Getting close to the finish line!

The deadline for submitting to the DIY Film Fest for films made in 2011 LOOMS LARGE.

The deadline is the 25th of January.

Films that arrive after the deadline, will be eligible for the following year's festival and awards.





Happened to hear the filmmaker Werner Herzog

Werner Herzog

 talking about his "Rogue Film School" on NPR the other day. He doesn't post the location of his school, he doesn't allow students to bring in camera, recorders, or laptops.  It's just you and him in a room. Alone. (oooh. scary!)

He teaches his students how to make rogue films.  He includes lessons in "how to pick locks" and "how to fake film permits" - I love his droll delivery and his dry sense of humor.  For any of you who've had to "get the shot no matter what" you'll appreciate what he has to say on the topic. (and here's more on FB)

One thing he did say jumped out for DIY Film Fest notice: "It only costs about ten thousand dollars nowadays to make a film.  You should take a job that allows you to get enough money to make that film and go and make the film.  Get a job that's interesting, a bouncer in a strip club, working in an emergency room, something that is exciting and gives you characters, so when you make your film it will be rich."

I'm paraphrasing, but you get the idea.  And nothing embodies the DIY spirit more than the above paragraph.  So here's to you Werner, and here's to your Rogue Film School!  Cheers!

DIY FILM FEST NEWS

 Yes, we're back online at withoutabox.com - Thankfully!

This statue to the left depicts how I felt the past couple of days, while I waited for someone in management to manage our site.

By the way, this photo was taken in Juhu, one of the soundstage complexes for Bollywood films outside of Mumbai.  Not far from it was a hand painted sign depicting a black jaguar and the warning "Don't wander off the set, as people have died here."  So - if you're ever lucky enough to make a Bollywood film, these are the kinds of things you need to consider.

Meanwhile, we're back to celebrating the DIY filmmaker and the DIY film.  We've got entries from all around the world.  Documentary Filmmaker MIREL BRAN from Romania, won last year's winner for Securitate Hunter  

has submitted two new documentary films.  We've got entrants from as far away as New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

We like to feature and promote filmmakers who create their own DIY experience - and we believe that everyone who has a story to tell and a camera, should be encouraged to pick it up and show and tell.

Here's a photo of a cappuccino made by a barrista in Santa Monica the other day.  Looks like a golden laurel.  An appropriate award for someone who puts all the effort into one small cappuccino - and yet, it's a work of art.  You can find art anywhere if you only look for it.  And the more we can encourage people to look for art in their own lives, a better place the planet will be.

Without a Box Entries!

A glitch has appeared in the WithoutABox entry system... for some reason, they're listing as as "CLOSED FOR THE SEASON" - Apologies - we aren't closed for the Season - in fact we're trying to catalog the entries that have come in over the past two weeks, and as soon as we can RATTLE THEIR CAGE we shall have them listed. This happened last year as well, a temporary glitch - we hope.  Hopefully in a day or two back to normal.  So please, be patient, will post an update as soon as we're LIVE AGAIN!!!!  Best,  DIY Film Fest Team

The Holiday Season

DIY FILM FESTIVAL - WITHOUTABOX ENTRY



"When the cost of filmaking is as much as a pencil and a piece of paper, then we'll have true art."  Filmmaker Jean Cocteau.

The Holiday Season is upon us!  Just wanted to note we have a fantastic amount of entries this year with some fantastic films.  At the moment we're finalizing the Awards Banquet which will be in downtown Hollywood in Early March.

It's always a bunch of fun, and we get to watch some of the winning films as well as meet the filmmakers.  It's a wonderful event, more details will be posted as they come in (www.diyconvention.com).  We're excited about this year's festival and hope you are as well.  Keep the DIY Flag flying high. And have a little extra nog while you're at it; you deserve it!

Past DIY Film Festival Winners

The DIY Film Festival is proud to talk about.. itself! We've had a lot of talented filmmakers in the past 8 years, and we want to brag about a few of them. Early winners from the festival, include Jeff Wadlow, (Tower of Babble, 2002, and Katching Kringle 2004) who won awards in two festivals, once for a comedy short, and another year for an animated short. He went on to win the Million dollar Chrysler Film Festival, and then Jeff went on to direct the feature film Cry Wolf in 2005.
2006 BEST DRAMATIC FEATURE and BEST DIRECTOR for "SELF MEDICATED" filmmaker Monty Lapica went on to release his film theatrically after winning numerous other film festivals.
2006 BEST FILM "AMAZING GRACE: JEFF BUCKLEY" went on to win numerous other film festivals, as well, the terric and moving portrait of the winger, and is awaiting release on DVD.
The 2007 Festival included recent theatrical release "Last Stop for Paul" by director Neil Mandt. "Last Stop" went on to win awards in 45 film festivals and was released theatrically this past spring. And finally, last year's Documentary feature winner "The American Drug War: the Last White Hope" went on to win numerous awards and was purchased by Showtime where it made its debut in March and is now on DVD. Congratulations to director Kevin Booth and kudos to all the filmmakers who've allowed us to get a glimpse of their careers early on! Keep up the good work!!

Last year's winner Best Film "Buskers" is showing at the upcoming Coney Island Festival on Sept 8th.