SAGIndie

Screen Actors Guild is proud to offer members of the Media Coalition of Artists of Color a comprehensive look at all the Guild can offer the filmmaking community Wednesday, April 25, 2007, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Membership Lounge at the Guild offices. The purpose of the panel discussion and Q&A is to provide comprehensive information to Coalition members about all facets of Guild programs.

The panel will be moderated by the Guild’s Associate National Director of Diversity / Affirmative Action, Adam Moore with panelists Stephanie Howze, Manager - Theatrical / Television Contracts; Keisha Blake, Manager - Commercial / Industrial Contracts; Lorrel Hughes, Supervisor - Membership Services; as well as the Michael Sladek, New York Coordinator for SAGindie.

Where: Screen Actors Guild, 12th Floor Membership Lounge, 360 Madison Avenue (Entrance on East 45th Street btwn. 5th and Madison Aves.)

Sez here some dude tried to auction off the distribution rights for his film on eBay (scroll down to the second news item), but was unsuccessful. Kudos for the guy for attempting to push the boundaries of what constitutes a well-thought out distribution plan and, truth be told, someone somewhere was going to try it eventually, but maybe putting your film out there for all the figurine collectors and Russian scammer gangs on eBay to bid on was not the best idea.

Ah well, he failed so you don’t have to.

Every so often I will realize I can add another reason to the laundry list already in existance of “Why I (Eliza) am cooler than Scott Garner”. Today’s reason? I saw Hot Fuzz a week ago* and he (depsite his efforts all weekend) has not.

Have you seen it? After looking at the box office results, chances are you haven’t. Why? It’s very entertaining. It’s no Shaun of the Dead, unfortunately - but then again, what is? I encourage all seven of you readers out there to ignore any advertising for this film (it’s all poorly done) and just go see it so you can start getting your Halloween costumes ready.

And to think - an offer to see the movie a week early and for free! He could have gone too, but he didn’t and that’s the point. Isn’t that reason enough to finally learn how to read, Scott?

*It was a Film Independent members-only pre-screening.

SAG Low Budget Contract Signatory Workshop in Los Angeles and New York.

Click here for more info and to RSVP.

The San Francisco International Film Festival, committed to celebrating the art of the moving image, has presented the best in world cinema since 1957. Now, the 15-day Festival presents nearly 200 films from over 50 countries and reaches an engaged audience of tens of thousands of film lovers, filmmakers, industry representatives and journalists with screenings in San Francisco, Berkeley and the Peninsula. The Festival highlights current trends in international film and video production with an emphasis on work that has not yet secured U.S. distribution.

The Golden Gate Awards is the competitive section for documentaries, shorts, animation, experimental, youth-produced and work for television. Juries award cash prizes ranging up to $5,000 in ten of the 14 categories.

First features by emerging filmmakers are eligible for the SKYY Prize, which includes a $10,000 cash award and was established in 1997 by the Festival and premier sponsor SKYY Vodka to recognize a director whose film exhibits a unique artistic sensibility.

The Festival also invites recent feature-length narratives and documentaries and archival presentations from around the globe, special awards and tributes recognizing individual achievement.
Details: http://www.sffs.org/festival/index.html

Details: http://www.tribecafilmfestival.org/

Direct link to film guide: http://www.tribecafilmfestival.org/tixSYS/2006/filmguide/title-detail.php

Nashville Film Festival (NaFF) is hosted by the Regal Green Hills Stadium 16 in the Green Hills area of Nashville, Tennessee. With nearly 16,000 people attending the 2006 edition, it is rapidly becoming one of the best-known arts events in Tennessee and is the biggest, most international film festival in the mid-South.

Each year, NaFF receives submissions of over 1700 films from all over the world. Last year, 244 films from over 40 countries were selected. NaFF provides the only opportunity to see many of these films in this region of the U.S.
Because it takes place in “Music City,” Nashville Film Festival places special focus on music in films with its “Music Films in Music City” section and two special music awards. Additionally, NaFF has special sections for late night screenings, gay & lesbian films, and, for children, our KidCinema section.

Details: http://nashvillefilmfestival.org/

The Phoenix Film Festival is the largest attended festival in Arizona with over 15,000 attendees in past years.
Details: http://www.phoenixfilmfestival.com/

Founded in 1991 as the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema, the Philadelphia Film Festival has become one of the fastest-growing film festivals in the country with nearly 70,000 attendees, earning the respect of the film industry and the notice of media as diverse as Filmmaker Magazine, Fangoria, and the The Wall Street Journal.

For two weeks in April, the Festival presents as many as 300 works on film and video, ranging from star-studded studio features to daring experimental student shorts. Anywhere from 40-50 nationalities are represented annually, with the latest works from such standard-bearers as France and Italy screening alongside new voices from Estonia, Lebanon, South Africa, and beyond. Film celebrations range from screening premieres to event celebrations, hosting an array of guests that has included such luminaries as Susan Sarandon, Laurence Fishburne, Steve Buscemi, Patrick Swayze, Ed Burns, Malcolm McDowell, Mary Louise Parker, Morgan Freeman, Ken Russell, Robert Downey, Alan Rudolph, Larry Clark, Melvin Van Peebles, Susan Seidelman, and John Sayles.
Festival Information: http://www.phillyfests.com/templates/festivals.cfm