Started on an email to you'll.... but I'll post the first bit here for you early adopters
Hey all, hope you're all getting into MovieFest 2009! Watching the new registrations flow in daily is awesome...
I thought I'd drop an email in the box for you all and introduce myself for the new entrants and people who are experiencing MovieFest for the first time, as well as give you a few tips and info ? especially if you're wondering why you got this email. (If you are, pop to the bottom for info)
So, I'm Jo Booth - one of the MovieFest Trustees and involved in MovieFest since the very first one. I donate a few minutes here and there to keeping MovieFest ticking over, and alongside the rest of the volunteers, trustees, org team and past entrants I'm part of what makes MovieFest one of the best nation-wide digital short movie competition and festival for hobbyists and up and coming movie-makers.
Back in 2003 MovieFest was started by the Wellington Mac Society -
http://WelMac.org.nz ? designed to inspire and encourage the users of the fairly new digital movie-making tools like Apple iMovie - I was a WelMac member and got roped into helping out with the first MovieFest website (I run a small web hosting business called Mesh|net). There's a bit of a talk I did about MovieFest for NZMac.com in 2006 at
http://MovieFest.org.nz/team/podcast-preview if you want to hear more history. The talk is in iTunes too somewhere.
Of course, these days, MovieFest is open to all movie-makers.
I've always been really keen on digital movie making ? running a webcam for years in my youth and carrying a video capable camera pretty much everywhere, recording everyday life in all its glory ? and I really enjoy seeing people who may have never made a movie in their life give it a go and showcase their hidden creativity. I've MC'd a few of the awards ceremonies over the years, and I love seeing entrants and public alike with a glow in their eyes after watching a great short on a big screen.
More recently I've moved onto a more demanding job working with critical nation-wide infrastructure, so don't have as much time to put into MovieFest - but I still help out here and there, and still host and 'maintain' the website at
http://MovieFest.org.nz and am still involved as a Volunteer and Trustee for the Charitable Trust that runs MovieFest.
We are always on the look out for keen people to lend a hand locally in your areas (local screenings, helping with word of mouth advertising and stoking the MovieFest fires) ? if you are keen then pop to
http://MovieFest.org.nz/lists and check out the org-team or email
org-team@MovieFest.org.nzSo onto this year! You may have heard mention of the MovieFest Topic (MFT) for 2009 - being 'Movie-making Documentary'.
Every year, a team of MovieFest people hide in a back room and come up with a new phrase or concept for you to make your movie on ? they do this to make sure you have to think a bit about your movie, and encourage production and the creative process ? it would be quite as much fun if you just uploaded a movie you'd already made.
In New Zealand, if you're publishing a movie on a DVD for the public or screening it publicly in a theatre it needs to be rated and 'labelled' with what type of audience it is suitable for, so you don't end up watching something inappropriate. This process can be expensive, especially if your movie needs to visit the censorship office too. It so happens, however, that certain types of films and movies are exempt from these requirements. Things like Documentaries, or films about travel, religion or training videos. It'd be a boring world if MovieFest made you all turn in a documentary, so brainstorm a bit, and see how creatively you can interpret the MFT this year. I for one, can't wait to see them!
If you'd like to interact a bit with other movie-makers or need a tricky technical question answered, or just want to scope out the competition from other teams then we have a few ways of getting in touch or getting a question answered:
* Guidelines for entrants are at
http://MovieFest.org.nz/guidelines * Forums for chat and support:
http://MovieFest.org.nz/forum* Email discussion and announcement lists
http://MovieFest.org.nz/lists (you can edit you email contact preferences here too)
* Twitter microblog:
http://Twitter.com/MovieFest (real-time updates and chat online or via txt message)
(send 'follow MovieFest' to short code 8987 - costs normal txt rates to send, generally free to receive on your mobile)
* Youtube:
http://YouTube.co.nz/MovieFest or
http://YouTube.com/MovieFest08You'll likely find me somewhere amongst one of those
If not ? try
help@MovieFest.org.nz or me via
Jo@MovieFest.org.nzA few Frequently asked questions:
Prizes: No I haven't heard the particular details yet. Previous years Sponsors have provided DVD duplication, vouchers and more. You will all get a certificate with your placing or ranking. If you haven't seen one from a previous year, let me know, and I can chase them up.
Generally prize packages are for the top three in each category - and the other merit awards and overall winners are awarded also.
Registration vs Entry vs Hand-in:
MovieFest ask you to 'register' you team details as soon as possible ? fill in the form at
http://MovieFest.org.nz/register sign it, and post it off with payment. When you've paid your entry fee you are an 'entrant' ? we should add you to our entrants email list soon after that (and yes, we'll bank your cheques, and put up a list of registered teams shortly)
Once you're made you movie you need to post it into us. You should put your Movie in the post on 2 October 2009. Generally your local post office will close about 5pm ? so make sure you get there on time on the Friday or before! We don't mind that the postal service takes a few days to get it to us, but we will be checking postmarks. You are welcome to Courier your movie to us if you want to track it and ensure you have proof of delivery ? but a simple tracked postal item is ~$6 (you don't need to overnight it with Express Saturday delivery signature required and pay $40)!
MovieFest reserve the right to accept or reject late entries at our discretion ? so if you school burns down or your computer melts during the rendering of your epic movie and your backup is in someone's pocket in Australia, then please do let us know ? as soon as possible, and we'll judge each case on its merits.
The professional judging panel begin deliberating several weeks after after hand-in ? and we'll try to keep you informed of your movies progress.
Judging stages: (or at least my interpretation of the past judging)
Selections - your Movie is checked that it can be played, that it is the right length (3-5 minutes), the entry fee is paid for, that there are no obvious copyright issues (e.g. commercial music), that the movie fits our guidelines for language and content, and a general check if it looks like it includes the MovieFest topic.
Occasionally this process is open to movie-makers to watch, but usually just the MovieFest org-team, Trustees and other volunteers are invited to this first set of private screenings of all the movies. Quite often this is combined with the next stage...
Semis - Your movie is apprised by a panel of technical and professional judges on a number of set criteria. Basic scores are given for each movie on its merits. In 2006 the panel used this form:
http://MovieFest.org.nz/06/votes/prejudge.php?from=emailThese scores are used to select the top movies in each category for further examination by the judging panel, but often these scores are no indication of which one gets picked in the end...
Finals - Your movie is assessed by the judges. Some bios of last years panel are at
http://MovieFest.org.nz/07/judges if you're interested. I heard rumours that Academy-award winning audio engineer Mike Hedges was one of the panel this year - so make sure you use that external mic and listen to your sound track - because he will!
...
Will finish tomorrow, and email to you all. First gotta process the 12 or so entries we got today!
