Festival Update
So we’ve been working overtime to pull together a number of exciting things around FHTA.
JUNE 6th
Festival films will have until June 6th to build audiences around their work. So if you’re a festival filmmaker the clock is ticking. Checkout what your fellow FHTA filmmakers doing to promote their work. The more you spread the work the more it is likely that people will find it. Consider possible groups, sites, bloggers or other filmmakers who could help you reach a wider audience. One of the driving goals of the festival is discovery, so we encourage you to think creatively about how you can use the web to build your audience.
DIY DAYS
We’ve teamed with Current TV to produce two live events around FHTA. DIY DAYS will be held in LA on July 26th and in SF on August 2nd. The events will consist of screenings, panel discussions, case studies, and workshops. For those not in LA and SF fear not we will be documenting the whole affair so that it can easily be embed and spread.
Distribution outlets - this is what everyone wants to know - where will the showcased films be shown?
Theatrical - special screenings in LA, SF, London, Melbourne, Montreal, and Paris to name a few. We’re also working on 25 other screening locations.
Living room - VUDU, Amazon Unbox via TiVO, other outlets include AT&T, TVN, and NetFlix.
Online - FHTA miro player, Amazon Unbox, Myspace, YouTube, IndieFlix, BlipTV, OurStage, Joost, and Hulu
Mobile - we’re working on a couple deals here that would have films playing on mobile devices in the US and Europe
For certain films there could be additional retail and online outlet possibilities.
*Outlets subject to change and some outlets require that films can meet clearance and have E&O.
ON THE WEB
Independent Films Direct an excellent new filmmaking resource and news site has decided to feature a number of FHTA films weekly for the next six months! So if you’re a festival filmmaker make sure to spruce up your film page and include those links to myspace, youTube, myspace, OurStage, twitter and delicious.
Spout.com is one of our festival partners and they’ve established a new section to their site just for FHTA. On the section their featuring projects that they feel that they’re community will find interesting. If you’re not a member of spout make sure to join. Drop by the discussion to introduce yourself . It is a place to discuss filmmaking, the festival and films. Special thanks to spout for setting up the dedicated space. Festival filmmakers make sure to drive your audiences there. Not only is it a great way to promote your work it is also a way to introduce your projects to Spout’s community of film lovers. To visit the special FHTA spout group click here.
Audiences are finding films “Awesome”
Well the entries are all in and audiences have started to select the projects that they think are “Awesome.” This process will run for the next 3 weeks at which point a number of films will emerge as the contenders for the FHTA showcase. These films will then go through a vetting process to ensure that they can be cleared for distribution meaning that the rights reside with the filmmaker and that they have the proper talent releases, music clearance and most importantly that they own the film. If you have questions on what types of clearance are needed please contact us at info @ fromheretoawesome.com
Later this week we will make some announcements about new events, outlets and partners so stay tuned. In the meantime make sure you checkout the FHTA submission vids.
Thanks for your continued support.
The site goes live
After a number of very long days and nights we’ve gotten the new version of FHTA live. We’re still working out some things but you can watch films and determine which films you think seem “awesome” Check it out and let us know if you have suggestions, comments or thoughts on how to make FHTA better.
FINAL DEADLINE APRIL 14th - four days and counting!
Four days and counting until the final submission deadline. And for all those who have been emailing with various deadline questions this is it and there will be no additional extensions. So pick up those cameras and shoot an intro for your submission video. Those that take the time to create submission videos will not only have a great promotional piece for their work (see how the Auteur’s submission vid was included in a story about the film playing Tribeca next month) but videos with introductions from the filmmakers and that follow these guidelines will receive more value per “this film seems awesome” selection by an audience member. Special note films that create placeholder film pages will not be included if the submission videos are not uploaded by the 14th.
Final Extension - April 14th
Due to a large number of requests from filmmakers, we’ll be extending the deadline to April 14th. So for those that had technical issues, needed more time, or are just now finding out about FHTA - you have until April 14th. This will be the final deadline. If you have questions or need assistance please let us know.
The website is still scheduled for an April 7th launch and all the submissions are now being turned into new film pages so if you’ve gotten your submission in we’ll be creating your page in the order that it was received. If you didn’t respond to the email about sending in your film details that we sent out or if you didn’t receive one drop us a line and we’ll resend it.
Submission deadline March 31st
Please finish your submission videos this weekend - the deadline is March 31st
The submission videos we’ve received from all over the world have had us completely entertained. We all crowd around and check them out every time a new one comes in.
The deadline for submission videos is March 31st so get some friends together to help you this weekend and finalize yours. Remember to talk about why you made your film and what you think makes it unique and awesome.
After your submission video is done you should then upload to YouTube, Blip, MySpace and Ourstage. Make sure to copy your direct video URL cause you’ll need them during the submission process.
When joining OurStage, do so through this link
Then you should log in http://fromheretoawesome.com/login.html and fill in all the info about your film including links to your submission video. Make sure to click the “create a submission link”
Couple quick announcements:
We are going to be launching a new site that will provide all the submissions that have completed entries a film page. Completed entries must have all the proper info filled out within their submissions. If you have questions or need assistance please send an email to info@fromheretoawesome.com with “submission help” in the subject line. Make sure to include the name of your project, your username and password.
SPECIAL THANKS:
Thanks to everyone who is helping to make this discovery and distribution experiment possible. FHTA is a volunteer based operation and attempt to create an open source type of film festival. We are working hard to create opportunities for all the films that submit.
SXSW 2008 from here to austin
Mike Hedge and Mike Ambs drove from LA to Austin to help document FHTA at SXSW. The following is a truly awesome photo vid by Mike Hedge. Over 4,000 photos shot on his 40D. Each photo plays for 3 frames on the timeline. Music is by The Soul’s Release http://myspace.com/thesoulsrelease
SXSW 2008 from mikehedge on Vimeo.
The kids are alright
The crew is back from SXSW. Big ups to all that helped to make FHTA such a success in Austin. The roundtables and party were a blast. Special thanks to bside, indiegogo and tubemogul for lending a hand with the events.
Mike Hedge and Mike Ambs documented the whole trip - stills, motion and audio.
Team Awesome in action - photo by mike hedge
Brian, Lance and Arin do an interview about FHTA with the Viral Show - photo by Mike Hedge
In other news we are so close to finally having the film pages up and running. We’ve been working hard and thanks to some amazing volunteers (David, Shawn, and Chris) who have been coding like crazy we’re going to have an awesome foundation for not only the festival but the larger open source project that we are building. FHTA is intended to be an open discovery and distribution project that helps to provide tools and opportunities to filmmakers to reach global audiences. We’ve received over 600 filmmaker registrations and we’re hoping that translates into a nice number of submission videos. There has been a back log on the film pages and we’ll be taking them live in a matter of days. It is important to note that only completed submitted films - meaning films that have filled out all their forms etc - will receive film pages so if you have questions or need assistance with completing your submission please drop us an email.
Austin bound
The FHTA team is headed to SXSW this coming Friday. SXSW is a great collision of film, tech and music. Arin, Lance and Mike will all be speaking on panels so stop bye and say hello.
Digital Cinema for Indies
Saturday, March 8th - 11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Independent Film Distribution: It Takes an Online Community
Monday, March 10th - 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Thick as Thieves: When Your Fans Break the Law
Tuesday, March 11th, 10:00 am - 11:00 am
In addition to the SXSW action we’ll be holding a number of FHTA causal roundtables about the state of indpenedent filmmaking complete with good food, drinks and conversation.
Sat. 8th 5pm to 7:30pm
Sun. 9th 12 to 1:30pm
We’re also hosting a party with Bside, indiegogo and tubemogul on Monday night from 6:30pm to 9pm. With more good food, drinks and conversation.
If you’re going to be in Austin and are interested in joining the discussion drop us an email info [@] fromheretoawesome dot com
Embed and Spread
FHTA co-founder m dot strange recently presented a case study around the making of We Are the Strange at the Talent Campus in Berlin. He details how he turned down studio offers, self distributed and built an audience for WATS.
M dot Strange: Berlin Talent Campus 08 from M dot Strange on Vimeo.
YouTube features FHTA
This weekend youTube is featuring the first in a series of FHTA videos. Here’s what they posted about the fest on the youTube blog.
There’s no question that technology has democratized film production and distribution. But it’s time to turn a handful of success stories (Four Eyed Monsters, M dot Strange, Lance Weiler and Robert Greenwald are a few examples) into hundreds, thousands, and eventually, millions of examples of filmmakers using technology to reach new audiences.
The From Here to Awesome Film Festival, brought to you by some of the talent mentioned above, is here to start getting the job done. The festival’s premise? Rather than spend money submitting your short or feature film to festivals that are often overrun with distributors looking for marketable content, why not submit your film to “From Here to Awesome” for free, watch it get blasted to audiences around the world through theaters, living rooms, online and mobile phones, and receive revenue directly from these distribution outlets? If that sounds intriguing, watch on…
Do you like movies? Do you make movies?
Over the next few months we’ll be releasing a series of videos that will attempt to frame the goals of the festival. FHTA is an experiment in discovery and distribution. Do you like movie? Do you make movies?
