Cross-Media Challenge Sheffield

$10,000CAD/£5,000 co-production competition
for innovative content creators

National Film Board of Canada
and Sheffield Doc/Fest Announce
2008 “CROSS-MEDIA CHALLENGE”

The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) and the Sheffield International Documentary Festival are issuing a call for proposals for the second CROSS-MEDIA CHALLENGE.

The CROSS-MEDIA CHALLENGE is a co-production competition for innovative, interactive, socially engaged content with applications for mobile and broadband. It will award one producer a $10,000CAD/£5,000 co-production development deal with the NFB.

Deadline for entries is October 10, 2008. Three semi-finalists will be invited to present their projects at a panel session during the Sheffield Doc/Fest. The winner will be announced at the DigiDocs 360 program at the Sheffield Doc/Fest.  Semi-finalists must finance their own travel to the festival.

The Sheffield International Documentary Festival takes place November 5 – 9, 2008, in Sheffield, England.

ABOUT THE CHALLENGE

A global leader in developing content for new platforms, the NFB wants to ensure the digital future has room for artistic innovation and social relevance. The CROSS-MEDIA CHALLENGE is one way of reaching out to potential new production partners.

The CROSS-MEDIA CHALLENGE offers media makers an opportunity to develop projects that:

• inspire an exchange of storytelling practices among diverse communities;
• use media creatively to foster an international dialogue on issues with local roots;
• unleash the creative talents of new and alternative voices.

The NFB is interested in projects that use the versatility, mobility and borderless nature of new platforms to enable communities to talk to each other. Projects must be documentary based. The theme for the 2008 challenge is “environment.”

Eligible projects must be cross-platform and multi-platform involving the best features of each medium to ensure maximum audience participation. Projects should take full advantage of the range of new platforms, with particular emphasis on interactive, mobile and online. Projects must demonstrate direct contact and interaction with communities as part of the development plan.

The winner of the 2007 CROSS-MEDIA CHALLENGE was My Dangerous Loverboy,  an interactive Web and mobile site that will raise awareness of global sex trafficking and create a virtual community for at-risk young girls. My Dangerous Loverboy is a co-production of Vita Nova Films, Quba New Media, Screen Siren Productions and the NFB.

RESTRICTIONS

Employees of the National Film Board of Canada and the Sheffield International Documentary Festival and members of their immediate family and persons residing with them are not eligible for the CROSS-MEDIA CHALLENGE.

SUBMISSION DETAILS

Submitted proposals should be a maximum of 2 pages and provide a succinct overview of your project, a development plan and development budget summary along with any supporting audiovisual material. Proposals must be received by October 10, 2008.

Proposals (including your full name and address) should be e-mailed to:

Programming and Reporting Coordinator
crossmediachallenge@nfb.ca

Supporting audiovisual material may be mailed, with cover letter specifying the name of the project, to:

Programming and Reporting Coordinator
P-15
National Film Board of Canada
3155 Côte de Liesse Road
Montreal, Quebec H4N 2N4

The winning project will be announced at the DigiDocs 360 program at Sheffield Doc/Fest.

For more information on DigiDocs 360, visit
www.sheffdocfest.com/view/digidocs.

TIPS

For a better idea of how creativity and social issues come together in innovative cross-platform programming at the NFB, you may want to check out these NFB projects:

CITIZENSHIFT
http://citizen.nfb.ca
Web platform for alternative media and social change

WAPIKONI MOBILE (in French)
www.wapikoni.ca
A program for emerging Quebec Aboriginal filmmakers
Conceived by Manon Barbeau/Les productions des beaux jours, in collaboration with the NFB

FILMMAKER-IN-RESIDENCE
www.nfb.ca/filmmakerinresidence
A pioneering multimedia community engagement project, nominated in 2007 for the Grierson Innovation Award.

The manifesto for this project outlines a general approach that can be adapted to other kinds of socially engaged media projects:

1. The original project idea and goals come from the community partner.
2. The filmmaker’s role is to experiment and adapt documentary forms to the original idea. Break stereotypes. Push the boundaries of what documentary means.
3. Use documentary and media to “participate” rather than just to observe and to record. Filmmaker-in-Residence is not an A/V or a PR department.
4. Work closely with the community partner, but respect each other’s expertise and independence.
5. 5. Use whatever medium suits – video, photography, World Wide Web, cellphones, iPods or just pen and paper. It can all be documentary.
6. Work through the ethics, privacy and consent process with your partners before you begin, and adapt your project accordingly. Sometimes it means changing your whole approach – or even dropping it. That’s the cost of being ethical.
7. The social goals – and the process itself – are paramount. Ask yourself every day: why are you doing this project?
8. Always tell a good story.
9. Track the process and results and spend time sharing what you’ve learned with multiple communities: professionals, academics, filmmakers, media, general public, advocates, critics and students.
10. Support the community partner in distribution and outreach. Spend 10% of the time making the project and 90% of the time getting it out into the world.
11. Just “showing it” is not necessarily a goal in itself. Work with the partners to harness the project’s momentum to effect real participation and real positive change.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

Any submitted proposal will not be returned to a participant.

All information submitted to the CROSS-MEDIA CHALLENGE from a participant will be used only for the purposes of conducting this Challenge unless otherwise indicated by participant.

Semi-finalists must be available to participate in a panel session at the Sheffield Doc/Fest (November 5 – 9, 2008) and pay their expenses to attend the festival. The festival will provide semi-finalists with a free day pass, if necessary.

The NFB will not be responsible for the participant’s inability to get through on the Internet during the Challenge period.

Proposals are subject to verification and will be declared invalid if they are illegible.

The winner will receive a $10,000CAD/£5,000 co-production development offer from the NFB. The winner must accept the terms and conditions of the standard co-production development agreement for the offer to be valid. The award must be accepted as is and cannot be transferred, substituted, or exchanged in whole or in part for money.

By participating in this Challenge, the winner relieves the NFB of all liability for damages the winner may suffer following acceptance of the award.

The winner shall consent, if required, to the use, without compensation, of his or her name and/or image, in particular, photo and /or voice, for publicity purposes related to this Challenge.

The NFB is not liable for computer system, software or phone line malfunctions; the loss or absence of network server connections; or any defective, incomplete, jumbled or scrambled computer transmissions or transmission failure by any computer or network that might restrict or prevent participation in the Challenge. The NFB is not liable for any damage or loss caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, by the downloading of any software or form or by the transmission of any information in regard to the Challenge participation.

The NFB reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify, cancel or suspend the Challenge.

By submitting a proposal, participants agree to these rules.

Subject to all applicable laws and regulations, these rules govern all aspects of the Challenge and bind all participants.

Rosa Rosa is the interweaving of individual and collective fates via a love story told by the couple themselves. It consists partly of reworked photos, the images superimposed on each other to create a stylized realism in which public and private spaces overlap. With its evocative soundtrack and plain, simple narration, this film by director Félix Dufour-Laperrière offers a touching look at happiness in hard times.

Today, most films are selected and financed by major studios or a few wealthy individuals. IndieShares shatters this mold by providing a revolutionary way to finance and produce films. Now you can have a say in what’s made and own a piece of the “Action!”

We receive thousands of scripts and each one moves through our proprietary filtering process. The scripts with the highest IndieScores™ are optioned and only then do we ask for Your Vote.

Simply read the script summaries or watch the short video pitches. Then cast Your Vote for the story you think will make the best movie.

The winning script will be turned in to a public offering with shares available for as little as $10. Your Money will then be used to produce your movie. IndieShares will only use reputable production companies and talent. When your movie is sold, any profits will be split among the shareholders.

Does he drive off a cliff? Does she get the guy? You tell us—it’s Your Movie. As a producer, you’ll have exclusive access to clips and stills from the shoot. You can also join chat sessions with the director and actors and see the whole thing come together firsthand. Once the movie is made, head to the theatre, grab some popcorn and watch Your Movie.

3. Your Movie

2. Your Money

The main aims of the initiative are to promote European integration and cultural exchange and to improve cross-border contacts in the film industry. This is achieved through a three-pronged approach based on the EU XXL Forum, EU XXL Film Show and EU XXL Dialogue. Forums take place regularly in Austria and other countries (most recently in mid-December in Bratislava and Krakow) and permit an exchange of ideas between representatives and experts of networks and interest groups within the European film industry.

Luni, 4 august 2008

Din apartamentul sau cochet de la etajul 14, Yoani Sanchez stapaneste cu privirea Plaza de la Revolucion si elegantul cartier Vedado. Cu blogul mai urca o treapta spre libertate: are cam 9 milioane de vizitatori pe luna, dar in tara sa cu acces limitat la Internet, povestile neoficiale despre Cuba se raspandesc altfel, intr-o bizara retea offline. Bloggerita oarba, cum isi spune, Yoani a inventat blogul samizdat, blogul cu tractiune mecanica, blogul “citeste si da mai departe”.

Ii spune Generatia Y. Acum trei decenii, femeile cubaneze adorau sa-si boteze copii cu nume continand unul sau mai multi Y. Lor, celor din generatia Y, li se adreseaza in primul rand. Ca sa ajunga la ei, regimul trebuie, ca de obicei, pacalit. “Internetul e singura posibilitate de a face jurnalism independent”, spune Yoani, care n-ar avea altfel nici o sansa sa apara la televizor sau sa scrie in Granma, ziarul oficial, sau la alta publicatie. Ce sens are insa Internet-ul intr-o tara in care Guvernul interzice practic, practicand preturi prohibitive, accesul in retea?

Salariul pe o luna pentru doua ore pe net

Ora de navigare costa in Internet-Cafe-uri intre 6 si 10 dolari pe ora. Leafa medie abia ajunge la 18 dolari. Altfel spus, doua ore pe net costa salariul pe o luna intreaga. Cenzura simpla si eficienta, mai putin sofisticata decat in China. Pana acum trei luni, le era interzis sa detina un calculator, de unde s-ar putea deduce ca, in Cuba, blogerii posteaza in pustiu. Cat se poate de fals.

“Monopolul detinut de Guvern asupra informatiilor crapa din cauza Internet-ului”, explica Yoani, convinsa ca “societatea cubaneza s-a informatizat impotriva vointei oficiale”. Internetul a fisurat sistemul de manipulare si control total a informatiei. Prin crapaturile sale, cuvintele interzise se scurg printre degetele cenzurii ca argintul viu. “Sunt mai multe computere in maini private decat va imaginati, cumparate de pe piata neagra. Eu insami am calculator de 14 ani”, se mandreste bloggerita, amintind din nou ca, oficial, cubanezii gasesc calculatoare in magazinele de stat doar de cateva luni.

Chiar daca le gasesc, nu se prea pot atinge de ele. Un Pentium III, de pilda, costa in magazin intre 700-900 de dolari. Pe piata neagra preturile cad la jumatate.

Yoani Sanchez si sotul sau, Reinaldo Ascobar Foto: Hotnews

Citeste si da mai departe

Desigur, Guvernul a blocat accesul la site-ul sau, care nu poate fi accesat din Cuba. Site-ul nu, informatiile ajung insa in mii de calculatoare private. Yoani lucreaza in orb si in mare viteza din Internet-cafe-uri publice. In cateva minute, expediaza informatiile prietenilor sai de afara. Ei actualizeaza blogul gazduit pe un server din Germania, unde Guvernul cubanez nu mai poate face nimic. Blogul se intoarce pe CD in Havana, iar Joan face cam 100 de copii pe zi.

Odata raspandite in Cuba, CD-urile se multiplica, la randul lor, in progresie geometrica. Astfel, postarile sale ajung sa fie citite de mii de cubanezi, cu sau fara acces la Internet. “E o relatie bizara a unui blogger cu blogul sau, dar functioneaza”, se amuza Joan. O singura postare a avut peste 6000 de comentarii, iar de regula, postarile depasesc mia de comentarii.

“Aici, intrebarea nu este cati oameni au acces la Internet, ci cati oameni se informeaza pentru ca unul a avut acces la internet”, spune Yoani. E suficient un singur evadat. Pe langa faptul ca piata Internetului la negru ia amploare, Guvernul se saboteaza singur, in fiecare zi. Angajatii din institutiile publice conectate la Internet vand parolele de acces dupa orele de program.

Zeci si sute de cubanezi le folosesc pe timpul noptii utilizand retelele de telefonie fixa, cu tarife inca foarte mici. Descarca filme, muzica sau copiaza informatii pe memo-stick-uri si le dau mai departe. “Guvernul cubanez stie ca avem internet la negru la fel cum stie ca luam mancare de pe piata neagra ca sa putem trai”, explica Yoani.

Societatea civila se naste pe blog

In Cuba sunt, cu totul, cam 12 bloggeri independenti; restul se ocupa cu propaganda. Pe Joan Sanchez oamenii o recunosc pe strada. Tentatia fructului oprit a sporit succesul bloggului sau, dar mai e ceva: Yoani Sanchez nu este o fictiune, ci o femeie obisnuita, cu familie si un copil, care isi traieste viata de zi cu zi in Havana, cu privatiunile si bucuriile ei. “Oamenii isi dau seama ca exist cu adevarat, si ca fac parte dintr-o generatie care, pana acum, a decis sa-si tina gura sau sa plece din tara”, incearca sa explice Yoani de ce blogul sau a avut in luna mai noua milioane de vizitatori, iar in iunie – opt milioane.

Nu critica regimul de pe pozitii ideologice, ci din postura cetateanului obisnuit: “De exemplu, nu folosesc niciodata cuvantul democratie, desi tot ce scriu este un cant inchinat democratiei. Jurnalismul oficial e mult prea incarcat cu concepte grele, starine cetateanului obisnuit. Si pentru toate aceste lucruri, cred, blogul meu s-a transformat in fenomen”. Adevarul e ca in Granma, ziarul partidului, sau in alte publicatii oficiale n-ai ce citi.

Yoani spune ca obiectivul ei este sa tina un blog cu resurse minime, disponibile pentru toata lumea. Foloseste Internet cafe-uri si s-a deprins sa lucreze in mare viteza astfel ca intra pe net cam de opt-noua ori cu o cartela de o ora. “Astfel, ii oblig sa inchida toate Internet-cafe-urile sau sa le deschida pe toate”, rade Joan.

Alti opozanti, in special cei implicati in politica, intra pe net doar la ambasade, de teama ca Guverul le fura parolele si le citeste mail-urile. Yoani nu are problema asta. Tot ce face urmeaza sa devina, oricum, public. Nu se considera opozanta clasica, desi, explica ea, toti cei care nu aplauda regimul de dimineata pana seara sunt automat in opozitie.

Yoani Sanchez si sotul sau, Reinaldo Ascobar, dat afara prin anii 80 din presa oficiala pentru atitudini contrarevolutionare, sunt doi oameni care au curajul sa spuna, simplu, ca lucrurile merg prost in Cuba.

Nota: HotNews.ro publica o serie de articole despre Cuba. Documentarea a fost realizata prin intermediul proiectului „Intarirea solidaritatii europene dintre Europa Centrala si de Est si Cuba”, derulat de catre Asociatia Pro Democratia

ACEST ARTICOL PE http://www.hotnews.ro/

23-27 April

The EMAF is one of the most influential forums of international Media Art. As a meeting point for artists, curators, lenders, gallery owners and an audience of specialists, the festival has had a great impact on the topic and aesthetics of Media Art. Each year the festival offers its visitors a current overview of experimental films, installations, performances, digital formats and hybrid forms, ranging from personal and political subjects or formal experiments to provocative statements.

Here you can look up short films and inquire about rights of use. All films are available for viewing in full length, and it’s also possible to download material and photos for each film. This is a service devoted to professionals.

http://soundportraits.org/

Whether on the radio, in print, or on the Web, Sound Portraits is committed to producing innovative works of lasting educational, cultural, and artistic value.

Sound Portraits’s radio documentaries are audio profiles of men and women surviving in the margins. Sound Portraits is known not just for its cutting-edge radio documentaries but also for its innovative approaches to disseminating ideas, sparking discussion, and broadening the national debate on such issues as poverty, juvenile justice, prison, and race.

CinemaNet Europe is bringing documentaries to the big screen by transforming independent cinemas across several countries into digital cinemas. These screens will receive films by hard discs or ADSL instead of reels.