The Seventh Wave

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The Seventh Wave

We accept all forms of short film.

Submissions should be kept at less than 20 minutes long and should include a written description of your work/artistic objective of less than 750 words.

Your submission should be in MOV, MPG, WMV file format and should be under 5GB. Your name, a short bio (300 words or less) , and your work/artistic objective (500 words or less) should be included in the cover letter. Please wait for a response to your first submission before submitting to us again. 

Bios over 300 words / artist statements over 500 words will be truncated at the reviewing editor’s discretion.

Chicago Onscreen 2018

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What is the Chicago Onscreen Local Film Showcase?
The Chicago Onscreen Local Film Showcase was created in 2014 as a new component of the Chicago Park District’s popular Movies in the Parks program. Our goal is to enhance the offerings of the annual summer tradition by adding local flavor, and to feature locally-produced and Chicago-focused independent features, documentaries and shorts with free public screenings in the city that inspired them.

How does it work?
The Chicago Park District will accept submissions of films for Chicago Onscreen through Friday, December 15, 2017. All submitted works will be evaluated by a selection panel, and a final program of official selections will be featured as part of the 2017 Movies in the Parks summer season. Screening dates and locations are chosen at the discretion of the Chicago Park District. 

What’s in it for me?
In addition to the public screening in neighborhood parks and inclusion in a citywide local film festival, the Chicago Park District will award a small honorarium (up to $500) to all selected films. The exact amount of the honorarium will vary, and will be decided by the Chicago Park District. Filmmakers and films will be promoted in all applicable marketing efforts for Movies in the Parks and the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks.

Showcase Rules and Guidelines

By submitting a film for consideration, you acknowledge you have read and agree to all guidelines listed below.

General Guidelines:

1) The number of films chosen and the location(s) and date(s) of screenings will be decided at the discretion of the Chicago Park District.
2) The Chicago Park District is not responsible for submitted DVD screeners that may be lost or damaged during shipping, but will notify entrants of damage and request a new copy.
3) Selected entrants will be notified directly in March, 2018.
4) The Chicago Park District reserves the right to use any and all submitted materials for promotional and marketing materials in perpetuity for the Chicago Onscreen Showcase, Movies in the Parks, Night Out in the Parks and the Chicago Park District.

Eligibility Requirements:

5) Films submitted must be the original work of the person or persons submitting.
6) Submitted films must have been produced in the past 3 years (completion date no earlier than December 31, 2014).
7) Films must have a demonstrable and significant to Chicago and/or any neighborhood/community therein (Production/shooting location, filmmaker residence, documentary subject, etc.)
8) Films do not need to be rated, but must be the equivalent of MPAA Rating PG-13 or lower to meet Movies in the Parks screenings standards. The Chicago Park District will make the final call regarding appropriateness of content.
9) Short film submissions must be no longer than 30 minutes.
10) Feature submissions must be no longer than 150 minutes (2.5 hours).

Guarantee of Authority:

11) As the producer, director or submitter of your film, you are responsible for acquiring the legal right and authority to submit your film and for the use of any music, images and content contained therein. The Chicago Park District holds no responsibility for the use of copyrighted material contained in your film. Submission of a film warrants that you have obtained all necessary legal permissions. Unlicensed usage of protected images or music can be subject to legal action and fines.
12) In the event that any claim, dispute or proceeding shall be brought by any person or entity alleging unlawful or unauthorized use of any copyrighted material, the submitter shall indemnify and defend the Chicago Park District, its Commissioners, officers, agents, employees and volunteers from any liability in connection therewith and from any costs and expenses, including but not limited to attorneys costs and fees, that may be incurred in connection therewith.
13) The Chicago Park District reserves the right to disqualify any film that includes any unauthorized copyrighted material.

Technical Requirements:

14) Entrants may submit up to 1 feature and 1 short or 2 shorts.
15) The preferred method of film submission is via online screener. Dropbox files, Vimeo links, YouTube links, etc. are all acceptable.
16) If selected, submitted films must be made available via digital file. Downloadable links or file transfers are acceptable. Hi-Res files are preferred.
17) If a film is submitted on DVD, submitted discs must be Region 1 compatible and play in a stand-alone player. If selected, DVD submissions must be made available via digital file as indicated above.
18) Submitted DVDs must contain no more than one film per DVD and disc and all accompanying packaging must be prominently labeled with the name of the entrant and the title of the film. Do not use paper labels or stickers on DVD discs.
19) Any shipping costs are the responsibility of the entrant. The Chicago Park District is unable to return submitted DVDs.
20) DVDs must be submitted to:
Chicago Park District
Movies in the Parks
541 N. Fairbanks Ct.
Chicago, IL 60611

Deadlines:

21) All submissions must be received no later than 11:59:59 pm on Friday, December 15, 2017.
22) Entries submitted via DVD should allow 3-5 extra days for shipping, to allow submissions to route through internal Chicago Park District mailroom channels.
23) Selected entrants will be notified in March, 2018.

The Sally Burns Shenkman Woman Filmmaker Fellowship: Spring 2018

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The Jacob Burns Film Center is committed to promoting the growth and development of new filmmakers through The Sally Burns Shenkman Woman Filmmaker Fellowship.

The fellowship, which encourages community engagement, aims to foster thoughtful media-creation and provides talented female artists with the necessary time and resources to fully realize and share a creative project with mentors, peers, and students. 

The Spring 2018 Sally Burns Shenkman Woman Filmmaker Fellow will be in residence at the Jacob Burns Film Center for sixteen weeks, beginning in February 2018, and will be awarded a $4,000 honorarium. The Fellow will join the Creative Culture program: a community of emerging filmmakers producing short projects. The Fellow will be provided with work space, tuition-free enrollment in Media Arts Lab classes, and 24/7 access to Lab resources, including use of the recording studio, sound stage, editing studio, and state-of-the-art filmmaking equipment. Fellows are a vital part of the JBFC education department: they serve as Teaching Assistants for education programs at the Lab, and assist with school partnerships, blog posts, and outreach initiatives as needed. The required time commitment to the program, including teaching time, is an average of 25 hours per week. The Fellowship will culminate in a public presentation of the completed project. 

Eligibility:

The Fellowship is open to woman filmmakers who have graduated college and demonstrate a strong interest in pursuing a career in the film/media arts.

Artists working in all film genres (animation, documentary, video art, narrative, etc.) and disciplines (screenwriting, sound design, cinematography, etc.) are encouraged to apply.

Application requirements:

  • Statement of purpose: an outline of the applicant’s goals for the fellowship
  • Project proposal: A detailed plan for the project the Fellow will complete during the fellowship period, including a rough timeline. The proposal should also provide information on the current status of the project, highlighting available materials (e.g. script or plot treatment), any casting or crew decisions to date, and any completed work on the project thus far.
  • A representative reel or three (3) work samples
  • Two (2) professional references
  • CV

Applications are evaluated on artistic merit, feasibility of the proposed project, and adherence to the application guidelines. 

The Sally Burns Shenkman Woman Filmmaker Fellowship is made possible through the generous support of the Jacob Burns Foundation.

Dare to Dance in Public Film Festival – Round Two – 2017

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Dare to Dance in Public Film Festival – Round Two – 2017
Submission Fee: $20.00  •   (Dance Magazine article)
  • Each dance film must take place in a public space (e.g. city street, parking lot, alley, public building, beach, bus or train terminal, museum, station, etc. however not inside a studio, on a stage, or in a private building or house). Please note that the visible presence of passersby/members of the public at large is preferred but not mandatory. 
  • There are 3 submission categories for films:  

a) Polished:  Films in which filmmakers intentionally create and/or pre-conceptualize the choreography and filmic approach in response to a public site or space, keeping the space, and/or its usage in mind. 

b) Raw:  Films in which filmmakers capture a dancer or dance event that is happening within a public space in a more spontaneous and/or random way. 

c) Student:  Films in either category submitted by a student 17 years and older.  When submitting, please note the category in which you are requesting consideration.  If you do not note judges will assign the film a category.

  • Each film must be posted on YouTube. The title line must include the hashtags #DareToDance #ScreenDanceDiaries #CulturalWeekly and#DemocratizeDance. You must include the YouTube link in your submission form. 
  • Each submission must not exceed 5 minutes 30 seconds in length (5:30). 
  • Deadline for final submission is 11:59 pm Pacific Time on November 27, 2017.
  • Submission/processing fee is $20 per entry.
  • Submissions will be judged based to a greater or lesser degree (depending on the submission category) on the quality of choreography, concept, originality, use of space, and interface of dance with the camera.
  • Awards will be given in 6 categories, with five categories being determined by the judges as follows:

a) Best Interface of Dance & Camera
b) Best Original Dance/Choreography
c) Best Use of Location
d) Best Overall Performance
e) Best Student Film in either category (student films will be judged taking into consideration elements of the above criteria as well as overall talent, apparent promise, and general creativity. 
f) Audience Choice Award, and will be determined by the number of YouTube “Likes” your video receives.

  • Winners will receive a minimum $50 cash prize (exact amounts TBA), and winners in each category will have their dance shorts & a brief write-up featured in Cultural Weekly’s column ScreenDance Diaries when winning films are announced. 
  • By submitting your entry, you affirm that the work is entirely your own and that you have the agreement and/or permission of all involved, as well as the permission to use it. This includes rights to use music. Please be aware that YouTube may take down copyrighted music that is used without permission.  

The Movie Poster

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Your film needs an image

Your film wants a poster image.

Design Shack tips RIT Slide Share movie poster presentation design tips

Heck.  Your film needs a poster image!

Think about your branding and what it will take to bring people to see the story that you would like to share.

Here are some links to get you going and thinking.   These are some DIY links specific to Photoshop.
This is a link to canva.com (thank you, Aditi for sharing!), on the App Store, and for Android.

For this assignment you will need to create original artwork.  The image can be a production still from your set, a drawing, a photograph, or a combination of elements but you must own the copyright.

Your poster is required to contain:
• title
• logline
• directorial credit
• actor credits
• music credits
• other options which you see fit to include. 

Have fun and make magic!

Your film needs an image
Film posters