News for Vermont Filmmakers

CALLING ALL VT-BASED FILMMAKERS to submit their films to the Vermont Filmmakers™ Showcase.
Please fill in the online application form, print and sign, and then mail to
VTIFF Filmmakers’Showcase
PO Box 483
Burlington, VT 05402-0483
along with a preview of your film.
Further details on the application form.

Deadline for submissions: July 15, 2013.

The Vermont International Film Festival is proud to celebrate Vermont filmmaking with our annual Vermont Filmmakers’ Showcase™, the oldest and largest juried presentation of Vermont films in the state.

We accept all genres, styles and lengths. There is no fee for Vermont films or videos submitted.

A screening of selected films will take place during the festival. Accepted entries will be eligible for several awards.

• James Goldstone Award, a $500 cash award given to an emerging Vermont filmmaker and sponsored by the Vermont Film Commission in collaboration with the Vermont Arts Council.

• Ben & Jerry Award, a $250 cash prize given to recognize and support a Vermont filmmaker who, through the lens, documented and raised awareness of an important social or environmental issue with verve and ingenuity

• Footage Farm USA Award, a credit for stock footage worth $600 from the Footage Farm collection given to a Vermont Documentary Filmmaker who, through film, strives to raise questions about the

• VTIFF Awards for Best Film, Best Screenwriting, Best Acting.

• Audience Favorite Award

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CALLING ALL VT-BASED FILMMAKERS to enter the VTIFF 2013 TRAILER COMPETITION
The Vermont International Film Festival invites film/videomakers to enter a competition for making the 2013 festival trailer. The competition is open to all Vermont residents and to students attending any Vermont college, university or high school.

Festival trailers are shown before each film screening and their purpose is to celebrate the festival, allow the audience to ease into their seats, provide brief information and to thank our sponsors.

Competition Details
A special TRAILER COMMITTEE appointed by VTIFF will view and choose the winners. The number of winners will not be limited in advance – all selected trailers will be shown in rotation during the 10 days of the festival. The committee’s decision will be final.

Winners will receive a Pass to the festival, good for all films, events and parties as well as name promotion online.

Audience Award for favorite trailer:
VTIFF will launch an Audience Award (via forms to be filled in after screenings) and will announce the WINNER on Closing Night. A link to the winning trailer will be put on the VTIFF’s website.

Content Specs for the VTIFF trailer:
We welcome creativity and imagination. The piece should be fun and innovative, and incorporate an element of surprise – either narrative or visual. It can be live action or animation or both. The trailer welcomes the audience to the festival, provides a few bits of info and thanks the sponsors. We will provide the festival logo, sponsors logos and essential text. The rest is up to you.

Specs for VTIFF trailer:
• Length: 40-60 seconds

What we are looking for:
• Preference will be given to content that successfully invokes VTIFF’s mission – to present independent films of excellence from VT and around the world. To be a meaningful cultural presence in our community.
• Incorporate our logo creatively
• Incorporate the spirit of this text: Vermont International Film Festival 2013 brings to you a selection of the best films from around the globe: narrative, documentary, shorts, animation. [We welcome a creative way of putting this information across]
• Incorporate Warning to switch off cellphones
• Incorporate Thank you to our sponsors:
• One or more collaged images incorporating logos of major sponsors
• Another to thank all contributors, including our audience. (logos and specific wording will be provided by VTIFF.)

VTIFF will provide applicants with the number of names/logos to be included, but not the actual names, as these will not be known until a later date. The first proposal can be a mockup with fictional sponsors. Assume at least 20 sponsors.

We will be looking to get a sense of your creativity and ability to get across a message in a way that will not pall after a couple of viewings, as some of the same people show up for different films.

All sound tracks / music used should be either created by the applicant, or with permission of the copyright holder. VTIFF will not pay for copyrighted music.

Timtable:
June 15: Storyboard to be submitted. Storyboard needs to include main designs placed on a timeline to indicate pacing, as well as a rough idea for a sound track. Logos and sponsors’ names can be mocked up at this point before the final names are confirmed.

VTIFF’s Trailer Committee will select a shortlist from the Storyboards submitted and notify the shortlisted by June 30.

July 31: First Rough Cut of the trailers to be submitted. The Committee will make comments on these if any changes are thought necessary and announce the winners who will be invited to produce the Festival trailers.

Sept 10: VTIFF will supply the final names and logos.

Oct 5: Completed trailers delivered as high res digital files.

To Apply: email info@vtiff.org with your name, phone, mailing address. If you intend to work collaboratively, please supply all names of people who will be working with you.

You can download specs and regulations PDF)