Saturday, September 27, 2008

Redemptive Storyteller Award



I have been notified that Butterflies was selected to receive a Redemptive Storyteller Award for 2008 from the Redemptive Film Festival. Awesome! The festival is Oct 31st in Virginia.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Acceptance and Rejection

I had submitted Butterflies to twenty different film festivals. A pretty good mix of children's film festivals and "regular" big festivals. Slowly I have been getting emails back, either accepting or rejecting the film.
This evening I got a rejection email from AFI Fest. They had over 3000 entries and only 140 slots to fill.
These festivals are so competitive and different, that it's hard to even guess when you really have a chance at a given festival.
But even though that is the case, and you just never know what kind of mood the selection committees are in, it just doesn't change the fact that getting accepted is exciting and getting rejected is a little disappointing.

Monday, September 22, 2008

New Orleans

You can see the New Orleans screening time and info for Butterflies here: https://noff2008.withoutabox.com/festivals/event_item.php?id=18809

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Fear

I received a phone call today from a friend in Idaho. He told me that he showed Butterflies to his family, and they loved it. He said they also showed it to his niece who has been feeling nervous about school. I hope it may have helped a little. Sometimes, even if you can't seem to conquer a fear, it's nice just to identify with someone else.

When I was a kid I used to get so nervous and sick to my stomach about school. The worst was in 6th grade gym class. There was a period when we did swimming, and for some reason it was absolutely terrible for me. I'm sure I could get all analytical here, but all that matters is that I hated, feared, and dreaded it. I would go to bed at night worrying myself sick about the fact that I had to go to gym class the next day. And then I would spend the hour in Math class practically nauseous over the fact that I had to go swimming next. And then it would be over, and I would finish the day and go to bed worrying again.

Even though I look back and understand what a small thing it was, it doesn't matter--comparatively speaking there is nothing in my life right now that makes me as scared and worried as some things did back then.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Submitted to Sundance

Well I submitted Butterflies to Sundance today.
You know, I don't know how in the world I get through life this way... Everything is always last minute. lol For the past couple weeks I had been thinking "I need to get this film sent off to Sundance." Then I luckily get an email today reminding me that the latest deadline is tomorrow! So I spent my lunch hour (which turned into two) burning a DVD, doing the online submission, paying the $75 dollar entry fee, and overnighting the DVD via FedEx to arrive in Beverly Hills just in the nick of time tomorrow.
Whew.
Now after all that I can just cross my fingers that it gets accepted. Sundance is extremely competitive.

I also sent a Beta SP copy of the film to the Chicago Int'l Children's Film Festival today. (last minute on that one, too, of course.) I would like to attend Chicago if I can.

Over an out.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Saint Louis International Film Festival

I just found out today that Butterflies has been selected for the 17th Annual Saint Louis International Film Festival! (November 13-23, 2008)

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Salt Aire Films Festival

Last weekend Butterflies was screened at Salt Aire Film's Festival in Brigham City, UT. It was a pretty small festival, but I met a couple cool people and won 3rd place in the Best of the Best category, along with a hundred bucks.

I have to admit though, I was horrified by the terrible quality of their video projector. It was the worst video projection I have seen.

The audio was awful. They had the volume so low that you had to strain to hear it very well.

I am flattered that Salt Aire Films invited me to participate in their festival, but the poor quality of their equipment was embarrassing. I almost wanted to stand up and shout "My film doesn't really look like this!" Oh well. People still liked it.

Today I mailed master copies to the New Orleans Film Festival and VisionFest in New York.