Blog

205 Articles

Moondance Film Festival’s Open Door

The Film Festival Without Borders!

Thanks for your interest in the 2019 Moondance!

“You can’t go back and make a new start, but you can start right now and have a brand new ending.” ~ James Sherman

https://moondancefilmfestival.com

 ~~~~ 2019 CALL-FOR-ENTRIES!  ~~~~

FEATURE, SHORT, DOCUMENTARY, ANIMATION & DRONE FILMS, FEATURE & SHORT SCREENPLAYS, STAGE PLAYS, FILM SCORES & ORIGINAL MUSIC, SHORT STORIES, TV PILOTS, and more!

CHECK OUT ALL THE SUBMISSION CATEGORIES HERE!

FILMS • WRITTEN WORKS • ORIGINAL MUSIC

MOONDANCE 2019 CALL-FOR-ENTRIES IS HAPPENING NOW!

Please don’t wait for the last minute!

CLICK:

OR CLICK:

WATCH THE WINNING & SELECTED 2017 & 2018 FILMS HERE!

ALL FILMS ARE FREE TO WATCH!

  • Please read & Subscribe to our popular Moondance news-blogfor info, updates, insider tips, articles, creative inspiration, & announcements: www. moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

INTRODUCING TWO NEW MOONDANCE TEAM MEMBERS:

NICK ZIELINSKI

WRITTEN WORKS READER & FEEDBACK WRITER

After studying screenwriting at the University of Washington, Nick Zielinski began his entertainment career as an intern at The Late Show with David Letterman. Since then, he’s worked as a script reader and contest judge for several companies, including Epicenter Literary Management, Red Ampersand, The Blue Cat Screenplay Competition, and others. Nick, is originally from Seattle, and responds positively to stories about rain.

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

SABLE JAK

AUDIO/RADIO/PODCASTS SCRIPTS & PRODUCTIONS CONSULTANT

Six-time Spirit of Moondance Award winner in Audio Drama, Sable Jak has been writing, producing and occasionally acting in Audio Drama for a long time. She spent 12 years with the Jim French Productions, Inc. company in Seattle, WA and was considered a staff writer for the last 8 years there before the company closed due to Mr. French’s poor health. She finished her tenure there with a double-length “closed door” mystery and a 5-part serial for the company’s flagship series “Harry Nile.” In addition to audio dramas she wrote “Writing the Fantasy Film” for Michael Wiese Productions, Inc. and had a monthly column with Scr(i)pt magazines (many articles that can still be found on the web.) 

Meet the rest of the Moondance Team here!

New Zealand Flag at Half-Mast, March 2019Photo: KIWIWISE

 

 

 

16 views

Moondance News & 2019 Call-for-Entries!

The Film Festival Without Borders!

Thanks for your interest in the 2019 Moondance!

* March is women’s history month! What better way to celebrate than to submit your best work (film, written works or original music) to the Moondance, and make some history, too? The 2019 CALL-FOR-ENTRIES is happening now! Submission categories include: feature and short screenplays, stage plays, short stories, libretti, treatments, animation films, feature and short narrative and documentary films, drone films, radio plays, and more! The Moondance, featuring its distinct cinematic vision, has distinguished itself around the world as a unique community, a supportive, productive, and creative collaboration between filmmakers, writers and movie audiences, and the world of top-quality written & filmed entertainment.

https://moondancefilmfestival.com

 2019 CALL-FOR-ENTRIES!

FEATURE, SHORT, DOCUMENTARY, ANIMATION & DRONE FILMS, FEATURE & SHORT SCREENPLAYS, STAGE PLAYS, TREATMENTS, FILM SCORES & ORIGINAL MUSIC, SHORT STORIES,  TV PILOTS, and more!

CHECK OUT ALL THE SUBMISSION CATEGORIES HERE! https://moondancefilmfestival.com/submissions/submission-categories/

FILMS  •  WRITTEN WORKS  •  ORIGINAL MUSIC

MOONDANCE 2019 CALL-FOR-ENTRIES IS HAPPENING NOW!

Don’t wait until the last minute!

CLICK:

OR CLICK:

WATCH THE WINNING & SELECTED 2017 & 2018 FILMS HERE!

It’s free to watch all of the films!

  • Please read & Subscribe to our popular Moondance news-blog for info, updates, insider tips, articles, creative inspiration, & announcements: www. moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

A NEW MOONDANCER WRITES US:

“Elizabeth, thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity.  Providing objective feedback on the works of playwrights such as myself is a wonderful service and I thank you a million times over.  Needless to say, I am highly motivated…!” ~ Elixeo Flores

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:

“Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties and obstacles vanish.” ~ John Quincy Adams

2 views

MOONDANCE INSIDER TIPS & CALL-FOR-ENTRIES!

~ THE FILM FESTIVAL WITHOUT BORDERS! ~

https://moondancefilmfestival.com 

MOONDANCE 2019 CALL-FOR-ENTRIES IS HAPPENING NOW!

But don’t wait until the last minute to enter!

CLICK:

Moondance offers writers a professional screenplay, teleplay or stage play feedback option!

OR CLICK:

Films may be submitted by the film’s director, producer, a lead actor, editor, film score composer or distributor, with permission of the director or distributor.

CHECK OUT ALL THE SUBMISSION CATEGORIES HERE!

https://moondancefilmfestival.com/submissions/submission-categories/

FILMS • WRITTEN WORKS • ORIGINAL MUSIC

WATCH THE WINNING & SELECTED 2017 & 2018 FILMS HERE!

Free, no tickets required!

INSIDER TIPS FOR DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS:

INSIDER TIPS FOR SCREENWRITERS:

INSIDER TIPS FOR MUSIC COMPOSERS:

WANT MORE ARTICLES FROM THE

MOONDANCE E-ZINE?

CLICK  HERE!

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY:

“The reason so many people never get anywhere in life is because, when opportunity knocks, they are out in the back yard looking for four-leaf clovers.” ~ Walter P. Chrysler

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

“Narcissus” John Waterhouse

“Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” ~ Roy. T. Bennett

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

Cabin, 1940. Photo by Marion Post Wolcott.

“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

TWO NEW MONDANCERS WRITE US:

“By the way, practically everyone I know talks very highly about you. The work you have done through Moondance is quite inspirational…you are a pioneer, Elizabeth. God bless you and your family and your work.” ~ Richard Vizor, New Zealand filmmaker

“I think your policy regarding maintaining artistic and creative control of your festival is fantastic and admirable.” ~ Aaron Golden, West Hollywood

 

3 views

What’s Happening Now? Moondance 2019 Call-For-Entries!

Think Spring!

~ THE FILM FESTIVAL WITHOUT BORDERS! ~

https://moondancefilmfestival.com

 ••••CELEBRATING OUR 20TH FABULOUS SEASON!•••••

 MOONDANCE 2019 CALL-FOR-ENTRIES HAPPENING NOW!

CLICK:

Moondance now offers comprehensive, professional feedback by Hollywood readers for screenplays, teleplays, stage plays & treatments submitted to the 2019 competition. Select this unique option on the Moondance entry form!

OR CLICK:

Films for Moondance may be submitted by the film’s director, producer, a lead actor, editor, film score composer or distributor, with permission of the director or distributor.

CHECK OUT ALL THE SUBMISSION CATEGORIES HERE!

https://moondancefilmfestival.com/submissions/submission-categories/

FILMS • WRITTEN WORKS • ORIGINAL MUSIC

SPECIAL PRIZES FOR 2019 MOONDANCE WINNERS: 

Moondance film and screenplay winners will receive a free InkTip Script Listing so they can promote themselves and their scripts to InkTip’s entire network of producers, managers, and agents. Screenplay winners will also have their logline featured in InkTip MagazineInkTip Magazine is sent to over 15,000 producers and representatives. 

Companies who are InkTip members include: ABC, Anonymous Content, APA, CBS Films, HBO Films, ICM, Paradigm, Paramount Pictures, Hallmark Channel, FX, Universal, WME, Echo Lake, Zero Gravity, Bad Robot, 20th Century Fox, and many more. Producers have made more than 375 films from scripts and writers found through InkTip.com!

THE MOONDANCE MISSION & RAISON D’ETRE:

  • Our objective for this competition and film festival is to promote and encourage screenwriters and independent filmmakers, and the very best work in film & film scripts, stage plays, TV scripts, musical film scores, librettos, radio plays & short stories. Moondance provides a professional forum in which those creative, talented & dedicated artists can have the opportunity for their work to be viewed and accepted by the powers that be, within the international film & entertainment community.
  • Our work on reaching out toward filmmakers, writers, film score composers and audiences everywhere in the world is primary and ongoing. Writers and filmmakers from all six continents, and from a wide diversity of ethnic and linguistic groups are an integral part of our mission and goals. We seek to inspire and invigorate this creative potential to perceive, conceptualize, and produce their works for the benefit of the world society. We are dedicated to preserving their accumulated accomplishments and visions as expressed through the art of film, music and writings.
  • Moondance promises to raise awareness of the invaluable contributions of creative talents to the entertainment community. Equity in the film industry does not mean stifling some voices so that others may be heard; it does not demand the compromising of personal standards to achieve success. Equity creates new standards which accommodate and nurture differences. Equity fosters the individual voice, investing talented people with confidence in their own authority. Equity unleashes the creative potential. We see the equal treatment of all, and the equal respect for all responses they explore, as essential to their and our ultimate goals.
  • Independent filmmakers, writers and composers are vocal and active participants in the social forces that shape our culture. They portray people as three-dimensional, complex human beings and thus defy the demeaning and pervasive stereotypes perpetuated by the mainstream media.
  • We are also dedicated to promoting visibility for women in Hollywood and their impact on the film industry, and we see this as a means to disrupt and correct the misogynous, fantastical, passive, destructive and denigrating visual representation of females that has, historically, been rendered by men in media and has for so long and so plentifully pervaded our visual culture.
  • Moondance promotes, encourages, educates and rewards non-violent conflict resolution in the arts & film. Our much-coveted Columbine Awards are given to the filmmakers, writers and composers (of any age) who best depict alternatives to violence as a method of dealing with conflicts, whether personal, local, national or international, and/or show why violence as a solution to conflict is ultimately counter-productive and inhumane.
  • Moondance is dedicated to promoting environmental awareness and preservation, and we award the Calypso Award to those filmmakers, writers and composers who create meaningful, educational and entertaining works toward this goal, and inspire others to do likewise.
  • Our mission is to entertain, to inform, to inspire, to encourage and to educate. We believe that films and scripts can contribute to a healthier society and that films and scripts should encourage the active involvement of audiences to connect and act collectively to address social challenges.
  • Winning and finalist films, scripts and music are innovative, distinctive, compelling and engaging, relevant to varied audiences and encourage participation. We are eager to continue to be one of the most important film festivals in the world by being innovative, risk-taking, and open to new thinking, new concepts, new talent, and new ways of telling stories.

The long-term vision of the Moondance International Film Festival is to preserve and revitalize our intangible heritage, cultivate creative diversity, develop an intercultural dialogue, and stimulate this creative resource. Our mission is to present a vibrant and growing collection of films and writings, which is an ideal means for communication across perceived boundaries of race, culture, age and gender. These works document the complexity and depth of men’s & women’s experiences that will become widely accessible within the world film industry and to the public, and will encourage and inspire others to write and to make films.

WATCH THE WINNING & SELECTED 2017 & 2018 FILMS HERE!

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~ M. Beattie

And, for those of you who celebrate love,

Happy Valentine’s Day!

1 view

Happy New Year from Moondance!

~ THE FILM FESTIVAL WITHOUT BORDERS! ~

https://moondancefilmfestival.com

If you can dream it, you can create it! 

In this new year, resolve to seek beauty, truth, harmony…the promise of the future and the blessings of today. Live well, laugh often, love much, gain the respect & the love of children; fill your niche, accomplish your tasks; leave the world better than you found it. Appreciate Earth’s beauties & express it. Look for the best in others and give the best you have!

Come join us in celebrating the 20th Anniversary season of the Moondance International Film Festival!

CLICK:

Moondance now offers comprehensive, professional feedback by Hollywood readers for screenplays, teleplays, stage plays & treatments submitted to the 2019 competition. Select this unique option on the Moondance entry form!

OR CLICK:

Please note: Films may be submitted by the film’s director, producer, a lead actor, editor, film score composer or distributor, with permission of the director or distributor.

CHECK OUT ALL THE SUBMISSION CATEGORIES HERE! 

FILMS • WRITTEN WORKS • ORIGINAL MUSIC

WATCH THE WINNING & SELECTED 2018 FILMS HERE!

“Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.” ~ Edward Abbey

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

“In wildness is the preservation of the world.”

~ Henry David Thoreau

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

CHANGE YOUR DIET TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE IN 2019

By Lisa Drayer, CNN

www.allotmentgarden.com

You may be aware that a plant-based diet can make you healthier by lowering your risk for obesity, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. But research shows there’s another good reason to regularly eat meatless meals. By filling your plate with plant foods instead of animal foods, you can help save the planet.

The production of animal products generates the majority of food-related greenhouse-gas emissions. The feed-related impacts of animal products also contribute to freshwater use and pressures on cropland, as well as nitrogen and phosphorus application, which over time could lead to dead zones in oceans, low-oxygen areas where few organisms can survive.

For an example of how animal foods compare with plant-based foods in terms of environmental effects, consider that “beef is more than 100 times as emissions-intensive as legumes. This is because a cow needs, on average, 10 kilograms of feed, often from grains, to grow 1 kilogram of body weight, and that feed will have required water, land and fertilizer inputs to grow. In addition, cows emit the potent greenhouse gas methane during digestion, which makes cows and other ruminants such as sheep especially high-emitting.

Adopting more plant-based diets for ourselves could reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of the food system by more than half, according to the Nature study. A mainly plant-based diet could also reduce other environmental impacts, such as those from fertilizers, and save up to quarter use of both farmland and fresh water.

“Peaceable Kingdom”, Jenny Stein, director, 2009 doc film winner

3 views

Last Chance for the Moondance Early-bird Entry Fee!

~ THE FILM FESTIVAL WITHOUT BORDERS! ~

https://moondancefilmfestival.com

Come join us in celebrating the 20thAnniversary season of the Moondance International Film Festival! AND take advantage of our exclusive $25 Early-bird discounted entry fee right now & until December 31st!

CLICK:

Moondance now offers comprehensive, professional feedback by Hollywood readers for screenplays, teleplays, stage plays & treatments submitted to the 2019 competition. Select this unique option on the Moondance entry form!

OR CLICK:

https://filmfreeway.com/MoondanceInternationalFilmFestival

Films submitted at the Moondance entry form, or at FilmFreeway may be submitted by the film’s director, producer, a lead actor, editor, film score composer or distributor, with permission of the director or distributor.

CHECK OUT ALL THE SUBMISSION CATEGORIES HERE!https://moondancefilmfestival.com/submissions/submission-categories/

FILMS • WRITTEN WORKS • ORIGINAL MUSIC

WATCH THE WINNING & SELECTED 2018 FILMS HERE!

A MOONDANCER WRITES US:

“I am looking forward to submitting to the Moondance Film Festival. I’m also looking forward to viewing the winning and selected films  from the previous years. The festival looks amazing! Best Wishes!” ~ Amy Giaquinto, filmmaker

MOONDANCE WISHES YOU A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY TIME, AND A HAPPY WINTER SOLSTICE, TOO, FROM BEAUTIFUL BOULDER, COLORADO!

 

 

 

1 view

MOONDANCE 2019 EARLY-BIRD DISCOUNT!

~ THE FILM FESTIVAL WITHOUT BORDERS! ~

https://moondancefilmfestival.com

Come join us in celebrating the 20th Anniversary season of the Moondance International Film Festival!

AND take advantage of our exclusive Early-bird discounted entry fee until December 31st!

CLICK:


OR CLICK:

CHECK OUT ALL THE SUBMISSION CATEGORIES HERE!

FILMS • WRITTEN WORKS • ORIGINAL MUSIC

WATCH THE WINNING & SELECTED 2018 FILMS HERE!

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY:

  “I’ve always had a very strong connection with my own gut instincts, and if I ever lose that, I’ll stop making movies.” ~ Steven Spielberg

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

 When people know I wrote ‘Thelma and Louise,’ they don’t want to mess with me.” ~ Callie Khouri

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

“The perfect meal, or the best meals, occur in a context that frequently has very little to do with the food.” ~ Anthony Bourdain

 

2 views

~ MOONDANCE 2019 CALL-FOR-ENTRIES, REDUX!

by Michael Conti

~ THE FILM FESTIVAL WITHOUT BORDERS! ~

https://moondancefilmfestival.com

Please note: The festival’s website server error on December 1st has been fixed, all page links are good, and we are looking forward to your submissions for 2019!

Come join us in celebrating the upcoming

20thAnniversary season

of the Moondance International Film Festival!

 

 

 

 

CLICK HERE:

You can take advantage of our exclusive Early-bird discounted entry fee here!

OR:


Moondance International Film Festival proudly accepts entries via FilmFreeway, the world’s #1 submission platform. FilmFreeway offers free HD screeners, unlimited video storage, filmmaker profiles, and more.

CHECK OUT ALL THE SUBMISSION CATEGORIES HERE!

FILMS • WRITTEN WORKS • ORIGINAL MUSIC

SPECIAL REMINDER: The 2019 Moondance will not have a theatrical venue this season. All winning & selected films will be screened only via our private viewing room site.

WATCH THE WINNING & SELECTED 2018 FILMS HERE!

1 view

~ MOONDANCE 2019 CALL-FOR-ENTRIES NOW OPEN!

~ THE FILM FESTIVAL WITHOUT BORDERS! ~

Come join us in celebrating the upcoming 20th Anniversary season

of the Moondance International Film Festival!

CHECK OUT THE SUBMISSION CATEGORIES HERE! 

Click here!

Moondance offers writers a professional screenplay, teleplay or stage play feedback option!

Moondance International Film Festival gladly accepts submissions via FilmFreeway, the world’s #1 film festival submission platform. FilmFreeway offers free HD screeners, unlimited video storage, filmmaker profiles, and more.

 

Please visit the MOONDANCE WEBSITE to watch the winning & selected 2018 & 2017 indie films from around the world, for free.

SPECIAL REMINDER: The 2019 Moondance will not have a theatrical venue this season. All winning & selected films will be screened only via our private viewing room site. 

SOMETHING ELSE TO THINK ABOUT:

“Amelia” by S.K. V.

“Be your own artist, and always be confident in what you’re doing. If you’re not going to be confident, you might as well not be doing it.” ~ Aretha Franklin

Remember to refresh the Moondance Home Page, when visiting!

 

 

 

57 views