The Chicago Underground Film Festival exists to showcase the defiantly independent filmmaker. They aim to “promote films and videos that dissent radically in form, technique, or content from the ‘indie’ mainstream and to present adventurous works that challenge and transcend commercial and audience expectations”.

Held this year from June 24th until July 1 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, CUFF has a reputation of highlighting the quirky, abstract, even oblique and tangent works that other film festivals often overlook. This year’s move to summer dates means it will also avoid calendar clashes with other events, and their presence as the world’s longest running underground film fest means that this could be worth adding to your calendar.

If you think that your film fits the above description, then the final deadline is March 15 and any last minute entries cost $40. Check out the full guide and download an entry form from http://cuff.org/2010/guide.html

Although not a competitive festival, CUFF does present awards, in categories including Narrative Feature, Narrative Short, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short, Experimental, Animation and Music Video. There are also ‘Made in Chicago’ and ‘Audience Choice’ awards.

Keep up to date on the festival via Twitter, Facebook and Myspace.

Lee Jarvis.

We at Media Match are excited to reintroduce our promotion. If you are an unpaid registered member of Media Match and own a blog or website, you can get one month of paid membership for FREE. Don’t have an account yet? Sign up, and get your profile running for free, here!

How does it work?

If you are a registered Media Match member and you have a personal blog or website, this will be quite easy for you. Simply write in your blog about Media Match and include a link to our site. A couple of possible blog post ideas include a short or detailed description of the site, how Media Match has helped you in your job hunt, an informative wiki-like profile of our site, or you can write a review about Media Match.

If you don’t have a blog yet, there are plenty of free blog providers that you can join, including Blogger, Wordpress, TypePad, LiveJournal, and many more.

Have a website, but no blog? No problem! Just write about us on one of your pages, refer people back to us, and link back to our site.

You can link to the Media Match Homepage, but it may be more useful for your readers if you linked to the jobs board page at http://www.media-match.com/jobsboard.php. But, if you feel we have a page on our site more relevant to your readers, feel free to link back to that page instead (ie, the “About Us page“). (Remember, the link has to be clickable. To do this on most blogging platforms, highlight the text you want to make a link, click the icon that looks like a globe with a chain link in front of it, then press OK or DONE).

Once you have your blog post up, send us the following to blog_promo@media-match.com:

1. Your Media Match username (click here to sign up for free)
2. Your website or blog’s URL with the posting about Media Match

Also, if you know anyone in the TV & Film industry that is not with Media Match currently, why not tell them about this promotion? It’s a great opportunity for non members to try out Media Match at no cost. Just have them sign up for a free account at the freelancer registration page to get started!

If you are an unpaid registered member and a part of the mailing list, you got a head start on this promotion. For everyone else, this promotion will last from today, February 8, 2010 until March 8, 2010. Members who qualify for the free one month’s subscription will be contacted by email.

Thanks, everyone!
Media Match

Conditions, terms, and disclaimer: URLs and links to Media Match must be clickable. Links with the “no-follow” tag in the HTML are not considered eligible for the promotion. Please allow up to three days for approval. Link and info must be posted outside of Media Match. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other sites that use “no-folow” and framed browsing do not qualify. Only one free month subscription per member. Free month contingent on Media Match link’s presence for a minimum of 1 month on members’ blog/website. Please note that a new law requires you to disclose the fact that you are receiving something in return for a review on a blog (just mention that you are receiving a free month for your post).

*** $5000 Scholarship Up for Grabs ***

theWHO: Aspiring filmmakers, producers, videographers and on-camera personalities

theWHERE: theWit Hotel, downtown Chicago’s hottest multifaceted hotel, home to:

* ROOF, one of America’s Top 10 Rooftop Bars (Sherman’s Travel)
* cibo matto, Best New Italian Restaurant of 2009 (Chicago Tribune)
* State & Lake, a seasonally driven new American restaurant
* SCREEN, theWit’s $1 million digital high-definition theater
* Spa@theWit, a stylish and invigorating spa experience

theWHAT: A search for Chicago’s best and brightest up-and-coming film and video production talent, with a chance to win $5000 and employment by theWit Hotel from March to December 2010 as in-house producers. Winners will put their skills to work creating lively monthly video “webisodes” that chronicle – with plenty of wit and personality – the exciting nightlife, live music, food, film and spa events taking place continuously in the hotel, plus celebrity cameos, local artists, downtown cultural events, colorful characters and more. theWit Hotel prides itself on being “more experience than hotel,” and your work will shine a spotlight on that unique mantra!

theHOW: Each production team must include one videographer/producer and one vibrant, effervescent on-camera “host.” Each duo will submit a 60- to 90-second demo reel that demonstrates its production capabilities and camera work, as well as the creativity, personality and interactive interview style of the on-air host. Please thoroughly review the guidelines below for more details on submission requirements and the selection and notification process.

theWHEN: All entries must be received or postmarked by February 5, 2010 for consideration. Finalists will be notified via e-mail on February 15, and winners will be announced on February 24.

For guidlelines, entry info and more details, please check out http://www.thewithotel.com/webisodes/

Lee Jarvis.

It’s that time of year again… Sundance Film Festival.

Each year the Sundance Film Festival selects 200 films for exhibition from more than 9,000 submissions. More than 50,000 people attend screenings in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Sundance, Utah. In addition to discovering filmmaking’s newest talent through the Festival’s program of documentary, dramatic, and short films, Festivalgoers experience live music performances, panel discussions with leading filmmakers and industry figures, cutting-edge media installations, parties celebrating the Festival community, and more.

If you’ve not already bought, here’s a link for tickets.

And the good Sundance people have also laid out a Survival Guide to the 2010 festival.

Can’t attend? Time magazine explain how to “Couch-Surf” the event.

More info – Sundance Film Festival.

Lee Jarvis.

This September, the New York Surf Film Festival brought together avid surfers, legendary surf photographers, film buffs and New York City audiences fascinated by the sport. It was a celebration of both the East Coast surf community but also the artistic integrity of the surf film genre. With three days of sold out screenings, over 3,500 people in attendance and numerous premieres and parties, the 2nd annual New York Surf Film Festival (NYSFF) wrapped up with an Awards Ceremony and after party at Red Bull Space.

The 2010 Festival has recently been announced for September 24th – 26th, and submissions are now open.

The New York Surf Film Competition is open to feature-length and short films in the surf genre. In order to be considered for the Festival’s Film Competition, submitted films must have been completed after July 2005. The running time for features must be greater than 30 minutes. Short films under 30 minutes in length are eligible for participation in the Short Film Program. Submissions open through May 15th, 2010.

Full details of the submission guidelines are available at http://nysurffilm.com/2009/12/02/2010-submissions-now-open/

This all reminds me, being a big surfing fan myself, I was daydreaming the other day and watching some highlight of the 2009-10 Eddie Aikau event. Check that out too…

Beyond the Pedway is a series of videos by Tim Jahn on creative businesses based in Chicago. In this episode he chats to Chris DeWinter, Whitney Alexander, and Chris Palese of Teletech Video, a video post production and duplication company that specializes in converging new and old media.

For more info, check out http://www.beyondthepedway.com/teletech-video#more-408

Lee Jarvis.

HP Envy Music Video Edit Challenge
A free social, challenge and networking event – open to the Public

The Challenge
* Three editors will compete using a HP Envy laptop with AVID editing software.
* Each HP Envy desktop will contain labeled folders with the building blocks for the video.
* The folder will contain select music, video and sponsor files (to be revealed to contestants prior to event).
* You must create your music video from the files provided.
* You may use any features or software found on the HP Envy to contribute to the finished product.
* You must give your music video a title.
* You must agree to have your finished product published.
* You surrender any rights to the finished product.
* A panel of judges (Thought Equity Motion, Resolution Digital Studios, TRAX Records) will select the winner.

Chris Ross, Corinne Gilliard and Paul Walerow have been selected to be the three editors who will compete to produce a finished music video in front of a live audience in 30 minutes. The winner will receive an HP Envy Laptop.

The event is FREE, open to the public, and attendees will be entered in a drawing for 2 free tickets to NATPE Market & Conference (National Association of Television Program Executives), Jan. 25-27, at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas $1700 value.

Click here to register!

Where? OfficePort CHI, 9 W Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602 (map)
When? Thursday, Dec 3rd – 6:30-9:30pm. Event is Free and Open to the Public. Free food and cocktails (doors open at 5:30pm)

The Chicago Convergence partners with NATPE for a live streaming event; day prior to the Music Video Challenge

Indie Production for the Multi-Platform World
Los Angeles cocktail reception & session will be live streamed by Stickam.
Streamed event shown at Music Video Edit Challenge on Thursday, Dec 3rd in Chicago.

Where? Held at Writer’s Boot Camp offices (Bergamot Station in Santa Monica California)
When? HPEnvyWednesday, December 2, 2009 from 6 – 8 pm

Panel Discussion
Sure, studios and media giants are producing programming for multiple distribution outlets, but so are the independents and they’re stronger and mightier than ever with the advent of new and inexpensive production tools. How has the game changed for indie producers and creators thanks to changes in consumers’ video consumption? How do you produce on a budget and incubate projects on the Web? And what is the endgame? Don’t miss out on this opportunity to hear from experts on the challenges and opportunities in online video production.

Lee Jarvis.

The Film, Stage and ShowBiz Expo is billed as “a five-star event that brings everyone in show business together under one roof.” Having been involved in the entertainment industry here in Southern California for almost thirty-five years (twenty-four of them as President of my own company, The Research Department), I had been a fairly regular attendee of this event when it was held annually in Los Angeles up to 2002. Since 2003, Producer Zachary Lezberg had been producing the twice-annual Film, Stage and ShowBiz Expo events only in New York City so I was excited to learn about his plans to “relaunch” the Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center on October 17, 2009.

Personally, I find the benefit of these events to be highly relational to an individual’s needs. In a nutshell, the day pretty much becomes what you make it. I always pack plenty of business cards, brochures and a notepad. Don’t worry if you forget your pen, you could have at least a half-dozen by the time you clear the first row of exhibitors. More importantly, I bring along a broadly optimistic attitude that goes something like this: if I make a new friend or business connection or reconnect with one old friend plus maybe learn a few new things then I figure it was worth my time.

For the full article, please head over to http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2330344/review_showbiz_expo_returns_to_los.html?singlepage=true&cat=2

Article by Christopher Darryn

The next Los Angeles ShowBiz Expo is scheduled for April 24th and 25th in 2010.

JUMP

JUMP | media facade | urban screening from urbanscreen on Vimeo.

The project “Jump” is focusing on mapped video projection with a strict reference to architectural structure. The house front has been rebuilt in a studio setting with a proportion of 1:1,4. The setup becomes a stage for artists and performers. Later the captured video content is projected on the building.
Music by Jan Jelinek

PINWALL

Pinwall | interactive facade pinball | urban screening from urbanscreen on Vimeo.

Pinwall is a interactive facade pinball game. The project was realized in context of “Viertelfest Bremen” 2007.
Music by Flanger

555 KUBIK

555 KUBIK | facade projection | from urbanscreen on Vimeo.

The conception of this project consistently derives from its underlying architecture – the theoretic conception and visual pattern of the Hamburg Kunsthalle. The Basic idea of narration was to dissolve and break through the strict architecture of O. M. Ungers “Galerie der Gegenwart”. Resultant permeabilty of the solid facade uncovers different interpretations of conception, geometry and aesthetics expressed through graphics and movement. A situation of reflexivity evolves – describing the constitution and spacious perception of this location by means of the building itself.

Production: urbanscreen.com
Art Direction: Daniel Rossa – rossarossa.de
Technical Director: Thorsten Bauer
3D Operator: David Starmann shineundsein.de
Sound Design : Jonas Wiese
Realized with mxwendler.net mediaserver

Lee Jarvis.

Disposable Film Fest ‘09 Promo from Disposable Film Festival on Vimeo.

WHAT IS THE DISPOSABLE FILM FESTIVAL?

The Disposable Film Festival was created in 2007 to celebrate the artistic potential of disposable video: short films made on non-professional devices such as one-time use video cameras, cell phones, point and shoot cameras, webcams, computer screen capture software, and other readily available video capture devices. With people everywhere gaining access to these devices, it was felt that the time was right to draw attention to the creative potential of this new mode of filmmaking. Far beyond its initial roles for video blogging and documentation, the DFF offers a forum to display how disposable media can be used for creative purposes. The DFF hosts screenings, competitions, and other events to showcase the best work within the disposable genre.

…and they want your Disposable Films. So, shoot ‘em, cut ‘em, and send ‘em in.

WHAT IS DISPOSABLE FILM?

In recent years a new kind of film has emerged: The Disposable Film. It has been made possible by new media (webcams, point and shoot digital cameras, cell phones, screen capture software, and one time use digital video cameras) and the rise of online distribution (YouTube, Google, MySpace, etc.). These films are often made quickly, casually, and sometimes even unintentionally.

Everyone has become a Disposable Filmmaker: directors of Saturday night cell phone videos, actors under the eyes of security cameras, and narrators before their webcams. Let’s face it – we live in an age of disposable film. Now it’s time to do something creative with it.

Submissions for DFF 2010 now open!
Deadline Extended : October 1st, 2009