Bayou City Film News

For the next several weeks WIFT Houston will be looking for a great short script - one that can then be digitally produced for a budget not to exceed $10,000. We're placing an emphasis on strong storytelling and the ability to shoot the script locally. WIFT Houston and Irony Coast Productions will then produce the best live-action narrative script that is judged to be the Winner by a panel of industry professionals that may include independent producers, production companies, agents, distributors, filmmakers, film commission representatives, and others who may be selected and/or substituted at the discretion of the WIFT Houston. This competition is for dues-paying members of WIFT Houston. IF YOU are 18 years of age and older, and IF YOU are not now a member of WIFT Houston, you can join WIFT and compete with other writers IF YOU have a script that meets our needs. There are millions of stories to be told by people who live in and around Houston and these stories should have an o...

The Third Time's The Charm! Join us at Dean's on Thursday March 4th for our 3rd Short Film Slam! It's been a pleasant surprise since the debut Film Slam last December discovering budding and talented filmmakers from every point of this ginormous city that is Houston. This raw footage is of Houston Film Commission Deputy Director Alfred Cervantes speaking to the audience of second HFC Film Slam...Unfortunately it's dark due to the low lighting in the venue.

Texas Filmmakers Showcase 2010: Now accepting entries! The deadline is OFFICIALLY EXTENDED to March 12, 2010 (in office), so you have plenty of time but if your Texas-made short film is finished and ready, please send it in early. The 2010 Entry Form can be downloaded @ http://houstonfilmcommission.com/

We're coming up on the last Sunday of the month this weekend, which means it's time once again for TXMPA's Monthly Central Texas Meeting/Mixer at The Highball - this Sunday from 5-7pm. Please join us for this free event, and remember it's open to the public, so we encourage you to invite your friends, colleagues and associates to attend as well. THIS MONTH'S GUEST: Texas Film Commission Director BOB HUDGINS joins us for a conversation and Q&A, during which he'll give us an update on production in Texas and our new and improved incentives program for film, tv, commercial and video game makers -- who should definitely attend! Thus far, the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program has helped bring films like Machete, Predators and True Grit to Texas, along with television series like Friday Night Lights, The Deep End and Code 58, as well as numerous video game and commercial productions. In fact, after our legislation (HB 873) was signed last April, ...

Celebrating a Life - Honoring Jim Huston We lost one of our best and brightest too soon. Please make plans to join us for a celebration of Jim Huston and the contributions he made to our community. Friday, February 26 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. - Reception in the Art Gallery 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. - Screening of "Occam's Razor" Rice Media Center - located at the corner of University Blvd and Stockton, entrance #8 Rice University 6100 Main Street, MS-549 Houston, TX 77005 (713)348-4882 RSVP to Sheila at sheila.cooper@sag.org or call her at 972-361-8185 or (800) 724-0767, option 7. The following organizations are accepting memorial donations as suggested by the family. Principle Foundation 2405 Grand Blvd., Suite 1040 Kansas City, MO 64108 www.principlefoundation.org CARE 151 Ellis Street NE Atlanta, GA 30303 www.care.org If you have pictures of Jim Huston you would like to share, please forward them to Trish Avery at trish.avery@sag.org.

Kerosene Films will hosting another sceening of it's very popular feature film Spirit Camp on February 17, 2010 @ 7:00pm at Town and Country's Studio Movie Grill. The first screening sold out in three days but you still may be able to get tickets to this screening. Visit the films web site at:   http://www.spiritcampmovie.com/HOME.html

The TXMPA is having a Valentine's Day Dinner and Fundraiser in Houston and you are invited. It is our first big fundraiser of the year and it looks to be a lot of fun. This is a formal dinner at one of the most beautiful, romantic, amazing locations in Houston, The Bell Tower on 34th. There has been a few people who have expressed concern over the dress code. The dress code is as formal as you want it to be, or as casual. We don't care what you wear. You can wear a tux and taffeta, or plain ole jeans... heck, you can come dressed as Cupid for all we care. (Actually, if you do this, we might let you in free!) If you can't afford the ticket price, we're willing to work with you on that, too. We don't want anyone who wants to come to be left out because of economic struggles. But at the same time, this is a fundraiser for an organization that has done A LOT for our industry and deserves to be celebrated and supported. So please take a few minutes out of your day to ...

Stop waiting on others to film your screenplay and do it yourself! With his get-it-done attitude, Paul Bright guides you through each step of making your feature film and will have you well into pre-production before the night is over. This workshop gives you the tools to make your screenplay shootable, teaches the details of planning your film shoot, offers insights into how to run your film set calmly and efficiently, and helps you position your movie so the world will want to see it. With three features in distribution, a fourth film releasing in May and a fifth film shooting in June, Paul knows how to make movies on a miniscule budget in an environment that cast and crew love. He shares insights gleaned from triumphs and failures to help you avoid similar pitfalls. This workshop is intended for people who are tired of dreaming and ready to start doing. Because Paul wants to help screenwriters tell their stories to audiences that are hungry for something different from Hollywood ...

This is the trailer for one of the funniest short films I've seen in a long time. I first saw it this past Thurday night at Dean's Credit Clothing as part of the Houston Film Commission's First Thursday series. "This is a 4-minute and 12-second 3D computer animated short film that combines stylistic elements of an MTV music video with political satire. It was the second short film of director/animator Sukwon Shin that lasted for more than 2 years of work involving strong collaboration with co-director/lighter In Pyo Hong, Art director Choon Hoe Kim and Producer/ Graphic Designer YeonJung Kim." You can watch the entire film using the following YouTube link or visit the company's web site. http://www.sukwonshin.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRRW6KoHLDY

Southwest Alternate Media Project is a 33-year old, non profit media arts organization based in Houston, Texas. Our mission is to promote the creation and appreciation of film, video, and new media as art forms of a multicultural community. THE TERRITORY: A statewide PBS broadcast series featuring independent short films and videos."The Territory": A statewide PBS broadcast series featuring independent short films and videos. FILM & VIDEO WORKSHOPS: A series of courses for the emerging and developing filmmaker. MEDIA LITERACY INSTITUTE: Training workshops and seminars incorporating analysis, aesthetics and production elements of media arts and media literacy education. FISCAL SPONSORSHIP: Serves as a nonprofit fiscal sponsor to selected independent film and video productions based on a review of concept, budget and personnel. AFTER SCHOOL EDUCATION: Artists teach film and video production and media literacy skills to kids in schools. BUSINESS OF FILM CON...

Wes Anderson's animated feature "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" nabbed Oscar nomination for best animated feature film. Lets pull for this Texan and keep our fingers crossed that he wins one for the Lone Star State. ANIMATED FEATURE FILM "Coraline" "Fantastic Mr. Fox" "The Princess and the Frog" "The Secret of Kells" "Up"