MOVIE EXTRA TROPFEST 2009 ‘SPRINGS’ TO LIFE
Movie Extra Tropfest 2009 Official Call for Entries
Filmmakers across Australia will be rolling out their video cameras with the Movie Extra Tropfest 2009 official call for entries launching today. The 2009 Tropfest Signature Item (TSI) is Spring - apt as the festival, to be held on Sunday 22 February 2009, has been the spring board for launching many an aspiring Aussie filmmaker’s career. As 2009 promises to deliver an even bigger and better experience for filmmakers, Aussie ‘Spielbergs’ are being urged to get in quick and visit the new look Tropfest website www.tropfest.com for entry details before the Thursday 8 January 2009 deadline.
Announced earlier this year, Tropfest’s partnership with Movie Extra, part of the Movie Network Channels, will offer filmmakers an even larger audience base to exhibit their work. In addition to the anticipated live audience of over 150,000 people on the festival night, 2009 marks first live and national TV broadcast of the festival, via the Movie Extra channel, bringing the filmmaker’s films and the atmosphere of the festival direct to homes, bars and clubs across the nation, reaching a potential audience of over 1 million Foxtel and Austar subscribers.
“Through Movie Extra, new filmmakers have the potential to reach an even greater audience than ever before – the chance to have their film screened nationally across Tropfest’s national and regional screening sites and through Movie Extra network’s substantial reach is an extraordinary opportunity. We're anticipating a big response to this year’s call out as a result,” said John Polson Founder and Director of Tropfest.
Additionally, Tropfest’s unparalleled prizes continue to tempt aspiring filmmakers. Included in the $100,000 total pool, the first prize winner will receive the Qantas Scholarship which includes a trip for two to the USA, six nights accommodation and a tailored program of meetings with agents, executives and industry. The Qantas Scholarship Program has been credited with spring-boarding Tropfest alumni such as Gary Eck, Luke Eve, Tim Bullock, and Steve Baker into successful careers and more recently, directing duo Rob Carlton and Alex Weinress with their comedy-drama TV series, Chandon Pictures.
Several exciting Tropfest filmmaker initiatives will also be launching this year including a new national Filmmaker Information Tour involving past Tropfest alumni where aspiring filmmakers are given the opportunity to ask questions and find out more about entering the festival along with Trop Tips – top tips from industry experts, which will be posted monthly on the Tropfest website (www.tropfest.com) providing advice and encouragement to new filmmakers.
“The new Tropfest initiatives launching this year continue to cement Tropfest’s role in guiding aspiring filmmakers to take up their cameras and join the filmmaking profession and we envisage they will be widely embraced not just by emerging filmmakers, but also the broader filmmaking community whose support and involvement we are indebted to,” continued John Polson.
With such a compelling festival and prize line-up for 2009, and with the 8 January 2009 Tropfest submission deadline just 12 weeks away, filmmakers are being encouraged to start the creative process now.
“The standard and quality of the films we’ve received over the past few years has been nothing short of amazing and is a real testament to the latent creative talent in Australia today. However these films won’t write, direct or produce themselves and we’re urging filmmakers to get a move on now if they want to be part of this incredible festival and filmmaking experience,” said John Polson.
ENDS
Trop Jr
For young filmmakers wanting to get involved, Trop Jr – the world’s largest short film festival for kid, by kids – is also calling out for entry today. Open to children aged up to 15 years, Trop Jr is in its second year and is a great opportunity for kids to get involved in the creative process of filmmaking.
Entry to Trop Jr is free, kids can enter individually or as a group and multiple entries are permitted. Film formats can include live action, animation and documentaries. In true Trop tradition, each film must also include a Trop Jr Signature Item (TSI) which for 2009 is SQUEEZE. The TSI can be interpreted in any way the filmmaker chooses, as long as it appears somewhere in the film.
Trop Jr will take place during the afternoon before the main Tropfest festival, at the Crescent Precinct in Sydney’s Domain on Sunday 22 February 2009. Families can have a picnic lunch and enjoy the activities and amusements provided from 12pm. Celebrity presenters and judges will then kick off proceedings by screening the Trop Jr Finalists on the big outdoor screen from 2pm. Other national Tropfest venue partners will also screen the films prior to their main Tropfest events.
Parents, teachers or carers should carefully read all of the 2009 Trop Jr Entry Guidelines, Frequently Asked Questions and Terms & Conditions that are set out on the Trop Jr website.
Check www.tropjr.com.au for further event details and subscribe to Trop Jr News for regular updates.
Tropfest Filmmaker Information Tour 16 – 31 October 2008
SYDNEY
Thursday 16 October
Hosted by Metro Screen
Filmmakers joining Q&A panel: Michelle Lehman & Gary Doust
Metro Screen, Paddington Town Hall
RSVP metro@metroscreen.org.au
Saturday 18 Oct
Hosted by ICE & NSWFTO
Filmmakers joining Q&A panel: Michelle Lehman & Johnny Tran (winner of Bright Spark Award 08; recent winner of FTO Young Filmmaker Grant $30,000)
Rafferty’s Theatre, Parramatta
RSVP info@ice.org.au
ADELAIDE
Monday 20 Oct
Hosted by the Media Resource Centre & Mercury Cinema
Filmmakers joining Q&A panel: Eddie & James White
Mercury Cinema
RSVP rsvp@mrc.org.au
HOBART
Friday 24 Oct
Hosted by the Salamanca Arts Centre & Wide Angle Tas
Filmmaker joining Q&A panel: Jayne Montague
Peacock Theatre, Hobart
RSVP info@wideangle.com.au
BRISBANE
Thursday 30 October
Hosted by QPIX
Filmmakers joining Q&A panel: Steve Baker & Michael Noonan
QPIX, Woolloongabba
RSVP qpix@qpix.org.au
PERTH
Friday 31 Oct
Hosted by FTI
Filmmakers joining Q&A panel: Burleigh Smith
FTI, Fremantle
RSVP screenevents@fti.asn.au
Tropfest 2009 Festival Sites – Sunday 22 February 2009
Sydney:
The Domain, Sydney
Presented by Tropfest
Melbourne:
Sidney Myer Music Bowl
Presented by Tropfest and City Of Melbourne
Canberra:
Stage 88 Commonwealth Park, Canberra
Presented by the National Capital Authority
Brisbane:
Suncorp Piazza, Brisbane
Presented by QPIX
Perth:
Princess May Park, Fremantle
Presented by the Film and Television Institute
Hobart:
Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart
Presented by SAC and Wide Angle
Adelaide:
Rundle Park, Adelaide
Presented by the Media Resource Centre and Mercury Cinema
About Tropfest
Tropfest was founded by filmmaker John Polson at Sydney's Tropicana Cafe in 1993. What began as a small screening for friends and family is now regarded as the largest short film festival in the world. Tropfest is a free, public event that takes place nationally in February via simultaneous satellite broadcast in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra, Brisbane, and Perth – collectively attracting an audience of more than 150,000 people on a single night. Tropfest is now in its 17th year with ‘spring’ as the Tropfest Signature Item (TSI) for 2009.
Tropfest 2009 entry forms and filmmaker info guides are now available to download from the Tropfest website www.tropfest.com. You can also find festival details, screening venues and regular updates on all things Trop.
About Movie Network Channels:
Movie Network Channels is the premium entertainment destination on subscription television, offering four distinct channels: MOVIE ONE and MOVIE TWO shine bright with blockbuster hits; MOVIE GREATS offers classics and library favorites; and MOVIE EXTRA delivers viewers a unique alternative to the Hollywood formula, including special events and original and exclusive series such as Mad Men, The Henry Rollins Show and Chandon Pictures. MNC is a joint venture company owned and operated by studio partners Warner Bros., MGM, Disney, and Village Roadshow, distributed via subscription TV platforms FOXTEL, AUSTAR, OPTUS, SelecTV, TransTV and Neighbourhood Cable.
For media enquiries relating to Movie Extra Tropfest, please contact:
Francesca Millena
Spin Communications
P) 02 9339 8328
M) 0424 070 056
E) f.millena@spin.com.au
For media enquiries relating to Movie Extra or Movie Network Channels, please contact:
Philippa Harris
NIX Co.
P) 02 9211 6650
E) philippa@nixco.com.au