Ready to test
your mettle as a filmmaker? Here's your chance.
Local
filmmakers are being sought for the first Venango Digital Film Association
Film Festival, which will be held next month at two locations in Oil City
and Franklin.
The festival
is part of a larger effort to transform the area into an arts friendly
community.
The idea was
hatched by former Franklin resident and filmmaking enthusiast Scott
Wohlstein. The project was taken up by Oil City's downtown arts
revitalization coordinator Joann Wheeler and the film festival committee.
Organizers
are looking for films that relate to the history, culture and society of
the area west of Harrisburg.
They are also
looking for films not set in western Pennsylvania but on other subjects
and are produced by filmmakers who reside in the area.
Audience
members will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite films. The
top-three voting getting films will receive monetary prizes - $300 for
first place, $200 for second place and $100 for third place.
Votes will be
counted after the Nov. 3 showing and awards will be announced then.
All films
that are accepted will be viewed from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2 at the
Barrow-Civic Theatre in Franklin and from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3 at
the Latonia Theater in Oil City.
Tickets can
be purchased in advance at the Latonia, Barrow-Civic, the Franklin and
Venango Area chambers of commerce, Oil City Art Gallery and Venango
Campus.
Deadline for
entries is Friday, Oct. 19.
Here's how to
enter:
Filmmakers
must be at least 14 years of age. Filmmakers under 18 must include letters
of permission from a parent with their submissions.
Films should
be between 10 and 30 minutes in length.
DVD
submissions are preferred, but VHS entries will also be accepted. Entries
on mini-DV tape, hard drive, 35 mm film and other formats will not be
accepted.
Cost is $20
per submission. Checks or money orders can be made payable to the Oil City
Arts Council.
Submissions
will not be returned unless accompanied by a pre-paid, self-addressed
envelope.
Films can be
mailed to Venango Digital Film Association Film Festival, P.O. Box 1082,
Franklin.