FILMMAKERS: Mark your calendars. Whoever said this town has no outlets for creative types was wrong, flat out WRONG. Coming soon to a theater near you are TWO film festivals of which you should be aware — if not for the ability to showcase your own creativity, then for the ability to watch the creativity of others.
The Germ:
Submissions due: 8 a.m. on Monday, Oct., 15, 2012
Screening: Thursday, Oct.,18 2012, at 7 p.m.
Windsong Productions
7676 N. Palm Avenue, Suite 104
Fresno, CA
The Germ is the brainchild of the crew over at Windsong Productions, and though I have not yet been to one of these events, I am completely intrigued — if not impressed — by the whole concept.
You know how you see a picture or hear a song and it can spawn an entire thought process? Don’t you ever wonder how — or if — others react to the same picture of song? Now, imagine applying that same process to filmmaking and voilá! You have The Germ.
Essentially, Windsong’s creative team drip-drapply-draps an teeny, tiny speck of an idea. A seed. A germ, if you will. They put this germ out there, and, well… that’s it.
That’s where you, dear filmmaker, come in. You take this germ you’ve been given, let it grow in your imagination and make a film. Submit it to Windsong, and then plan on attending the screening wherein you see your film along with all the others that were developed based on the same germ.
Windsong launched the project this year, and this Oct. 18 will be the final Germ showcase of 2012. Held at the Windsong Production studios, the event offers nibbles, a no-host bar and lots of entertainment. Check out the rules for entry here.
Swede Fest X:
Submissions due: Monday, November 5th at 11:59 p.m.
Screening: Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012 at 6 p.m.
Tower Theater
815 East Olive Avenue
Fresno, CA
This is maybe my FAVORITE film event ever in the history of EVAR, if only because I’ve entered it twice and one of those times I was awarded the non-award Swedie for Best Actress in my role in the Swede Fest 8 sweded film, The Princess Diaries. (I rocked it. Just sayin’.) Also? This event has a big roman numeral behind it, which makes it incredibly bold and powerful and reminiscent of that awesome dude, Malcolm the tenth (not to be confused with the one in the middle, who was also awesome).
For the uninitiated, a swede is a person from Sweden, yes, but also is a remake of your favorite movie or bit of a movie, but done your way. Jack Black explains it better:
Swede Fest was created in 2008 in Fresno, California, by Roque Rodriguez and Bryan Harley, and though celebrated in 3 locations, Swede Fest is, to date, the only film festival dedicated to sweded films.
Swede Fest X is cosponsored by Gotta Love Fresno and Fresno Filmworks, and will be held at the Tower Theater in Fresno. This time — I swear by Grabthar’s hammer — I will arrive early enough to get a seat.
Interested in submitting? Check out the guidelines here.
Traci
Traci Arbios is a founder of TheFullMoxie.com. She also loves cheese. LOVES. E-mail her at traci@thefullmoxie.com
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