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.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

*** $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.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

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.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!