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Thu, Jul 2 2009 3:03 AM | Posted by Peter Baxter
SLAMDANCE 2009 TELEPLAY COMPETITION TOP 40 SCRIPTED FINALISTS
Note to Teleplay Writers: Finalists are listed in alphabetical order; winners will be announced in August 2009. All coverage and online feedback will be sent out by Monday, June 22 - if you have not yet received your coverage or online feedback by that date please e-mail us, but please if possible wait until the 22nd to contact our offices - we're sending out all of the feedback as quickly as possible! Please note that all feedback and coverage will be sent via e-mail, and will not show up in your Slamdance.com account - our apologies! Any questions, you are welcome to e-mail or call our offices. Congratulations to our top 40 scripted finalists, and thank you to all writers who submitted.
24/7
American High
Bad Karma
Corporate Debt
Crescent City
Dr. Jones
Evil Inheritance
Evergreen
Fatima
Five Sore Thumbs
Folklore
Johnny Noble: Motorcycle Rebel
Larger Than Life
Los Angeles
Magnet
Managing Nirvana
Mccoy
Miseducated
Neanderthal Cousin
Night - Year of the Comet
Off Panel
Powerslam
Pure Negative
Relatively Insane
RSVP
Skubnas
Sorcerer
Spankit
Spooksville
Standards and Practices
The Agent
The Claytons
The Next Step
The Off Season
The Tammy Burke Show
The Years
Then Again
Thicker Than Water
Tomorrowland
White Trash
*********************************************************
2009 SLAMDANCE TELEPLAY COMPETITION
$13,000 IN CASH PRIZES FOR WINNERS!
UNSCRIPTED CATEGORY SPONSORED BY THE GREIF COMPANY - 1st PLACE $3,000
SCRIPTED CATEGORY SPONSORED BY ACT III PRODUCTIONS - 1st PLACE $10,000
(click on sponsors for more info on our amazing 2009 Teleplay sponsors)
PLUS, THE TOP 5 FINALISTS FROM EACH CATEGORY WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR POSSIBLE
OPTION AND/OR EMPLOYMENT BY THE GREIF COMPANY AND ACT III PRODUCTIONS
SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
Thu, Jul 2 2009 2:46 AM | Posted by Peter Baxter
Slamdance Africa - 2 Day Film School July 25th-26th & August 15th-16th
Slamdance Award Winning Filmmaker Dan Harris Builds On African 2 Day Guerilla Film School Success
The monthly 2 Day Guerilla Film School, the only school in Africa devoted to zero to low budget screenwriting, filmmaking, directing and producing is running again the weekend of July 25th-26th at the Labia Theater in Cape Town.
In addition, the new 2 Day Producers Film School devoted to 1st time filmmakers looking to produce their debut feature film, short or documentary takes place on the weekend of the August 15th-16th.
This new course is designed for students who want to learn how to produce a low budget feature or documentary. We will be focusing on the roles a producer has to perform from sourcing and acquiring rights to literary property to raising finance, shooting and distributing independent and digital films.
Both courses are R700 or R450 for students.
The school is limited to 10-12 students so get your registration in early by calling Dan on 082 7711077 or emailing biginvegas@gmail.com to book your place.
Please do not hesitate to call if you need more information about the classes.
Mon, May 18 2009 3:32 PM | Posted by Peter Baxter
Strand Acquires Slamdance's Drool
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Strand Releasing has acquired all North American rights to Nancy Kissam's
romantic comedy, DROOL it was announced today.
DROOL stars Laura Harring as a wife with an abusive husband who she
accidentally kills which leads her to a romantic tryst with her neighbor
played by Jill Marie Jones as they go on a road trip with the family to
dispose of the body.
The deal was negotiated between Jon Gerrans of Strand Releasing and Todd
Williams of Upload Films.
The film premiered as a Special Screening at this year's Slamdance Film
Festival and was the 2006 winner of that festival's screenplay competition.
"Strand had a twenty year history of embracing original voices, and we feel
that DROOL is a perfect fit with the groundbreaking material that they have
succeded with. We're thrilled that they share our enthusiam for Nancy's
vision and look forward to working together to bring DROOL to a wider
audience" said Williams.
The film was produced by John Portnoy, Nick Thurlow and Todd Williams of
Upload Films, in conjunction with Instinctive Film. Instictive's Darryn
Welch and Chris Ouwinga executive produced, along with Slamdance's Peter
Baxter and Chad Marting and Nils Larsen of Elements Entertainment. Lee
Donaldson and Daniel Lewis served as co-producers.
The film was shot by Kara Stephens. DROOL won best fiction feature at the
Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.
Upload Films (Production Company) In 2006, Williams, John Portnoy, and Nick
Thurlow founded Upload Films in order to provide a new home for
filmmaker-based projects that expand the vocabulary of independent film.
Combining production, finishing funds, and post-production services under
one roof, Upload both develops its own projects and team up with other
producers to bring engaging films with strong visions to the screen.
Upload's films have included the Spirit Award nominated "Shotgun Stories,"
which has been featured on numerous top 10 lists for 2008, as well as Peace
Arch's release "The Babysitters," starring John Leguizamo. In addition to
"Drool," Upload is involved with four other 2009 theatrical releases,
including the thriller "Print," starring Gabrielle Carteris and Will
Rothaar, and the courtroom drama "The Thacker Case," starring Eliza Dushku
and Gabriel Mann.
Strand Releasing's upcoming titles include Lucrecia Martel's The Headless
Woman, Pablo Trapero's Lion's Den and Maria Bello and Jason Patric starrer,
Downloading Nancy. Strand Releasing is based in Culver City, California and
is run by business partners, Gerrans and Marcus Hu. Strand is celebrating
its 20th Anniversary with tributes throughout 2009 at venues and
institutions such as the Sundance Film Festival, the Museum of Modern Art in
New York, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, the Wexner
Center in Columbus, Ohio and Outfest 2009 in Los Angeles. Strand has
released the films of such acclaimed filmmakers as Gregg Araki, John
Maybury, Jean Luc Godard, Manoel de Oliveria, Thomas Vinterberg, Andre
Techine, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Gaspar Noe and Jacques Nolot, to name a
few.
DROOL is set for a fall 2009 release.
# # #
Sat, May 2 2009 12:44 AM | Posted by Peter Baxter
2009 FEATURE SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
Slamdance's 2009 Feature Screenplay Competition - Submissions are now closed...thank you for your entries!
Grand Prize Winner receives $5000.00, and all entrants also eligible for the Upload Films Best Low Budget Feature Award - winner receives potential option deal with Upload Films to get your script produced! Plus, Script Accessible Award for best screenplay involving characters with disabilities and/or written by a person with disabilities and many other prizes! For details, rules and guidelines, CLICK HERE
2008 Feature Competition Winner Neil McGowan (NUMBERED): “Only two months ago, I was writing blindly, so to speak. I was doing what I loved to do, but doing it primarily for myself with no real hope that anything I happened to be working on would ever really be enjoyed by anyone but myself, and with no actual idea if what I was writing was any good at all. Then I won Slamdance, and in an instant, I attained not only a belief in myself, but also a sudden legitimacy in the profession I want to pursue. In no time, I was making a deal with Upload Films for an option agreement and possible production, and it seems reasonable that literary representation is in the cards. Winning this contest is, in so many words, the beginning of my career." Previous Slamdance Feature Screenplay Competitions successes also include Nicole Kassell and Stephen Fetcher's THE WOODSMAN, Joshua Marston's MARIA FULL OF GRACE, and Nancy Kissam's DROOL, which was a Slamdance 2009 Film Festival Special Screening and recently acquired by Strand Releasing. For all questions about the Feature Competition, please e-mail us or call our offices - 323-466-1786.
Fri, May 1 2009 2:23 PM | Posted by Peter Baxter
Slamdance Film Festival Open For Submissions
We're Open!
There are three entry deadlines:
1. Early deadline by Friday, August 21, 2009 ($30 entry fee for short entry under 40 minutes and $50 for feature length)
2. Regular deadline by Wednesday, September 30, 2009 ($40 entry fee for short and $75 for feature length)
3. Final deadline by Friday, October 30, 2009 ($50 entry fee for short and $100 for feature length)
We encourage filmmakers to submit their work as early as possible.
Submit here and Withoutabox.
Slamdance Film Festival will take place January 22-28, 2010.
All the best!
Sun, Mar 29 2009 4:57 PM | Posted by Peter Baxter
2009 Slamdance Award Winners
January 26, 2009
2009 SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES AWARDS WINNERS
The 15th annual Slamdance Film Festival has announced 16 film and screenplay prize winners in four categories who will share more than $100,000 in cash and prizes. The just-concluded Festival in Park City, Utah, received over 3,000 submissions from 25 countries for 120 programming slots. 2009 marked the 15th anniversary of the Slamdance Film Festival, one of the few remaining movie showcases whose sole mission is to nurture, support and introduce truly independent works from first-time filmmakers.
There are three competitive divisions at Slamdance: Grand Jury, Audience and Writer Awards, in addition to Special Awards given by Kodak, Dos Equis and IndieRoad.net. Selections from the Grand Jury and Audience Award winning films will be screened at the IFC Center in New York City and the DGA in Los Angeles. Feature competition is limited to first-time filmmakers working with production budgets of $1 million or less.
Thus far, the Slamdance film "The Ante" has been acquired for U.S. distribution by Panorama Entertainment from Peter Proffit Pictures, and separately, Revolver Entertainment has snapped up UK rights from Facefilms and Scanner Rhodes Productions to “City Rats.” Both features appeared in the Slamdance Narrative Competition. It is expected that at least four other 2009 Slamdance films will also be acquired soon.
“As ever, if you wanted to see the best in truly independent film and emerging talent,” noted Peter Baxter, Co-Founder/President of Slamdance, “Slamdance No. 15 was the place to be. Congratulations to all of our winners and especially to all of our filmmakers who continue to strengthen our community...our family.”
Another great success this year was Slamdance’s recently formed online venture with IndieRoad.net, a website created by a team of veteran entertainment and business executives to address the lack of robust distribution options available to promising new talent in the independent film field. Through a combined Slamdance/IndieRoad.net site (www.indieRoad.net/slamdance), Slamdance films streamed during the Festival period. Bringing the Festival to a worldwide audience for the first time, this groundbreaking partnership allowed audiences, press and buyers the opportunity to see the Festival films from a location of their choosing.
"I feel like this year was a true turning point for us, and it's incredibly satisfying,” commented Slamdance Executive Director Drea Clark. “Not only did we receive a new level of support and attention from industry reps and media outlets, our filmmakers and audience participants all seemed to really respond to the energy and sense of community that we strive so hard to create. I can't think of any other year where I got more constant and positive feedback from every level, and I'm so appreciative that what we're trying to do really came across."
The winners of the 15th Slamdance Film Festival and their prize packages are as follows:
GRAND JURY AWARDS
Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature
Winner: A QUIET LITTLE MARRIAGE, directed by Mo Perkins
Special Jury Mention for Best Performance: Larry Fessenden in I SELL THE DEAD
WINNER RECEIVES:
Filmworksfx credit ($15,000 value)
$3,500 credit on legal services from Pierce Law Group, LLP
FilmTracker System
Showbiz Software Package
Jungle Software Package
Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature
Winner: STRONGMAN, directed by Zachary Levy
Special Jury Mention: SECOND SIGHT, directed by Alison McAlpine
WINNER RECEIVES:
Filmworksfx credit ($10,000)
Panasonic HVX200 Camera
$3,500 credit on legal services from Pierce Law Group, LLP
FilmTracker System
Showbiz Software Package
Jungle Software Package
Grand Jury Award for Best Animated Short
Winner: UNDONE, directed by Hayley Morris
WINNER RECEIVES:
Filmworksfx credit ($2,500 value)
FilmTracker System
Showbiz Software Package
Jungle Software Package
Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Short
Winner: RARE CHICKEN RESCUE, directed by Randall Wood
WINNER RECEIVES:
Filmworksfx credit ($2,500 value)
FilmTracker System
Showbiz Software Package
Jungle Software Package
Grand Jury Award for Best Experimental Short
Winner: FUNNY GUY, directed by Frank R. Rinaldi
WINNER RECEIVES:
Filmworksfx credit ($2,500 value)
FilmTracker System
Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Short
Winner: PRINCESS MARGARET BLVD, directed by Kazik Radwanski
Special Jury Mention: TONY ZOREIL, directed by Valentin Potier
WINNER RECEIVES:
Filmworksfx credit ($2,500 value)
FilmTracker System
Showbiz Software Package
Jungle Software Package
Grand Jury Award for Best Music Video
Winner: DON McCLOSKEY “MISTER NOVOCAINE”, directed by Peter Rhoads

WINNER RECEIVES:
Gibson SG Special Guitar presented by Gibson Guitar
AUDIENCE AWARDS
Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
Winner: PUNCHING THE CLOWN, directed by Gregori Viens
WINNER RECEIVES:
$2,000 credit from Alpha Cine
FilmTracker System
Post Factory NY editing credit
Showbiz Software Package
Jungle Software Package
Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature
Winner: HEART OF STONE (formerly IT’S HARD TO BE AN INDIAN), directed by Beth Toni Kruvant
WINNER RECEIVES:
$2,000 credit from Alpha Cine
$4,000 credit from Filmworks
FilmTracker System
Post Factory NY editing credit
Showbiz Software Package
Jungle Software Package
Audience Award for Best Anarchy Film
Winner: THE TIDES, directed by Eva Flodstrom
WINNER RECEIVES:
$2,500 credit from Filmworks
FilmTracker System
Showbiz Software Package
Jungle Software Package
Spirit of Slamdance Award
Winners (tie): ZOMBIE GIRL, directed by Aaron Marshall, Erik Mauck, Justin Johnson; and VAPID LOVELIES, directed by Frank Feldman
Awarded by the Class of 2009 filmmakers to the film teams that best exhibit passion and talent, commitment to the independent community, and enthusiastically embrace all Slamdance has to offer.
WINNERS RECEIVE:
Michael Collins Gift Basket
SPECIAL AWARDS
Kodak Vision Award for Best Cinematography
Winner: I SELL THE DEAD, cinematographer Richard Lopez
WINNER RECEIVES:
$10,000 worth of Kodak Film (35mm or 16mm film stock)
Dos Equis "Most Interesting Film" Award
Winner: YOU MIGHT AS WELL LIVE, directed by Simon Ennis
WINNER RECEIVES: Special Prize Package from Dos Equis
IndieRoad Award
Winner: PUNCHING THE CLOWN, directed by Gregori Viens
The online audience award voted on by IndieRoad.net viewers.
WINNER RECEIVES: $5,000 credit from Lightning Media
WRITER AWARDS
Award for Best Screenplay
Winner: NUMBERED (Comedy/Thriller) by Neil McGowan
WINNER RECEIVES: $7,000 Including an Option to Upload Films
Award for Best Short Screenplay
Winner: CRYBABY (Thriller) by Mark Seidel
WINNER RECEIVES: $500 Cash Prize
Slamdance 2009 Awards are sponsored by Kodak, Panasonic, Gibson, Post Factory NY, Dos Equis, IndieRoad.net, InBaseline/Studio Systems, Filmworksfx, Pierce Law Group, LLP, Alpha Cine, Showbiz Software and Jungle Software.
Celebrating its 15th year, Slamdance continues to be the preeminent film festival whose sole mission is to nurture, support and showcase truly independent works, having established a unique reputation for premiering new films by first-time writers and directors working within the creative confines of limited budgets.
The 2009 Slamdance Film Festival is honored to be presented by Kodak. Major and Official Festival Sponsors include IndieRoad.net, host of the Slamdance/IndieRoad.net online streaming festival, the Directors Guild of America, Dos Equis, All Seasons Resorts, Colourmovie, CurrentTV, Discmakers, Dr. Martens, Jagermeister, Hint Water, Media Distributors, Michael Collins Whiskey, Monster Energy, OurStage, Panasonic, POM Wonderful, Real Ideas Studio, Spout.com and Technicolor.
All Slamdance Film Festival sponsors and partners help sustain and expand our festival event and provide essential support for our filmmakers and the independent mission of Slamdance.
For more information, behind-the scenes footage and/or a complete listing of winners, log on to www.slamdance.com.
Press Contacts:
Steven Zeller/Nubia Flores
GS Entertainment Marketing Group
323 860 0270
stevenzeller@gsemg.com
nubiaflores@gsemg.com
Tue, Mar 10 2009 9:41 PM | Posted by Slamdance
WIN A FREE 2010 SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL ALL ACCESS PASS!
Help us improve Slamdance & be entered to win an all-access pass to next year's festival!
Our friends at B-Side, who sponsored Slamdance 2009 and provided the interactive online schedule, are conducting a survey to help us learn more about our attendees and their experience at the festival. Your input is extremely important to us, to our sponsors, and to the filmmakers who play the festival each year.
Click the link below to complete the survey and be entered in the drawing:
http://bside.slamdance-
The survey will close on March 23rd at 11:59 pm Eastern and the winner of the contest will be chosen soon after.
Tue, Mar 10 2009 9:39 PM | Posted by Slamdance
SLAMDANCE INTERVIEW WITH STEVEN SODERBERGH
The full transcript of the September 16, 2008 interview with Steven Soderbergh and journalist Anthony Kaufman at New York's IFC Center is currently published - read it here: http://www.slamdance.com/forum/permalink/2009/3/10/212530.html
Thu, Feb 26 2009 1:59 AM | Posted by Slamdance
Real Ideas Studio Microgrants Call For Applications
Slamdance was honored to partner with Real Ideas Studio at our 2009 Festival in Park City, UT, and we're glad to pass along another opportunity they are offering independent filmmakers:
Real Ideas Studio (RIS) seeks emerging filmmakers for its global Microgrants Program. RIS is offering $500 to produce films originating from different regions of the world. The finished films will have a screening at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.
Films must be completed fully within the grant period and amount by May 01, 2009. RIS will be designated as the Production company of the film, and a RIS mentor will advise the film and be credited as a Producer of the project.
Real Ideas Studio (RIS) produces films that explore significant perspectives and reflect the culture in which they are made. Films that approach international local and/or regional viewpoints are encouraged. Our films consider actuality over fiction and are therefore more documentary in nature; however, we encourage the limits of dramatic and visual creativity within this genre. Our grant amount is flat, and films are expected to be around five minutes in total length.
Real Ideas Studio is a global collaborative that mentors creative arts programs within culturally-diverse environments. The program has run filmmaking programs at the last three Cannes Film Festivals, and we most recently completed a very successful filmmaking program at the 2009 Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, during the Sundance Film Festival. To learn more applicants should visit www.realideasstudio.org .
Fri, Feb 13 2009 2:35 PM | Posted by Joy Saez
Guest Filmmaker Monthly Blog kicks off with Heidi Van Lier
Each month the Slamdance Film Festival Blog will host a special guest blog from one of our alumni filmmakers. The filmmakers can blog about anything film related. We're easy, ready, willing and tipsy enough to share the independent filmmaking experience from the perspective of our amazing alumni stash. This being the first special guest blog, we had to ask someone who just can't break free from the fixed grasp of Slamdance.....Heidi Van Lier.
Heidi Van Lier is an indie filmmaker living in Los Angeles. She has made 3 feature films, “Chi Girl” which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Slamdance Film Festival, “Monday” which screened as a special screening at the Slamdance Film Festival, and “American Decaf” which will make the festival rounds in 2009. Heidi now programs for the Slamdance Film Festival, produces and directs Slamdance TV (Slamdance.com click Slamdance TV) during the festival, and continues to counsel 10-15 filmmakers about festival strategy every year. Her new book The Indie Film Rule Book is available at lulu.com ( HYPERLINK "http://www.lulu.com/
SLAMDANCE 2009 TELEPLAY COMPETITION TOP 40 SCRIPTED FINALISTS
Note to Teleplay Writers: Finalists are listed in alphabetical order; winners will be announced in August 2009. All coverage and online feedback will be sent out by Monday, June 22 - if you have not yet received your coverage or online feedback by that date please e-mail us, but please if possible wait until the 22nd to contact our offices - we're sending out all of the feedback as quickly as possible! Please note that all feedback and coverage will be sent via e-mail, and will not show up in your Slamdance.com account - our apologies! Any questions, you are welcome to e-mail or call our offices. Congratulations to our top 40 scripted finalists, and thank you to all writers who submitted.
24/7 ********************************************************* 2009 SLAMDANCE TELEPLAY COMPETITION $13,000 IN CASH PRIZES FOR WINNERS! UNSCRIPTED CATEGORY SPONSORED BY THE GREIF COMPANY - 1st PLACE $3,000 SCRIPTED CATEGORY SPONSORED BY ACT III PRODUCTIONS - 1st PLACE $10,000 (click on sponsors for more info on our amazing 2009 Teleplay sponsors) PLUS, THE TOP 5 FINALISTS FROM EACH CATEGORY WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR POSSIBLE OPTION AND/OR EMPLOYMENT BY THE GREIF COMPANY AND ACT III PRODUCTIONS SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
American High
Bad Karma
Corporate Debt
Crescent City
Dr. Jones
Evil Inheritance
Evergreen
Fatima
Five Sore Thumbs
Folklore
Johnny Noble: Motorcycle Rebel
Larger Than Life
Los Angeles
Magnet
Managing Nirvana
Mccoy
Miseducated
Neanderthal Cousin
Night - Year of the Comet
Off Panel
Powerslam
Pure Negative
Relatively Insane
RSVP
Skubnas
Sorcerer
Spankit
Spooksville
Standards and Practices
The Agent
The Claytons
The Next Step
The Off Season
The Tammy Burke Show
The Years
Then Again
Thicker Than Water
Tomorrowland
White Trash
Slamdance Africa - 2 Day Film School July 25th-26th & August 15th-16th
Slamdance Award Winning Filmmaker Dan Harris Builds On African 2 Day Guerilla Film School Success
The monthly 2 Day Guerilla Film School, the only school in Africa devoted to zero to low budget screenwriting, filmmaking, directing and producing is running again the weekend of July 25th-26th at the Labia Theater in Cape Town.
In addition, the new 2 Day Producers Film School devoted to 1st time filmmakers looking to produce their debut feature film, short or documentary takes place on the weekend of the August 15th-16th.
This new course is designed for students who want to learn how to produce a low budget feature or documentary. We will be focusing on the roles a producer has to perform from sourcing and acquiring rights to literary property to raising finance, shooting and distributing independent and digital films.
Both courses are R700 or R450 for students.
The school is limited to 10-12 students so get your registration in early by calling Dan on 082 7711077 or emailing biginvegas@gmail.com to book your place.
Please do not hesitate to call if you need more information about the classes.
Strand Acquires Slamdance's Drool
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Strand Releasing has acquired all North American rights to Nancy Kissam's
romantic comedy, DROOL it was announced today.
DROOL stars Laura Harring as a wife with an abusive husband who she
accidentally kills which leads her to a romantic tryst with her neighbor
played by Jill Marie Jones as they go on a road trip with the family to
dispose of the body.
The deal was negotiated between Jon Gerrans of Strand Releasing and Todd
Williams of Upload Films.
The film premiered as a Special Screening at this year's Slamdance Film
Festival and was the 2006 winner of that festival's screenplay competition.
"Strand had a twenty year history of embracing original voices, and we feel
that DROOL is a perfect fit with the groundbreaking material that they have
succeded with. We're thrilled that they share our enthusiam for Nancy's
vision and look forward to working together to bring DROOL to a wider
audience" said Williams.
The film was produced by John Portnoy, Nick Thurlow and Todd Williams of
Upload Films, in conjunction with Instinctive Film. Instictive's Darryn
Welch and Chris Ouwinga executive produced, along with Slamdance's Peter
Baxter and Chad Marting and Nils Larsen of Elements Entertainment. Lee
Donaldson and Daniel Lewis served as co-producers.
The film was shot by Kara Stephens. DROOL won best fiction feature at the
Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.
Upload Films (Production Company) In 2006, Williams, John Portnoy, and Nick
Thurlow founded Upload Films in order to provide a new home for
filmmaker-based projects that expand the vocabulary of independent film.
Combining production, finishing funds, and post-production services under
one roof, Upload both develops its own projects and team up with other
producers to bring engaging films with strong visions to the screen.
Upload's films have included the Spirit Award nominated "Shotgun Stories,"
which has been featured on numerous top 10 lists for 2008, as well as Peace
Arch's release "The Babysitters," starring John Leguizamo. In addition to
"Drool," Upload is involved with four other 2009 theatrical releases,
including the thriller "Print," starring Gabrielle Carteris and Will
Rothaar, and the courtroom drama "The Thacker Case," starring Eliza Dushku
and Gabriel Mann.
Strand Releasing's upcoming titles include Lucrecia Martel's The Headless
Woman, Pablo Trapero's Lion's Den and Maria Bello and Jason Patric starrer,
Downloading Nancy. Strand Releasing is based in Culver City, California and
is run by business partners, Gerrans and Marcus Hu. Strand is celebrating
its 20th Anniversary with tributes throughout 2009 at venues and
institutions such as the Sundance Film Festival, the Museum of Modern Art in
New York, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, the Wexner
Center in Columbus, Ohio and Outfest 2009 in Los Angeles. Strand has
released the films of such acclaimed filmmakers as Gregg Araki, John
Maybury, Jean Luc Godard, Manoel de Oliveria, Thomas Vinterberg, Andre
Techine, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Gaspar Noe and Jacques Nolot, to name a
few.
DROOL is set for a fall 2009 release.
# # #
2009 FEATURE SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
Slamdance's 2009 Feature Screenplay Competition - Submissions are now closed...thank you for your entries!
2008 Feature Competition Winner Neil McGowan (NUMBERED): “Only two months ago, I was writing blindly, so to speak. I was doing what I loved to do, but doing it primarily for myself with no real hope that anything I happened to be working on would ever really be enjoyed by anyone but myself, and with no actual idea if what I was writing was any good at all. Then I won Slamdance, and in an instant, I attained not only a belief in myself, but also a sudden legitimacy in the profession I want to pursue. In no time, I was making a deal with Upload Films for an option agreement and possible production, and it seems reasonable that literary representation is in the cards. Winning this contest is, in so many words, the beginning of my career." Previous Slamdance Feature Screenplay Competitions successes also include Nicole Kassell and Stephen Fetcher's THE WOODSMAN, Joshua Marston's MARIA FULL OF GRACE, and Nancy Kissam's DROOL, which was a Slamdance 2009 Film Festival Special Screening and recently acquired by Strand Releasing. For all questions about the Feature Competition, please e-mail us or call our offices - 323-466-1786.
Slamdance Film Festival Open For Submissions
We're Open!
There are three entry deadlines:
1. Early deadline by Friday, August 21, 2009 ($30 entry fee for short entry under 40 minutes and $50 for feature length)
2. Regular deadline by Wednesday, September 30, 2009 ($40 entry fee for short and $75 for feature length)
3. Final deadline by Friday, October 30, 2009 ($50 entry fee for short and $100 for feature length)
We encourage filmmakers to submit their work as early as possible.
Submit here and Withoutabox.
Slamdance Film Festival will take place January 22-28, 2010.
All the best!
2009 Slamdance Award Winners
January 26, 2009
2009 SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES AWARDS WINNERS
The 15th annual Slamdance Film Festival has announced 16 film and screenplay prize winners in four categories who will share more than $100,000 in cash and prizes. The just-concluded Festival in Park City, Utah, received over 3,000 submissions from 25 countries for 120 programming slots. 2009 marked the 15th anniversary of the Slamdance Film Festival, one of the few remaining movie showcases whose sole mission is to nurture, support and introduce truly independent works from first-time filmmakers.
There are three competitive divisions at Slamdance: Grand Jury, Audience and Writer Awards, in addition to Special Awards given by Kodak, Dos Equis and IndieRoad.net. Selections from the Grand Jury and Audience Award winning films will be screened at the IFC Center in New York City and the DGA in Los Angeles. Feature competition is limited to first-time filmmakers working with production budgets of $1 million or less.
Thus far, the Slamdance film "The Ante" has been acquired for U.S. distribution by Panorama Entertainment from Peter Proffit Pictures, and separately, Revolver Entertainment has snapped up UK rights from Facefilms and Scanner Rhodes Productions to “City Rats.” Both features appeared in the Slamdance Narrative Competition. It is expected that at least four other 2009 Slamdance films will also be acquired soon.
“As ever, if you wanted to see the best in truly independent film and emerging talent,” noted Peter Baxter, Co-Founder/President of Slamdance, “Slamdance No. 15 was the place to be. Congratulations to all of our winners and especially to all of our filmmakers who continue to strengthen our community...our family.”
Another great success this year was Slamdance’s recently formed online venture with IndieRoad.net, a website created by a team of veteran entertainment and business executives to address the lack of robust distribution options available to promising new talent in the independent film field. Through a combined Slamdance/IndieRoad.net site (www.indieRoad.net/slamdance), Slamdance films streamed during the Festival period. Bringing the Festival to a worldwide audience for the first time, this groundbreaking partnership allowed audiences, press and buyers the opportunity to see the Festival films from a location of their choosing.
"I feel like this year was a true turning point for us, and it's incredibly satisfying,” commented Slamdance Executive Director Drea Clark. “Not only did we receive a new level of support and attention from industry reps and media outlets, our filmmakers and audience participants all seemed to really respond to the energy and sense of community that we strive so hard to create. I can't think of any other year where I got more constant and positive feedback from every level, and I'm so appreciative that what we're trying to do really came across."
The winners of the 15th Slamdance Film Festival and their prize packages are as follows:
GRAND JURY AWARDS
Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature
Winner: A QUIET LITTLE MARRIAGE, directed by Mo Perkins
Special Jury Mention for Best Performance: Larry Fessenden in I SELL THE DEAD
WINNER RECEIVES:
Filmworksfx credit ($15,000 value)
$3,500 credit on legal services from Pierce Law Group, LLP
FilmTracker System
Showbiz Software Package
Jungle Software Package
Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature
Winner: STRONGMAN, directed by Zachary Levy
Special Jury Mention: SECOND SIGHT, directed by Alison McAlpine
WINNER RECEIVES:
Filmworksfx credit ($10,000)
Panasonic HVX200 Camera
$3,500 credit on legal services from Pierce Law Group, LLP
FilmTracker System
Showbiz Software Package
Jungle Software Package
Grand Jury Award for Best Animated Short
Winner: UNDONE, directed by Hayley Morris
WINNER RECEIVES:
Filmworksfx credit ($2,500 value)
FilmTracker System
Showbiz Software Package
Jungle Software Package
Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Short
Winner: RARE CHICKEN RESCUE, directed by Randall Wood
WINNER RECEIVES:
Filmworksfx credit ($2,500 value)
FilmTracker System
Showbiz Software Package
Jungle Software Package
Grand Jury Award for Best Experimental Short
Winner: FUNNY GUY, directed by Frank R. Rinaldi
WINNER RECEIVES:
Filmworksfx credit ($2,500 value)
FilmTracker System
Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Short
Winner: PRINCESS MARGARET BLVD, directed by Kazik Radwanski
Special Jury Mention: TONY ZOREIL, directed by Valentin Potier
WINNER RECEIVES:
Filmworksfx credit ($2,500 value)
FilmTracker System
Showbiz Software Package
Jungle Software Package
Grand Jury Award for Best Music Video
Winner: DON McCLOSKEY “MISTER NOVOCAINE”, directed by Peter Rhoads

WINNER RECEIVES:
Gibson SG Special Guitar presented by Gibson Guitar
AUDIENCE AWARDS
Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
Winner: PUNCHING THE CLOWN, directed by Gregori Viens
WINNER RECEIVES:
$2,000 credit from Alpha Cine
FilmTracker System
Post Factory NY editing credit
Showbiz Software Package
Jungle Software Package
Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature
Winner: HEART OF STONE (formerly IT’S HARD TO BE AN INDIAN), directed by Beth Toni Kruvant
WINNER RECEIVES:
$2,000 credit from Alpha Cine
$4,000 credit from Filmworks
FilmTracker System
Post Factory NY editing credit
Showbiz Software Package
Jungle Software Package
Audience Award for Best Anarchy Film
Winner: THE TIDES, directed by Eva Flodstrom
WINNER RECEIVES:
$2,500 credit from Filmworks
FilmTracker System
Showbiz Software Package
Jungle Software Package
Spirit of Slamdance Award
Winners (tie): ZOMBIE GIRL, directed by Aaron Marshall, Erik Mauck, Justin Johnson; and VAPID LOVELIES, directed by Frank Feldman
Awarded by the Class of 2009 filmmakers to the film teams that best exhibit passion and talent, commitment to the independent community, and enthusiastically embrace all Slamdance has to offer.
WINNERS RECEIVE:
Michael Collins Gift Basket
SPECIAL AWARDS
Kodak Vision Award for Best Cinematography
Winner: I SELL THE DEAD, cinematographer Richard Lopez
WINNER RECEIVES:
$10,000 worth of Kodak Film (35mm or 16mm film stock)
Dos Equis "Most Interesting Film" Award
Winner: YOU MIGHT AS WELL LIVE, directed by Simon Ennis
WINNER RECEIVES: Special Prize Package from Dos Equis
IndieRoad Award
Winner: PUNCHING THE CLOWN, directed by Gregori Viens
The online audience award voted on by IndieRoad.net viewers.
WINNER RECEIVES: $5,000 credit from Lightning Media
WRITER AWARDS
Award for Best Screenplay
Winner: NUMBERED (Comedy/Thriller) by Neil McGowan
WINNER RECEIVES: $7,000 Including an Option to Upload Films
Award for Best Short Screenplay
Winner: CRYBABY (Thriller) by Mark Seidel
WINNER RECEIVES: $500 Cash Prize
Slamdance 2009 Awards are sponsored by Kodak, Panasonic, Gibson, Post Factory NY, Dos Equis, IndieRoad.net, InBaseline/Studio Systems, Filmworksfx, Pierce Law Group, LLP, Alpha Cine, Showbiz Software and Jungle Software.
Celebrating its 15th year, Slamdance continues to be the preeminent film festival whose sole mission is to nurture, support and showcase truly independent works, having established a unique reputation for premiering new films by first-time writers and directors working within the creative confines of limited budgets.
The 2009 Slamdance Film Festival is honored to be presented by Kodak. Major and Official Festival Sponsors include IndieRoad.net, host of the Slamdance/IndieRoad.net online streaming festival, the Directors Guild of America, Dos Equis, All Seasons Resorts, Colourmovie, CurrentTV, Discmakers, Dr. Martens, Jagermeister, Hint Water, Media Distributors, Michael Collins Whiskey, Monster Energy, OurStage, Panasonic, POM Wonderful, Real Ideas Studio, Spout.com and Technicolor.
All Slamdance Film Festival sponsors and partners help sustain and expand our festival event and provide essential support for our filmmakers and the independent mission of Slamdance.
For more information, behind-the scenes footage and/or a complete listing of winners, log on to www.slamdance.com.
Press Contacts:
Steven Zeller/Nubia Flores
GS Entertainment Marketing Group
323 860 0270
stevenzeller@gsemg.com
nubiaflores@gsemg.com
WIN A FREE 2010 SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL ALL ACCESS PASS!
Help us improve Slamdance & be entered to win an all-access pass to next year's festival!
Our friends at B-Side, who sponsored Slamdance 2009 and provided the interactive online schedule, are conducting a survey to help us learn more about our attendees and their experience at the festival. Your input is extremely important to us, to our sponsors, and to the filmmakers who play the festival each year.
Click the link below to complete the survey and be entered in the drawing:
http://bside.slamdance-
The survey will close on March 23rd at 11:59 pm Eastern and the winner of the contest will be chosen soon after.
SLAMDANCE INTERVIEW WITH STEVEN SODERBERGH
The full transcript of the September 16, 2008 interview with Steven Soderbergh and journalist Anthony Kaufman at New York's IFC Center is currently published - read it here: http://www.slamdance.com/forum/permalink/2009/3/10/212530.html
Real Ideas Studio Microgrants Call For Applications
Slamdance was honored to partner with Real Ideas Studio at our 2009 Festival in Park City, UT, and we're glad to pass along another opportunity they are offering independent filmmakers:
Real Ideas Studio (RIS) seeks emerging filmmakers for its global Microgrants Program. RIS is offering $500 to produce films originating from different regions of the world. The finished films will have a screening at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.
Films must be completed fully within the grant period and amount by May 01, 2009. RIS will be designated as the Production company of the film, and a RIS mentor will advise the film and be credited as a Producer of the project.
Real Ideas Studio (RIS) produces films that explore significant perspectives and reflect the culture in which they are made. Films that approach international local and/or regional viewpoints are encouraged. Our films consider actuality over fiction and are therefore more documentary in nature; however, we encourage the limits of dramatic and visual creativity within this genre. Our grant amount is flat, and films are expected to be around five minutes in total length.
Real Ideas Studio is a global collaborative that mentors creative arts programs within culturally-diverse environments. The program has run filmmaking programs at the last three Cannes Film Festivals, and we most recently completed a very successful filmmaking program at the 2009 Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, during the Sundance Film Festival. To learn more applicants should visit www.realideasstudio.org .
Guest Filmmaker Monthly Blog kicks off with Heidi Van Lier
Each month the Slamdance Film Festival Blog will host a special guest blog from one of our alumni filmmakers. The filmmakers can blog about anything film related. We're easy, ready, willing and tipsy enough to share the independent filmmaking experience from the perspective of our amazing alumni stash. This being the first special guest blog, we had to ask someone who just can't break free from the fixed grasp of Slamdance.....Heidi Van Lier.
Heidi Van Lier is an indie filmmaker living in Los Angeles. She has made 3 feature films, “Chi Girl” which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Slamdance Film Festival, “Monday” which screened as a special screening at the Slamdance Film Festival, and “American Decaf” which will make the festival rounds in 2009. Heidi now programs for the Slamdance Film Festival, produces and directs Slamdance TV (Slamdance.com click Slamdance TV) during the festival, and continues to counsel 10-15 filmmakers about festival strategy every year. Her new book The Indie Film Rule Book is available at lulu.com ( HYPERLINK "http://www.lulu.com/