Night Freight's California Film Award

John Celona (NIGHT FREIGHT) sends news of his 2010 California film award.

Please let me express my ever-sincere thanks for how much you helped me in accepting and posting my trailer 'Nightfreight', an entry made with no budget, just desire and some cooperation. I am really, really honored to have been part of your IMTF site and to have been awarded 'Best Art Direction' to boot in August. I hope the LA screenings for the winners are terrific and successful.

Another nice thing has happened along the way in my journey. 'Nightfreight' has been awarded Best in Category (honorable mention) at this year's 2010 California Film Awards. As luck and coincidence would have it, I will be in La Jolla the weekend of the awards dinner ceremony which is taking place in Mission Bay on Saturday the 22nd. I am having a new work performed for piano and rear screen film projection at UCSD the evening before. I like this kind of serendipity.

Again, such a pleasure to get to know you two, albeit over the Internet yet I feel there been a wonderful connection. We continue raising awareness and funding for the feature-length of 'Nightfreight' as well as polishing the graphic novel version, of which we are a good six-months or so away from a first draft.

Meeting Scott Rosenfelt

Producers of Grand Prize Winner WHERE MY HEART BEATS meet with Scott Rosenfelt, experienced indy producer, to get tips and connections.

Children of the Wind

Children of the Wind - New Trailer from Seek Films on Vimeo.

Daphne McCormick Schmon writes about CHILDREN OF THE WIND:

The three co-creators of the film, my father Bob, Peter Robinson and myself are all windsurfers, which is how we came to make the film. We've known Bonaire for over 10 years now as we traveled to the island year after year to windsurf.

Congratulations to the WINNERS!

Congratulations to the following 2010 contest winners:

Grand Prize ($5,000) WHERE MY HEART BEATS

Second Prize ($1,000)MRS PEPPERCORNS MAGICAL READING ROOM

Student Prize ($500) LA CAMIONETA

Prize for Best Soundtrack ($500) YALLAH! UNDERGROUND

Special Jury Award ($250) RED LIGHT REVOLUTION

The Shining

MovieScope magazine, based in London, discusses "trailers." Many moviemakers still think THE SHINING trailer is the best.

Iron Sky Becomes a Movie!

Iron Sky Teaser 2 from Iron Sky on Vimeo.

Iron Sky Sneak Peek: Nazis on the Moon

Best of the Fest!

The following 15 trailers have been chosen as the "Best of the Fest" by our 8 judges. They can be seen January 15, 2011 at the Park La Brea Theatre in Los Angeles. Some of the filmmakers will be in attendance!

Abidjan
Children of the Wind
Common Thread
Daddy I Do
Dilated
Fray
La Camioneta
Iron Sky
Mrs Peppercorn's Magical Reading Room
Norman Mailer:The American
Red Light Revolution
Seneca Falls
Synergy
Where the Heart Beats
Yallah! Underground

View all of the trailers at International Movie Trailer Festival! Congratulations to the finalists!

Shanghai Bride on Discovery

"Red Light Revolution" 2010 Teaser from Sam V on Vimeo.

Melanie Ansley's documentary Shanghai Bride will be shown on the Discovery Channel in Singapore, HK, and Malaysia at 9 pm on Nov. 14. Her other trailer set in China is Red Light Revolution.

Where My Heart Beats

Where My Heart Beats - Trailer from Chris StPierre on Vimeo.

A finalist in the IMTF trailer contest, Where My Heart Beats, has been nominated for best original score in the documentary category at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards.

44 Finalists Go to the Judges

The Finalists!

Abidjan * Anaphylaxis * Ants & elephant * Antisex * Asylum seekers * Beautiful girl * Children of the Wind * Common Thread * Cricket * Daddy I Do * Dilated * Downbeat * Film Noir * Fragment * Fray * Harold's Going Stiff * Holy Cow * How to Boil a Frog * If You Pull North * Iron Sky * Light * La Camioneta * Madeleine * Manifest Destiny * Mrs Peppercorn's Magical Reading Room * Nickel Children * Night Freight * Norman Mailer * Polypore * Red Light Revolution * Rage * Seneca Falls * Synergy * The 3rd Letter * The Cineplex * The Devil & Me * The Gentleness of Rabbits * The Little Café * The Needle * The Visitors * Voorbijgangers * Where My Heart Beats * White Night * Yallah Underground

Making Mission

Mission Movie Trailer from Memekiyaye Deneke on Vimeo.

Memekiyaye Deneke writes about Mission:

"Mission" - the latest feature film of Memekiyaye Deneke - is an intercontinental drama, involving interfamilial strife and interfamilial revenge that spreads across Ethiopia and beyond. With shooting locations in Ethiopia and Florida, filming of "Mission" started in August 2009 with shooting wrap in February 2010.

James, an elderly gangster, infamous for the smuggling of weapons, drugs and diamonds, has invested in a new and more dangerous business proposition. James' son, George, is a man of the law. On the other hand, entranced by his grandfather's stories of international adventure, James' grandson Dustin is keen on following in the footsteps of the old man. Dustin's every wish is to impress his grandfather. Meanwhile, an Ethiopian journalist arrives on the scene. His probing becomes problematic. Irrational behavior on his part leads to his murder.

The trailer begins with a despondent mother, Enatnesh, walking barefoot in the desert. She has a sad story to tell, for she convinced her only son Tinbite to help his father, Ethiopian Police Chief Taffere, hunt down archenemy James. In so doing, she is responsible for the death of her dearly beloved son. Meanwhile, George is intent on bringing down his father James.

Writer, Director and Producer Memekiyaye Deneke received generous support from several college friends, especially: (1) Jorge German who plays Simon, an obtuse Mexican with the gorgeous head of a Greek God, who is bamboozled by Dustin into going to Ethiopia under the pretext of furthering his dream of becoming a movie star; Jorge, also, was responsible for Audio Production; and (2) Joshua Schnose who plays James' grandson Dustin, stepping in to implement James' new mission in Ethiopia subsequent to James' most recent imprisonment, thanks to the efforts of none other than his own son George; Joshua was, also, Director of Photography; and (3) Disco San Andreas, Film Instructor, who plays George, the police officer who arrests James, his own father.

John-Archer Lundgren embodies the role of James, a sinister racketeer of unknown European origins. He has spent decades operating in and out of various countries, stirring up revolts and all manner of civil unrest to profit his marketing of arms, "blood" diamonds, drugs and other contraband. He operated for many years in Ethiopia, where Police Chief Taffere finally imprisoned him for many years. In addition to playing the role of James, John-Archer contributed significant time and resources to the scripting, sequencing and provisioning of the dramatic final scenes of the film.

Memekiyaye Deneke plays the role of the Ethiopian journalist, Tinbite, the murdered son of Enatnesh and Police Chief Taffere.

It was the wonderful collaboration of the Ethiopian cast and crew and a variety of local facilitators who proved to be the true blessing in the making of this film.

First and foremost to mention was the participation of Jemanesh Solomon, who plays Enatnesh, the grieving mother wandering barefoot in the desert. Jemanesh is a famous actress - in fact a well-known celebrity - in Ethiopia. Among other things, she participated in the Oscar-nominated movie Dirty Pretty Things.

Director Memekiyaye says: “It was a dream come true working with her. I grew up in Ethiopia watching her perform on stage and in TV dramas. I admire Jemanesh in so many ways. She is very professional and fun to work with. She is amazing; my idol as an actress. Her talent stretches belief. And she is a very kind person. Knowing that I was a student, Jemanesh wasn’t willing to take any payment."

After reading the script, Jemanesh said: 'this is a story that needs to be told'. (Spoiler alert: this blog will not divulge the crucial element leading to the story's climax. See the film.)

Among the other Ethiopian cast members, particular mention should be made respective to my uncle Teklu, who played Police Chief Taffere; Keke Desalegn, who played James' undercover agent Fikerte; and Beza Asmamaw, who played Mahlet, the hotel clerk and eventual love interest of the perpetually befuddled Simon.

Five days after graduation, three film students travelled to Ethiopia to shoot crucial scenes in Africa. Locations in Ethiopia included urban scenes in and around Addis Abba, the nation's capital, Awash desert scenes, and the Nile River Falls, the source of the Nile River.

Director Memekiyaye says: "I had to convince - with elaborate explanations - the families of both Jorge and Joshua that traveling to, and working in, Ethiopia wasn't going to be an endangerment, nor put their kids in harm's way. I tried to make their visit to my country a wonderful experience. I wanted to take this opportunity to show how Ethiopia is a beautiful country and far different from what rogue media might portray.”

Jorge says: “we were a little bit frightened at first, but excited at the same time. My mom was especially worried. She kept calling me every other day. We enjoyed the whole experience. Shooting on location at the Nile River Falls was a real treat and the best experience we had."

"Mission" was shot on a variety of cameras: the RED one (thanks to the generosity of the Otero family), Sony HVZ and Cannon. Unfortunately, that mix of cameras makes postproduction editing extra challenging. Director of Photography Joshua Schnose did a wonderful job, as well as the various cameramen who worked on this movie at its various stages.

Memekiyaye says: "I am so blessed to have had all the wonderful support, dedication and hard work from my friends, both here in the US and Ethiopia."

"Mission" tells a story about revenge, and one can see notions of that human frailty in the trailer. However, more importantly, "Mission" opens a window on a truly nasty international undertaking, which in and of itself, is a sorry blemish on the face of contemporary society.

Making 100 to Spend

100 to spend trailer from Elliot Thompson on Vimeo.

About Elliot Thompson, director of 100 to Spend:

Elliot Thompson, who's 12 years old and a student at Riverside Middle School in Springfield Vermont, has been doing a lot of filming for the Springfield Area Public Television. He is currently completing a film of an artist's presentation at the Springfield
Art Center, The Vault. He has also filmed the work of the artist Sol Levenson who's work is on exhibit at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. A piece that he did two years ago is shown on the local church's web site.

Making Old Friends

Old Friends from Murray Suid on Vimeo.

Ansel Faraj writes about making OLD FRIENDS:

OLD FRIENDS is a strap yourself in roller coaster ride of a movie! An Action/Crime Thriller made by student filmmakers, it tells the story of Detective Adam Sera, and his relentless search for a psychotic killer known as 'The Eye Snatcher'. It all starts on a normal, everyday morning. On his way to work, Det. Sera (Mihran Konanyan) comes across Josh Briggs (Kevin Shayer), who has been mutilated by the Eye Snatcher.

What starts off as another routine investigation suddenly takes a turn for the bizarre, as the Eye Snatcher (Matthew Greene) begins to attack Det. Sera directly, first by leaving a warning message written on Josh's body, and then by kidnapping Sera's younger sister Emma (Vivian Brasch). Faced with only 24 hours to find her before she will be murdered by the Eye Snatcher, Sera and his boss, Sgt. Craig Hargroves (Linden Chiles) must gather clues from Josh in order to track down the Eye Snatcher's hiding place, to find Emma.

But when the Eye Snatcher orders Sera to meet him at the Santa Monica Pier, and new startling information is revealed to the stressed detective - Sera must use all his emotional strength and detective skills to find Emma before its too late!

The film was shot over a six-month period, beginning in February of 2010, and ending in late August. Using friends from college, Director Ansel Faraj fashioned a story in the old ticking time bomb style, and shot it guerilla style on locations, with just a few blue screen scenes, which were shot in the director's garage. "You can't go to the movies today without seeing a trailer for an action movie", says Director Faraj "they're just everywhere, and they keep getting more and more elaborate. So we decided to try to make an action movie on a limited budget - make it really tight and psychological and intense, and see if we could pull it off and have it be just as good as anything you would see at a multiplex, without being superficial and pretentious. It was really an experiment."

The film's hand held cinematography was designed to visualize the characters frenzied angst, and the color desaturated to a harsh white/blue "the color of dead skin" says Director Faraj. "There are a lot of elements in the film, there's a bit of noir, a bit of drama, and a lot of action. I wanted the film to constantly keep building on itself so that by the end of the film the audience is just as frantic as the characters on the screen. What really inspired the whole thing was the idea of the backstory behind a superhero and his archenemies, you know like who were they before their current predicament? Did they just happen to meet in action, or did they go way back together..? You think of Batman and the Joker, Superman and Lex Luthor, its all comic book lore, so what would happen in a real life setting? What would the superhero and super-villain be represented as? And then the answer is obvious - Detective and Serial Killer."

The film includes a cast of professionals and newcomers. Mihran Konanyan who plays the distressed detective has worked with Ansel Faraj previously on eight films over the years: "I was really hard on him, I kept making him rehearse and rehearse and do take after take after take, and make him jump up and down in between takes just to get him into a really agitated, frustrated mood. And he had a really tough job having to keep it balanced between over-the-top and natural, as well as having to go back to certain moods since we shot out of order off and on for six months. But I think he did a really good job."

Matthew Greene who plays Lucas Deschamp, the deranged killer had been friends with the director as far back as Junior High School: "Matthew is completely unlike his character in the film. In real life he's a timid nice guy, but in this he's bloodthirsty and just a thrill to watch! I gave him THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER and HENRY PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER to watch and he came in and did his stuff and was just fantastic. Also, he was shot at a separate time than the rest of the cast, so we used that as part of his character. We looked at him as a very isolated, very bitter man, with this long-term rage just boiling under the surface. And finally one day he acted on his rage and liked it, him killing someone is his release. So he did it again, and then when he found that Adam was the lead detective on his case, a plan formed in his mind. He's so creepy, he's psychotic, but so calm. It's totally unnerving - I never would have thought he would have it in him!".

As Sgt. Craig Hargroves, Director Faraj knew he needed someone very calm and rational and wise - character actor Linden Chiles fit the bill: "I knew Linden through a mutual friend, and we had just finished THREE SHADOWS together, and I said 'Hey Linden, have you ever done an action film?' and he said not really, so I gave him the script, and he liked it and that was pretty much that. He showed up on set, and we really didn't discuss the character much and I said 'Action!' and he shoved Mihran up against the wall and proceeded to berate him, and I knew he had it. He's the anchor that keeps everyone from completely loosing it - well, maybe".

The part of Josh Briggs was written with Kevin Shayer in mind: "We met at school, and became friends, and we then went off and made a Gothic Horror film, [THREE SHADOWS] together and during the time we were working on that, I was writing OLD FRIENDS and wrote him the part - I thought it would be interesting to see him as a helpless bystander that's caught up in this whirlwind of insanity - he's almost the voice of the audience in a way. The film opens with his being mutilated, and we as an audience experience that with him, so from then on throughout the rest of the film, we're constantly on edge, we don't know when something bad is going to happen, and we're helpless to do anything, and Josh represents all of this as a character, so you need a really good actor to represent this. Plus he's hopped up on meds, so he's out of it for the majority of the film, and yet he's able to provide Adam with all these clues, so it's a subtly challenging role. And Kevin did a great job of taking all of these elements and really forming them into a believable character.".

And as Emma - Director Ansel Faraj chose another old friend of his from high school: "Vivian was absolutely perfect for the role. She captures just the right amount of innocence that Emma has. The whole film, everyone is sort of painted in varying shades of gray, but she is completely white - she's the light in this dark fragmented world. And you can really believe that she and Mihran are brother and sister - they have that believable chemistry. You sit through the film, hoping along with the characters that Adam will find her in time, you feel frightened for her - she's perfect in the role, that's all I can say."

All in all, OLD FRIENDS is an exciting film to watch. Fast paced and intense, the film asks each member of the audience a disturbing question: When you reach your boiling point, how much blood will be on your hands? Whether it's a psychotic madman, a frustrated detective, or a terrified young woman, we all have the potential for darkness and rage hidden inside. It just takes a moment for it to come out, and in the end, every action has a consequence that everyone must face.

movieScope interviews the makers of CRICKET.

Cricket - Official Trailer from Austin Brothers Films on Vimeo.

movieScope interviews the makers of CRICKET.

Nomination for the Moviemaker's Choice Award

The Visitors from Caleb McGinnis on Vimeo.

THE VISITORS (nominated by Roxi Khan)

I have chosen 'The Visitors' according to the following criteria: 1. Idea (plot/concept); 2. Script (structure, actions, dialogue/narration/onscreen text); 3. Content (actors, interviewees, locations, etc.); 4. Cinematography; 5. Sound (including effects and music); 6. Editing; and 7. Persuasiveness.

My Analysis as follows:

1. I love the idea that there is only one person on the whole planet that has witnessed something huge and devastating - a big plus that he is the only one who can set things right.

2. Script structure was beautiful - the wording between scenes wasn't too much yet it helped you to understand what was going on. Very Don LaFontaine phrases, loved them! e.g. "While the world slept" then the punchline "He awoke". The actions of the actor were superb, everything you could imagine happening in that situation happened with such realism and yet on a dramatic level to draw you into the plot. No dialogue necessary either, this could even work well as a silent film the actions were so good.

3. The actor was BRILLIANT, the beautiful thing about this story is it really required only one actor to describe everything that was happening throughout. No one else to necessarily interact with, well...except for the shadow of the alien to freak the guy out. Actually that would probably be the only small disappointment I had, if you could have a shadow of an alien it should've looked as less human as possible i.e. have tentacles flapping around and eyes above its head or something along those lines - just to make you think 'whoa wait a sec, did an alien just emerge from the upstairs room?'. Otherwise it could've look like a secret military agent. I guess having the alien with almost human qualities helps us to recognise when it's pointing you out/appearing curious at its surroundings. The locations, although average, were simply perfect for this scenario. It made the invasion just that more believable.

4. The lighting was absolutely superb, for all we know they could've used massive garden lights to look like the alien ship outside the window but it still gave the eerie feel of 'something out there which doesn't seem right'. All the lighting effects were so simple but worked very well as plot devices to move the story forward, which I can tell were computer generated in some instances but that's ok given that it's an alien situation - coming across unusual lights that made it even more alieny but were quite natural in appearance too. The dark bluey grey feel of night is brilliant, gives you this wonderful creepy secure
feeling right up until the red blast. The angles...I am all about camera angles and these angles were amazing. Caught the emotions beautifully and all the necessary close up shots to pull you into this guy's traumatic experience.

5. Music and sound fx were ingenious, very cinematic audio track for that extra drama. The boom of the explosion wasn't annoying at all either, some explosions I've seen in films make you think 'whoa that's enough!' but with this it was a beautiful surprise - it was enough to give you an 'uh oh' feeling but not so much to make you stick cotton wool in your ears!

6. As someone who loves editing camera angles and tying sounds/music to scenes...it really is superb editing work. I love the editing nearer the end when he's running through the rain and we keep cutting to the moment he pauses to stare at the sky. We know he'll eventually pause in shock anyway after running, so it's great that the editor keeps giving us a taste of this inevitable moment - just to add that extra suspense to what we will eventually see in the sky.

7. Even though I have seen this type of concept done before, this has been done with such finesse. The story...well, who can resist that sort of story? It makes me curious as to HOW he will solve this crisis and all alone. I'll be ready with a bag of popcorn as soon as it hits cinemas! ;)

CONGRATULATION TO PEOPLE'S CHOICE GENRE WINNERS!

International Movie Trailer Festival has announced the genre winners in the competition!

Sci Fiction/Fantasy: Iron Sky

Romantic Comedy: April Fools

Drama: Manifest Destiny

Documentary: Daddy I Do

Children/Family: Children of the Wind

Comedy: Cineplex

Suspense/Thriller: Fragment

Action/Adventure: Dilated

Mystery/Crime: Gold Hill

Animation: Night of Light

Horror: Harold's Going Stiff

Road Movie: Night of the Alien

Musical Comedy: Time for a Hero

Check out all of the trailers here!

Max Speed wins People's Choice Award!

Beautiful Girl from Max Speed on Vimeo.

Max Speed writes about Beautiful Girl winning the People's Choice Award:

When we woke up in the morning to see that we had won The People's Choice Award, the phones started ringing, email flooded and posts on facebook lit up like Christmas.

K-Rock 89.3 called me for a telephone interview live on air just before we went to the party.

Z103 Halifax called me to come in right away after the party as they were the first to offer up support at the beginning of all this.

We will now do as we promised and make the movie using the prize money in addition to funds we raise from our annual MASSIVE halloween masquerade ball here by Phantom F/X.

Normally when you make a movie, the Executive Producer is a person...in this case, we will credit the Executive Producer as, "The People That Voted."

On behalf of the cast and crew of Beautiful Girl, our heart and thanks go to The International Movie Trailer Festival, media support, and most importantly fans, friends and family.

"We made a movie trailer, the people made it famous."

Making THE HANDEYEMAN DISCOVERS PLANET EARTH

The Handeyeman Discovers Planet Earth from John Graybill on Vimeo.

John O. Graybill writes about making THE HANDEYEMAN DISCOVERS PLANET EARTH:

John O. Graybill is the creator of the Handeyeman® and all related concepts. Many years ago while a college freshman, he and several buddies of his were drawing silly pictures and passing them around to each other and having some good laughs. During this exercise the Handeyeman® was born. After this little drawing party, the Handeyeman® image slept in his brain for forty years or so. Seeing other ubiquitous animated characters enjoying great success reminded him of the sleeping Handeyeman®. So the Handeyeman® was resurrected and now is poised to become one of humanities great icons.

Making Cockpit

Cockpit Trailer (with new sound design) from Jesse Griffith on Vimeo.

Jesse Griffith writes about making COCKPIT:
"Cockpit" is sheer tenacity. This screenplay has been a finalist in several contests, including the Paranoia Film Festival, Visionfest 2010, Paranoia Film Festival, Scriptsavvy.net, and the Oklahoma Horror Film Festival. Many rate my screenplay as an "EXTREMELY HIGH" budget range. However I wrote it with a modest horror film budget in mind. 96 pages of this story take place confined in a cockpit. The other 24 pages,. well that's where the magic of greenscreen comes in. To prove it, I shot a short film, edited it, and did all the fx work on my laptop. This is home made to the core. Looking at the short, I realized I had enough great material for a trailer for the feature.

I'm not a great FX artist, I'm just a director who is too stubborn to accept that he can't afford to do the James Cameron / George Lucas film inspired stories that I have always loved. I'm not a great sound designer. I'm just a director who is too stubborn to accept that I can't afford a Hollywood level sound design. So I threw myself into these tasks and probably got in over my head. But by doing so, in the end, some friends took mercy on me and helped me out with a couple of shots and others helped with my sound mix. And because it was looking much better than many had ever guessed it would, I even got Greg Edmonson, the composer from Joss Whedon's "Firefly" to do the music for the trailer.

A vote for this trailer is a vote for one man's dream that if made, will engage and excite the millions who love the sci fi genre.

Making Humanosaur

Humanosaur from Roxi Khan [Rocksea Renegade] on Vimeo.

Roxi Khan writes about HUMANOSAUR:

A DINOSAUR OF A TRAILER

Over the years I have found Second Life an excellent platform for a filming format called 'Machinima'. That's because its free to sign up for, it's fairly cheap to film there and plus you are only limited by your imagination, you really can do almost anything you want in there!

With this trailer I wanted to take advantage of the idea of being able to produce something that doesn't exist (i.e. dinosaurs!) and to be able to play around with some camera angles that would be otherwise difficult to obtain in real life. Best of all, you don't have to necessarily beg your best friends to play a role they don't want to - you can create 'alts', basically extra avatars that you can control yourself. I usually find it easier this way because I don't end up feeling guilty about taking up too much of someone's time, either that or boring to them to death while I check over the footage to see if the shot came out ok!

To do machinima you need to have a movie capture program on your desktop to capture any onscreen action within Second Life. Since I'm on a Mac I use a program called 'iShowU' which didn't cost an awful lot, in fact most capture programs are either free or cost just a little money, so there should be no problem finding one to suit your operating system.

There is an ever growing machinima community within Second Life, to a point where there is now a 'Second Life Machinima Artists Guild' (SL MAG) set up. Here people wishing to learn more about the craft, or would just like to share their works and techniques, can come to this group for advice at http://slmachinimaarts.ning.com/ . So if you're ever looking to get into this area and are around in SL look me up, my virtual identity is Rocksea Renegade.

Since I am keen to become a film trailer editor, as a serious career, I spent the last couple of years creating several game trailers through this method for a company in Second Life called 'MadPea Productions'. Who by the way have awesome games there...sorry couldn't resist the plug! Hehe. Anyway, I am now hoping to make the transition to film trailer editor and entering this contest has been a brilliant opportunity to expand on my showreel. So thank you IMTF!

Making Nightfreight

Nightfreight from john celona on Vimeo.

Nightfreight won the International Trailer Festival's Surprise Prize for August for best art design. John Celona writes about making Nightfreight:

I did a 'Robert Rodriguez' direct-write-shoot-edit-score the project on my own, beginning last May. Nightfreight is a feature-length script and has already made some rounds in screenwriting competitions, including first round in the 2010 PAGE Awards. I am finalizing and honing it and plan to enter it in Coppola's upcoming contest. The script consultant reviews I've had are all good, given that the film is an ensemble action-thriller and not high-concept.

I am interested in multimedia presentations for delivering content, the buzzword now being 'transmedia' and 'future storytelling'. I want to use integrated media in telling the story. That's why we include the graphic illustrations. In fact, we are preparing the graphic novel to Nightfreight at present.

For the trailer, I wrote the dialogue, which is drawn from the opening scene of Nightfreight. The music is mine too, a combination of material from my jazz group BlueCity and some recent live electronica performed by my trio The Krells.

That's me in the fedora in the corner (a Lenny Cohen lookalike some people say).

Making Victor James

Victor James Official Trailer (IMTF Entry) from Thomas Gidlow on Vimeo.

Thomas Gidloe talks about VICTOR JAMES:

After editing the film was complete, I honestly wanted to get away from the project for a little while. I had been working on Victor James (my first production) since March of 2009 and just needed to clear my mind a bit about the film. My brother, Daniel Gidlow, who edited the opening and closing sequences of the film, offered to make the trailer and we made it a point that he would do it without direct input from me.. He was able to put his own spin on it, and it turned out better than I could have envisioned.

I am very hands on and want to try to do as much as I can to help this project. But sometimes, I can be my own worst enemy. I had pretty much figured a while back that I would be editing and scoring the film, editing the trailer, and pretty much everything else in post-production. But I have talented people around me, and delegating, although hard to do when you're dealing with your own creation, is essential to a very low-budget independent production. Daniel had the freedom to create within the environment I had put forth with the film to make a cool trailer, and now I have something that I think will create genuine interest for Victor James.

Watch Victor James at International Movie Trailer Festival.

Making Red Light Revolution

"Red Light Revolution" 2010 Teaser from Sam V on Vimeo.

Melanie Ansley, producer, writes about RED LIGHT REVOLUTION:

"China's first ever sex shop comedy comes from writer/director Sam Voutas and producer Melanie Ansley, long term residents of Beijing. The concept started when they noticed that they could barely walk a block in the capital without seeing an adult store. Who runs these stores? What do their families think? Most people don't think of sex shops when they think of China, but the fact is that China manufactures 70% of the world's adult toys, and hosts the world's largest adult expo every year in Shanghai. 'Red Light Revolution', currently in final stages of post production, is a comedic tale about one man's decision to make it big in China's most unorthodox industry."

Making Bleak Sea

Giacomo Cimini writes about the making of Bleak Sea:

In January 2010 I applied to the trailermade competition (http://www.trailermade.tv/) with the synopsis of Bleak Sea and a storyboard (http://vimeo.com/9373125/ (password: bleaksea).

A month later I've been notified that Bleak Sea was one of the three winners. The competition awarded us with the possibility to use some technical equipments for two days (16mm cameras, light and 2k conforming) in order to shoot the trailer and the possibility to present the project during the Cannes film festival.

Thanks to the collaboration of a terrific team composed of ex student colleagues and professionals the trailer was shot during two days in February inside a real decommissioned submarine in the Royal Navy Museum in Chatham.

Making Fray

Geoff Ryan writes about FRAY

The story is based on the experiences of a close family member who was badly injured in Iraq (he was the stand-in for the scarred leg shot) and a few veterans I've gotten to know so I'm just hoping to do their story justice. The lead actor, Bryan Kaplan, is a truly gifted talent (he's been chosen to play Hamlet in a one-man show in London's West End by a very esteemed theatre director), and the cinematographer is is an old childhood friend who is also an immense talent with a handful of Sundance credits so I'm pretty fortunate as an relatively unknown filmmaker with a budget of whatever was under my sofa cushions to have such people come on board.

We had actual homeless veterans consulting on the story, performance and other issues of importance. Lacey's House which is a home for homeless veterans in Beaverton, Oregon was gracious enough to let Bryan spend time with the vets there and he developed a really wonderful bond with them as they told of their experiences, the emotions they went through in combat and the struggles they've had since returning. It really changed his performance and lent a level of realism to the whole film.

Watch Fray at International Movie Trailer Festival.

Making Ghost Trailer

Ghost Player from Joe Scherrman on Vimeo.

Joe Scherrman says: My trailer was developed early as a pitch to help raise interest in my project, The target audience, at that time, was community groups and was shown during their meetings. It is longer than most trailers, but the intended audience was usually at a luncheon. Too short, they missed it. Too long, I lost them. This length worked well and gave me plenty of time for Q & A.

Making Polypore

Polypore - Official Teaser [HD] from Films Royale on Vimeo.

Jesse Barack writes about Polypore:

Polypore, a feature length sci-fi thriller, was written and is now being directed and produced by Jesse Barack, age 22. Through various methods of networking, Barack was able to shoot footage in Manhattan, Tokyo, Paris and Los Angeles. The film features primarily English but also French and Japanese with English subtitles. The main plot concerns a recent college graduate who adopts supernatural abilities and finds himself the target of a weapons manufacturing corporation. There are countless symbolic references to society and politics, some apparent and some hidden in metaphor. Polypore has been awarded a grant by the Arts Council at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The project is also being sponsored by the Independent Film Production Club at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Jesse Barack's company Films Royale has been awarded "Best Student Film" at the 2005 Northampton Independent Film Festival and "Best Overall" at the 2009 UVC-TV 19 Film Festival at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The works of Films Royale have also been featured at the 2005 New York International Independent Film & Video Festival, the 2009 Philadelphia Independent Film Festival and SHORTSNONSTOP, an initiative of the Canadian Film Centre's 2010 Worldwide Short Film Festival.

Making La Camioneta

Mark Kendell sends on the spot reports as he films his documentary:

Out late last night and got a slow start on the morning. When we showed up, buses were already lined up outside and had been fully converted into parade floats – adorned with flowers, statues of saints, balloons, christmas tree branches, ornaments, paintings, sketches, and feathers. I walked into mass as it was starting because I needed to get a few establishing shots before things picked up, but Andrew managed to get there in time to put a wireless mic on the priest before he began. From our short conversation with him on Friday, we didn’t think the priest was going to have much to say about St. Christopher – he actually suggested to us that the holiday used to be big but “the legend had since been disproven.” I’m not exactly sure how you “disprove” a legend, but when he gave the sermon today I was surprised that he had some very poignant things to say about the importance of bus drivers in this country and the very delicate and dangerous position they are in right now because of the security situation around Guatemala.

All the Esmeralda drivers were wearing green and white striped shirts and sat towards the front of the church, so during a transition in the service I repositioned myself closer to them off to the side and discovered there was also an icon of St. Christopher right beside me. This turned out to be great because as all the members of Esmeralda team came up to bring gifts and offerings to the altar, they gathered around the icon for a group photo and then carried it out of the church in a procession right in front of me.

I was surprised by how emotional I got when they carried out the icon of St. Christopher and placed it on top of one of the trucks that would lead the parade. Until only quite recently, this profession and this holiday didn’t have any direct relation to my personal life. Nevertheless, this was definitely one of the emotional peaks of the trip so far.

When the procession began, I felt like a kid in a candy store. It was a visual feast and lots of things were happening at once – what do I need to make sure I cover?

Within a few minutes, I saw Andrew had climbed on top of the roof of one of the buses and was taking pictures from up there as they headed towards the volcano. I joined him for a while, then began spending some time inside the buses with the drivers and their family and friends. The parade lasted about 90 minutes and by the end of it I was exhausted yet thrilled.

Afterwards there was a party in the main plaza, but we decided to just sit, eat, and take it all in.

We returned to Antigua later in the afternoon and, after months of email, Facebook, and phone calls, I finally had a chance to meet up with Kara and thank her in person for all her help. Not surprisingly, she had a few more suggestions for stones to uncover and people to contact. Although Andrew and I are already in a pinch to finish what we’ve got planned in the upcoming 4 weeks, I have a good feeling about where things might go.

Only time will tell…

Read more on the La Camioneta Facebook page.

Making Dilated

Dilated Trailer from BLT on Vimeo.

Brian L. Tan "BLT" Director & Exec Producer, talks about Dilated:

Dilated is basically a Michael Bay action film produced at a student level. In order to achieve the highest production value possible, we rented Humvees through our armoring/props company Indie Arms, and found Five Star Military Vehicles, who help provide all sorts of cool military hardware for the movie industry. We also filmed at the LA River, shut down a street, got approval to use an abandoned hospital in Downtown LA, and even used the same camera crane car company Bay used for Transformers. Through lots of begging and borrowing, we managed to keep our costs low by being an all-volunteer cast/crew and had a lot of vendors help us out for free or at a very low rate just because they loved the sheer ambition of the film.

Through it all, we shot Dilated for less than $10,000 and although it is far from the perfect production, we take pride in its audacity, boldness, and unapologetic take on the action genre. Hopefully it'll challenge other aspiring action filmmakers to get out there and do the same. As a group of UCLA students that hope to eventually come day become successful commercial directors and producers, Dilated is perhaps the first step towards our eventual goal of producing big budget features on an international, global level in the very near future.

Making Seneca Falls

Louise Vance, the director of SENECA FALLS talks about the documentary:

The project began in 1994 with middle school girls writing a skit about their vision of the past, present and future of women's rights. They were so ahead of their time. The main character—an African American girl—goes on to become the first woman President of the United States. We often discount young people’s voices. But they have an idealistic view of the world, which is great medicine during these times. Plus, the Bay Area has an exceptional grasp on the human condition, and this troupe reflects that.

Making Iron Sky

Iron Sky Teaser 2 from Iron Sky on Vimeo.

Pekka Ollula tells the story of their teaser:

"Iron Sky will start filming this autumn, but since it is a very technical and effects heavy film, we needed to try out our production workflow to check out how things worked. So in the beginning of this year we arranged one day of green screen shootings during which we filmed one scene, and put it through our production pipeline. We were left with a few minutes of finished materials, which we decided to turn into a teaser for this year's Cannes Film Festival."

Making The Devil & Me

The Devil & me from Kenny Condon on Vimeo.

Kenneth Condon's THE DEVIL & ME is July's Surprise Prize winner for best surprise ending.

His story of making the trailer:

About a week before filming the trailer, I tried to think of the best way to approach it because there is so much wanted to tell. I dislike trailers that give the entire plot away in 2 minutes. So I went into the filming process with the thought of "leaving the audience wanting more" but at the same time displaying a solid body to the story. The story focuses on an 11 year old girl and her family. It was interesting writing the script because you need to adapt to the way a child thinks, what they would say or do in certain situations. The girl, named Abby, ends up running into the jersey devil. The jersey devil is a local legend around where i live in Southern New Jersey. I found the stories of this creature interesting and decided to try and spin the tale in a different light, giving it a more a a broader scale to where people can relate to it no matter where you live. It was a blast filming the trailer. It's cool to see your ideas and concepts finally come alive. Hopefully, one day the whole story of THE DEVIL & ME will be told.

Making Villa Del Sueno

Villa Del Sueño (Villa Dreaming) - Preliminary Trailer from Reed on Vimeo.

Reed Purvis writes about how a blonde American made VILLA DEL SUENO:

Filming this, as of now, incomplete film has so far been an interesting, educational and sometimes exhausting experience. A friend first took me to the large slum that most of this was filmed in and I was introduced to a guy who ran a radio station out of his house. I started spending time with the people who were a part of both the radio station and sports programs that help steer kids away from crime and I became friends with them. Being able to spend more time in the villa (slum), I met other people and made more friends and eventually came to know some of the criminal element as well. I don't want the film to focus on the criminal element, because society misunderstands the people living in these areas and people think they are all criminals when in reality only 10% or so are involved in criminal activities. Most of the people living in these neighborhoods are hard working people who would like to save enough money to leave the villa. Many came from even poorer backgrounds and have found a life of relative prosperity living in the cities' shantytowns.

The villas aren't as dangerous as everyone thinks. Almost anyone can walk in there and nothing will happen, but if you are entering it with something valuable then it can be dangerous. People will likely rob you of your valuables. So naturally, making a film can be difficult because people want to steal the camera. When I was taking my camera in, I always had to meet a friend and be accompanied by friends when filming. This made things hard because some of my friends lived way in the back of the villa, and if I wanted to go meet them and film something I had to coordinate with someone to go with me instead of just walking there myself. Without the camera, it's a different story. I was spending enough time there that I was comfortable walking around by myself inside. This is something that people living in Buenos Aires, the mainstream, normal society think is impossible, especially for a foreigner with blond hair.

Making Solita

Solita (trailer) from Steven Fine on Vimeo.

Steven Fine talks about the technical challenges:

SOLITA was my thesis project for Boston University's film program. Though I have just graduated in May, I continue to work in post-production to polish the special effects. It's a short film that has the ambition to ask a big question - If you had to choose, would you pick the cold isolation of space or the warm environment of a virtual reality earth?

There were a lot of risks in making this project. The film was shot half on green screen and half on location. We weren't sure if shooting super 16 mm film would work with green screen. We also weren't sure if our ideas would get across in twenty minutes. It's a complicated story. We finished a version of the film in three months, which made us pretty proud, but we knew there was so much more that could be done.

Trailer to Trilogy

Mrs Peppercorn's Magical Reading Room - Trailer from Black Lake Films on Vimeo.

Black Lake Film's trailer for MRS. PEPPERCORN'S MAGICAL READING ROOM has magically become a future trilogy as Mike and Helen Le Han have connected with a production company through the trailer. Mike says that as they complete the feature script they're finishing a short based on the story. They're working with industry professionals who've worked on the Harry Potter movies. Mike says about the short, "It's epic in scale and will show what can be achieved on a very small budget."

"Faking" Your Way to a Real Movie!

Want to know how to make a faux movie trailer? Read this article at internet video magazine!

A Hard Day's Night

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the break-up of the Beatles. The Traverse City Film Festival will screen rare copies of A Hard Day’s Night andHelp, in addition to presenting the new John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy (which covers Lennon’s adolescence and the formative years of the Beatles) at this year’s Festival, running July 27 – August 1.

Academy Award-winner Michael Moore launched the Traverse City Film Festival in his home state of Michigan in 2005 to bring often-undistributed national and international films to the public. Some 100 films will screen at this year’s event which includes film tributes, free daily panel discussions, film school, outdoor screenings and forums.

For more info, go to: www.traversecityfilmfestival.com.

Preview Your Dreams...

Preview Your Dreams--version3 from Murray Suid on Vimeo.

You know you want to!

Zombie Love @ IMTF!

Harold's Going Stiff - Promo from Frisson Film on Vimeo.

Play it again, Sam.

And again. And again. And again.

You will find it... in "Casablanca"

MaXspeed's Reel Story

I started off 10 years ago making silly stunt videos trying to learn the craft, hoping to get into the film industry. They were so bad I could not even get picked up by America's Funniest Home Videos. I screwed up everything: filming, editing, and worst of all...stunts.

A friend told me one day, "you are more entertaining when you mess up," and Max Speed was born. I made a career out of screwing up stunts and filming them. One day, a milkman recognized me from internet videos and told me he was a DJ for our Halifax Metro Centre where big hockey games are hosted.  He said he knew the producer that plays videos during half-time to entertain the crowds.  "Would you like to have your Max Speed videos play?"

Someone in the audience was putting on a huge motorcycle rally weekend, and contacted me through the Metro Centre and asked if I would do a major public stunt. That is where I jumped a motorcycle off the Bay of Fundy into the ocean, smashed through a wall of light bulbs and did crazy fire displays in front of 10,000 people. After that, anything I did would make the news or television, and people started calling me.

When I put out this trailer to a few friends, they sent it around to people showing what Max Speed had done.  It made its rounds so quickly here because it was something WAY out of my realm, and nothing like anything I had done before. Somehow I went from being a stunt nut, and not a good one, to learning how to create a soundtrack on my studio from a tune in my head, to making sound effects, directing, cinematography. I was scared to put out this film trailer and fail.The support from friends and family finally convinced me, and I submitted the film to your site.

Like my slogan...."I'm Just Keeping It Reel."

Manifest Destiny wins an Accolade!

Manifest Destiny: A Fates Calling Official Trailer from Justin Chambers on Vimeo.

Vote for your favorite trailer at International Movie Trailer Festival!

Congratulations to Manifest Destiny!

MANIFEST DESTINY has just won the prestigious “Award of Merit” from The Accolade Competition. The Accolade is unique; it is an awards competition, not a traditional film festival. Awards go to those filmmakers, television producers, videographers and new media creators who produce fresh, standout productions. It is a showcase for cinematic gems and unique voices.

The Accolade recognizes producers, established and emerging, who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity.

The Accolade has recognized productions from all over the world including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Columbia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Guam, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Malta, Martinique, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States and Venezuela.

View Manifest Destiny at International Movie Trailer Festival!

Holy Cow!

We have a brand-new entrant to our International Movie Trailer Festival. This one is from Guatemala and is called "La Vaca, una comedia con ubres," or "Holy Cow, a film with tits."

"Holy Cow" is the first feature film shot on RED ONE technology in Central América.

"Women and children can be careless..."

"...but not men."

"life goes where she goes"

It doesn't get much better than this.

We love L.A.

Dilated—winner of IMTF's "surprise prize" for best locations, features action sequences in the Los Angeles River (downtown L.A., USA) and in the Linda Vista Hospital (also Los Angeles).

The Gentleness of Rabbits wins a Bronze Telly!

Congratulations to The Gentleness of Rabbits!

Director Hank Isaac says: The Gentleness of Rabbits has been a labor of love since its inception back in the Summer of 2009. Despite the past work and successes of all involved, the film represents our first venture into the world of feature filmmaking. It also represents an evolution anomaly -- we're transitioning from a history of using digital media to originating on film. The trailer was created for the sole purpose of endearing the two central characters to potential investors. Basically, would you like to spend an hour and a half in the company of Daphne and Hollis and find out what happens to them? No attempt was made to tell or even hint at the story. The trailer was shot in an historic hundred-year-old mansion in one long day with forty five set-ups. Creating the trailer actually inspired a new scene which has subsequently been added to the screenplay. Thus far, the trailer has won an Accolade Award of Merit and a Bronze Telly Award. As the film's writer/director, I am immensely proud of our cast and crew.

Watch the trailer now at International Movie Trailer Festival!

Surprise Prize!

The first surprise prize from IMTF.biz is for "Most Unusual Location." The prize goes to DILATED. The winner will receive an autographed copy of The Power of Film by Howard Suber. Watch the trailer now at International Movie Trailer Festival!

Check back often to see which trailer wins the next surprise prize!

Happy Fourth of July!

The Beautiful Girl

Our latest trailer, The Beautiful Girl, came to us through a DJ in Nova Scotia. The DJ likes the trailer and wants the filmmaker, Max Speed, to succeed. Watch The Beautiful Girl now at International Movie Trailer Festival!

"I am not a has-been..."

Are you a "will be," too?
Why not enter?

They really should...

If you think a movie should be made about *you*—why not start with a trailer? You could win $5000!

"You can always tell..."

"You can always tell what kind of a person a man really thinks you are by the earrings he gives you”
—Audrey Hepburn

"Men and Women Can't Be Friends"

When Harry Met Sally...

This movie doesn't feel 20 years old, does it?

Anybody want a peanut?

"You have a great gift for rhyme."
The official trailer is here.

"Won't you join me?"

What a classic!

Is Audrey Hepburn your favorite?

Check out these adorable earrings!

Honor for GENTLENESS OF RABBITS

This just in from Hank Isaac, director of GENTLENESS OF RABBITS, one of IMTF's entries:

"The Gentleness of Rabbits has been a labor of love since its inception back in the Summer of 2009. Despite the past work and successes of all involved, the film represents our first venture into the world of feature filmmaking. It also represents an evolution anomaly -- we're transitioning from a history of using digital media to originating on film. The trailer was created for the sole purpose of endearing the two central characters to potential investors. Basically, would you like to spend an hour and a half in the company of Daphne and Hollis and find out what happens to them? No attempt was made to tell or even hint at the story. The trailer was shot in an historic hundred-year-old mansion in one long day with forty five set-ups. Creating the trailer actually inspired a new scene which has subsequently been added to the screenplay. Thus far, the trailer has won an Accolade Award of Merit and a Bronze Telly Award. As the film's writer/director, I am immensely proud of our cast and crew."

To see Hank's prize-winning trailer, click here and enter "Gentleness of Rabbits" in the Search box.

Billboard Loves Us!

"I haven't killed anybody since 1984."

Does Christopher Walken get the best lines, or what? 2:10 seconds shows off Tony Scott's prowess as a director and Tarantino's skill with words.

Before Susan Sarandon won for Dead Man Walking...

...she was wooed by Catherine Deneuve in The Hunger. Less than two minutes makes a vampiric impression!

Before Kathryn Bigelow won for Hurt Locker...

...she directed Near Dark. This is a trailer that works in less than 2 minutes and 20 seconds.

Featured Call for Entries

We're featured on StudentFilmmakers.com!

Daddy, I Won!

"Daddy I Do" Trailer from cassie jaye on Vimeo.

Daddy I Do just won the Best Documentary Award at the Cannes Independent Film Festival!

Steal This Poster!

Click the poster to make it bigger. Send the poster to your friends!

The Contest Has Begun

Visit us at International Movie Trailer Festival to vie for the Grand Prize of $5,000.

To enter, you'll submit a trailer for a movie you've made, or a trailer for a movie you dream of making.

There are many other prizes including one for the best student entry and another for the best song. You'll see a complete list of the awards on our website, where you can also find video tips from the pros.

Welcome to International Movie Trailer Festival!

Stay tuned for big news!

A classic title returns!