Wednesday, August 30, 2006

info@filminute.com

We've upgraded our web site server to handle the volume of hits to the Filminute site. The transition did, however, disrupt some pages on our site over the past 24 hours.

If you are having trouble reaching us from the submission form, please do email us at info@filminute.com. We apologise for any inconvenience.

The announcement of the films shortlisted for Filminute 2006 is days away. Stay tuned.

Monday, August 28, 2006

The Making Of

A one-minute film is short enough to enable a wide range of creative people to deliver a high quality production. At the same time, one minute is long enough to require some inventiveness and resourcefulness in storytelling and production methods to complete the challenge.

Every week, we hear of some inspiring backstory on one-minute filmmaking — anecdotes from filmmakers begging, borrowing or stealing just what they needed to complete their Filminute submission to a jury-worthy standard.

Highlights: extensive us of Skype, local and international collaborations between creative disciplines, scraping together ends of filmstock by every means necessary, piggybacking on other productions, and all manner of ways of securing locations for free (eg. an airport!).

There's also a story about use of a mechanical bird...definitely cheaper than hiring a bird wrangler.

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Enough time

"In a one-minute film, there's time to establish a narrative and character, and then kick it with at least one compelling twist. A one-minute film is more than just a visual amuse bouche."

— Steve Angel, Founder Head Gear Animation, the company behind the 3 demonstration one-minute films on the FILMINUTE site.

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

“Construction paper, glue, and a very old 8 mm film camera” *

Filminute is looking for the best one-minute films from around the world, films with compelling narratives that provoke thought, emotion, reaction and action. These are the films that will resonate beyond one-minute, that will provide the ideas, themes and characters with room to grow into serial pieces, short films, TV shows – even feature films.

One example we have shared often is the development of South Park, which started off as a short made from “construction paper, glue, and a very old 8 mm film camera.” * That short got noticed by an executive at Fox, who commissioned Matt Stone and Trey Parker to develop an animated Christmas card (‘Spirit of Christmas’).

The card’s success led to Stone and Parker being hired to bring
South Park to life on television in 1997, and two years later on the big screen with South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut.

What Filminute points out is that the first piece was short, lean, broadcast quality, and featured characters and a narrative that captivated and engaged an audience. The best one-minute films will have a life that goes far beyond Filminute.

* The Spirit of Christmas. (2006, August 8). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 11:16, August 8, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Spirit_of_Christmas&oldid=68346065
.

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

SUBMISSIONS DUE BY AUGUST 31


WWW.FILMINUTE.COM
SUBMISSIONS DUE BY AUGUST 31


Who's screening your film?

Filminute's jurors represent the worlds of Contemporary Art, Film, Literature, and Advertising and include Oscar, Booker, Pulitzer, and Clio award winners. Filminute will also be inviting voters from over 100 countries to vote on the shortlisted films throughout September 2006.

Filmmakers, writers, producers, art directors, designers, and artists, we are looking to find the "Best Filminute" from an international pool of entries. Submissions are due by August 31, 2006.

FILMINUTE // Make every moment count

Avail Video

"One of the key differences between video art and theatrical cinema is that video art does not necessarily rely on many of the conventions that define theatrical cinema."
Video art. (2006, July 30). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:32, July 31, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Video_art&oldid=66702465.

The intent of the video artist outside the conventions of narrative film will lead to creative discoveries. Filminute asks video artists to bring these same discoveries and surprises back into the narrative realm, and to provoke and enrich the emerging genre of one-minute films.

Filminute's "By Invitation" partnership and collaboration with Avail Video considerably expands our festival's call for entries to a large community of video artists. We expect some of these submissions to be as likely contenders for "Best Filminute" as the works from conventional filmmakers, videographers, advertising art directors, designers, animators, and writers.

The unusual suspects and the usual suspects are equally of interest to Filminute as we explore, challenge and grow the genre of one-minute films.