Monday, February 14, 2011

Filmmakers Connection Meeting 2/16 - 2010 LIIFE Winner Hits the Theaters! - Early Bird Deadline Approaching etc


(Stevan Mena, of the soon to be released horror feature, Bereavement. This 2011 LIIFE winner will also be part of our screenwriting panel - info below)

Early bird submissions for the Long Island International Film Expo are Feb 18, 2011 – so if you’re going to submit, this will be the least expensive time. Drop dead extended deadline is April 1, 2011.

Congratulations to 2010 LIIFE winner, Stevan Mena, on the distribution of his film, “Bereavement.” The theatrical release will begin here on Long Island at select markets on March 4 with two locations including the National Amusements Island 16 in Holtsville and the National Amusements Farmingdale 14 in Farmingdale. Come support one of our own!!

The next meeting of the Filmmakers Connection will be held on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 7:00 pm in room 303 of Five Towns College (305 North Service Road, Dix Hills, NY 11746).
The speaker will be Steven Taub, an Emmy Nominated Documentary filmmaker (“Laugh A Day”), who has worked in Television & Video Production since 1986. He will guide you and teach you how to succeed and get your work seen. Steven has an extensive background in marketing, public relations, and writing. Steven Taub is a member of the Suffolk County Film Commission.
He will be collecting head shots and resumes as will Donna McKenna for two films she is currently casting. (If it snows and it sticks, this meeting will be postponed. We will alert you through my (Debra Markowitz) and Donna’s (McKenna) facebook pages – be sure to check them if it’s snowing!).
Also at this meeting:
Mr. Mullen, a 12 minute short horror film, directed, written and produced by
Scott Goldberg will be showcased at this months meeting. The film was inspired
by the collapse of the economy in 2008 and comments on society as well as the
horrors of one losing their life savings, home and sanity. Inspired by real life
horror, Mr. Mullen offers a realistic look on humanity, greed, power, corruption
and a man who loses it all.
The film features Friday the 13th Part III veteran actor Paul Kratka, as well as
Long Island talent, Robert Youngren, Chris Margaritis, Keith McMahon and Peter
Longshanks. The film can be viewed at http://www.facebook.com/l/00f79CuO_SZFBw6TcwcGBY1llMg;www.mrmullenfilm.com.

Donna McKenna will again be collecting canned goods for the food pantry.

Because of showing Scott’s movie as well as speaker Steven Taub, we will not be doing “show and tell” screenings at this month’s meeting.

Free Screenwriting Panel:
The Long Island International Film Expo will have a screenwriting panel held at Adelphi University (Blodget Hall – Room 108) on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Panelists will include Adelphi Communications Faculty, Terrence Ross and Joan Stein Schimke. Additional panelists will include: award winning filmmaker, Stephan Mena (Bereavement), and video game screenwriters, JT Petty (of Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell) and WGA nominee, Sande Chen. Topics covered will be writing for short films, website storytelling, writing within the horror genre, and writing for video games. More details of the event will unfold within the weeks to come. If you have any questions, please contact Jim Cook at jim.cook2006@gmail.com.

Save the date!
Sunday, September 25, 2011 – 2:00 pm – Movies & Music event at Five Towns College. Seven indie filmmakers and seven indie musicians will discuss how they use music to enhance their movies, and how their music is created. Stay tuned for more information, but save the date!

The Long Island International Film Expo (LIIFE) is now accepting films for consideration for the 2011 festival. Get in on the deeply discounted early bird submissions until February 18 at http://liifilmexpo.org/ or www.longislandfilm.com The 14th annual LIIFE will be held from July 8 – 14, 2011, with the closing party on Thursday, July 14 – Buffet 5:00 – 6:30 in Filmmakers Lounge, with awards ceremony beginning next door in the Bellmore Movies at 6:45 pm. General admission is $55, or $45 for Filmmakers Connection Members!

LONG ISLAND FILM/TV FONDATION FINISHING FUND GRANTS ARE NOW OPEN!! Cut-off date for grants is February 28, 2011. Forms will be online shortly at: http://longislandfilm.com/sections/grants.html or e-mail debfilm@aol.com for an application. Grants are given out at the LIIFE closing party and awards ceremony.

The Roy Dean NYC grant is for docs and indie features and the grant closes 4/30/11. We are currently taking applications. Can you please post this short announcement for us on your web site or include it in your next newsletter? We know the filmmakers will appreciate learning about our grants. The winner for 2010 NYC Grant is Cathryne Czubek for her film A Girl and A Gun now being edited. The Roy W. Dean Grants are taking applications for the April 30, 2011 NYC and 6/30 LA Grant. Donations are goods and services that are close to $30,000.00 on each grant. We want docs and features budgeted under $500K. Please see www.fromtheheartproductions.com for application, guidelines and prior winners. Any questions email caroleedean@att.net

If you’re interested in finding out up-to-the-minute information on film jobs that I hear about (both cast and crew) or locations needed for film/tv/commercials, plus other film related information (or my own personal musings), check www.debramarkowitz.blogspot.com You can also sign up for our twitter account below, and I will tweet whenever I have anything film-related of interest. Let’s keep the work here!! If you are a filmmaker/casting person who knows of any positions, I can post those for you as well. Please e-mail me details: Union or nonUnion, personnel needed, whether it’s a paid position, when, where and what. Thank you.

We’re now on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace AND have our own Youtube channel! Come join us at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Long-Island-International-Film-Expo/125921132847, youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/LongIslandFilmExpo, myspace at: myspace.com/liifilmexpo and Twitter at: www.twitter.com/liintlfilmexpo.

If you had a film in the Long Island International Film Expo and have received a distribution deal (DVD, theatrical, and/or television), please send us a blurb and a link, and we’ll promote it for you on the Long Island International Film Expo facebook site.

If you have a home in Nassau County and would like to list it as a possible location for film/tv/commercial production, please contact debfilm@aol.com or call 516 571-3168.

If you have a business, service, or headshot you would like to bring to the attention of the dedicated audience that visits LongIslandFilm.com – consider placing a banner ad. They are quite reasonable this year, and could easily double in price by next year. If you sign up shortly, you will have your ad shown in random rotation for an entire year. Small banner ads are $150 – (120 x 60 pixels). Large banner ads are $300 (468 x 60 pixels). If interested, please e-mail your banner ad in the appropriate amount of pixels to debfilm@aol.com. Please include the URL you would like your ad to be connected to. You can pay by check to LIFTF, or by PalPay under “The Foundation” and then “Donations.” Just let us know when you send in your banner ad.
You can now pay for your membership to the Filmmakers Connection through PayPal on the www.LongIslandFilm.com website. Please be sure to include your name, address, phone #, e-mail address, which area of the film industry you are involved in (ex. Writer/director/producer) and whether or not you are already getting this newsletter by e-mail. Cost is $30 per year fee. If you are a student with current ID, it is $15 to join.)

If you would like to become a member (or renew your membership) of the Filmmakers Connection, please send $30, made out to the LIFTF to the Long Island Film/TV Foundation, c/o Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Avenue, Side Entrance, Bellmore, NY 11710. You may also pay at the meetings. The $30 membership fee entitles you to attend the Filmmakers Connection meetings for free. It also entitles you to discounts on Foundation functions such as the Long Island International Film Expo, the Awards Ceremony party, all mailings and newsletters, and (if all other criteria is met) a chance at winning the $1,000/$500 Finishing Fund Grant. (When you send in your $30, please be sure to include your name, address, phone number, e-mail address and how you are involved with the film industry, i.e. director, producer, voice overs, etc.) and whether you are already getting this newsletter by e-mail. If you are a student with appropriate college/high school ID, the cost is $15 to join for the year. If you do not join, you can still attend meetings for free.

Please be advised that the Foundation/Film Commissions/Film Offices are not responsible for speaker cancellations. Every effort will be taken to insure a speaker’s availability on the date mentioned. In case of a cancellation, every effort will be made to book an alternate speaker.

For information on the Long Island Film/TV Foundation contact Robert Hansen at 516 707-2237. For information about the Long Island International Film Expo, please contact Debra Markowitz at 516 571-3168.

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