One of the nice things about living in a big city is that there's always a lot of big corporations with money to throw around. If you're an aspiring filmmaker, they might just throw some at you! Such is the case with the Silent Film Festival, which, despite the name, is actually a competition.
Here's how it works: You make a film (silent, but it can be accompanied by live music) under three minutes long. It revolves around one of these themes:
- What is New York?
- What's your favorite emotion?
- What emotion is New York?
- Your favorite ghost story
No explicity nudity or violence; otherwise, go nuts. Submit your work on a DVD in .mpeg or QuickTime format by August 11th, along with your full name, phone number, e-mail, mailing address, and a description of your fim, category, and inspiration to:
ATTN: Silent Film Festival
60 E. 42nd Street Ste. #659; NY, NY 10165
The ten best films will be displayed in a prominent place in the city by the competition's sponsor, a major Manhattan real estate developer. In addition to the free publicity, the sponsors will also pay your way into two major film festivals (your choice) you'd like to submit the film to. You can with any questions.
Meanwhile, if you're more in the mood to watch silent films than make them, the Silent Film Society of Chicago kicks off their 2008 festival season this Friday with a series of Harold Lloyd shorts. The festival continues at the Portage Theatre for six more weeks, with live organ accompaniment and films starring Clara Bow, Buster Keaton and Gloria Swanson, among others. Ah, the sound of silents...