Blog

205 Articles
Immediate Affinity

Your Next-to-Last Chance for the Moondance in 2015

CALL-FOR-ENTRIES EXTENDED FINAL DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: JUNE 30TH

CATS & PIGEON

For your best chance, send in your entry RIGHT NOW!

 FILMS, SCRIPTS & FILM SCORES may be submitted to Moondance by the director, producers,cinematographer, DP, film score composer, writer, editor or lead actor(s), with permission from the producer/director, as needed!

MIFF TEXT BANNER

Our submission categories:

Feature, short, documentary, & animation films, music videos, screenplays, stageplays, radio plays, short stories, treatments, kids scripts & films, TV pilots, and more!

Entry form & info: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

MOVIEMAKER logo

Moondance was recently listed by MovieMaker magazine as one of the top 50 film festival competitions worth the entry fee!

Moondance now also accepts scripts for judging in these languages: FRENCH, SPANISH, GERMAN, DUTCH & AFRICAANS.

 Our foreign-language readers are published writers & an award-winning screenwriter!

starfishThe Moondance International Film Festival, featuring its distinct cinematic visions and bold film selections, has distinguished itself around the world as much more than an annual film festival! The Moondance is a unique community, a supportive, productive, and creative year-round collaboration between independent filmmakers and movie audiences, between writers, composers and the world of top-quality filmed entertainment.

Withoutabox for Moondance International Film Festival is now fully active for this season’s call for entries: www.withoutabox.com/login/1240

Moondance International Film Festival dates:

September 7th & 8th,, 2015

Boulder, Colorado USA

Check out the website for more info:

MIFF BANNER-CANNES

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

EMAIL: [email protected]

The Moondance International Film Festival is always independent, uncensored, totally unfettered, often irreverent, sometimes controversial, always entertaining, and definitely not beholden to any special interests! We select films, written works and music with these criteria: a unique story, well-told.

Moondancers are part of an amazing worldwide entertainment community; a unique collaboration of multi-talented writers, filmmakers, and film score composers. The Moondance mission is to entertain, inform, inspire, encourage and educate. We honor those artists who, through their creative work, actively increase awareness, provide multiple viewpoints, address complex social issues, and strengthen ties between international audiences. At Moondance, you can come together with other writers, directors and producers to create new opportunities, develop tools for success and forge new alliances within the international film and entertainment industry.

STARFISH-SMALL copy

In our continuing efforts to promote top-quality original filmmaking, writing and music composition by talented artists from around the world, the Moondance International Film Festival is very pleased to announce that our festival competitions have brought in great submissions, in all categories, from: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Grand Cayman, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Korea, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tasmania, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Republic, the UK & US, Venezuela, and more!

FLAGS FOREIGN

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

WHY THE “TOMORROWLAND” LEAD CHANGED FROM MALE TO FEMALE:

Britt Robertson, “Tomorrowland”, Disney

Britt Robertson, “Tomorrowland”, Disney

“Tomorrowland” character Casey was originally written for a male actor, but a switch to a female lead was better for the script, according to co-writer Damon Lindelof. “There is a completely false perception of, ‘Well, our main character is interested in space travel, so it’s gotta be a boy,’ but the first time I said, ‘Well, what if it was a young girl’… It just felt like it was exactly right for us,” Lindelof said. “It’ll be nice in 10 or 15 years for this not to be a thing anymore,” he added. Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, working to create positive images of girls and women in media & entertainment: www.seejane.org

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

A MOONDANCER WRITES US:

 “I love that you have a music portion as part of your festival. The composers and others who create original music for film get too little attention at festivals. I’m really proud of both the score and the original music in my film.” ~ Mikki Del Monico, award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter, Venice Beach, CA, www.mikidel.com

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER:

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel have read only one page.” ~St. Augustine

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel have read only one page.” ~St. Augustine

 

Photo: Dominique Browning “When we say, ‘This is the best I can do for now...’, there is nobility in the effort, courage in the the doggedness. It is a process of trying and perhaps failing. Of beginning again. And so it is with the search for meaning – like writing, its rewards spring not from the finished product but from the integrity of the process, from the act of holding up one's own end…” ~ Dani Shapiro

Photo: Dominique Browning
“When we say, ‘This is the best I can do for now…’, there is nobility in the effort, courage in the the doggedness. It is a process of trying and perhaps failing. Of beginning again. And so it is with the search for meaning – like writing, its rewards spring not from the finished product but from the integrity of the process, from the act of holding up one’s own end…” ~ Dani Shapiro

 

The Moondance winners’ star award The Moondance Star Award “I am not what happened to me; I am what I choose to become!” ~ Carl Jung

The Moondance winners’ star award
The Moondance Star Award
“I am not what happened to me; I am what I choose to become!” ~ Carl Jung

 

Hopi Second Mesa, www.imgsoup.com “Silence can be fertilizing, it can bathe the imagination, it can, as in great open spaces – be the nimbus of a way of life, a condition of vision.” ~ Adrienne Rich

Hopi Second Mesa, www.imgsoup.com
“Silence can be fertilizing, it can bathe the imagination, it can, as in great open spaces – be the nimbus of a way of life, a condition of vision.” ~ Adrienne Rich

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY TODAY! DON’T BE A SNAIL!

SNAIL

MIFF WAVY FILM IMAGE BANNER

Please forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!

 QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

[email protected]

[email protected]

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

D-3 RECYCLE LOGO

No trees or natural habitats were harmed

in the creation of this news-blog!

WAVES ONLY

2 views

Moondance Extended Call-For-Entries Deadline!

www.marilynparkerfineart.com

www.marilynparkerfineart.com

Moondance Extended June Call-For-Entries Deadline!

For your best chance to win, send in your entry RIGHT NOW!

J-MIFF PURPLE BANNER

Due to popular demand, we have extended the entry deadline:

EXTENDED FINAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE: JUNE 30

AND…we rolled back the late entry fee to be the same as the regular fee: just $75!

 See our submission categories HERE!

Feature, short, documentary, & animation films, music videos, screenplays, stageplays, radio plays, short stories, treatments, kids scripts & films, TV pilots, and more!

Read our submission guidelines HERE!

Official Entry Form HERE!

Moondance now also accepts scripts for judging in these languages:

FRENCH, SPANISH, GERMAN, DUTCH & AFRICAANS

Our foreign-language readers are screenwriters & published writers!

Films may be submitted to Moondance by the director, producers, cinematographer, DP, film score composer, writer, editor or lead actor(s), with permission from the producer/director, as needed!

"Mer-folk" Sculpture by Charlotte Zink, of www.zinkmetalart.com

“Mer-folk” Sculpture by Charlotte Zink, of www.zinkmetalart.com

“Qui ne tente rien, n’a rien.” (One who doesn’t try will have nothing)  ~ French proverb

Withoutabox for Moondance International Film Festival is now fully active for this season’s call for entries: www.withoutabox.com/login/1240

Moondance International Film Festival dates:

September 7th & 8th,, 2015

Boulder, Colorado USA

Boulder's Rocky Mountains Flatirons

Rocky Mountains & Flatirons at Boulder’s Chautauqua Park

Check out the website for more info:

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

EMAIL: [email protected]

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MOONDANCERS WRITE US:

“Moondance is such a distinguished and well-known screenwriting competition!” ~ Todd Bronson, Screenwriter, Henderson, Nevada

“The Moondance Film Festival has a tremendous reputation for impeccable film programming!” ~ Sean J.S. Jourdan, Writer, Producer, Director, Denver, Colorado

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

INSIDER TIPS ON WINNING SCREENPLAYS AT MOONDANCE:

Here’s what we look for in judging screenplays for the Moondance:

Screenplays-pile

  1. Unique story, well-told (most important element).
  2. Proper script formatting
  3. Edited for correct grammar, spelling & punctuation
  4. Good, interesting dialog
  5. Plenty of action & reactions
  6. Visually interesting settings/locations
  7. Story-arc & storyline
  8. Relatable characters
  9. Conflict & resolution
  10. No gratuitous sex & gory violence (there just for the thrill)
  11. Back-story & sub-text 
  12. Women treated fairly (not all bitches or bimbos)
  13. Is the story told cinematically, visually?

The logline, mini-synopsis & first page must be very interesting & make the reader want to continue. The first 5 or 10 pages of the screenplay are critical, as are the last 5 or 10 pages.

This is also relatable for stageplays, short stories, TV pilots, radio plays, and films.

ezine box

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MOONDANCE RECOMMENDS:

PLEASE HELP SAVE THE BEES!

photo: www.pbs.org

photo: www.pbs.org

Here’s just a brief list of some of the millions of plants we would lose if our bees continue to perish, in this international crisis: Alfalfa, Almonds, Apples, Apricots, Avocados, Bamboo, Beans, Beets, Black-Eyed Peas, Blackberries, Bok Choy (Chinese Cabbage), Brazil Nuts, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cacti, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Cashews, Cauliflower, Celery, Cherries, Chestnuts, Clover, Cocoa, Coconut, Coffee, Corn, Cotton, Cranberries, Cucumber, Currants, Eggplant, Dates, Figs, Flax, Flowers, Grapes, Grasses, Green Beans, Guava, Hazelnuts, Honey, Kiwi Fruit, Lemons, Limes, Macadamia nuts, Maple trees, Mangos, Mushrooms, Mustard Seed, Nuts, Oats, Okra, Onions, Oranges, Orchid Plants, Palm Trees, Papaya, Peaches, Pears, Peppers, Plums, Pomegranates, Quince, Raspberries, Rose Hips, Safflower, Sesame seeds, Strawberries, Sugarcane, Sunflowers, Squash, Tangerines, Teas, Tomatoes, Turnips, Vanilla beans, Walnuts, Watermelon, Wheat, & etc.

Do you eat chicken, turkey, beef, pork, fish, buffalo, venison, and/or lamb? These animals need to eat, of course, and they feed on plants that are in danger of being lost if we lose pollinators like bees! Other herbivores, such as bears, birds, horses, koalas, deer, elephants, hippos, giraffes, pandas, yaks, silkworms, zebras, beavers, kangaroos, rabbits, gorillas, camels, tortoises, iguanas, geckos, butterflies, ants, earthworms, and so on, will all die out from starvation, if their food sources are not pollinated. When trees, grasses, wildflowers and other ground-covers are not pollinated, the rains will bring world-wide floods, mud-slides and dust-storms. Saving bees saves the world as we know it!

From the current Sierra Club newsletter: There’s a good chance that you’ve consumed at least one fruit, vegetable or nut today – maybe even as you’re reading this. But what would happen to those foods if the bees were gone? A recent annual survey of beekeepers showed that approximately 5,000 US beekeepers reported a bee loss of 42.1% last year. The crisis facing our bees is so bad, the White House has become involved. After years of pressure from people just like you, the EPA announced a moratorium on all of the new  bee-harming neonicotinoid pesticides (neonic) products and uses. This is a good first step in the right direction, but it does NOTHING to reverse the devastating impact of existing pesticides. This is exactly why we need to act!

A world without bees is unimaginable. But with your help, we won’t let that happen. www.sieraclub.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MOZAMBIQUE HAS LOST HALF OF ITS ELEPHANTS!

ELEPHANT PORTRAIT

Elephant poaching crises across Africa!

The results of our latest survey are in, and they are heartbreaking. Estimates from Mozambique suggest elephant populations have fallen by about 10,000 in just five years – a staggering 48% drop! That’s 10,000 thinking, feeling, majestic creatures. 10,000 individuals defenseless against a poacher’s bullet. All dead. And for what? Ivory trinkets? It’s clear that we’ve reached crisis levels. How we respond and what we do next will determine the end of this story and the future of elephants. YOUR generous contribution will go directly to fund anti-poaching patrols, aerial surveillance, criminal prosecutions for poaching and ivory sales, and other key steps to halting the massacres. ~Wildlife Conservation Society

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

SOME OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER:

Photo: suemckay.com

Photo: suemckay.com

“You don’t stop laughing because you grow old; you grow old because you stop laughing.” ~ Michael Pritcha

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PHOTO: www.thebark.com

Photo: www.thebark.com

“An error doesn’t become a mistake until you refuse to correct it.” ~ Orlando A. Battista

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Photo: www.southernhighschool.weebly.com

Photo: www.southernhighschool.weebly.com

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” ~ Florentine Proverb

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BUDDHA & LOTUS

“ We have art, so that we shall not be destroyed by the truth.” ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MIFF WAVY FILM IMAGE BANNERPlease forward this news-blog to your creative colleagues!

 QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

[email protected]

[email protected]

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

D-3 RECYCLE LOGO

No trees or natural habitats were harmed in the creation of this news-blog!

WAVES ONLY

 

 

3 views

Last Chance for Regular 2015 Moondance Entries & Tips On Writing for Actors!

HORSE STAMPEDE copy

 BEAT THE LAST-MINUTE STAMPEDE

DON’T DELAY: SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY TODAY!

MIFF TEXT BANNER

REGULAR SUBMISSION DEADLINE: MAY 30

For your best chance to win, send in your entry early!

LATE SUBMISSION DEADLINE: JUNE 30

See our submission categories HERE!

Read our submission guidelines HERE!

Entry Form HERE!

Moondance now also accepts scripts for judging in these languages:

FRENCH, SPANISH, GERMAN, DUTCH & AFRICAANS.

Our foreign-language readers are award-winning screenwriters!

Withoutabox for Moondance International Film Festival is now fully active for this season’s call for entries: www.withoutabox.com/login/1240.

MOONDANCE ALSO ACCEPTS SCREENPLAY SUBMISSIONS WRITTEN IN:

SPANISH, GERMAN, DUTCH & AFRICAANS!

Contact Elizabeth at [email protected] for more info.

Moondance International Film Festival dates:

September 7th & 8th,, 2015

Boulder, Colorado USA

Check out the website for more info:

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

EMAIL: [email protected]

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

A NEW ZEALAND MOONDANCER’S GOOD NEWS:

 “In 2013 my stageplay ‘Stitched Up’ was awarded a finalist placing in the Moondance International Film Festival 2013, and now that play is going to be staged at the Christchurch Centre of Performing Arts from October 1st – Oct. 10th. Auditions are being held now and the booking office for my play is already open!!

I am so excited, Elizabeth, and I want to thank you and Moondance so much for believing in my work and giving me the confidence and support to push it out there to a wider audience. To finally hear actors speaking my lines….there are no words for that.

Once again, many, many thanks to you and Moondance – it’s the Moondance name and the significant prestige that it carries with the name that has got me this far. Be assured Moondance will be given all the recognition and fanfare it deserves when my play steps from the curtains and takes centre place of stage.” ~ Celine Gibson, North Otago (the headquarters of Steam Punk), New Zealand

A MOONDANCE WINNER’S GOOD NEWS:

“We have finished our film The World Is My Country!  We are having a WRAP PARTY weekend at our beach house in Playa La Mision in Baja California, Mexico, only an hour’s drive south of San Diego.” ~ Arthur Kanegis, director, producer, Moondance award-winning screenwriter for the script to this film

“This film is a must see for anyone who believes in personal freedom” Rowland Perkins, Founding President, Creative Artists Agency

“Elegant and delicious storytelling!   A riveting heroic tale with resonance for our time:  a troubled war veteran using his thespian skills in a nonviolent battle to save his soul, the planet, and all humanity.” — Mimi Kennedy, actor in “Midnight in Paris,” “Dharma & Greg,” Erin Brockovich

“I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen … wow! … inspiring & entertaining, the direction & production values are very good & it has fine editing. At the end of the film I just had to rush online to order my own World Passport.  This film can inspire us all to join together to build a better world.”  —Elizabeth English, Founder, Moondance International Film Festival

Our successful crowd-funding campaign raised $42,000 from 149 donors – enabling to further improve and finish the film.   Now we are seeking further funds for our film festival run and to line up a distributor so we can bring this important story to a wide audience. Check out www.1worldcitizen.com to see few short clips, & to catch the vision.

NEWS FROM A MOONDANCER:

The film “10 Days in a Madhouse” will have its world debut at Cannes. I play police officer Tom Bockert. It is the story of Nellie Bly, an investigative journalist who feigns mental illness so she can get inside Blackwell Island insane asylum for women and record the abuses. I escort her to her sanity trial and then the nut house! ~ Mark Lysgaard, 2012 Moondance winning screenwriter

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

INSIDER TIPS ON WRITING FOR ACTORS:

typewriter1

“An actor, entering the room through a door…you’ve got nothing. An actor, entering the same room through a window…now you’ve got a situation!” ~ Billy Wilder

You should always write your scripts for the actors! The actors, directors and the audiences will appreciate it. Give them action, give them crises and conflicts to deal with, give your lead roles the best dialog and actions, write visually, giving them interesting and memorable things to do. Make each actor’s role and character distinctive, and have them react and relate to each other in the way that particular character would do, in that situation. Give each lead and secondary actor a specific personality and back-story. And show it; don’t just tell it! Actors and directors despise exposition and explanations in dialog. Have them act it out, in real time or in flash-backs.

Get briefly into the actor’s character, situation, personality, circumstances, needs, problems, fears, preferences, style, past, demeanor, and so on, and why he or she is in this role, in this story…and do it early in the first scene in which the actor appears. A good actor, such as Anthony Hopkins, Meryl Streep, or Dustin Hoffman, can create (and become) this unique character in a flash, sometimes with just a glance, an accent, a grimace, a smile, body language, or a slight twitch.

Keep the physical description of the actor simple, though. You may want to have a character be in his late sixties, for example, and tall, thin, elegant, neatly bearded, wearing a designer tuxedo, speaks with a British accent, and having blue eyes and handsome. This limits whom the director can select for that role. Maybe you were thinking of the late Peter O’Toole for the role? But perhaps Tom Cruise, Samuel Jackson or Bill Murray (or even Julia Roberts or Linda Hunt!) have expressed great interest in the role!

Create unique, but relatable, situations for your actors.

If writing a comedy, like a Western, you might have an actor, instead of riding his or her horse up to the saloon and tying it up at the ol’ hitchin’ post, have him or her ride the horse right through the swinging doors of the saloon and up to the bar!

In a drama, what if the character, male or female, walks alone and sadly along a boardwalk by the ocean, but is wearing a wedding dress, and it’s raining cats and dogs?

How about this: it’s a thriller, and the character fearfully walks down the stairs of a dark and gloomy old mansion, and as he or she passes the ancient family portraits, each one speaks to him or her with a dire warning, but the character just laughs, and goes out into the brilliant sunshine of the beautiful spring garden.

In a character-driven film story, again, show, don’t tell. Let’s say a character is severely depressed, and maybe even suicidal; He or she paces the floor, and then looks into an old, ornate mirror, and the mirror (symbolically) cracks!

Make your characters unique! A child is in the scene, but in a wheelchair, and is playing with his toy airplane, swooping it in the air and making airplane engine sounds. A blind teenage girl is having a tea-party with her dolls, or an obese and homeless old woman is wistfully listening to a twirling-bride music box at the Salvation Army store. A young black boy plays jazz on an out-of-tune upright piano that’s been abandoned on the sidewalk in a slum area. A ragged and dirty homeless person planting flowers in the park where she sleeps.

Are you writing a script for a documentary film? (Yes, doc films always need a script!) Limit “talking-heads” to an absolute minimum, or, preferably, none at all. Script mostly voice-overs while showing whatever the person is talking about. Audiences relate to and remember more of what they see, not as much as what they hear spoken.

Writing for an animation film? The lead character, an altruistic green dolphin, sees a rowboat capsize in the stormy seas, and silently enlists other dolphins, sea turtles and a Mermaid to help save the floundering person from drowning.

Writing for the stage? What if it’s the 1890’s, the character is a playwright, too, and sits typing away at a big black typewriter in an old Victorian mansion? As he writes, he speaks the lines and different characters walk into the scene & act out the role, but, frustrated, the writer then rips the paper out of the typewriter, balls it up and tosses it onto the floor, while the character disappears from the stage.

Writing a story for radio, comedy or drama? Make sure each character speaks distinctly from the others, sighs, laughs, interrupts, slurs, has an accent, groans, hesitates, clears his or her throat, is sarcastic or sweet, or whatever…since radio is an audio play, and the listener must visualize each character.

Writing a short script for a music video? Don’t just show the band playing and singing, and with the audience reactions. Even close-ups and odd camera angles can get boring. Tell an interesting and visual story that works with the band’s style and lyrics!

But don’t tell the actor how to play his or her role (in parentheses below the character’s name) in the script. That’s the job of the actor and the director. 

Each of these visual, cinematic scenarios show the audience who the character is, and without a single word of dialog or exposition. As the late, great director, Billy Wilder, states, above, create interesting situations for your actors!

 “Being a writer is a strenuous marriage between careful observation and just as carefully imagining the truths you haven’t yet had the opportunity to observe. The rest is the necessary, strict toiling with the language; for me this means writing and rewriting the sentences until they sound as spontaneous as good conversation.” ~ John Irving, intro to “Trying to Save Piggy Sneed”

ezine box

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

A MOONDANCER WRITES US:

“For anyone who has never attended a Moondance–it’s very special! Small town style, with top-of-the-line people both running the event and there to provide guidance, teach classes and hear pitches, coach novices and seasoned screenwriters into production. Elizabeth Engllish did a session on TITLES! How a Title can make or break a script, and we workshopped titles until something that works happened! It’s more casual with more interaction with great people–I’ve had breakfast, lunch and dinner and “socialized” with dozens of the best in script coaches, trainers, teachers, producers, directors, agents, and all facets of the FILM BIZ, but all the while having a wonderful, relaxing time in a country setting. I have volunteered to help out a few times, and thoroughly enjoyed the feedback on my scripts and the entire event. ~ Vera Holman

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER:

Three Planets

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, one discovers that it is attached to the whole world.” ~ John Muir

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

9 BIRDS ON A TWIG

“While you are dreaming of the future, or worrying about it, or regretting the past, the present, which is all you have, may slip away from you and then it is gone.” ~ Hilaire Belloc

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The Ridge” video, www.cutmedia.com

“The Ridge” video, www.cutmedia.com

“The most rewarding things you do in life are often the ones that look like they cannot be done at all.” ~ Arnold Palmer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

dawnspitfire.wordpress.com

dawnspitfire.wordpress.com

“Life is nothing less than telling stories. We are hard-wired to communicate. Hard-wired to listen, participate, exchange ideas, and entertain. When we stop telling new, fresh, stories…we cease to engage in the “mix”. Our lives become smaller…Hyperbole? Hell yes. But sometimes only hyperbole suffices to speak the truth… breathe, be alive and keep telling stories.” ~ Duncan Payne, screenwriter/ & lawyer, LinkedIn.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dominique Browning photo

Dominique Browning photo

“People do not seem to care how nobly they live, only how long, despite the fact that it is within their reach to live nobly, but within no-one’s reach to live long.” ~ Seneca

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mahatma Gandhi's glasses

Mahatma Gandhi’s glasses

“Silence becomes cowardice when the occasion demands speaking out the whole truth, and acting accordingly.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MIFF WAVY FILM IMAGE BANNER

Please forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!

 QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

[email protected]

[email protected]

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

D-3 RECYCLE LOGO

No trees or natural habitats were harmed

in the creation of this news-blog!

wavesonly copy

 

2 views

Moondance Call-For-Entries Reminder & Tips On Writing A Treatment

WHITE RABBIT-WATCH

For your best chance to win, send in your entry RIGHT NOW!

MIFF TEXT BANNER

REGULAR SUBMISSION DEADLINE: MAY 30*

LATE SUBMISSION DEADLINE: JUNE 30*

 See our submission categories HERE!

Read our submission guidelines HERE!

Official Entry Form HERE!

Withoutabox for Moondance International Film Festival is now fully active for this season’s call for entries: www.withoutabox.com/login/1240

Moondance International Film Festival dates:

September 7th & 8th,, 2015

Boulder, Colorado USA

The Moondance International Film Festival, featuring its distinct cinematic visions and bold film selections, has distinguished itself around the world as much more than an annual film festival! The Moondance is a unique community, a supportive, productive, and creative year-round collaboration between independent filmmakers and movie audiences, between writers, composers and the world of top-quality filmed entertainment.

Check out the website for more info:

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

EMAIL: [email protected]

 I had a look at your festival and it’s great! It’s amazing to see that there are still completely open-minded film institutions out there.” ~ Ally Shina, Screenwriter, Port Saint John’s, South Africa

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

INSIDER TIPS:

WRITING A SCRIPT TREATMENT THAT SELLS!

Excerpted & edited from these recommended resources:

http://www.wheresthedrama.com/thetreatment.htm

 http://www.movieoutline.com/articles/how-to-write-a-treatment.html

http://www.lightsfilmschool.com/articles/treatments/

http://www.filmmakers.com/features/screenwriting/treatment.htm

Writing a treatment is a skill that can help any screenwriter succeed, at any point in the creative process. There are at least three parts of getting a screenplay sold or financed. Learning to write a treatment can jumpstart a writer’s career because it allows a screenwriter to communicate his or her screenplay idea in a brief but compelling way. It also can be a powerful diagnostic and creative tool.

This document should read like a short story and be written in the present tense. It should present the entire story including the ending, and use some key scenes and dialogue from the screenplay it is based on.

What Should Be in the Treatment?

  • A Working title
  • The writer’s name and contact information
  • WGA Registration number
  • A short logline
  • Introduction to key characters
  • Who, what, when, why and where.
  • Act 1 in one to three paragraphs. Set the scene, dramatize the main conflicts.
  • Act 2 in two to six paragraphs. Should dramatize how the conflicts introduced in Act 1 lead to a crisis.
  • Act 3 in one to three paragraphs. Dramatize the final conflict and resolution.

A treatment may be defined as a prose narrative (five to twenty-five pages long) that presents the characters and events of a proposed script, movie or television series, in a way that allows the reader to enter far enough into the drama to understand the ways in which the story and characters will be treated, including a vivid sense of the characters’ and story’s attitudes as well as the movement of the emotional energy and its relationship to what the story is about (theme). 

Generally speaking, a film’s treatment is similar to that of an overview or synopsis of the film idea. It usually ranges from 8 to 15 pages and includes all the important conceptual elements, structured in 3-5 acts, each with a beginning, middle and end. When you submit your script, your treatment will often be the first document to be glanced over. If the main concept is enjoyable and your treatment is well written maybe, just maybe, your script will make it into the hands of the “professional script reader”. This is an important element of screenwriting which you should know about. When you submit your script to producers, you will not be submitting your scripts to the major decision makers first. Your script will first have to pass through a filter that these large production companies have put in place.

A film treatment states how the audience will experience the film. It’s important to write treatments in an active voice and avoid the use of hyperbole (such as “this unique film will explore” etc). When writing treatments you want your audience to be able to visualize your film. You will want to write in present tense and provide an overview of the characters, locations and details of the film. You can write your treatment creatively. The purpose of a treatment is to allow your audience to smell, taste and experience your environment. Reading a treatment (second only to reading a full script) is the closest written equivalent to the look of your film.

If a screenplay focuses the story for a film, the treatment does the same thing for a screenplay. A treatment could be considered a written pitch; something that catches the buyers attention and makes then want to see more.

One big difference between treatments and screenplays is that treatments are written in paragraph form where as screenplays have a very technical format. Keep the language simple yet forceful and declarative. The purpose of the treatment is to describe the events of the story so that it can be visualized and brought to life. This should be done using the least amount of words possible.

There are several aspects of a treatment that must be in place in order for a treatment to be effective. These include a solid opening that takes hold of the reader from the very beginning. There must also be a climax to the film that strikes and satisfies them. In between, there must be a protagonist (or main character) that the reader can relate to in some way. This does not mean that the main character will always be a hero or someone that the audience likes, only that the protagonist is someone that stands out and draws the audience in. The story must also contain a central conflict around which all the action in the story revolves.

HOLLYWOOD SIGN BLUE SKY

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MOONDANCE RECOMMENDS:

HELP STOP THE SLAUGHTER OF AFRICAN ELEPHANTS!

Craigslist‘s own policy prohibits the sale of animal parts, including ivory on its sites. And yet, right now, the sale of ivory is rampant on Craigslist.

Do they know that all ivory comes from dead elephants?

Craigslist’s policy is humane and simply the right thing to do. But they need to follow through and enforce their own rules.

The Wildlife Conservation Society just conducted a joint investigation with their friends at the International Fund for Animal Welfare and what we found was shocking. A sample of Craigslist sites, in cities both large and small, yielded hundreds of postings for ivory – valued at well over one million dollars!

ELEPHANT IN JUNGLE

Send a letter to Craigslist –

tell them to end the sale of all ivory products!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

QUIET ON THE SET!

TEEN FILMMAKERS PROGRAM

QUIET ON THE SET LOGO

QUIET ON THE SET! Is a unique, no-cost filmmaking program for inner-city & at-risk teens. These teens will have the opportunity to progressively develop their education and knowledge of filmmaking and build their life skills here. Our mission: Make a positive, lasting difference in the lives of these teens. Our workshops most effectively meet the needs & criteria of communities through educational enhancement, life-skills development & recreational style technical training in filmmaking. Please support this vital effort to help the next generation of filmmakers:

https://www.crowdrise.com/quietontheset

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER:

ADVICE FROM A TREE

Soak up the sun


Affirm life’s magic


Be graceful in the wind


Stand tall after a storm


Feel refreshed after it rains


Embrace each changing season


Provide shelter to strangers



Stay deeply rooted while reaching for the sky


Be still long enough to
hear your own leaves rustling

Sink your roots deep into the earth

Reflect the light of your true nature

Go out on a limb

Remember your place among all living things

Yield your abundance to others

Rest in winter

Emerge renewed at the first signs of spring

Feel the rain, the wind and the sun with delight

Look up at the moon as it shines upon you

Seek nourishment from the good things in life

Be content with your own natural beauty

Drink plenty of fresh, clean water

Be flexible

Remember your roots

And enjoy the view!

“If you would know strength and patience, welcome the company of trees.” ~ Hal Borland

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

www.ideachampions.com

www.ideachampions.com

“It is the province of knowledge to speak, and the privilege of wisdom to listen.” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

STORYTELLING SILHOUETTE copy

“Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BOAT IN REEDS

“Rowing harder doesn’t help if the boat is headed in the wrong direction.” ~ Kenichi Ohmae

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OM symbol

OM & Ganesha symbol

“There are three ways of acting wisely. First, by meditation; that is the noblest. Secondly, by imitation; that is the easiest. Thirdly, by experience; and that is the bitterest.” ~ Confucious

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MOONDANCE ALSO RECOMMENDS:

clean-the-world-logo

MORE THAN 25 MILLION BARS OF SOAP RECYCLED

FROM 500,000 HOTEL & MOTEL ROOMS

DISTRIBUTED TO 99 COUNTRIES!

SOAPS

How Clean the World is changing the world: According to the World Health Organization, millions of young lives could be saved with access to bar soap and family hygiene education. Saving lives requires a holistic approach that integrates soap with a comprehensive water, sanitation and hygiene program. By recycling soap and other discarded hygiene products, Clean the World saves lives with items that traditionally end up in landfills. Clean the World has a two-part mission: Collect and recycle soap and hygiene products discarded every day by the hospitality industry and other sectors that generate environmental waste.

hand-washing

An estimated 1.9 billion school days could be gained if safe water, sanitation facilities and hand-washing with soap & clean water were standard across all schools. Our Soap in Schools program aims to help learning performance and health by reducing the incidence of water and sanitation related diseases. Special emphasis is placed and teaching hygiene and creating a habit that will be sustained into adult-hood. Through the distribution of these and other donated products to impoverished people, prevent millions of hygiene-related deaths each year, reduce the morbidity rate for hygiene-related illnesses, and encourage healthy, vigorous childhood development. LEARN MORE: https://cleantheworld.org

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

Or Zimrah

at the Boulder Theater 2015

https://youtu.be/79_XpwM9jbM

OUR MOONDANCE WEBSTER,

Norm Strassner, the man on the far right in this video,

plays electric bass guitar in this local soft-rock/spiritual band!

(“Or Zimrah” in Hebrew means Make a Joyful Noise or melody)

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

ezine box

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MIFF WAVY FILM IMAGE BANNER

Please forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!

  QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

[email protected]

[email protected]

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

D-3 RECYCLE LOGO

No trees or natural habitats were harmed in the creation of this news-blog!

WAVES ONLY

1 view

FILM AS COMMUNICATION & MOONDANCE MAY NEWS!

MOONDANCE 2015 CALL-FOR-ENTRIES!

"Mer-folk" Sculpture by Charlotte Zink, of www.zinkmetalart.com

“Mer-folk” Sculpture by Charlotte Zink, of www.zinkmetalart.com

MIFF TEXT BANNER

REGULAR SUBMISSION DEADLINE: MAY 30*

For your best chance to win, send in your entry early!

LATE SUBMISSION DEADLINE: JUNE 30*

See our submission categories HERE!

Read our submission guidelines HERE!

Official Entry Form HERE!

Withoutabox for Moondance International Film Festival is now fully active for this season’s call for entries: www.withoutabox.com/login/1240.

Moondance International Film Festival dates:

September 7th & 8th,, 2015

Boulder, Colorado USA

 Check out the website for more info:

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

EMAIL: [email protected]

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

LINKEDIN LOGO
STAGE32 LOGO
FACEBOOK LOGO
TWITTER LOGO

As of today, Moondance’s LinkedIn.com account has 7,800+ connections; our Stage32.com has 2,600+ connections, & our Facebook.com page has had 838 “likes” just in the past week alone, by friends of Moondance from 48 different countries! This very popular & well-read news-blog has an 80% open rate & a 50% click-thru rate, which is a blog “phenomenon”, according to WordPress.

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

THE MOONDANCE: HOW DO WE DO IT?

FARM DINNER

OUR NOT-SO-SECRET RECIPE: We start with the magic of specially-selected fresh ingredients, lots of dedication, add a generous shake of creativity, stir in a whole load of know-how & international flavors, spice it up with the latest innovations, prepare a delightful table full of enlightenment and entertainment, and sprinkle on a big handful of love & inspiration. Et voila! There you have the one and only Moondance International Film Festival, one of the most inspiring, vibrant, productive and user-friendly, organic and all-natural cinema events in the world, and which is not to be missed. 

We bring to the best table in the house decades of experience and success, into which we have liberally poured a delicious spread of top-quality indie films gathered from around the world, and a productive bunch of user-friendly networking opportunities for dessert. So, come on in, have a seat and enjoy. It’s a tasty (non-GMO) formula that’s been working beautifully we opened our doors in 1999!

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

ezine box

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

FILM AS COMMUNICATION

Living in the 21st Century is to engage in the consumption, production, and distribution of sounds, images, and information, that enables creative talents and audiences to realize and gain a more sophisticated and contemporary understanding of media – defined as the multiple channels, technologies, and interfaces through which information, ideas, and emotions are stored, shared, and reciprocated – and the ways in which that plethora of media shape our understanding of the world and our ability to act in it, for the common good, to make it a better place, as well as to promote a heightened ability to analyze, contextualize, create and use all forms of media, and emerging trends affecting the traditional media distribution channels, as a vital exercise in creative expression and positive change through entertainment mediums.

popcornmoviereel

Films screened at Moondance are entertaining and uniquely distinguished by our focus on the relations between media and social justice, and how media is inextricably linked to questions of power, rights, human development, peace, national and international social and environmental issues, creative expression, entertainment, collaboration, self-determination and powerful calls for action. And films sell popcorn, which is a very lucrative and amazingly profitable product for the movie houses!

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

K2 AND THE INVISIBLE FOOTMEN

Directed by Iara Lee*

Cinematography/Editing by Jawad Sharif

https://vimeo.com/125051726

www.collectionpicture.stockmd.net

www.collectionpicture.stockmd.net

Watch this 3-minute trailer, shot in stunning northern Pakistan, about the plight of the unsung heroes, the indigenous porters of majestic K2, the earth’s second-highest peak. In 2008, a tragic disaster on K2 claimed the lives of 11 mountaineers. In K2 AND THE INVISIBLE FOOTMEN, filmmaker Iara Lee and her team chronicle the lives of those who make possible ascents of the world’s tallest mountains, including both Pakistani porters and Nepalese sherpas. The film also follows the first official all-Pakistani climbing team, made up of former porters. This team successfully summited in 2014, on the 60th anniversary of the first ascent of the mountain. Amid breathtaking scenery, the film depicts the everyday sacrifices of porters and the courage of those indigenous climbers who choose to return to scale K2 in spite of past tragedies. In their striving to perfect their craft, these mountaineers provide a fresh look into the cultures and national traditions of Pakistan, a country typically portrayed in the foreign media as merely a land of conflict and sectarian strife.

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MOONDANCE RECOMMENDS:

Collaborating with innovative and dedicated artists working to unleash the power of the moving image.

Promoting the universal language of music as a cultural bridge.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CUT MEDIA LOGO

So you think you’ve had a hard, uphill day? Watch this incredible & inspirational  short video, “The Ridge”, beautifully filmed on the Isle of Skye.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ_IQS3VKjA

Cut Media, www.cutmedia.com Danny Macaskill

Cut Media, www.cutmedia.com Danny Macaskill

“You always tug at our hearts with your films from Moondance. What a ride!” ~ Terry Porter, literary & music agent, film producer

Breath-taking!” ~ Arthur Kanegis, award-winning film producer, director & screenwriter

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

BUD LIGHT BOYCOTT?

BUD LIGHT CAN

THE NEW YORK TIMES

By STEPHANIE STROMAPRIL 28, 2015

A new label on some bottles of Bud Light, one of the brands owned by the beer giant Anheuser-Busch InBev, is falling flat among women, a demographic group the industry has been desperately courting in hopes of jump-starting flagging sales of suds. In a continuation of its “Up for Whatever” campaign, a wide blue band low on the label says, “The perfect beer for removing ‘no’ from your vocabulary for the night.” Protests quickly erupted in social media, criticizing what was perceived as perhaps not the best marketing language in the midst of public outcry over date rape on college campuses.

 THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

By TRIPP MICKLE April 29,

At Bud Light, Plenty of ‘Yes’ Went Into the ‘No’ Label. A controversial Bud Light label went through at least five layers of approval before it landed on the front of beer bottles and sparked a social-media storm among consumers concerned it encouraged date rape.

 SALON

Rush Limbaugh, furious that Bud Light dropped offensive slogan — claims “rape culture” is a “concoction of the Left” Rush Limbaugh insisted yesterday that the response to Bud Light’s infelicitous new slogan — “the perfect beer for removing ‘no’ from your vocabulary for the night” — was overblown because “there’s no such thing as ‘rape culture’ in America.” “It’s a myth! Like so much of liberalism!”

www.budlight.com/OfficialSite

 “We Want to Apologize For Our Bottle Message, It Clearly Missed the Mark…”

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

STATEMENT FROM A MOONDANCE FILMMAKER:

My name is Miho Aida. I am an adult immigrant from Japan, environmental educator and filmmaker. My cultural lens as a woman of color enables me to see a lack of environmental media created by, for and about women of color. Mainstream environmental movement often fails to include people of color, especially indigenous people as part of our landscape. Recognizing this reality, I felt compelled to tell the Gwich’in women’s story.

www.matricien.org

www.matricien.org

 I made a contact with Sarah James, the spokesperson of the Gwich’in and the Goldman Environmental Prize recipient. She told me that I could come visit and interview her. I arrived her village in the Arctic, with a plan to create a 3 minutes video of her interview. After spending two weeks with Sarah James, she asked if I would join the Gwich’in gathering and interview other women to create a film. That wasn’t my plan because I had no funding, proper equipment or former trainings in filmmaking. All I had was Flip Video Camera, MacBook and iMovie. But I said, “Yes,” and that is how this award-winning film came to be.

 I said “Yes” to Sarah because I want to live a life that honors my name and birth-date. My name in Japanese means a protector of people, culture and environment. My birth-date is when our government officially declared Women’s Equality Day. I aspire to live a life that honors my name and birth-date by creating a culture that gives voice to girls and women of color and empower them to make a difference. Your mission, values and goals are well aligned with the faces and messages that my film shares with the world.

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

“Pier Fishing” by Ivey Hayes

“Pier Fishing” by Ivey Hayes

“The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, and a perpetual series of occasions for hope.” ~ quote in “The Price of Life” article by Ariel Levy, The New Yorker magazine, April 13, 2015

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Colorado mountains range & columbines, state flower

Colorado mountains range & columbines, state flower

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the Earth will find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.” ~ Rachel Carson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

carousel-1 copy

“The circumstances of our lives actually matter less to our happiness than the sense of control we feel over our lives.” ~ Rory Sutherland

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

‪africansweetheart.blogspot.com

‪africansweetheart.blogspot.com

True bravery is shown by performing without witnesses that which one is capable of doing before all the world.” ~ La Rouchefoulcauld

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1-1 HAND REFLECTION

If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living.” ~ Joseph Campbell

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

BE THE LIGHTHOUSE!

(A parable on arrogance, author unknown)

In the darkest part of the night, a ship’s captain cautiously piloted his battleship through the fog-shrouded waters. With straining eyes he scanned the hazy darkness, searching for dangers lurking just out of sight. Then his worst fears were realized when he saw a bright light straight ahead. It appeared to be a vessel on a collision course with his ship. To avert disaster he quickly radioed the oncoming vessel. “This is Captain Jeremiah Smith,” his voice crackled over the radio. “Please alter your course 10 degrees south! Over.”

To the captain’s amazement, the foggy image did not move. Instead, he heard back on the radio, “Captain Smith. This is Private Thomas Johnson. Please alter your course 10 degrees north! Over.” Appalled at the audacity of the message, the captain shouted back over the radio, “Private Johnson, this is Captain Smith, and I order you to immediately alter your course 10 degree south! Over.”

A second time the oncoming light did not budge. “With all due respect Captain Smith,” came the private’s voice again, “I order you to alter your course immediately 10 degrees north! Over.” Angered and frustrated that this impudent sailor would endanger the lives of his crew, the captain growled back over the radio, “Private Johnson. I can have you court-martialed for this! For the last time, I command you, on the authority of the United States government, to alter your course 10 degrees to the South! I am a battleship!”

The private’s final transmission was chilling: “Captain Smith, sir. Once again, and with all due respect, I command you to alter your course! I AM A LIGHTHOUSE!”

NE LIGHTHOUSE 1

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MIFF WAVY FILM IMAGE BANNER

 Please forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!

 QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

[email protected]

[email protected]

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

D-3 RECYCLE LOGO

No trees or natural habitats were harmed in the creation of this news-blog!

waves only

0 views

JOIN MOONDANCERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD!

by Elizabeth English

WHITE GATE W- HYDRANGEAS

C’mon in!

MIFF TEXT BANNER

REGULAR SUBMISSION DEADLINE: MAY 30

For your best chance to win, send in your entry early!

LATE SUBMISSION DEADLINE: JUNE 30

See our submission categories HERE!

Read our submission guidelines HERE!

Entry Form HERE!

Withoutabox for Moondance International Film Festival is now fully active for this season’s call for entries: www.withoutabox.com/login/1240.

Moondance International Film Festival dates:

September 7th & 8th,, 2015

Boulder, Colorado USA

Check out the website for more info:

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

EMAIL: [email protected]

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MOONDANCERS COME FROM AROUND THE WORLD!

Moondancers are part of an amazing worldwide community; a unique collaboration of multi-talented writers, film score composers, filmmakers and audiences. The Moondance mission is to entertain, inform, inspire, encourage and educate. We honor those artists who, through their creative work, actively increase awareness, provide multiple viewpoints, address complex social issues, and strengthen ties between international audiences At Moondance, you can come together with film audiences, filmmakers, writers, directors, producers, actors, agents, and composers to create new opportunities, develop tools for success and forge new alliances within the international film and entertainment industry.

FLAGS FOREIGN

In our continuing efforts to promote top-quality original filmmaking, writing and music composition by talented artists from around the world, the Moondance International Film Festival is very pleased to announce that our festival competitions have brought in great submissions, in all categories, from: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Korea, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tasmania, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Republic, the UK & US, Venezuela, and more!

STARFISH-SMALL copy

MOONDANCE RECOMMENDS: 

CINEMA FOR PEACE FOUNDATION

dove

The Cinema for Peace Foundation endeavors to promote worldwide peace and understanding through the support of cinematographic works, and to further develop the goals and activities established by the Cinema for Peace initiative and annual Gala.

 Film plays a significant role in highlighting inequality, injustice and inhumanity, as well as can offer a hope and vision for a better future. This being the primary reason why the Cinema for Peace Foundation works to provide an internationally recognizable and easily accessible platform for promoting human rights values, both in the first world and in afflicted countries.

The central mission of Cinema for Peace Foundation is to provide support through the funding, production and worldwide distribution and promotion of film projects, which focus on humanitarian and justice issues, such as the prevention of disease (e.g. AIDS), terrorism, ecocide, war, poverty and violation of human rights.

 Cinema for Peace Foundation supporters include: George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley, Sean Penn, Dustin Hoffman, & Nicole Kidman, among others.

 Cinema for Peace aims to bring these humanitarian issues to public attention through the medium of film by partnering with the international film community as well as influential people in media, politics, business and society, to showcase cinematic works which emphasize the human condition and values. READ MORE:

GREEN FILM PLATFORM

SEA TURTLE

The Green Online Platform houses a distinctive green film library collection that highlights the latest environmental films that captivate our attention and raise awareness on urgent issues and push us to take action. These films focus on issues such as health of ecosystems, endangered species, wildlife conservation, diversity of species, preservation of habitat: seashores, forest, mountains, deserts, wetlands, soil management. We invite you to browse particular categories and find the most current films addressing these issues, as well as our international Green Film winners.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VFT logo

VFT IMAGE

http://www.vftla.org

Veterans in Film & Television is a nonprofit networking organization that unites current and former members of the military working in the film and television industry. Created and operated by veterans, VFT makes it simple and easy for the film & television industry to connect with the veteran community working in it. It is a resource for the film/TV industry to find and hire veterans. It is also an organization for veterans who work, or aspire to work, in film/TV to interact with, support, and learn from each other.

By using the VFT veteran directory on the website, you can search for veterans who work, or are aspiring to work, in all areas of film & television and contact them directly through their personal VFT profile. Before any member is allowed to create a profile their service in the U.S. military has been verified so you know you are searching actual veterans. Vets who are actors, writers, technical consultants, gaffers, grips, students, etc. are all in the VFT directory. Best of all this service is FREE for both the user and the veteran!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MOONDANCE SCREENWRITER ALERT!

InkTip.com, a long-time festival supporter, offers the unique opportunity for annual Moondance screenwriting winners to have their winning title, logline, synopsis & script posted on the InkTip.com website, AT NO COST, for literary agents, producers & directors to see! Submit your screenplay now: moondancefilmfestival.com

SEE WHY PRODUCERS MADE MORE THAN 30 MOVIES IN 2014 ALONE FROM SCRIPTS AND WRITERS FOUND ON INKTIP!

InkTipLogo

http://www.inktip.com/

(InkTip Magazine featuring several of InkTip’s more than 200 produced features.)

Producers Register Now (it’s free!):

Find scripts fast and easy!

Writers Register Now & List Your Scripts:

Sell your scripts! 

InkTip Magazine featuring several of InkTip’s more than 200 produced features!

INKTIP MAGAZINE COVER

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

WOLF HEAD

“We humans are the only kind of varmint who sets our own trap, baits it, and then steps in it.” ~ John Steinbeck

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

doorknob

“When one door closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.” ~ Helen Keller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ALCAZAR CASTLE, SPAIN

“Energy and persistence conquer all things.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHOCOLATES

“All that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about!” ~ Charles Kingsley

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2 KIDS ON PATH-B&W

The essence of loving-kindness is being able to offer happiness. You can be the sunshine for another person.” ~ How to Love: Legendary Zen Buddhist Teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, on Mastering the Art of “Interbeing

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PEOPLE LINED UP

“Within the global entertainment industry, film, television and stage actors are the public representatives of all people, and should come in all genders, sizes, colors, ethnic backgrounds, ages, and appearances; not just young, white, male, and physically attractive.” ~ EE

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

ezine box

MIFF WAVY FILM IMAGE BANNER

Please forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!

 QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

[email protected]

[email protected]

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

D-3 RECYCLE LOGO

No trees or natural habitats were harmed in the creation of this news-blog!

WAVES ONLY

 

 

1 view

MOONDANCE FILM FESTIVAL MID-APRIL NEWS!

“Narcissus”, James Waterhouse

“Narcissus”, James Waterhouse

MOONDANCE SPRING 2015 CALL-FOR-ENTRIES!

MIFF TEXT BANNER

  • REGULAR SUBMISSION DEADLINE: MAY 30*

For your best chance to win, send in your entry early!

  • LATE SUBMISSION DEADLINE: JUNE 30*
  • These deadlines are postmark or received via email attachment, NOT the date submitted by!

~See our submission categories HERE!

~Read our submission guidelines HERE!

~Entry Form HERE!

Withoutabox for Moondance International Film Festival is now fully active for this season’s call for entries: www.withoutabox.com/login/1240.

(Note: WAB charges the festival an 18% commission on all entry fees received! Please consider using the official Moondance entry form, instead!)

MOONDANCE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL DATES:

September 7th & 8 th, 2015

Hotel Boulderado

Boulder, Colorado USA

  • Check out the website for more info:

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

EMAIL: [email protected]

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

  • MOONDANCE SCREENWRITER ALERT •

InkTip.com, a long-time festival supporter, offers the unique opportunity for all annual Moondance screenwriting winners to have their winning title, logline, synopsis & script posted on the InkTip.com website for literary agents, producers & directors to see! Submit your screenplay now: moondancefilmfestival.com

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

BLUE VOICE LOGO

Imagine you have the ability to save the lives of 15,000 dolphins per year! Well, you do! Right now, you can help complete a shocking film exposé to pressure Peruvian legislators to put a stop to the slaughter of dolphins for shark bait. You can save these sentient, thinking, friendly dolphins from a dreadful fate. Please make a donation at our crowd-funding site to help us finish this film. We already have the footage documenting the slaughter. It is the key to stopping this needless brutality. As you know, crowd-funding depends on the involvement of many people.  So do thousands of dolphins.  So please pass this along to your animal -loving friends. We all have a unique opportunity to save thousands of dolphins.  Please help. We have a matching grant that enables you to double your donation. Please contribute and make this film a reality so these dolphins can lead free, safe lives in the ocean with their families. With your help, we can expose this tragedy worldwide.

Peruvian dolphins, photo by Mundo Azul

Peruvian dolphins, photo by Mundo Azul

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VIDEO VOLUNTEERS-logo

http://www.videovolunteers.org

What is Video Volunteers?

Our international community media organization equips women and men in underdeveloped areas with video journalism skills, enabling entire communities to expose underreported stories from their communities and take action to right the wrongs of poverty, injustice and inequality. We empower marginalized communities to produce stories, take action & devise solutions!

VIDEO VOLUNTEERS IMAGE

Video Volunteers is an international media organization empowering the voices of the world’s unheard communities. Its mission is to empower the world’s poorest citizens to right the wrongs they witness by becoming players in the global media revolution. Providing disadvantaged communities with the journalistic and creative skills they need, our models for locally-owned and managed media production teach people to articulate and share their perspectives on the issues that matter to them – on a local and a global scale. Sign-up for our Newsletter: Click Here!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ GIFTS FROM THE EARTH ~

Handcrafted & Custom-Designed Jewelry

Handcrafted & Custom-Designed Jewelry

http://terratokens.com

 “The beauty of the land around me inspires me in the creation of my art. Jewelry is not just an ornament or decoration but more of an expression of our personality. Jewelry is an extended expression of who we are and how we feel.  At times we want to be serious or elegant, subtle, sometimes playful or fun, and sometimes we want to express our essential uniqueness and desire to be different. All of my jewelry designs are created with the highest quality beads, pearls, gemstones and metals collected from around the world. I think of my jewelry as a collage of vintage style embellishments, creatures and stones, crystals and pearls, hand crafted lamp work & beads.” ~ Sage Ryen, designer

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

ezine box

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

BIRCH TREES & MOSS

“Do not follow only where the path may lead. No, instead, go where there is no path, and leave a trail for others.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

cherry-trees-walkway_13297_600x450

“You know more of a road by having traveled it than by all the conjectures and descriptions in the world.” ~ William Hazlitt

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Photo collection  by Abraham Louis

Photo collection by Abraham Louis

“I see no borders, just horizons.” ~ Amelia Earhart

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oak tree, natureofbrooklyn.wordpress.com

Oak tree, natureofbrooklyn.wordpress.com

“The secret of success is constancy of purpose.” Benjamin Disraeli

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ALI BOXING GLOVE RED

“To be a great champion, you must believe you are the best. If you’re not, pretend you are.” ~ Muhammad Ali

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OLD BOOKS

“Let us cherish the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, dream, write and create!” ~John Adams

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

logo-kid.com

logo-kid.com

“A life without stories would be no life at all. And stories bind us together, do they not, one to another, to the animals, to the land, to the past and to the present?” ~ Alexander McCall Smith (edited excerpt) “In the Company of Cheerful Women”, The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MIFF WAVY FILM IMAGE BANNER

  • Please forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!

 QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

[email protected]

[email protected]

D-3 RECYCLE LOGO

No trees or natural habitats were harmed in the creation of this news-blog!

WAVES ONLY

2 views

THE MOONDANCE INSIDER TIPS ON WRITING!

Mermaid figurehead by Jan Reichard

Mermaid figurehead by Jan Reichard

MOONDANCE 2015 CALL-FOR-ENTRIES!

MIFF TEXT BANNER

REGULAR SUBMISSION DEADLINE: MAY 30*

For your best chance to win, send in your entry early!

LATE SUBMISSION DEADLINE: JUNE 30*

 *These deadlines are postmark or received digitally, or via email attachment, NOT the date submitted by!

 See our submission categories HERE!

Read our submission guidelines HERE!

Entry Form HERE!

 Withoutabox for Moondance International Film Festival is now fully active for this season’s call for entries: www.withoutabox.com/login/1240

Moondance International Film Festival dates:

September 7th & 8th, 2015

(US Labor Day Holiday)

Hotel Boulderado, Boulder, Colorado USA

 Check out the website for more info:

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

EMAIL: [email protected]

The Moondance International Film Festival, featuring its distinct cinematic visions and bold film selections, has distinguished itself around the world as much more than an annual film festival! The Moondance is a unique community, a supportive, productive, and creative year-round collaboration between independent filmmakers and movie audiences, between writers, composers and the world of top-quality filmed entertainment.

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

“The Moondance International Film Festival is well known for offering the best venue to raise awareness of social issues through films and showcasing talented international independent social impact filmmakers’ works to audiences. We believe that your organization has a very good potential to share this important message to our global audiences who love social impact films as well as support social and environmental change.” ~ Michelle Lam, Founder of www.Visiomi.com a WebTV on-demand startup that focuses on streaming independent films, music, TV shows and sports.

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MOONDANCE INSIDER TIPS:

 WRITERS: WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW!

By Elizabeth English

typewriter

“A good writer needs to know what it’s like, and “it” can be just about anything. We have far too many writers today who have never ridden a horse, or fired a gun, or sharpened a knife, or fought with their fists, or been shot at. And so on and so on.” ~ Gene Wolfe, science fiction & fantasy writer, interview in a Barnes & Noble book review.

“Write what you know” is the vital, traditional message for all fiction and non-fiction writers, screenwriters, television writers, playwrights and journalists. You need to know the details, the visuals, the emotions, the reactions to events, and the totality of the experience, in order to write coherently about a subject, and action, a character and his or her dialog, and for your reader, or audience to relate to the story, the character and the action.

If you don’t know much, or very little, about a subject, do deep research, learn about it from others, ask an expert, read about it online or in books, go experience it yourself, pay attention as you go through your daily life, listen and look, remember what you’ve seen, heard, learned and experienced, then use it in your writing. It’s a vital element of your “job” as a writer. You would never be hired by any company if you didn’t know anything about the job and had no experience in the work required!

Expand your knowledge and your experiences beyond television, movies, even books, your home or workplace, neighborhood, town or state, or country, your computer, your smart-phone, Google, Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube & so on. Go on out there and see the world, watch and listen to other people, experience other events than the usual. Learn to tango, ride a horse, go to a rodeo, learn to cook a foreign dish, give a themed party, go for a long hike in the woods, join a political group, plant an organic garden, take a train ride, go hiking in the woods, attend a concert or stageplay.

Build a snow sculpture or sand castle, surf the waves, swim with wild dolphins, visit with the elderly in a nursing home, practice yoga, learn to meditate, shop at a farmer’s market, volunteer to work with an environmental group or peace activists, go SCUBA-diving, attend a lecture, get involved in a political campaign, go to a museum or an art gallery, study improv acting, travel to a foreign country, play hide-and-seek with a child, listen to teenagers to learn their lingo, sit in on an Al-Anon meeting, volunteer at a hospital, sign on as an extra in a local indie film shoot, pick apples from a tree, chat with some homeless folks, go on an archaeological expedition, and, above all, pay close attention to the people and the real world around you, and remember and use your past, discover your roots. Don’t just rely on movies, TV, social media and the Internet for your writing ideas…that’s not necessarily real life!

DIRECTOR'S CHAIR

Screenwriters absolutely need to know how movies are made, what goes into the project, the budget considerations, and how and why scripts are selected by agents, investors, producers, directors and actors. When deciding upon a location for your story, consider how that location or those locations will affect the success of the film. You also need to know what story, style and subject matter different potential clients want to see. A script is merely a story, a blueprint for a film. Imagine an architect designing a building properly, if he or she knows nothing at all about what the client wants, the details, the budget, and how the blueprint is ultimately selected by the client, is paid for and built by the contractors!

To learn how and why a script is selected and made into a movie, a TV show, or a stageplay, you can volunteer to work as an intern at a production company. Read scripts that have been rejected or won at film festivals and competitions, rejected or successfully produced by a production company or studio, and pay attention to why they work or don’t work. You can audition for a part in a film, television or theatrical show, even as an extra, or apply for work on the crew. Direct your own short film. Take note of all the credits at the end of successful films to see how very many people work on a film (and need to be paid!). Attend professional workshops and seminars on writing and filmmaking. Networking & making valuable connections is another very important method of learning about the film business from all aspects, and for getting your work and talents noticed.

Screenplays pile

Most importantly, keep writing and experiencing as many aspects of life as you can! Write in different genres to expand your knowledge and talents. Are you a writer of drama? Write a great comedy! Romance writer? Write a scary mystery or an action story. Sci-fi writer? Write a contemporary romance or drama. Have at least 3 to 5 completed, edited and polished screenplays to show. Create fabulous loglines and one-page synopses for all of them. And get a good agent or manager.

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MOONDANCE NEWS:

Catori Crawford, 2014 Moondance Best Actor Award

Catori Crawford, 2014 Moondance Best Actor Award

CHECK OUT THE NEW WEB-PAGE ABOUT OUR MANY

ENDORSEMENTS & TESTIMONIALS FROM MOONDANCERS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WELCOME OUR NEW MOONDANCE WEBSTER:

NORM STRASSNER!

Norm Strassner

Norm Strassner

Norm is very enthusiastic about developing the Moondance website and actively supports the festival’s mission & goals.  Strassner Web & Video creates websites and produces professional videos, since opening in 1999.  Owner Norm Strassner spent nearly two decades in the Hollywood television production community as a Directors Guild member and editor for popular TV shows such as Entertainment Tonight and Real People, as well as for CBS, NBC and Paramount Pictures, among others.  Norm uses his programming talents to create a very successful line of broadcast-quality video editing systems, Strassner Editing Systems.  He now applies all these skills to producing “Moving Pictures, Compelling Stories and Dynamic Websites”.  Check out his portfolio of websites and videos, along with client testimonials, at www.strassner.com

STRASSNER LOGO 2

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MOONDANCE RECOMMENDS:

Dr. Linda Seger

Dr. Linda Seger

Linda Seger created the script consulting profession in 1981 and is considered one of the foremost script consultants and screenplay coaches in the world today.

She is the most prolific author on the subject of screenwriting with 9 books and is known world-wide as one of the best experts in the field of award-winning screenwriting. Linda has consulted on over 100 produced feature films, television shows, and stage plays, and her clients have won numerous awards, including Academy Awards, awards from numerous film festivals, as well as having major box-office hits. She has lectured on screenwriting in 33 countries on all 6 continents, her books on screenwriting are best-sellers, and she is a regular and very popular Moondance Film Festival workshop presenter, consultant & supporter.

Linda’s clients include writers, directors, producers, executives and production companies, in film, television, and theater. They range from beginners to Academy Award winners such as Peter Jackson and William Kelley. One of her clients, Ray Bradbury, called her technique, “a light to see by.” To discuss a script project, seminar or keynote speaking opportunity, please contact Linda. To read more about Linda’s popular, best-selling screenwriting books and her background, please click here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

agnès films

~ a community of women filmmakers ~

Sophia Coppola

Sophia Coppola

 http://agnesfilms.com

Agnesfilms.com is named in honor of Agnès Varda, the French filmmaker who has been making women-centered fiction films and documentaries for over 50 years. Varda, in spite of the high quality of her work, remains an obscure figure to mainstream audiences around the world. This is not surprising, since the film industry is not always supportive of women who want to work behind — as opposed to in front of — the camera. In an effort to provide support to emerging and established women filmmakers, our site aims to do the following:

  • Foster a community of women filmmakers, scholars, instructors who teach film and filmmaking, and film lovers who support each other. 
  • Shed light on the work of talented and committed women filmmakers working today.
  • Help women not trained in cinematic techniques be able to tell stories in this powerful medium.

Consider becoming a member (it’s free) and visit our contribution guidelines to learn about ways in which you can get involved with agnès films.

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

PUZZLE PIECES

“Prejudices are rarely overcome by arguments and wars; not being founded in reason, they cannot be destroyed by logic.” ~ Tryon Edwards

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BABY ELEPHANT RUNNING

“Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.” ~ Demosthenes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BEACH FOOTSTEPS

“Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.” ~ John F. Kennedy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Analia", Paraguay, photo by Britt Newell

“Analia”, Paraguay, photo by Britt Newell

“For man(kind), as for flower and beast and bird, the supreme triumph is to be most vividly, most perfectly alive.” ~ D. H. Lawrence

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DANDELION PUFF

“Few are those whose contribution to humanity — be it art, or music, or literature, or some other enchantment — fills the heart with uncontainable gratitude for their very existence, be it intellectually, creatively, spiritually, of paying compassionate attention, or making a supreme art of bearing witness to our world. “ ~ Maria Popova, Brain Pickings blog http://www.brainpickings.org

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MIFF WAVY FILM IMAGE BANNERPlease forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!

 QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

[email protected]

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

D-3 RECYCLE LOGO

No trees or natural habitats were harmed

in the creation of this news-blog!

WAVES ONLY

0 views

MOONDANCE: MARCH CALL-FOR-ENTRIES!


crocus

MIFF TEXT BANNER

MOONDANCE 2015 CALL-FOR-ENTRIES! 

  • REGULAR SUBMISSION DEADLINE: MAY 30*
  • For your best chance to win, send in your entry early!
  • LATE SUBMISSION DEADLINE: JUNE 30*

 See our submission categories HERE!

Read our submission guidelines HERE!

Entry Form HERE!

 Withoutabox for Moondance International Film Festival is now fully active for this season’s call for entries: www.withoutabox.com/login/1240

Moondance International Film Festival planned dates:

September 20, 21, 22,, 2015

 • Check out the website for more info:

 WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

EMAIL: [email protected]

The Moondance International Film Festival is much more than an annual film festival! It is a unique community, a supportive, productive, and creative year-round collaboration between independent filmmakers and movie audiences, between writers, composers and the world of top-quality filmed entertainment.

MARTIN LUTHER

Martin Luther (1483-1546) famously said (way, way before computers, cameras & the Internet were in use), “If you want to change the world, pick up a pen and write.”  And that’s exactly what we want to accomplish at the Moondance! We hope to change the world by inspiring universal stories and themes. Our ultimate goal is to connect talented writers, filmmakers & composers with industry insiders who can make dreams a reality.

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

ezine box

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

NEWS FOR WOMEN FILMMAKERS, WRITERS & PRODUCERS:

“Thelma & Louise” inspires film contest!

THELMA & LOUISE

  • Filmmakers have a chance to create a sequel to or a short film inspired by “Thelma & Louise,” which stars Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon and is turning 25 this year. Sponsored by the Utah Film Commission and Zions Bank, winners will receive $5,000 and a screening at the next Sundance Film Festival Women’s Leadership Celebration. The Salt Lake Tribune (Utah)
  • Brit Marling of Sundance TV’s “Babylon” believes female writers are helping turn the tide for women in Hollywood. “Watching Kristen Wiig and Lena Dunham and a lot of women take the reins and be like, ‘I’m not finding the characters that I need. I’m just going to sit down and write them,'” is bringing about the shift, Marling said while speaking on a panel at the Sundance Film Festival.

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MOONDANCERS WRITE TO US:

 “Moondance Is unique. It seems to vivify good things to everyone who comes into contact with it.  I simply mean its encouragement and open arms to creativity, across the globe, dazzles me with its generosity, chutzpah and reach. The award I won does indeed open doors! The Manhattan Theatre Club in New York, and the Geffen Theatre in L.A. both asked for submissions.  I am sure it was paid attention to because of your name and the festival’s impact.” ~ Gino Matteo, writer, Moondance 2014 winner for “Nellie”

“I’ve entered screenplays in your festival three or four times and it has been a blast!! Thanks for all the work you do to make it a rich experience.” ~ Jack Vendargriff, screenwriter

“Moondance is a personal first choice of mine, since your festival is so intimate and has such a great reputation for quality!” ~ Marlane Barnes, filmmaker

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MOONDANCE RECOMMENDS:

Downton Abbey

For all you “Downton Abbey” fans, here’s a clever, wry & fun spoof on the show, played by many of the regular cast members:

https://vimeo.com/115023404

_______________________________________________

Paperman_disney-shorthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah976u_3BXc

“Watch this Oscar® award-winning short animation video, Disney’s Paperman.  It’s a 5-minute masterpiece with a powerful theme that offers the choice: Push papers or let our dreams take flight.” ~ Michael Maurer, writer-producer.com 

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

ROSES ON FENCE copy

“It is by believing in roses that one brings them to blossom.” ~ French Proverb

 

BUDDHA & LOTUS

“To one in whom love dwells, the whole world is but one family.” ~ Buddha

 

3-1 RUSTY TRUCK IN FIELD

“Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.” ~ Sydney Harris

 

Two GREEK chairs

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” ~ Winston Churchill

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MIFF WAVY FILM IMAGE BANNER

  • Please forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!

  QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

[email protected]

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

 D-3 RECYCLE LOGO

No trees or natural habitats were harmed

in the creation of this news-blog!

waves only

1 view

MOONDANCE MOONDANCE NEWS + INSIDER TIPS ON WINNING FILM TRAILERS!

GOAT ART Chinese-New-Year-2015-Goat-Design-620x620

新 年 乐

Wishing you a very happy, healthy, and productive Chinese Lunar New Year of the Goat! February 19, 2015. Chinese Zodiac signs… lucky people born under the sign of the goat are elegant, charming, artistic, gentle, gifted, peace–loving, kind-hearted, honest, compassionate, and are fond of nature!

MOONDANCE 2015 CALL-FOR-ENTRIES!

2-MOONDANCE LOGO LITTERBOX

REGULAR DEADLINE: MAY 30 *

For your best chance to win, send in your entry early!

LATE DEADLINE: JUNE 30 *

* These deadlines are postmark or received via email attachment, NOT the date submitted by!

See our submission categories HERE!

Read our submission guidelines HERE!

Official Moondance Entry Form HERE!

OR:

Withoutabox : www.withoutabox.com/login/1240

Moondance International Film Festival planned dates:

September 20, 21, 22,, 2015

The Dairy Center for the Arts / Boedecker Theater

2590 Walnut Street

Boulder, Colorado 80302 USA

MIFF WAVY FILM IMAGE BANNER

Check out the website for more info:

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

EMAIL: [email protected]

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

BILLBOARD

MOONDANCE SPOT IN BILLBOARD MAGAZINE: 

Listen to 2015 Moondance film score winner,

Rahman Altin, for the award-winning feature film from Turkey, “The Butterfly’s Dream”

 

MOONDANCE INSIDER TIPS:

MAKING A GREAT PROMOTIONAL FILM TRAILER:

TRAILER GREEN (1)

red line

  • Do you want to have a really good 2-3-minute trailer to send to producers, studios, and/or film festival competitions, for your website & in social media ?
  • Haven’t quite finished post on your film yet, but want to promote it now and/or solicit funding for your film?

Great trailers are in a special class of their own; little polished gems that showcase your film, and make people want to see more! But film trailers can be more difficult to make really well than the entire film, itself.  It can be more time-consuming, judicious editing must be a main concern, you have to tell the main story, theme & concept quickly, harder scene decisions need to be made, and you need to sell your film in less than three minutes.

Can you tell the main story, introduce the lead characters, show the main conflict, and give the viewer a visual, memorable impression OF THE STORY & CHARACTERS in three minutes? And, remember, you need to hook the viewer in the first few seconds! You probably don’t even have a full 3 minutes to do the job, unless the first 30-60 seconds are fantastic.

You need to know how to turn your great story into a great 2-3-minute (or less) trailer. There is and always has been only one real secret to success in the entertainment industry. Tell a great story. Period. And you need to figure out how to tell that fabulous story in only two to three minutes or less! READ MORE HERE!

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

inktip_logo

www.inktip.com 

How to Showcase Your Scripts:

Every other month, InkTip Magazine is sent to nearly 15,000 producers and reps. They avidly look through it to find good scripts and writers and then contact writers through the site to option or purchase their scripts, or represent them.

That means nearly 15,000 producers, agents and managers will get your titles & loglines on their desks and in their inboxes!

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

MOONDANCE RECOMMENDS 

LUCE LOGO

The Jim Luce Foundation which helps all sorts of human causes.

This year the focus is on human trafficking:

See http://www.lucefoundation.org/

 “Can You See Me?” doc film, Lou Hamilton, director, UK

“Can You See Me?” doc film, Lou Hamilton, director, UK

The needs of the world are vast, but so too are our many resources. One of humanity’s most valuable resources is young global leadership impacting positive social change, which this foundation endeavors to support. The Luce and Dudley families have had a long and historical commitment to youth, education, and social improvement in the United States and around the world. I aspire to continue this family tradition through the grants, awards, and publications of The James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation – playing a role, however humble, in bettering humanity. My goal is uplifting the worst of humanity while celebrating the best of humanity – especially the arts.  Support our efforts here.

WAVES ONLY

“FIRING THE EMPEROR’S KILN”

[table id=81 /]

Meet Le Le & David Burns, of Shanghai, China, film director/producers, and winners of a best short documentary film at Moondance 2014. Come follow their journey as they make this important film about an especially interesting piece of Chinese heritage, Beijing’s Forbidden City’s “Golden Bricks”, a 2015 documentary film about this endangered craft of ancient Chinese cultural heritage, still in use today. Please visit their CineCrowd page to support them to produce this important film project, in exchange for some exciting rewards, and make a vital step toward preserving one of China’s most fascinating crafts on film, before it is lost forever…

See More:

THE LYNDON TECHNIQUE

amy-lyndon

Attention film & TV actors:

Amy Lyndon is Hollywood’s premiere Booking Coach and creator of the revolutionary “The Lyndon Technique: The 15 Guideline Map To Booking.” Amy Lyndon currently has 38 Network Series Regulars, and an Emmy Winner – all trained in The Lyndon Technique. She was also voted one of the Best Cold Reading Teachers in Los Angeles – Backstage Magazine for 4 Years! a Multi-Award-winning Filmmaker, Director, Actor and International Booking Coach for close to 20 years, Lyndon is at the top of her game.

The Lyndon Technique proves to be a practical & successful approach to auditioning and booking the acting job, on the first take. Lyndon’s Technique has literally helped 1000’s of Actors around the globe learn what it takes to get into the 1% ratio of working actors and run a successful business.

Amy Lyndon

http://thelyndontechnique.com

Office: 818-760-8501

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

 JULY-BIRD STRETCH

“However difficult life can seem to be, there is always something you can do and succeed at.” ~ Stephen Hawking

 J.EARTH“On Spaceship Earth, there are no passengers; all of us are members of the crew. We have moved into an age in which everybody’s activities affect everyone else.” ~ Marshall McLuhan
SAILING SHIP-HIGH SEAS“Take a moment to ask yourself if you’re on track with you. Now is the time to take responsibility for your own life and to love yourself enough to take the action required. Take responsibility for what you are doing. You are the captain of your own ship. You can do it for you.” ~ Amy Lyndon, acting coach, The Lyndon Technique

Illustration by Maurice Sendak from “Open House for Butterflies” by Ruth Krauss.

Illustration by Maurice Sendak from “Open House for Butterflies” by Ruth Krauss.

“Failure is not the only punishment for laziness; there are also the successes of others to consider.” ~ Jules Renard

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

ezine box

 www.moondancefilmfestival.com/e-zine-articles/

STARFISH-SMALL-copy

Dear Moondancer,

Moondance provides a substantive and transformative alternative to all those sound bites, and the distortions spun out by the corporate media. Our films, written works and music reinforce our belief that for those talented artists, audiences, and for many of you, Moondance International Film Festival, with our mandate for integrity, the highest quality, and our mission, is an essential part of a creative, progressive future.

Please let other colleagues and friends know about Moondance, via your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Stage 32, and other social media accounts.

 MIFF litterbox logo purple

Please forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!

Questions or Comments?

[email protected]

D-3 RECYCLE LOGO

No trees or natural habitats were harmed in the creation of this news-blog!

WAVES ONLY

1 view