That's right folks, the list is finally out!
Congratulations to all the filmmakers that had their film(s) accepted into the festival!
The festival will be held in San Antonio, TX, Oct. 28-30. If you are interested in attending, there is still time to sign up.
There has also been a temporary schedule of events released as well.
View the List of Movies!
This is a powerful crash course on the theology and art of distinctively Christian filmmaking for the glory of God. The fact is that you CANNOT be a Christ-honoring filmmaker without a solid theological foundation that informs your worldview and every aspect of the craft. Our mission is to take “every frame captive,” and this means developing an epistemologically self-conscious approach to making movies.
One of the great Achilles’ heels of independent Christian filmmaking is the absence of well-considered, excellent musical scores. Now filmmakers can hear from Oscar-winning composer and Christian, Bruce Broughton, about the best way to score a film, common mistakes to avoid, and the ideal interaction between filmmakers and their composers to create the very best results. Bruce will be joining us through video-conferencing from the location of his latest project, and will provide students with a rare and unique opportunity to study under one of the leading Christian composers in the world.
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Christian Filmmakers Academy, and the time has come to evaluate the movement and the success of our filmmakers, both in terms of the excellence of their craft and the financial viability of the projects they have promoted. You will hear from past Jubilee Award winners and Academy graduates who have embraced successful economic models for filmmaking, taking their skills to increasingly higher levels of technical and storytelling excellence.
The documentary genre is one of the most powerful tools for cultural influence, for fighting evil, and for building an informed citizenry. New technologies and market opportunities have opened the door for some highly successful approaches and variations on the documentary format that will allow Christian filmmakers to bring important messages to the world. Learn the ins and outs of documentary filmmaking from experienced pros. This symposium may change your life as a filmmaker.
Over the last few years, successful Academy faculty and graduates have generated millions of dollars in sales from their ï¬lms, have enjoyed theatrical releases, have benefitted from successful overseas marketing campaigns, and more. How are they doing this? What do you need to know about making financially successful films for the glory of God? Get the most up-to-date insider tips and strategies.
Join Kirk Cameron, veteran television and film star, for an exciting symposium on acting and directing actors. This is really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn the craft of acting and gain valuable insights on the proper way to direct actors from one of the leading Christian actors in the world.
All character interaction and accomplishment is based on morality tests. In order for a character to be able to tackle larger problems as the story progresses, he must grow as a character. The protagonist’s character arc will be tied to plot elements and be mirrored by the antagonist. Learn how to use arcs to drive story elements and manage plot pacing.
The Meisner Technique, the Stanislavski System, and various strains of method acting have all been developed in an attempt to add “truthfulness” and realism to the craft of acting. Each approach has its own strengths and weaknesses, but which school is best for your cast and characters?
There are only two kinds of films: those featuring a plot that happens to characters, and those featuring characters that a plot happens to. A film’s characters are created by a joint effort between the writer, director, and actor. Their concerted efforts must be in unison for those characters to serve the plot well. The 2010 Christian Filmmakers Academy will equip you as a culture-changer for the cause of Christ in the medium of film. Invest into yourself and your team!
Story is structure, and timing is everything. Learn how to build a story around the principles of Hollywood’s most successful and powerful projects. Find out what Syd Field, Robert McKee, and Blake Snyder have discovered about genre, structure, and story beats, and learn how to analyze the elements and pacing of your own screenplays and story concepts.
Joss Whedon, Christopher Nolan, and Steven Spielberg have all developed systematic theologies that permeate their entire library of films, creating a consistency that makes all of their stories stronger. Learn how to analyze the worldviews of directors and why stories that take place in a uniï¬ed universe are more powerful.
Going from a printed page to the silver screen presents both opportunities and challenges. Is it the director’s responsibility to turn a written story into a visual representation, or should the writer build the story with images in mind? Learn how to use symbols, types, and colors to show rather than tell.
The judges for the SAICFF reviewed some 250 films, about 75% of which were rejected for basic, fundamental errors of filmmaking. In some cases, films with high production budgets were rejected, while films of modest means with attention to fundamentals made it as semi-finalists. What can make or break your film regardless of budget, and are you paying attention?
Workshop topics subject to change.
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Trost Moving Pictures will be filming their next feature film, The Lamp, in the next couple of months. Their first feature film, A Christmas Snow is currently hitting the festival circuit and is expected to release on DVD before the end of the year.
SYNOPSIS:
"Suffering from the loss of his only child, Stanley has secluded himself to a dark and lonely place. Sullen and without hope, he continues to hide from and neglect those he loves despite their attempts to reach out to him.
In what seems to be the final days of their already strained marriage, his wife Lisa is presented with a strange gift; an old oil lamp from a far off land. Along with the lamp comes a mysterious messenger and and a question that causes them to search the depths of their hearts for what's truly important in life...
If you could have anything you wanted, what would YOU ask for?"
Filmweavers first feature film The Penny now has a website and trailer!
I've been able to help with this film in a couple areas: 1) I was the 1st AC (the guy who pulls focus) on this project back in Dec of 2008, 2) I edited together the trailer for the film!
Last but not least, the film will be showing/competing at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival this year!
"“The Penny” is a drama/thriller that follows a series of seemingly insignificant events in a number of people’s lives. Hidden amidst their “bigger” problems, these disconnected pieces of their lives go unnoticed until they begin to fit together in a totally unexpected way. Suddenly these strangers are thrust together by what some would call luck, chance, fate, coincidence, or even destiny. But is it something even bigger than that?"
WEBSITE: www.thepennyfilm.com
Page on FACEBOOK: Click Here
Digital Juice has a new Music Box album out with lots of great music! Be sure to visit the website and check out the gallery of music samples.
For More Info: CLICK HERE
City On A Hill Productions is producing a film series created to persuade women with unplanned pregnancies to carry their babies to term. They are shooting on the Canon 5D.
"In order to maximize the effectiveness and usefulness of "The Life Project," we were advised by various women's resource centers to triple cast our story. So, last week we filmed essentially the same story with three different principal casts: white, African-American, and Latino/Spanish-speaking.
While I was excited by the prospect of working with three different casts, I must admit that, at first, I faintly wondered, in the back of my mind, if filming the same scenes three times would be monotonous drudgery. It was not at all! It was an incredible experience to watch these wonderful actors bring their own gifts and insights into the scenes." ~Richard Ramsey
For more pictures and information about the project CLICK HERE
On Pendragon we were lead by the Lord to tell a story about vision - embracing God's call on your life no matter the odds or opposition. Over the past year, the Lord has grown in our hearts a new theme; the 'next project' will explore the life changing idea that true freedom and ultimate satisfaction come only through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
The story is shaping up to be fun, intelligent, and compelling. Count on action and espionage, a touch of comedy, romance, and of course, high adventure: a period piece with global scope.
This production will once again require the mobilization of a very large crew and volunteer network. We are looking forward to working with old friends and making new ones as we move closer to pre-production. But for now, what we need is your support in prayer.
Please be in prayer for:
Vision. Pray that we would be faithful to the vision that God has given us.
Message. Please pray that God would inspire and move us to the ideas that would be most compelling.
Team. Please pray that God would send the right individuals along in His timing, and that we would work in unity with each other.
Resources. Pray that the Lord would bring together and raise up the right resources at the right time.
Article By Nathaniel Darnell
Ever wonder why most folks take off from work on Labor Day? Doesn’t it seem like Labor Day would be the one day in the year that people would labor?
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, “[t]he first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.” U.S. Department of Labor, The History of Labor Day (2007). Not until 1894, however, did Congress make Labor Day a national holiday. Id.
I’m not a fan of unions, which have a nack for increasing worker inefficiency, hiking prices, and creating arbitrary rules that hinder achievement. Here are some interesting facts relating to unions in the film industry:
Interestingly enough, American unions may literally be a God-send for up-and-coming Christian filmmakers eager to create a replacement industry. By offering flexible work hours, lower costs, and a positive team spirit, independent Christian filmmakers have the potential of out-producing Hollywood. So perhaps we should be thankful for Labor Day and the American unions who brought it about.
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"When I was a teen filmmaker, my dad told me something I would never forget. It was the secret to great cinematography. It was one of the most important lessons for a director to learn. And, it was simple.
“If your actors aren’t moving, your camera must,” dad says. “After all, that’s why they call it ‘motion’ pictures.”
Dad always encouraged my filmmaking. He was a storyteller like none other and he knew the power of film. He saw in me a visual talent to tell stories through film and he supported my every attempt. He even joined in and had some aerial footage shot for me.
Unfortunately, not all directors have a dad reminding them why motion pictures are not called stills. Few understand that movement is the visual language of film and the director must master it. Even the audience is aware of this difference, but few know how to put it into words.
When television came into being, crews clarified the difference between artistic films and lowly television shows. Most of the time it was in conjunction with comparing great cinematic vista shots on film to broadcasted shots of “talking heads.” Even cast members caught on and created a polarization, sending great actors to work on film projects and good actors to work in television. Eventually the politics were neutralized and both cast and crew were willing to work in either format, as long as the shows were of quality – Using the language of film.
"Movement is powerful, but only in the hands of a skilled director who understands the motivation behind the camera’s action."
Quality directors soon learned that movement was the key to a film-like-feel in their television programs. They also caught on to the three basic rules in camera motivations that trigger the needed movement.
The most important rule is that shots are motivated by the performance. If the camera starts to move for no reason at all, the audience suddenly becomes aware of the camera movement instead of being drawn into the story. However, when an actor who speaks brashly slowly shifts into a whisper from embarrassment and the camera gently zooms in to a close-up, the audience is stirred by the personal emotions expressed. The audience becomes a part of the story with empathy rising within their soul.
The second rule is that the closer the camera gets, the more truth it tells. This is especially true since the release of HD television, were every blemish is seen. This intimate camera position demands truth in acting from the heart, a skill that is coveted among actors.
Even Meryl Streep understood the power of truth in close-ups when she convinced the director of The Devil Wears Prada to let her shoot one scene without make-up. Her extremely powerful and bold character was diminished down to a private vulnerable human moment sharing about her divorce. It had fans and the film community talking for years – The most powerfully honest scene in the entire movie.
The third rule allows for creativity to impact the art: If it works, then it’s right. Any creative shot that is invisible to the audience, while keeping the focus on the story works. It doesn’t matter what it looks like, as long as it empowers the story and doesn’t call attention to itself.
Camera movement is all about giving the audience a different way of looking at their world. It doesn’t matter what type of shot it is, it just matters that it touches the emotions and doesn’t attract attention to itself.
There are numerous types of subjective and objective shots a director can call for, but only one or two shots will empower the story to draw the audience into a world were they can experience life from a different perspective than what they are accustom. This movement helps the audience become engaged in the message, rather than watching talking heads from a disconnected distance.
Movement is powerful, but only in the hands of a skilled director who understands the motivation behind the camera’s action."
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