Thursday, November 19, 2015
CUCALORUS
Screenings I attended:
Visual/sound/walls
Men & Chicken
Olympic Pride, American Prejudice
Water Warriors
Bend
Wilmington on Fire
Weird short film
I received a Pegasorus pass from my internship at Working Films since they were doing work for a few films at the festival. They were working on several works in progress documentaries, in particular, Water Warriors. As someone working in programming, it was interesting seeing works in progress films and performance pieces being programmed and scheduled in the festival. It adds another level to programming beyond trying to find films to screen.
The first event I went to was the Visual/sound/walls, which was really fun. I was thinking of how involved it must have been to set up and arrange all of the screens and the projectors to line up perfectly. It was a really smart way to exhibit the music videos in a social environment like that. In a party like that, there would be music playing any ways, but its nice to have the music videos playing to break the ice in meeting new people at an event like that.
For the first works in progress viewing that I went as apart of Working Films was Olympic Pride, American Prejudice. It was great being apart of the discussion process after the screening to help the filmmakers to improve future cuts of there film. The Water Warriors screening was actually more of presentation instead of a full screening, but it was very useful in seeing another filmmaker making a presentation for his film and getting feedback. I learned by observing the good and bad aspects of his presentation.
I think this festival was very well put together and they really a lock on who they are as a festival and they go with it. I think Visions could learn from this. I know Visions changes themes every year, but keeping a general tone like Cuculorus does would be powerful.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Blog
For invitationals, I have been working on finding contact information for potential invitational film and paper submissions. The process is time consuming but is very rewarding when a great film is found and there email can actually be found. I have been recording the contact information along with which school and and the name of film in spreadsheets. I want to establish initial contact with each contact before I send the official invitational email to everybody. I have set up individual free waiver codes for everybody for the Filmfreeway launch on October 29th and I am prepping for those emails to be sent out. I am having the most problems finding papers, especially ones that are regional.
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Week 3
This week has gone pretty smoothly. The programming team had our first group meeting and we discussed each of our different tasks for the week. I need to revise the invitational letter and present it on the 30th of September. The class is going well so far and I really enjoy the relaxed discussion style of it. Sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed but that will pass. Our team is working together very well so far.
The Dirty Dozen - Invitationals
1.) What is the project supposed to achieve?
Invitationals are films that we invite to be submitted to our film festival. I am to revise the invitational letter to fit our current needs so that it can be sent out to different student film makers. I need to find a total of 100 invitationals between film submissions and paper submissions. We will achieve a greater diversity and control over what films we choose to screen in our film blocks.
2.) Who is this supposed to reach?
We are targeting student filmmakers who we feel like should submit films to us. We also want to try to talk to NYU and Chapman University to name a few schools.
3.) What are the deliverable of the project?
The deliverable of this project is a finalized list of filmmakers and scholars who have agreed to submit their works to Visions.
4.) The budget?
This project has no budget.
5.) How long will the project take?
This project will take a majority if not all of the semester. The research in finding the contact information, sending out emails and then shifting through the responses will be a continuous process.
6.) What skills are needed?
Good writing and editing skills would be needed and well as good communication skills and organization.
7.) What resources are needed?
Last years email would be needed as a starting point for the revision. Google for research and an email account to send and receive emails.
8.) Who is working on the job?
I am working on the invitational email, while Kevin is focusing on the non invitationals.
9.) What is the schedule?
The invitational emails need to be sent by the opening date of Oct. 28th and then I would need to shift through the responses.
10.) What are the risks?
The risks are that the email could be poorly worded and could cause the invited to not want to submit,
11.) How will I communicate with my team?
The communication between Kevin and Rob is solid and if I needed any assistance I can reach out to them.
12.) How will I determine if the project is successful?
I will determine if the project is successful if will receive a high number of submissions from the invitationals and can get the majority of who is on my contact list.
Invitationals are films that we invite to be submitted to our film festival. I am to revise the invitational letter to fit our current needs so that it can be sent out to different student film makers. I need to find a total of 100 invitationals between film submissions and paper submissions. We will achieve a greater diversity and control over what films we choose to screen in our film blocks.
2.) Who is this supposed to reach?
We are targeting student filmmakers who we feel like should submit films to us. We also want to try to talk to NYU and Chapman University to name a few schools.
3.) What are the deliverable of the project?
The deliverable of this project is a finalized list of filmmakers and scholars who have agreed to submit their works to Visions.
4.) The budget?
This project has no budget.
5.) How long will the project take?
This project will take a majority if not all of the semester. The research in finding the contact information, sending out emails and then shifting through the responses will be a continuous process.
6.) What skills are needed?
Good writing and editing skills would be needed and well as good communication skills and organization.
7.) What resources are needed?
Last years email would be needed as a starting point for the revision. Google for research and an email account to send and receive emails.
8.) Who is working on the job?
I am working on the invitational email, while Kevin is focusing on the non invitationals.
9.) What is the schedule?
The invitational emails need to be sent by the opening date of Oct. 28th and then I would need to shift through the responses.
10.) What are the risks?
The risks are that the email could be poorly worded and could cause the invited to not want to submit,
11.) How will I communicate with my team?
The communication between Kevin and Rob is solid and if I needed any assistance I can reach out to them.
12.) How will I determine if the project is successful?
I will determine if the project is successful if will receive a high number of submissions from the invitationals and can get the majority of who is on my contact list.
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Rochester Film Festival
Rochester Film Festival is the oldest continuously held independent short film festival. It was founded in 1959 by a company called Movies on a Shoestring, Inc. Their vision was to provide an environment in which independent film makers could show their short films to wider audiences. Starting in 1972 they put together a traveling show of the best films from each of the previous festivals, called The Best of the Fest. The films that they choose are a variety of narrative, documentary and animation. The only criteria is they are short films and independently created.
The submission process is a two step process. Every entry is viewed in full by staff members who vote on which films to keep. Following this preliminary judging, Then final judges view the films that were kept to have a final selection. Every film that is kept receives the Shoestring Trophy.
1. What time is your interview scheduled and who will you be talking with when you call/skype?
Brian Moffitt has responded and w says he will get back to me with exact time but that he could do it this week.
2. Who started it and who runs it?
It was founded in 1959 by a company called Movies on a Shoestring, Inc.
3. What is the mission of the festival/conference? (copy and paste the first paragraph)
By 1971 Movies on a Shoestring had firmly established itself among the world’s leading amateur festivals, so we modified our name to the Rochester International Amateur Film Festival. In 1983 we accepted our first video entries. The worldwide growth of film schools and of the film industry in general has led to a great increase in the number of professional quality short films being produced and competing for spots in our festival, so in 1996 we dropped the word “amateur” from our name and became The Rochester International Film Festival.
4. How does this compare with their actual programming choices from the past two year? Be specific in describing what they program (mode, categories within mode, niche, Political? Global? Local? Gender? Sexuality? Race? Any themes that you see? etc…)
The only criteria is that the film is under 30 mins and is indepenent
5. Where is the event?
The festival is in Rochester New York
6. When is the event? (Give dates from last year if not current)
April 23rd-April 25th 2015
7. How do you submit? Snail mail, online, withoutabox, through their site, etc…
They prefer to receive submissions through snail mail.
8. When are the deadlines to enter? Early? Reg? Late?
Early is December 1st and the latest would be February 1st
9. How much does it cost to enter?
$35 entry fee is before December 1st, $50 if between December 1st and February 1st
10. Who’s eligible, what are the guidelines to enter?
Independently made short films that are no longer than 30 minutes
11. Is there a Student category?
12. What formats do they except for jurying? DVD, Vimeo, Flash drives?
The format should be DVDs
13. What formats do they except for exhibition/screening?
They also use DVDs for this
14. How many films screened at the festival last year?
26 short films
15. How long is a typical shorts block or paper presentation block at their event?
All of the film blocks are short films
16. How many films or papers do they program per block?
Between 6 to 8 films
17. How do people register to attend? Is there a cost to attend as a guest?
They have free admission for guests
18. Look at sponsorship page and see what businesses. Grants and private entities give money to the event. Figure out how many of each kind and note any leads that might be useful to us.
They are partnered with Yelp and George Eastman House. They also promote donations from festival guests.
19. What are their sponsorship levels and incentives for each level?
If you give $25 or more they will put your name in the program book
20. Did they have a kickstarter or indiegogo? What incentives did they have for each level of donor?
They do their donations directly through their website using paypal
21. What kind of nontraditional film/video events have they had before? Things like Installations, 'Visual Soundwalls,' VJing etc.
They focus on short films.
22. Are there ways in which they have expanded the typical film screening event? How have they branched out from sitting in a dark room in front of a screen? Our website is our virtual face. Every day our site has incoming traffic, nationally and international
They have an event called The Best of the Fest that takes the best films from each festival and travels to different cities.
23. Is the layout easy to navigate? What makes it easy?
The site was easy to navigate because it had easy to find link buttons taking me to find the information that I needed.
24. Is the layout difficult to navigate? What makes it difficult?
25. Can you find the information you are looking for on the homepage or via a link on the homepage?
The easy to read link allowed me to find the information that I needed
26. Aesthetically, what catches your eye? What's cool about it?
27. Aesthetically, what doesn't fit in? What makes it look bad?
The website is a little too simple and outdated looking,but this could be a positive because it could fit in with the fact that this is the oldest short film festival and it makes it more homey.
28. Should there be more information? Is the page too bare?
I think the page shows just the right amount of information so not to overwhelm the visitor.
29. Should there be less information? Is the page too busy?
No
30. What would you do differently if you were to redesign this website?
I would try to incorporate more colors and try to make the website appear more modern and quirky.
31. What would you keep the same if you were to redesign this website?
I would want to keep the simplicity of the website.
The submission process is a two step process. Every entry is viewed in full by staff members who vote on which films to keep. Following this preliminary judging, Then final judges view the films that were kept to have a final selection. Every film that is kept receives the Shoestring Trophy.
1. What time is your interview scheduled and who will you be talking with when you call/skype?
Brian Moffitt has responded and w says he will get back to me with exact time but that he could do it this week.
2. Who started it and who runs it?
It was founded in 1959 by a company called Movies on a Shoestring, Inc.
3. What is the mission of the festival/conference? (copy and paste the first paragraph)
By 1971 Movies on a Shoestring had firmly established itself among the world’s leading amateur festivals, so we modified our name to the Rochester International Amateur Film Festival. In 1983 we accepted our first video entries. The worldwide growth of film schools and of the film industry in general has led to a great increase in the number of professional quality short films being produced and competing for spots in our festival, so in 1996 we dropped the word “amateur” from our name and became The Rochester International Film Festival.
4. How does this compare with their actual programming choices from the past two year? Be specific in describing what they program (mode, categories within mode, niche, Political? Global? Local? Gender? Sexuality? Race? Any themes that you see? etc…)
The only criteria is that the film is under 30 mins and is indepenent
5. Where is the event?
The festival is in Rochester New York
6. When is the event? (Give dates from last year if not current)
April 23rd-April 25th 2015
7. How do you submit? Snail mail, online, withoutabox, through their site, etc…
They prefer to receive submissions through snail mail.
8. When are the deadlines to enter? Early? Reg? Late?
Early is December 1st and the latest would be February 1st
9. How much does it cost to enter?
$35 entry fee is before December 1st, $50 if between December 1st and February 1st
10. Who’s eligible, what are the guidelines to enter?
Independently made short films that are no longer than 30 minutes
11. Is there a Student category?
12. What formats do they except for jurying? DVD, Vimeo, Flash drives?
The format should be DVDs
13. What formats do they except for exhibition/screening?
They also use DVDs for this
14. How many films screened at the festival last year?
26 short films
15. How long is a typical shorts block or paper presentation block at their event?
All of the film blocks are short films
16. How many films or papers do they program per block?
Between 6 to 8 films
17. How do people register to attend? Is there a cost to attend as a guest?
They have free admission for guests
18. Look at sponsorship page and see what businesses. Grants and private entities give money to the event. Figure out how many of each kind and note any leads that might be useful to us.
They are partnered with Yelp and George Eastman House. They also promote donations from festival guests.
19. What are their sponsorship levels and incentives for each level?
If you give $25 or more they will put your name in the program book
20. Did they have a kickstarter or indiegogo? What incentives did they have for each level of donor?
They do their donations directly through their website using paypal
21. What kind of nontraditional film/video events have they had before? Things like Installations, 'Visual Soundwalls,' VJing etc.
They focus on short films.
22. Are there ways in which they have expanded the typical film screening event? How have they branched out from sitting in a dark room in front of a screen? Our website is our virtual face. Every day our site has incoming traffic, nationally and international
They have an event called The Best of the Fest that takes the best films from each festival and travels to different cities.
23. Is the layout easy to navigate? What makes it easy?
The site was easy to navigate because it had easy to find link buttons taking me to find the information that I needed.
24. Is the layout difficult to navigate? What makes it difficult?
25. Can you find the information you are looking for on the homepage or via a link on the homepage?
The easy to read link allowed me to find the information that I needed
26. Aesthetically, what catches your eye? What's cool about it?
27. Aesthetically, what doesn't fit in? What makes it look bad?
The website is a little too simple and outdated looking,but this could be a positive because it could fit in with the fact that this is the oldest short film festival and it makes it more homey.
28. Should there be more information? Is the page too bare?
I think the page shows just the right amount of information so not to overwhelm the visitor.
29. Should there be less information? Is the page too busy?
No
30. What would you do differently if you were to redesign this website?
I would try to incorporate more colors and try to make the website appear more modern and quirky.
31. What would you keep the same if you were to redesign this website?
I would want to keep the simplicity of the website.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Bio
Bio: Chris Schammel was born in Charlotte, NC. He transferred to the University of North Carolina Wilmington from Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte. He is currently in pursuit of his BA in film studies and minoring in political science. He hopes to one day have find a career that can mix film making and political campaigning.
In this year's Visions, I hope to learn how to be more organized and driven in helping to create this event from scratch. I hope to build skills in leadership, as this is something that I see myself needing some help in. The Eisenhower Quadrant seems like a very helpful way to keep track of tasks that are needed to be done. It seems more efficient than a simple list because it categorizes your tasks into levels of importance and helps to eliminate procrastination. As I was filling out my quadrant, I realized how difficult it was for me to differentiate between what is urgent and what is important.
I have used Google Drive in the past and it is a very useful tool for a group or organization to use together without have to always be together. One on one contact is always useful, but efficacy seems to be increased when work can also be done remotely and shared over a drive.
In this year's Visions, I hope to learn how to be more organized and driven in helping to create this event from scratch. I hope to build skills in leadership, as this is something that I see myself needing some help in. The Eisenhower Quadrant seems like a very helpful way to keep track of tasks that are needed to be done. It seems more efficient than a simple list because it categorizes your tasks into levels of importance and helps to eliminate procrastination. As I was filling out my quadrant, I realized how difficult it was for me to differentiate between what is urgent and what is important.
I have used Google Drive in the past and it is a very useful tool for a group or organization to use together without have to always be together. One on one contact is always useful, but efficacy seems to be increased when work can also be done remotely and shared over a drive.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)