selected entries in this category can made available to the industry (upon request, and with the submitters agreement only), and a number of previous participants and winners have had their work optioned or were further commissioned by producers and production companies.
FEATURE FILM
Gotham Screen each year shows an eclectic mix of US and International Feature Films, from both new directors as well as established filmmakers. Our sophisticated New York audiences like to be surprised, scared, moved and entertained, and appreciate the craft of great storytelling. Among them the occasional scouts from major sales- and distribution companies have been known to attend the screenings as well, and subsequently contact selected filmmakers of interesting movies.
SHORT FILM
One of our favorite audience categories! A number of Short Films of different genres, lengths and formats, from both US and International filmmakers, are shown each year to a discerning and enthusiastic audience.
DOCUMENTARY
Feature-length documentary films, over 45 minutes in runtime. Documentary shorts should be submitted to the Short Film category. Another audience favorite – documentary screenings have drawn good responses from audiences looking for something new and different.
STUDENT / EXPERIMENTAL
Our newest category is specifically for student and experimental filmmakers who want to be critically judged against their peers. They are usually shown together with other short film entries, but are judged as a separate category. And if your film is really exceptional, it even has a chance to win the coveted “Best Short Film” award and cash prize!

 

ILLINOIS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

/ ChantalHarvey / Leave a comment

Chicago, Illinois – USA
November 2012

 

UPCOMING DEADLINE
August 31, 2012 – Late Deadline

The 7th Annual Illinois International Film Festival (IIFF), is celebrating all aspects of the filmmaking process and the people who work tirelessly to bring great stories to the screen. The festival also attracts plenty of filmmakers and film lovers to share in the excitement of the diverse annual showcase, offering numerous opportunities for networking and discussion.

For years, IIFF has proudly celebrated not only filmmakers but also screenwriters – those skilled creative talents who literally create something from nothing. Winners in last year’s screenwriting category told the stories of a Mexican drug cartel, a Turkish wrestler battling against his cultural history, and a young man who finds unimaginable adventure while living in a nursing home. At IIFF, no story is too outlandish or “experimental” to be worthy of consideration, and the only limits to success are your own imagination.

Competitive categories at IIFF span a wide gamut and include documentary, animated, horror, science fiction, and student films. No matter what your budget or vision, IIFF has a category for you. Screenplay and film submissions to IIFF are evaluated by a committee composed of festival organizers and executives. Because this festival is truly dedicated to celebrating the individual voices of talented filmmakers, accepted films will determine the festival’s structure, and not the other way around. IIFF is tailored to the filmmakers it celebrates, and is devoted to connecting those filmmakers with audiences and industry experts who share in their excitement for cinema.

 

MISSION AND OBJECTIVE
The Illinois International Film Festival brings audiences and filmmakers together to better enjoy the art and fun of filmmaking. It offers filmmakers the opportunity to learn, grow, and exhibit their work, and it offers attendees films that will expand their knowledge of cinema and enhancing their appreciation of the filmmaking process.

MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The beating heart of this festival is the incomparable city of Chicago, one of America’s most beloved urban landscapes and a melting pot for cineastes, musicians, and artists of all types. Explore Millennium Park, enjoy the world-renowned Shedd Aquarium, and stop by the Second City Comedy Club when you’re not immersed in a variety of great films or bustling IIFF social events. With the festival as your entry point to the sights, sounds, and flavors of Chicago, you’ll always have something to do or discover.

Unbeatable travel deals are available for friends and visitors of IIFF to attend the festival, ensuring that your stay is not only enjoyable but affordable. Submit your film or screenplay to the Illinois International Film Festival today for the chance to explore all that Chicago and its robust film community has to offer!

 

8 Pro Tips to Surviving the 48 Hour Film Project

/ ChantalHarvey / 1 Comment

The 48 Hour Film Project is a popular filmmaking event that asks teams of filmmakers to write, produce, shoot and edit a short film in the span of 48 hours. As someone that has participated in three events (the last time after I vowed never to do another one again) and shoots on tight schedules for a living, I’ve put together seven pro tips to help you survive this grueling filmmaking stunt.

The advice I will dispense is based on my experiences which haven’t all been stellar. Listen to me and hopefully you can avoid some of the pitfalls of this weekend of insanity. If you don’t, who knows, maybe you’ll get lucky… or you might end up putting your fist through a wall.

But trust me at least on the first one.

Tip 1: Know your workflow

Workflow is a fancy smancy term post production guys like to use for describing how they turn raw footage into a finished product. If you’ve never made a film STOP READING RIGHT NOW! Go make a short film this minute.

We’ll wait…

Okay, now that you’ve actually made a short film from start to finish, you should know how to take footage from a camera, put it into a computer, edit it and burn a DVD or make a digital render for submission. It’s good that you learned this stuff before trying to skim the help files during the 48 hour project while watching the deadline tick closer and closer.

Similarly be careful of testing out new process/techniques with this project. Your friend just got a new DSLR and your used to shooting tape? TEST IT OUT FIRST before diving into a timed contest.

Tip 2: Separate out Preproduction, Production and Postproduction duties

As a team captain you really don’t have much choice but to be involved in every step of the production of your film. However you will see much better results if you delegate various stages of film to different people. Why? – Because each person will be required to put in less but more highly concentrated time into their part of the project.

Here’s a hypothetical. Let’s say you are the director/team captain. You have one writer (or a couple of writers). Once you pick your genre on Friday, you discuss the story with the writers and let them go off and bang away at a keyboard until they are satisfied with the script. They may take all Friday night to write and revise. Saturday morning rolls around, the writers go to bed and sleep while your Production team (who are fresh and ready to go) shoot the script. After a long shoot day, the production team hands off the footage to the Postproduction team (who are also fresh and ready to go). It’s late Saturday night, but the editor (who hasn’t been on set or writing) is able to work late into the night because he/she is hasn’t been toiling on set.
In this way the team members are contributing less time but you can overlap their efforts to get the most out of your 48 hours.

You’re job as a director/team captain is to coordinate the teams so they work and communicate with each other efficiently. And this means having CLEAN AND EFFECTIVE NOTES especially between Production and Post-production.

Tip 3: Get some Sleep

Seriously.

On Friday night, you get your genre and you’re pumped and ready to go. “How can I possibly sleep right now” you ask yourself… well you’ll find out real soon on Saturday night when your body gives out and you collapse into a deep slumber. I’ve seen it happen to teammates on two separate occasions.

Nothing good comes from a lack of sleep. You just become less creative, slower, and more irritable – all very bad things to happen on a 48 hour project.

Do whatever it takes to sleep on Friday night. You’ll need the energy if you want to make it through production. If you must, you can pull an all nighter once production is over but try to put in a few hours of shut eye. Everything about the project will be better for it.

To maximize the amount of rest, go back and see Tip 2.

Tip 4: Write with a Quick Production in Mind

This is a tip that can be a bit hard to understand for the inexperienced writer. There are a lot of shortcuts to telling a story that may require less production in other ways.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Use as few locations as possible: nothing slows down a production more than a company move – this is where you movie you cast and crew to a new location. Avoid these at all costs and tell a story that happens in one or two locations

Avoid special effects shots whenever possible: One or two scenes with a special effect can add some excitement to your film, otherwise avoid them unless absolutely needed.

Voice Overs save time: Yeah, it’s considered a story telling crutch, but what do you think you’re making here? Voice overs can help you establish story and exposition without a lot of on-set effort.

Avoid excessively long scenes and long monologues: Your actors will thank you.

A lot of times, less is more: I’ll leave it at that.

Try to tell “smaller stories”: Its okay if you pull the superhero genre and you have to have a bad guy bent on blowing up the world – but bring it down to a personal level. Maybe he wants to blow up the world because he didn’t get any presents on his birthday. Keep the stories smaller and they’ll translate better on screen.

Don’t sweat the line and prop: it’s generally pretty easy to slip it into whatever you’re making. If you can make your film all about the line/prop – go ahead, otherwise just make sure it’s in there so you can prove that you made it during the 48 hours.

Tip 5: Don’t be afraid of a little Comedy

Even if you pull Drama, a little bit of comedy will help the medicine go down.

Of course that’s my directorial style coming through…

But let me set up the screening scenario for you: There are usually about 10 films being shown. Depending on where you live, between 50% -90% of those films are going to blow chunks. I mean really bad. A couple of them may be utterly unwatchable.

And since everybody in the audience is a “filmmaker” – they’ll all be judging you on every level while being fantastically insecure about their own film.

So in short, there’s a lot of pent up tension in the room. And when there’s that kind of tension, the natural reaction often is to laugh often at the slightest provocation. The really bad films will get quite a few unwanted laughs.

If you can harness that nervous energy with some light hearted humorous moments in your film, you’ll disarm the audience and “trick” them into following your story instead of trying to determine exactly what brand of camera you shot with.

Besides, everyone is there to have a bit of fun. Watching dreary film one after the other gets on your nerves and a little light hearted fun can be welcomed.

Tip 6: Manage your Set

How you handle your set depends on a variety of factors including what type of script you’re shooting and what kind of equipment you have – experience will guide how you run a set. Here a few things to think about:

The first shot will take the longest: Actors need to get into makeup and costume, the camera needs to be set up, the lighting needs to be put together, people need to get used to working with each other. Whatever you decide to make your first shot, keep this in mind and don’t set up unrealistic expectations.

Let people know what’s happening now and what’s happening next.

Keep you cast and crew together as much as possible. Even though an actor is not needed in this particular scene, having her nearby means we won’t have to waste time finding out where she went when we’re ready to shoot her scene.

Shoot Multicamera if you can: The last project I did, we shot two Canon 5ds. This saved a great deal of time and provided the editor with a lot more creative choices in the cut. Whether you shoot opposing angles or same angle with different compositions (medium and close up for example) – you will save a great deal of time shooting with more than one camera.

Keep a finger on the mood of crew: Do they need a break? Are they getting grumpy? With such a tight time crunch, on set tempers can become an issue. Strive to keep everybody in a good relaxed mood and never ever lose your cool.

NEVER SKIP A MEAL BREAK – seriously don’t ever. These people aren’t getting paid, at least let them eat.

NEVER SERVE PIZZA AT A MEAL. Don’t get me wrong, I love me a slice of pepperoni. But pizza is both high in fat and carbs – which means your cast and crew will be groggy and slow after the meal. Save pizza for the wrap party. Instead, serve light protein and carbs – sandwiches, salads, pastas, kabobs… This will keep people peppier after the meal.

Have a lot of sugary sodas and alternative drinks on set: I never inhaled a Coke like I do when running around on set. I know it’s bad for me, but it can be the only thing keeping me on my feet. Not everybody is like that (or needs to fly a camera stabilizer for 10 minutes at a time) so have other options available.

Production is a social event: The work is being done between “action” and “cut”. Outside of that, people are there to have fun and mingle. The best time for group bonding is when everyone sits down and breaks bread. Coming out of this party mode and back into work mode can be a challenge once you get back into it, it will be a tighter and stronger team. You don’t want to schedule an extremely hard scene right after a meal, but you can use your meal time to build intra-team relationships that may be required to pull off a big tough scene.

Tip 7: Have Fun

This sounds like one of those B.S. tips that an author tags on to fill out the list – but I assure you this one is the most important one.

First of all, no one gets discovered or famous from their 48 hour film project (don’t believe me? Name one… I’ll wait as you Google it). So immediately get those dreams of fame and fortune out of your head. Remove the thoughts of winning awards too… you don’t need those anyway and they don’t mean jack.

And get rid of the idea of making something “great” – I’ve seen a lot of 48 hour films and they all have to be qualified as being “created in 48 hours” so that you ignore their shortcomings. Don’t get me wrong, there are some good films being made, but they don’t hold a candle to the short films where the writer spent months crafting a script and the director studied it closely and crafted it perfectly.

You are doing the 48 hour project because… wait… why are you doing this again?

To make a film… in 48 hours… to just say you did it and have fun doing it. That’s got to be your only reason.

The root of all 48 hour disasters is taking this thing far too seriously. If you want to make a great short film, go and make it but spend more than 48 hours on it.

The 48 hour film project is just an excuse to make a film and be done with it in one weekend. If you or someone on your team starts getting frustrated over something – defuse it immediately. Laugh it off. Nothing in the film is so important to get upset over.

Tip 8: Enter the 48HFP MACHINIMA

It is International, so you are not restricted to a physical location or city. Go HERE for information. Producers for 48HFPMachinima are Chantal Harvey and Tom Papas. The machinima contest is known for its fabulous and famous judges, past years including Tony Dyson and Peter Greenaway.

 

Source:  FilmmakerIQ.com