Behind the Lens Contest

Grant Winners Announced

This year, we asked students to put together a proposal advocating for funding for their various projects. We received a number of proposals, and while the department will continue to support and develop any interested students and their projects, a jury consisting of faculty, staff and a filmmaker outside of Malone have voted on the proposals, and the following winners are the outcome.

Congratulations to

HIDDEN LIABILITIES (Dusty Jenkins and Michael Popp)

and

HATCHETMEN (David Garwood)

Each of these projects have been awarded $200 for production expenses.

Congratulations to Corinne Abbiss who wins the runner-up grant of $500 for her project, THE MEMORIES WITHIN. This script won this year’s script contest.

The winner of the $1000 grant is Taylor Hazlett for CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.

These projects along with many other student projects will be entering the production cycle shortly. Please get involved volunteering, crewing and collaborating with these students.

And THE OPEN FRAME GOES TO.....

For the first time in Open Frame history, an OPEN FRAME winner is being announced in September.
This year, the OPEN FRAME for SCREENPLAY was determined by an illustrious jury of our alumni.

Seven different writers (including two collaborative scripts) wrote seven different scripts this year. The overall quality of entries was up (again!) this year, and the scores given by the judges to the top four scripts was impressively competitive.

The runner-up script HIDDEN LIABILITIES was written by writing team Dusty Jenkins and Michael Popp and included a psychological thriller noir tone.

The winner of this year’s OPEN FRAME for scriptwriting goes to.....

Corinne Abbiss for THE MEMORIES WITHIN.

This is the first script that Corinne has submitted to the Open Frame contest, and while she DP’d (W)HOLE last year, this script will be her first script - to - screen production this year.

THE MEMORIES WITHIN tells a story about loss and recovery through a visit to a flea market. It’s a non-linear story about memory, forgiveness, family and grief. Corinne spent her summer writing the script and is looking forward to directing it during spring semester. She’s looking to fill her crew positions now, so if you’re interested in producing or crewing -- let her know.

The top four scripts (because their scores are so close) will vie for the Communication Department Production Grant this year ($1000). The Communication Arts Department will also fund other films this year with mini-grants ($200 each). The grant contest entries are due on Monday, October 11th at 8 a.m..

Congratulations to the five qualifying writers. The qualifying entries this year are:

Corinne Abbiss THE MEMORIES WITHIN


Dusty Jenkins & Michael Popp HIDDEN LIABILITIES

Taylor Hazlett & Erin Chilensky CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

Erin Chilensky TORN

Thanks to all of our alumni judges and our talented, hard-working writers.

Announcing the 2010 OPEN FRAME SCRIPT CONTEST

This year the Communication Arts Department will sponsor a script writing contest to find one script that might be developed into a festival-ready short film of the highest caliber. All scripts submitted to the contest will be reviewed by five qualified judges. Writers will receive feedback both in the form of narrative comments and rankings based on the various criteria. The top three scripts will be eligible for the departmentally sponsored film. The top script (regardless of whether it is chosen to be produced) will receive an OPEN FRAME AWARD at this year’s festival event.

Scripts may be in any genre. Fresh innovative stories told in a cinematic way are best. Scripts may range from one minute to sixteen minutes (one minute = on page in screenplay format). Scripts must be submitted in standard screenplay format. Scripts MUST include a title page, but may NOT include the authors name.

You should submit your script by email. You should send the email to Andrew Rudd and your script should be in PDF format, with a title, but NO authorial name. In the email you attach your script to, you should list your name, major, script name, and indicate whether you would:

a. prefer to direct your script, but would allow someone else to direct it,
b. prefer NOT to direct your script, and desire another director for it,
c. be ambivalent about whether you direct your script,
d. prefer to direct your script, and would not want your script to be directed by anyone else.

Scripts open to other directors will have a slight edge in the competition.

Scripts are due on September 13th, 2010 at 8 am. Contest winners will be announced on September 20th at 5 pm on the Open Frame Blog.

Congratulations!

This year marked a new record in that eleven scripts were submitted for the Open Frame.

A panel of 18 alumni carefully poured over these submissions. Using a standardized ranking system, each writer will have the opportunity to receive feedback about their script this year. Due to the generosity of our alumni judges, Malone students will be able to read open-ended feedback and statistical responses -- an unusual privilege for beginning writers. (THANKS, alumni!)

Four scripts have been selected as winners this year (though only two will proceed to department-sponsored production); it is my sincere hope that each of these scripts will be developed into short films, regardless of the department sponsorship.

The next two weeks of our contest will provide directors the opportunity to apply for the department-sponsored film. You can read more about the director's contest here.

The winning scripts this year include:

THAT KIND OF AFFECTION by Erin Chilensky

BENEDICT SEXTON by Dusty Jenkins

KEEPSAKES by Alyssa Pearson

(W)HOLE by Taylor Hazlett

Congratulations to all four writers and to the rest of the writers who submitted their work to the Open Frame Script Contest. Thanks for your hard work, developing craft and your commitment to creativity, vision and beauty!

Director's Contest

This year, the directors contest will build on the Open Frame Writing Contest in a new way.

Each director applicant must turn in the following materials by November 12th at midnight:

1. A director's vision statement of one of this year's winning scripts.

2. A list of (1 - 3) producers or *key players* (editor, cinematographer, art director, lead actor) they have (tentatively) recruited for the project.

3. A 30 second - 2 minute reel, posted on youtube or vimeo, demonstrating their abilities as a director.

*please email Andrew Rudd for copies of this year's winning scripts.

Your Director's Reel

A director's reel may be comprised of previous projects you've completed. These projects may vary from newsreel footage to photography to other short films.

You will probably want to demonstrate some ability to use visual storytelling for dramatic development during at least one portion of the reel. The reel does not need to include sync sound, but it may.

You may collaborate others to help you create the reel -- a Director of Photography, an editor, and actors. You may also use footage from earlier projects that you participated in as a DP, editor or director.

Please only use music legally for your reel.

You may want to even shoot something as simple as dialogue from one of the winning scripts, using a flip cam and some good light.

A Director's Vision Statement

Should include a re-telling and analysis of the script they are proposing to direct.

(Directors may create vision statements for as many of the scripts as they would be willing to direct.)

A director's vision statement should highlight the key emotional highlights of the script and explain some ideas for executing the more challenging technical dimensions of the script. The director should include a statement about why this project works for them personally.

A directors vision statement should be no more than one typed page.

Say, "I want to be a producer!"

Communication Arts Dept.
330-471-8523
www.theopenframeblog.blogspot.com
www.openframefilmfest.com
e-mail: arudd@malone.edu


The quality of the Malone College Open Frame Student Film Festival relies heavily on the efforts and determination of its films’ producers. For the 2007 contest, submissions will be accepted for producer positions. Being a producer can involve different jobs.

Producers: 1) communicate the artistic vision of a film to rally the troops, 2) make phone calls to others to help (with crew, locations, food, equipment), 3) they plan and organize production details, 4) work with a director to facilitate the realization of an artistic vision, and 5) are ultimately responsible for a creative vision they believe in.

Please write a one-page letter with the following information: 1) which of these jobs interest you, and 2) what experience and/or skills you think make you a good choice for a producer position. E-mail to Andrew Rudd at arudd@malone.edu