Press Release from Film Contact: Developing Films within the Film Community

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Developing films within the Film Community

Filmcontact.com has just announced the launch of Film Projects, an innovative way to develop films by harnessing the collective talents of professional filmmakers to move projects forward as a community.

read the full press release at www.filmcontact.com/south-africa/developing-films-within-film-community

Lilian Baksalevowicz, the founder of FilmContact.com, says that this fresh concept is based on the trend of crowd sourcing and aims to get the film industry involved to offer their services at a discounted rate that will take new projects to the level where completion finance can be attained from traditional channels.

Filmmakers can add their film project to the system and specify the crew, equipment and services they need. In turn members can show their interest to the project with their offer of a special deal.

Another source of income is product placement, where the project creator can specify which products in the film can be branded. For example, if a scene requires a hotel, establishments in the area of the shoot can invest in turn for brand exposure. “The embedded advertising possibilities are endless,” says Lilian. “The project creator just has to look through their script and every product can be bartered for fees or a film credit.”

To view new projects, continue to www.filmcontact.com/projects

This original concept fulfills the need to keep production levels stable in a slowing economy and at the same time bring new projects to the forefront with the professional support from the industry.

“FilmContact.com has been the industry source for news and jobs for over eight years and we have the largest database of professional South African filmmakers to pull the resources together,” says Lilian. “We intend to promote the system on an international scale. We are most excited by the industry’s response in the last couple of days and look forward to bringing this collaboration as an innovative way to make films.”

To add a new project, just login to www.filmcontact.com and ‘Add my Project’ for immediate exposure and awareness to the industry.

The Global Film Initiative Announces Summer 2012 Feature Film Production Grants: Application Deadline 16 July 2012

The Global Film Initiative Announces Feature Film Production Grants on their website. Fortunately, Nigeria and many other African countries are eligible for the grant.

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS SUMMER 2012 FEATURE FILM PRODUCTION GRANTS APPLICATION DEADLINE: JULY 16, 2012

In its continuing effort to promote original storytelling by individuals from around the world, the Global Film Initiative is pleased to announce a Call for Applications for the Summer 2012 cycle of its narrative feature film production grants program. Applications are accepted for feature-length, narrative film projects in all stages of production by directors from eligible nations of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Oceania. Applications may be submitted from May 15, 2012 through July 16, 2012, and granting decisions are announced in October 2012.* APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 16, 2012 *For Applications, Eligibility Requirements and Granting Guidelines, please visit: http://www.globalfilm.org/granting.htm

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About the Granting Program The Global Film Initiative’s Granting Program awards fifteen to twenty grants per year, of up to $10,000 each, to filmmakers whose work exhibits artistic excellence, authentic self-representation and accomplished storytelling. Funds received from grants are used to support completion of film production and to subsidize post-production costs such as laboratory and sound mixing fees, and access to advanced editing systems. Since the Initiative’s founding in 2002, the Granting Program has awarded 122 grants to filmmakers worldwide. Grant recipients include:

• BEATRIZ’S WAR (A GUERRA DA BEATRIZ), dir. Bety Reis, East Timor  First locally produced and directed narrative feature film from East Timor. GFI grant awarded in 2011.
• THE MIRROR NEVER LIES, dir. Kamila Andini, Indonesia Awarded the FIPRESCI Prize at the 2012 Hong Kong International Film Festival. GFI honorable mention awarded in 2011.
• MISS LOVELY, dir. Ashim Ahluwalia, India Official Selection of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard). GFI grant awarded in 2010.
• LA RUTA DE LA LUNA, dir. Juan Sebastián Jácome, Panama World Premiere at the 2012 International Film Festival Panama. GFI honorable mention awarded in 2011.

For more information about the Granting Program, please visit: http://www.globalfilm.org/programs.htm

Questions about our Granting Program? Visit our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)page.

Grant Guidelines:

GUIDELINES FOR FEATURE FILM PRODUCTION GRANT SUMMER 2012 GRANTING CYCLE

APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED: MAY 15, 2012 – JULY 16, 2012  APPLICATION DEADLINE: JULY 16, 2012

Definition of Grants Pre-Sale Option Application Instructions Eligibility Requirements Materials to be Submitted With Application Timeline of the Global Film Initiative Granting Cycles Mailing Address

Definition of Grants:

• The Global Film Initiative awards up to ten (10) Production and/or Honorable Mention grants per funding cycle (Winter and Summer).
• Grants are awarded to film projects in pre-production, production and post-production
• Each Production Grant is in the amount of USD $10,000 with a pre-sale option.
• Each Honorable Mention award is in the amount of USD $1,000.
• Grants are not awarded to documentary and short film projects.

Pre-Sale Option:

• Each applicant may request to be considered for a pre-sale option for U.S. and Canadian distribution.
• Applicants who elect the pre-sale option may be offered a distribution contract for all U.S. and Canadian distribution rights if awarded a grant; the finished film will be included in the Initiative’s Global Lens film series for distribution.

Application Instructions

1. Determine project eligibility
2. If project is eligible, complete and send two (2) copies of application form with two (2) copies of all supporting materials to The Global Film Initiative before application deadline (projects submitted without required application and supporting materials will not be accepted)
3. All applications must be postmarked by the deadline, and received within five (5) business days of the deadline. The Global Film Initiative will confirm via email receipt of all projects received, but will not track shipments of individual projects.

Announcement of grant awards will be made in October 2012. For a timeline of the Global Film Initiative granting cycles, please click here.
Eligibility Requirements In order to be considered for a Global Film Initiative grant, a project must meet all of the eligibility criteria outlined below:

• Application is for narrative, feature-length film project from DAC nation (more than 65 min.; no documentary or short films accepted)
• Project is in pre-production, production or post-production stage (no projects in development accepted)
• Production occurs in same nation of application (DAC nation)
• Director was born in and is citizen of same nation of application (DAC nation)*
• 50% or more of project’s total production funding secured/received
• International, world and/or regional premiere(s) scheduled to occur after Sept. 30, 2012

*exceptions regarding citizenship may apply to applications from territories and/or regions without recognized sovereign governments

Materials to be Submitted With Application:  Two (2) copies of each of the following English-translated materials must be included (incomplete applications will not be processed):

1. Completed application form
2. Finished English-translated screenplay/script
3. Rushes/dailies, selected scenes or rough cut/final cut (if available)
4. Complete production budget
5. Finance plan
6. Copies of agreements with production financiers
7. Complete production schedule
8. Synopsis and logline
9. Director’s statement
10. Biographies of key production personnel
11. Previous film(s) of filmmaker(s) (if available)

Note:

• The Global Film Initiative does not fund documentary or short films.
• Applications must be submitted by mail or courier — electronic or faxed applications will not be accepted.
• Submission materials will not be returned to applicant.
• All grant amounts are at the sole discretion of the Global Film Initiative.
• Applications can be rejected at the sole discretion of the Global Film Initiative.

Timeline of the Global Film Initiative Granting Cycles

Winter Cycle November 15, 2011 – Application period open for Winter cycle January 16, 2012 – Deadline for submission to Winter cycle April 2012 – Winter cycle grant awards announced

Summer Cycle May 15, 2011 – Application period open for Summer cycle July 16, 2012 – Deadline for submission to Summer cycle October 2012 – Summer cycle grant awards announced

Mailing Address  Send applications and supporting materials to:

The Global Film Initiative – Granting Program 145 Ninth Street, Suite #105 San Francisco, CA 94103, USA             +1(415) 934-9500

APPLICATION DEADLINE: JULY 16, 2012

Please note: all applications must be postmarked by the deadline, and received within five (5) business days of the deadline. The Global Film Initiative will confirm via email receipt of all projects received, but will not track shipments of individual projects.