What a crazy semester this has been. To be honest, there were moments when I had my doubts we would ever get the film done. A few weeks ago the cut of our film was still raw interview footage, no B-Roll, no animations, no music, no credits-- nada. For majority of the semester I had very little involvement in the editing process. I decided to take the initiative to give more creative input and express my opinions on the cut. My ideas were extremely well received and I am so glad I decided to help out because with all our powers combined, the film has made a complete 180! To see it finally come together has been a relief, but also extremely exciting. I'm really proud of what we've done and what we're representing. For what's at stake, I hope our film can make an impact in North Carolina. Even if it changes just 1 person's mind about their opinion of the Film Incentive, I will be happy.
I've chosen to follow a path in the business side of filmmaking, but thanks to my awesome team members Robert and Connor, I've learned so much more about the creative and technical side of the industry, improved my craft, and have grown to appreciate aspects of filmmaking that I had little experience with/knowledge of. YAY!
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Visions 4!
This was my second year attending the Visions Film Festival & Conference. Last year's festivities were amazing, but this year Visions knocked it out of the park. I'm incredibly impressed with my fellow classmates (and Shannon!) who dedicated so much time and effort to put on such a fantastic event; their efforts made last weekend one of the greatest things I've experienced while being at UNCW! The event itself was so well organized, but the icing on the cake was the pool of talented filmmakers and scholars who got to showcase their work. I had heard so much about the awesome film submissions all year long and couldn't wait to see some inspiring work. Of course I was expecting to see great student films from all over, but I was not prepared for the mass amount of ingenuity and genius that radiated from each film. Gifted doesn't even begin to describe the featured filmmakers and scholars. I attended the 2nd film block and was absolutely blown away by every single filmmaker and animator. Creativity, originality, production value- they had it all and kept everyone in that audience captivated the entire time. I couldn't believe that Pandy, Dia De Los Muertos, Straight Down Low, Heartbeats of Fiji, to name a few, were done by students not much younger or older than I! I was truly inspired by their craft and felt motivated to push myself to create something as phenomenal as their work.
I honestly wish I could have joined the Visions team! To see everyone's hard work come together like that must have felt so surreal, it would've been a great thing to be a part of. Although we won't be able to submit our film for Visions 5, my goal for every other film festival we (hopefully) get accepted in to will be to leave the audience as astounded as the Vision's audience was for their guests. The festival was a great reminder for myself that I must always work to my full potential and strive to create something that will not only be received well, but will also reflect me as a person and filmmaker.
I honestly wish I could have joined the Visions team! To see everyone's hard work come together like that must have felt so surreal, it would've been a great thing to be a part of. Although we won't be able to submit our film for Visions 5, my goal for every other film festival we (hopefully) get accepted in to will be to leave the audience as astounded as the Vision's audience was for their guests. The festival was a great reminder for myself that I must always work to my full potential and strive to create something that will not only be received well, but will also reflect me as a person and filmmaker.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Festival & Marketing Budget
| FESTIVAL/OUTREACH BUDGET | 4/2/14 | ||||
| Keep It Rolling | |||||
| Festivals | Budget | Actual | Difference ($) | Difference (%) | |
| Festival Submission Fees | $400 | $230 | $170.00 | 42.5% | |
| Blank DVDs (30 pack) | $12.00 | $(12.00) | |||
| Manila Envelopes ($.20 ea) | $0.60 | $(0.60) | |||
| Shipping | $105 | $46.00 | $59.00 | 56.2% | |
| Postage | $2.00 | $(2.00) | |||
| Marketing & Outreach | |||||
| Graphic Design- Seed Nouveau | $400 | $(400.00) | |||
| Postcard Design | $200 | $200 | $- | 0.0% | |
| Printing Services- Postcards | $100 | $100 | $- | 0.0% | |
| Printing Services- Posters (5) | $100 | $100 | $- | 0.0% | |
| Website- Domain & Hosting (12 months) | $300 | $80 | $220.00 | 73.3% | |
| Total Expenses | $1,480 | $1,170.60 | 0.0% | ||
Monday, March 31, 2014
Film Festival Submission Plan
There were a few factors that went into deciding which film festivals we would submit to. First and foremost, we feel our film is pointless to exhibit unless someone from the group is able to attend, especially at film festivals outside of North Carolina. While the topic is localized, the message is useful to any state with an incentive, but at first glance, people may see it is about North Carolina and film enthusiasts and supporters may not feel a personal connection to it. Having one of us in attendance to discuss the film and the movement would be more beneficial to the success of the film. For the most part we kept the festivals within driving distance, with a few exceptions. We also wanted to aim for representation in our respective home states (Seattle Shorts Film Festival for Sarah & Reel Independent Film Extravaganza for Connor).
The second factor was the date of the film festival. Since the Film Tax Incentive is set to expire in January 2015, we need to screen the film prior to that in order to build support. That being said, we have a limited time frame based on submission deadlines.
The second factor was the date of the film festival. Since the Film Tax Incentive is set to expire in January 2015, we need to screen the film prior to that in order to build support. That being said, we have a limited time frame based on submission deadlines.
- Orlando Film Festival is a program that is by filmmakers, for filmmakers. More importantly, they are extremely welcoming and encouraging to student filmmakers. This festival is a great outlet for educational outreach as well.
- River's Edge International Film Festival attracts people who are serious about the art of film; attending the festival would create opportunities to educate others about incentive programs/supporting their local programs as well as networking with people who are equally passionate about the topic of our film.
- Cucalorus Film Festival- no brainer :) The support we've received from local film industry members out of Wilmington has been incredible. During the production process, the community has been super supportive and resourceful; screening the film here would show that their efforts have not gone unnoticed and we're all in this fight together!
- Petaluma International Film Festival- California representation! The big dogs in California are the ones with the choice. They decide where they want to make their films and we need to make them understand why North Carolina needs to stay in the mix. Of course they do not decide if the incentive stays or goes, but their support could be a deciding factor for the NC Government.
- Indie Memphis Film Festival- Top 20 event by Southern Tourist Society; the publicity we could receive from screening here would not only benefit our own film careers, but would also increase awareness of the our ever-growing film industry.
- Underexposed Film Festival YC- the title says it all; the situation with the NC Film Tax Incentive is definitely underexposed right now. This festival will be a great way to gain exposure and also get support from a neighboring community.
- Asheville Cinema Festival- Similarly to why we want to show at Cucalorus, the North Carolina film community is what this documentary is all about. We want to spread the love for NC Film!
| Festival Name | Submission Date | Deadline (Ea/Reg/Lt/Ext.) | Submission Fee | Category | Submission Format | Location | Date of Festival | |||||||||
| Orlando Film Festival | 1-May-14, 1-Jun-14 | Early / Regular | $25/ $30 | Documentary Short | Secure Online Screener | Orlando, FL | October 22-26, 2014 | |||||||||
| River's Edge International Film Festival | 15-May-14, 15-Jul-14 | Early / Regular | $20/ $25 | Documentary Short | DVD & Blu-Ray | Paducah, KY | November 6-9, 2014 | |||||||||
| Cucalorus Film Festival | 20-Jun-14 | Early | $20 | Short | DVD or Online Screener | Wilmington, NC | November 12-16, 2014 | |||||||||
| Petaluma International Film Festival | 15-Aug-14 | N/A | No Entry Fee | Documentary Short | DVD Only | Petaluma, CA | October 17-19, 2014 | |||||||||
| Indie Memphis Film Festival | 14-May-14, 18-Jun-14 | Regular/Late | $25/ $35 | Documentary Short | Secure Online Screener | Memphis, TN | Oct 30-Nov 2, 2014 | |||||||||
| Underexposed Film Festival YC | 5/16/2014, 20-Jun-14 | Regular/Late | $20/ $35 | Documentary | Secure Online Screener | Rock Hill, SC | November 13-15, 2014 | |||||||||
| Asheville Cinema Festival | 15-Jun-14 | Regular | $35 | Documentary Short | Secure Online Screener | Asheville, NC | November 7-10, 2014 | |||||||||
| Seattle Shorts Film Festival | 30-May-14, 30-June-14 | Late/Extended | $10 | College Students Shorts | Secure Online Screener | Seattle, WA | 15-Nov-14 | |||||||||
| Reel Independent Film Extravaganza | 1-Jul-14 | Late | $40 | Documentary | Secure Online Screener | Washington, DC | October 10-16, 2014 | |||||||||
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Production Update: Week of March 23
This week, our focus is on securing the right, credible interviews that will strengthen our story. Our Tuesday interview was with Beth Becka (which has been rescheduled to next Tuesday due to her illness), acting coach/owner of Insight School of Acting in Wilmington. She is extremely passionate about the industry here and the the acting jobs created help support her business as more and more people are seeking training to help further their career.
Our Indiegogo promo video is live and we have received awesome feedback for it. We're putting the final touches on the trailer and will have the official trailer by Friday. The deadline for me to submit the trailer to the RiverRun Pitch Fest is Friday, so that will be a top priority this week.
We've had to go back to the drawing boards to truly find the story we want to express. We've re-evaluated our interviewees and have since switched gears a bit in regards to who we are interviewing. I've contacted CBS Publicity to try and get permission to film on the Under The Dome set, local actress Sydney Penny (All My Children, The Bold and The Beautiful) for an interview, Marty Siu who has an extremely successful casting company, MJ Hilton, assistant to the producer on Under The Dome, Albert Hedgepeth III- Emmy Award winning cinematographer/sound recordist, and Connor has contacted some other individuals in the community.
What we've come to realize is, 45 of the 50 US States have film incentives. The big dogs in L.A. have options and I guarantee it doesn't make a difference to them if North Carolina loses the Film Tax Incentive or not- they'll just move on to the next state. To the people here in North Carolina, however, it's a huge deal; it's their livelihood, their state's economy, their culture. With our film, it's our job to make it matter, not just to North Carolinians, but to the big dogs in the film industry and the government.
#SaveNCFilm
Our Indiegogo promo video is live and we have received awesome feedback for it. We're putting the final touches on the trailer and will have the official trailer by Friday. The deadline for me to submit the trailer to the RiverRun Pitch Fest is Friday, so that will be a top priority this week.
We've had to go back to the drawing boards to truly find the story we want to express. We've re-evaluated our interviewees and have since switched gears a bit in regards to who we are interviewing. I've contacted CBS Publicity to try and get permission to film on the Under The Dome set, local actress Sydney Penny (All My Children, The Bold and The Beautiful) for an interview, Marty Siu who has an extremely successful casting company, MJ Hilton, assistant to the producer on Under The Dome, Albert Hedgepeth III- Emmy Award winning cinematographer/sound recordist, and Connor has contacted some other individuals in the community.
What we've come to realize is, 45 of the 50 US States have film incentives. The big dogs in L.A. have options and I guarantee it doesn't make a difference to them if North Carolina loses the Film Tax Incentive or not- they'll just move on to the next state. To the people here in North Carolina, however, it's a huge deal; it's their livelihood, their state's economy, their culture. With our film, it's our job to make it matter, not just to North Carolinians, but to the big dogs in the film industry and the government.
#SaveNCFilm
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Production Update: Week of March 9th
Immediately after returning from Spring Break, we jumped right back into the project full swing. We had our weekly Monday meeting as usual to regroup and come up with a plan of attack for the upcoming weeks. We finally got the Indiegogo Campaign up and started promoting our Facebook page like crazy. In the past 3 days, we've gained over 330 supporters on Facebook and raised $410 through Indiegogo! The support from friends and family has been incredible, but I'm overwhelmed by the growing support and positive reinforcement we've received from the North Carolina Film Community and other kind strangers from all over. We're not just making a film, we're fueling a growing movement! We finished off the meeting by editing our interview questions for the following day and preparing Tuesday's shooting schedule.
On Tuesday, I had class until 3:15, so the plan was for Connor and Robert to head over to Screen Gems at noon to shoot some B-Roll and begin setting up for our 3:30 interview with Johnny Griffin, Wilmington Regional Film Commissioner. My professor was so gracious to let me leave class early so I could get to Screen Gems in time to help set up. The interview went well, although we experienced some issues with sound that we will hopefully be able to fix, otherwise we may have to schedule a second interview with Johnny.
At 4:30, we hit the lot for a quick interview with Kyle Linderman, a Screen Gems employee in the lighting & grip department. Then it was over to the editing lab to sort through dailies & prep for editing.
At 9:00 we interviewed Shaun O'Rourke, a local actor and driver currently working on Under The Dome. Shaun was extremely insightful and passionate about the Film Tax Incentive issue & I think his interview is going to be received well by our audience.
We're now in talks with Beth Becka, owner of Insight School of Acting, who would like to share her story with us and will allow us to film her acting class, which consists of many actors who would no longer have acting opportunities should the Film Tax Incentive expire.
On Tuesday, I had class until 3:15, so the plan was for Connor and Robert to head over to Screen Gems at noon to shoot some B-Roll and begin setting up for our 3:30 interview with Johnny Griffin, Wilmington Regional Film Commissioner. My professor was so gracious to let me leave class early so I could get to Screen Gems in time to help set up. The interview went well, although we experienced some issues with sound that we will hopefully be able to fix, otherwise we may have to schedule a second interview with Johnny.
At 4:30, we hit the lot for a quick interview with Kyle Linderman, a Screen Gems employee in the lighting & grip department. Then it was over to the editing lab to sort through dailies & prep for editing.
At 9:00 we interviewed Shaun O'Rourke, a local actor and driver currently working on Under The Dome. Shaun was extremely insightful and passionate about the Film Tax Incentive issue & I think his interview is going to be received well by our audience.
We're now in talks with Beth Becka, owner of Insight School of Acting, who would like to share her story with us and will allow us to film her acting class, which consists of many actors who would no longer have acting opportunities should the Film Tax Incentive expire.
Production Update: Before/During Spring Break
Prior to Spring Break, we made some progress on our marketing and outreach projects. We filmed a segment for our Facebook/Indiegogo/future website that features Robert, Connor, and myself discussing North Carolina's jeopardized film industry, what our plans are for Keep It Rolling, and asking people for their support. That video is currently being edited and will be up within the next week. We also had a mini photoshoot for the film poster & our pictures that will accompany our bios on the website.
We also planned out the donation amounts/perks and the informational section for the Indiegogo Campaign page. Our plan was to finalize everything and go live over Spring Break, but we ended up waiting until we all were back on Monday so we could all meet in person...working from 3 time zones/2 countries is easier said than done! We were able to launch our Facebook page over break and I did some research on partnering with the NC Production Alliance to support each others causes and find people who would be willing to share their testimonies with us. I have yet to hear back from Katy Feinberg, one of the founders of the advocacy group, but will continue to try to get in contact with someone from the NCPA to work with us.
We also planned out the donation amounts/perks and the informational section for the Indiegogo Campaign page. Our plan was to finalize everything and go live over Spring Break, but we ended up waiting until we all were back on Monday so we could all meet in person...working from 3 time zones/2 countries is easier said than done! We were able to launch our Facebook page over break and I did some research on partnering with the NC Production Alliance to support each others causes and find people who would be willing to share their testimonies with us. I have yet to hear back from Katy Feinberg, one of the founders of the advocacy group, but will continue to try to get in contact with someone from the NCPA to work with us.
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