The Film Commission of Greater Kansas City is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the 2012 Robert Altman Emerging Filmmakers Fund Education Grants

The fund’s inaugural grants will award 10 filmmakers living within 50 miles of the greater Kansas City area. The goal is to give filmmakers the expert business knowledge needed to help turn their craft into a business, turn an existing project into a more fruitful venture or both.

“Much like the imagination of Robert Altman, the potential for these grants is unlimited,” said Justin Gardner, Film Commission board member and founder/director of the Robert Altman Emerging Filmmakers Fund. “Thanks to a generous grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the 10 selected filmmakers will be able to participate in the FastTrac® NewVenture™ program, which will give them knowledge about starting a company that they just don’t teach in film school. We’re excited to help put local artists on a path for creative business success.”

Applicants must have a business or project idea ready to bring to five full-day classes on consecutive Fridays from July 13 to Aug. 10 at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Small Business & Technology Development Center, 4747 Troost Ave., room 114. Grant winners will be notified by July 1.

The Kauffman Foundation grant will cover the $500 program fee for the FastTrac® NewVenture™ program for all 10 grant recipients. (Because of this subsidy, participants are required to attend all sessions, except for illness or emergency.)

To apply, go to KCFilm.com/AltmanGrants. The application fee is $10 and the deadline is 5 p.m. CST, June 1, 2012.

About Robert Altman
Legendary film director Robert Altman (1925-2006) was born in Kansas City, Mo. His distinctive movies, known for their ensemble acting and overlapping dialogue, include “M*A*S*H” (1970), “Nashville” (1975), “The Player” (1991), “Short Cuts” (1993) and “Kansas City” (1996), which he shot in his hometown.

About the Film Commission of Greater Kansas City
The Film Commission of Greater Kansas City supports the work of major and independent film companies and media production teams working on location in the Kansas City region. Visit us online at kcfilm.com.

About the Robert Altman Emerging Filmmakers Fund
With the blessing of the family of Robert Altman, the Film Commission established the Robert Altman Emerging Filmmakers Fund in 2011 to help local filmmakers better realize their cinematic visions and creative business pursuits.

About Kauffman FastTrac®
Kauffman FastTrac® is the leading provider of learning curricula that equip aspiring and existing entrepreneurs with the business skills and insights, tools, resources and network to start and grow successful businesses. Kauffman FastTrac® was created by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the largest foundation in the United States devoted to entrepreneurship. For more information about Kauffman FastTrac®, visit fasttrac.org and follow the organization on twitter.com/fasttrac, facebook.com/kauffmanfasttrac and fasttrac.org/linkedin.

About the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private nonpartisan foundation that works to harness the power of entrepreneurship and innovation to grow economies and improve human welfare. Through its research and other initiatives, the Kauffman Foundation aims to open people’s eyes to the possibility of entrepreneurship, promote entrepreneurship training and education, raise awareness of entrepreneurship-friendly policies and find alternative pathways for the commercialization of new knowledge and technologies. Founded by late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman, the Foundation is based in Kansas City, Mo., and has approximately $2 billion in assets. For more information, visit kauffman.org, and follow the Foundation on twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and facebook.com/kauffmanfdn.

About the UMKC Small Business & Technology Development Center
From concept to capital, the UMKC Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC) provides a comprehensive entrepreneur and small business development program. They provide counseling, training and research for new ventures, existing small businesses and innovative technology companies, including technology counselors to provide more in-depth support and a variety of tools that help clients evaluate the direction of their technology, departmentalize concepts and chart strategic direction. For more information, go to sbtdc.umkc.edu or email at umkcsbtdc@umkc.edu. ###

Patrick Wang, the critically acclaimed director and screenwriter of the psychological family drama, “In the Family,” will appear at 7 p.m. April 18 at Third Eye Productions, 2024 Main.

Parking will be on the west side of the Third Eye building off of Baltimore Street, south of 20th street.

Come join us as we welcome the award-winning first-time filmmaker in a public meet and greet that will include light appetizers, a cash bar and a showing of the trailer for “In the Family,” the absorbing tale of Joey Williams, a gay man living in Tennessee (played by Wang), whose six-year-old son is taken from him by the legal system after his partner dies in a car accident.

Wang will also be in attendance when “In the Family” receives its Kansas City premiere at 6:30 p.m. Apr. 20 at the Tivoli Cinemas in Westport Manor Square, 4050 Pennsylvania. (For more information, go to tivolikc.com.)

What is it about “In the Family” that’s landed Wang’s self-financed indie film on more than 25 “best of” lists and made it a critics’ pick from The New York Times?

The intriguingly potent 169-minute epic impresses as “remarkably fresh and unpredictable” (The New York Times); a “beautifully written and performed plea for understanding” (Variety); an “eye-opening debut that deserves to be part of the current film conversation” (Filmmaker Magazine); and a triumph of the heart and soul “so morally invigorating you might just feel the world tremble” (Slant Magazine).

Award recognition for “In the Family” includes Best Feature and Most Promising Filmmaker at the 2012 Spokane International Film Festival, Best Narrative Feature and the George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award at the 2011 San Diego Asian Film Festival and a nomination for the 2012 Independent Spirit Awards’ John Cassavetes First Feature prize.

Wang came to moviemaking in a roundabout way, studying physics and economics at MIT before entering the New York theater world, where he became educated about design and how to direct actors.

He told indiewire.com that his reason for moviemaking was “to defend a certain set of priorities in film that seem to be out of favor these days: literature, humanity, insight, wisdom even. I also think we have a lot to learn about how to capture an actor’s performance on film for our generation, and I would like to take part in that discovery.”

The countdown begins! Just one week until the opening night of the Kansas City FilmFest and there’s plenty of posts up oTn their site to explore and find out more. Here’s several you can check out.

• AMC Theatres Kansas City FilmFest Movie and Workshop Passes Available Online
• The Wholesome Horror of Patrick Rea and NAILBITER
• KCWIFT & AMC Theatres® KC FilmFest Short Screenplay Staged Reading at the Nelson
• 2012 AMC Theatres Kansas City FilmFest – Trailer and commercial
• Foreign Showcase Series Highlights Four Films

Remember, the FilmFest runs from April 11 – 15 at the AMC Mainstreet 6 and the newly renovated AMC Ward Parkway 14.

Get your tickets today by clicking this link!

Check out their press release and don’t be shy! If you’re interested, please participate. The IFCKC welcomes filmmakers and aspiring actors of all skill levels!

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While there may be many “fantasy” leagues out there for avid sports fans, the Independent Filmmakers Coalition of Kansas City (IFCKC) is the only film organization in the United States to run a fantasy filmmaker draft. Beginning in February and culminating in a feature screening on March 31, 2012 at MOD Gallery, what makes the event completely unique is that instead of the draft being a competition based on existing Hollywood players, for example a Spielberg vs. a Scorsese, or other established producers, directors, writers, and talent, the IFCKC’s Fantasy Filmmaker Draft uses real people as team participants.
The way the Fantasy Filmmaker Draft works is that contestants who want to serve as a team captain enter their names into a drawing. Since there are five teams, five names are chosen. These people become team captains and can fulfill a role as a producer, or director or writer for his or her team. The team captain must then draft two more team members to fulfill the remaining roles. Teams then draft players to serve as talent (actors, actresses) and crew members.

An important aspect of the competition is creating a comprehensive narrative that spans across five different teams with five different sets of filmmakers. Beginning with Team A (the first team), each team writer has one week to complete one-fifth of the script, but there is a catch. Each part must have the same four primary characters (two male and two female) and the narrative must be a continuous story. Furthermore, different actors will play the same parts across the production and must wear identical costumes, thereby ensuring continuity. For example, if in Script A, a character wears a blue shirt and white hat, the same costume must be worn by the character in each succeeding part from Script B through Script D.

The draft for actors, actresses occurs on March 7, 2012 at the IFCKC meeting, which takes place at the Westport Coffee House at 7:30 PM. The same evening crew members will be selected, including the
Directors of Photography and editors. Filming can begin March 7, but must be completed and submitted by March 21, 2012 at 9:00 PM at the IFCKC meeting.

The result will be screened on Saturday, March 31, 2012 at the newly remodeled Mod Gallery, which is a premier gallery space in Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District. Doors will open at 7:30 PM followed by the screening at 8:30 PM. Admission is $5 for IFC members, $8 for non-members. The screening will also be a chance for the public to have a sneak peak of the remodel in advance of the Mod Gallery’s official grand (re)opening on Friday, April 6th.

The Independent Filmmakers Coalition of Kansas City (ifckc.com) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting regional independent film, video and media production within the community via education, celebration and collaboration. Founded in 1993 by KC-based professional and amateur filmmakers, the IFCKC holds meetings every Wednesday night at 7:30 PM at Westport Coffee House in Kansas City, MO. Dedicated to the mantra of “making more films and betters films”, the IFCKC hosts film-related events throughout the year, including the annual One Night Stand competition – a 10-hour shoot and edit film challenge – and Fantasy Filmmaker Draft.

The Mod Gallery is a premier gallery located in the Kansas City Crossroads Arts District at 1809 McGee Street, Kansas City, MO 64108. The gallery features innovative art by artists including painters, mixed media artists, photographers and performance artists.
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Local filmmakers Mitch Brian and Todd Norris have a new project that all of you horror fans out there are sure to appreciate.

Check out the video and if you want to help fund it, click this link to find out more!

Local filmmaker Gary Huggins is set to make his first feature film in 2012 and he needs your help raising $70K by April.

Visit his Kickstarter page to find out about all of the fun incentives from the film you get when you donate, including…

• REAL LIFE OFF-DUTY SUPERCOP Santiago Vasquez will call at an inconvenient hour and read your Miranda Rights to you over the phone.
• Receive, via Skype, a private ten-minute lesson in top-secret kill techniques from REAL LIFE KARATE MASTER Santiago Vasquez!
• You get a full-color photo of REAL LIFE SUPERFREAK Santiago Vasquez holding a paper with your name on it while doing the splits between two chairs PLUS an autographed DVD of the finished film.

We’ll have more updates as they become available!

This exciting news just in from Missouri Citizens for the Arts! Click this link to find all the info: http://tinyurl.com/SaveMissouriFilm

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The House Appropriations Committee for Economic Development approved the Governor’s recommendation ($600,000) and added a $100,000 increase to the Missouri Arts Council’s FY13 appropriation!!

Thanks to all arts advocates who made calls and visits with your legislators to help get us through this round of the funding process.

During the hearing on Tuesday, Representative Thomas Long offered the amendment for the increase, along with Chairman Denny Hoskins. Representatives Sharon Pace, D-North St. Louis, Ed Schiefer, D-Troy, and Bill White, R-Joplin, all spoke in favor of increasing the arts funding and stressed how important the arts are to our economy.

Please thank members of the committee for supporting the Arts. They also approved $200,000 to restore the Film Commission.

Now we go to the House Budget Committee for approval. Make sure your Representative knows to support MAC’s funding in House Bill 2007, at the $700,000 level with full spending authority. Please find your Representative here.

HOUSE BUDGET MEMBERS:
Silvey, Ryan, Chair
Stream, Rick, Vice Chair
Allen, Sue
Asbury, Randy
Burlison, Eric
Carter, Chris
Cauthorn, John
Flanigan, Tom
Grisamore, Jeff
Guernsey, Casey
Haefner, Marsha
Hoskins, Denny
Hough, Lincoln
Keeney, Shelley
Kelly, Chris
Kirkton, Jeanne
Lair, Mike
Lampe, Sara
McCann Beatty, Gail
McManus, Kevin
Montecillo, Genise
Nasheed, Jamilah
Parkinson, Mark
Rizzo, John
Sater, David
Scharnhorst, Dwight
Schatz, Dave
Shively, Tom
Thomson, Mike

The Film Commission of Greater Kansas City has created The Robert Altman Emerging Filmmakers Fund, which is a sustainable fund designed to help filmmakers get their short film productions off the ground. This new fund will leverage individual, institutional, charitable and corporate support to reach critical mass. All donations go the the Commission.

We hope you’ll consider either donating to the fund or joining the cause on Facebook and telling your friends about it. Donations can be made anonymously through Facebook with any major credit card or Paypal account.

Here are some reasons why we think this fund is important:

1. As cities like Austin, Philadelphia and Baltimore have shown, filmmaking is an economically viable driver for local economies outside of LA and NYC.
2. Filmmakers develop and hone their style and creative voice by making short films.
3. If you give filmmakers money to make their short films, they are more likely to develop into feature filmmakers.
4. The more we help filmmakers develop into feature filmmakers, the more likely they are to make feature films here that benefit our local economy.
5. The Kansas City area has developed sustainable ways to support visual and performing arts, but is lacking a mechanism to help filmmakers.

Thanks in advance for all your support and if you have any questions you can email the Fund Director/Founder, Justin Gardner, at marketing@kcfilm.com.

Join CinemaKC for a special evening when they join forces with Tallgrass Film Association to present a short film program of some of their favorite short films from past Tallgrass Film Festivals, including some of their top selections from Kansas filmmakers.

The screening will take place 7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 25 at the Screenland Crown Center, 2450 Grand Blvd., 3rd Fl., Kansas City, MO. Admission is $8 general admission/$6 students. Several filmmakers and Tallgrass Film Festival staff will attend for a Q&A immediately following the show. The evening is co-sponsored by the Kansas Film Commission.

Selections include:

• Kavi (2009/USA, KS) Director Gregg Helvey *nominated for 2010 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short
• Candy (2010/USA, KS) Director Misti Boland *winner of Spotlight on Kansas Filmmakers Audience Award
• Official Selection (2009/USA, KS) Director Vince Masciale
• Dried Up (2010/USA, KS) Directors I, Powers, J. Casper
• Electric Revolution (2008/USA, KS) Director M. Moormann, *winner of Tallgrass Audience Award, Short Film
• The Job (2007, USA) Director Jonathan Browning
• Photograph of Jesus (2010/UK) Director Laurie Hill
• Spider (2007/Australia) Director Nash Edgerton
• Learn Self Defense (2005/USA, KS) Director Chris Harding, *winner of Tallgrass Audience Award, Short Film
• Elijah Returns (2007/USA/KS) Director Tyler Emerson

For more information visit CinemaKC’s event page on Facebook.

The Tallgrass Filmmakers Lab will present its third workshop of the year, focusing on the essential business of film marketing. “Movie Trailers 101 & The Business of Film Marketing” will be taught by Erin Wyatt, award winning Trailer Editor and co-Owner of the Los Angeles film and television marketing company, Seismic Productions. The class will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 16, at Integrated Media Group, 143 N. Rock Island, third floor.

Go inside the multi-million dollar world of movie marketing, with Wyatt, an accomplished producer and editor whose work includes trailer and television campaigns for film studios including 20th Century Fox, New Line Cinema, Lions Gate Films, Roadside Attractions, Focus Features, Screen Gems, Warner Brothers, The Weinstein Company, Miramax and Universal. His work includes campaigns for BROTHERS, SUNSHINE CLEANING, THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT, SEX & THE CITY, PRECIOUS, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA and TRANSAMERICA, among many others.

“Anyone who’s been to the movies, or even steps outside for the matter, can attest to the fact that marketing is an essential element of the movie business,” said Lela Meadow-Conner, Executive Director of the Tallgrass Film Association. “We’re excited that Erin is coming to Wichita to share some of this insider knowledge with our moviemaking community — information that is invaluable for filmmakers.”

The class will consist of two parts. First, Wyatt will provide an overview of movie marketing, topics to include working with studios and filmmakers, impact of the internet age and the differences between marketing major studio and independent pictures. During the second half of the class, Wyatt will dissect several movie trailers, providing insight into structure, length, music, copy, graphics and voice over techniques as well as discuss current industry trends.

Advanced RSVP is required. The enrollment fee is $20 General Admission/$15 for students and teachers/seniors/TFA Members for those who register/RSVP before July 1. After July 1, enrollment fee is $25 General Admission/$20 for students and teachers/seniors/TFA Members. Registrants may prepay by using the form below, or clicking here, or may pay with cash or check at the door.

About Erin Wyatt:

A Colorado Springs native, and CU Boulder graduate, Erin moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dreams of acting…or so he thought. In 2001, he landed a gig at Seismic Productions as an assistant/messenger, with no interest in movie trailers or marketing. During his free time, Erin taught himself how to do motion graphics and was soon working on graphics jobs at the company. On the weekends, he experimented with editing, taking Final Cut Pro classes and playing around on his first generation iMac (while all of the other editors were still using Avid.) One day, the owner of the company noticed a spot Erin had cut for the Mark Wahlberg film ROCK STAR and said, “Wow, that’s really good!” The spot was delivered to the client at Warner Brothers who said, “I want everything on this campaign to like THAT.” And so, an editor was born.

Before long Erin became the main editor at Seismic, garnering Key Art and Golden trailer nominations for films like Roman Polanski’s THE PIANIST. He soon carved out a niche for himself as a go-to editor for films of all genres, from romantic comedy, to drama to independent. Some of his work includes 27 DRESSES, BRIDE WARS, SEX & THE CITY, BLADES OF GLORY, INCEPTION, GREEN LANTERN, SUNSHINE CLEANING, LOST IN TRANSLATION, HAIRSPRAY, PRECIOUS, SAW, and THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT.
He has received 22 award nominations and 4 wins at the Key Art and Golden Trailer Awards for work like the BROTHERS trailer, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN trailer, BLADES OF GLORY trailer, TRANSAMERICA trailer, and PRECIOUS.

In 2010, after seven years as Senior Editor, Erin became a co-partner/owner of Seismic Productions, where he continues to be in demand as an editor, but has added producing and managing a staff of thirty employees to his resume.