News

Filmbase will be closed for the August Bank Holiday weekend. We close at 5.30pm on Friday 30th of July and re-open at 9.30am on the morning of Tuesday 3rd August.

Enjoy the long weekend!

My Environment, My Film: Viral Video Making Competition with Darklight, European Commission in Ireland and Cultivate

Attention all budding filmmakers! Make a short film on the Environment and you could win a state of the art HD camera and have your work screened at this year’s Darklight Festival! There will also be a FREE VIRAL VIDEO MAKING AND DISTRIBUTION WORKSHOP! Here’s all the info…

When is the last time you saw a movie or TV programme that really inspired you to look at the environment in a different way? Did you become more aware of nature? Did you think more about a problem facing our surroundings? Or maybe you felt there was something you could do in your daily life to bring about change?

Well the European Commission in Ireland, Cultivate and Darklight are inviting you to make a short film on “Your Environment”. The theme could be anything from climate change, to positive steps that we can take to protect our local environment. The choice is yours.

It doesn’t matter if you shoot it on your mobile phone, a state of the art digital video camera, or create your own DIY animation, the idea’s the thing. Make it a comedy, a tragedy, a documentary, an animation… Whatever takes your fancy.

Movies have the power to change and that power is in your hands. By creating a short film you can make more people aware of a problem and a potential solution.

This competition is open to people of all ages and all experiences.

…the proposition
Make a short film inspired by the title ‘My Environment, My Film’. It’s all about self-expression. And if it gets people thinking, even better!

The second part is to get as many views to your film between now and the competition close. Your art needs to be seen.

…the prize
The winning entry will win a state of the art HD Digital camera and have their work screened this October at the 2010 Darklight Film Festival. Prize supplied by Tyrell:cct.

…the web
As this is an internet competition, your entries need to be uploaded onto a video hosting site – You Tube, Google Video, Vimeo… Any online video hosting site will do nicely. Once you do that, submit your link, along with your details, on the “Entry” page (euireland.ie/darklight/entry). NB: Don’t forget to check out the terms and conditions of this competition.

Entries must be uploaded to one of these sites and submitted between now and the closing date of the 15th of October.

…the criteria
The winner will not only be selected on the basis of the best film produced, but also by the number of hits their video gets. 75% of the marks for the movie will be given over to creativity and imagination, and 25% for building an audience.

The judges’ decisions are final.

…the workshop
There will also be a free one-day workshop on Saturday 28th August, showing you how to make your own online films. It doesn’t matter if you are a novice or experienced, you will be sure to learn something on the day. For more information on the workshop go to http://euireland.ie/darklight/workshop

…check out Darklight’s own little movie
You can check out a little movie to help get your thinking caps on, plue more info about this competition and workshop at http://www.darklight.ie/eucomp

…contact
Any questions, email: euenvironment (at) darklight (dot) ie

Small Arts Festivals Scheme 2011, round one, closing date 10 September 2010

The Small Arts Festivals and Events Scheme is open to organisations that organise and promote festivals or events with a clear artistic purpose that will take place in the calendar year 2011.

A festival may represent one artform or may include a wide variety of different artforms. “Events” may be one-off projects or programmed over a number of months (e.g. a concert series).

The deadline for the Small Arts Festival Scheme 2011, round one, is 10 September 2010 at 5:30pm.

The scheme will provide a grant up to €20,000.

Closing date:
This closing date is for festivals and events that will take place between 1 January and 30 June 2011 or if you are organising a series of events (e.g. concerts) over the calendar year.

First time applications:
First time applicants to the scheme are advised to contact Úna McCarthy, Head of Festivals and Events, prior to submitting an application: telephone +353 1 618 0272 or by email to firsttime@artscouncil.ie.

How do I apply?
Applications can only be submitted through the Arts Council’s online system. Applicants who have not previously used this system must register in advance of making an application. It is recommended that applicants allow five days for registration prior to making an application.

Further information:
• For further information and guidelines on this scheme click here.

• Contact Regina O’Shea on +353 1 618 0260 or email regina.oshea@artscouncil.ie.

Mary Immaculate College (MIC), Limerick, is inviting expressions of interest under the Public Art – Per Cent for Art Scheme from established artists wishing to create unique work/s in any medium with an allocated budget of €100,000.

Following a major capital investment programme to a total of €40 million, two new buildings have been completed in MIC, Tailteann and Teamhair/Tara, enabling the complete reshaping of the campus.

In 2008 Tailteann the first new building on campus for 30 years was opened. This state-of-the-art Sport, Leisure and Physical Education building was recognised by the Royal Irish Architectural Institute as Ireland’s “Leisure Building of the Year 2008.”

The second of Mary Immaculate College’s new buildings, due to be officially opened by the Tánaiste this forthcoming September, is the Teamhair/Tara building. This 8500 sq. metre building will give the College the much needed 300- and 150-seat lecture theatres, teaching laboratories, computer facilities (open access and dedicated learning laboratories) in addition to a 500-seat multi-purpose theatre.

The overall budget for the design, supply, fitting and installation of the entire project will be €100,000 inclusive of all costs, project management, travel and other expenses, VAT, insurance and other charges.

Deadline for expressions of interest is Thursday 9 September 2010 at 3pm.

Further information

• For further information, details of the brief and application form contact Holly Cowman T: 061 204998, E:mailto: Holly.Cowman@mic.ul.ieie or visit

www.mic.ul.ie/visitors/default.htm

Previous film productions funded through the Percent for Art scheme include The Chronoscope, written and directed by Andrew Legge, which was made as part of Wicklow County Council’s Per Cent for Art commissioning programme. More info on this project is available from publicart.ie by clicking HERE>. www.publicart.ie also includes info on the Percent for Arts scheme as well as tips on how to apply etc…

The Arts Council would like to draw the attention of its subcribers to an upcoming deadline from Culture Ireland, the agency within the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport tasked with promoting Irish arts worldwide. Much of the work promoted abroad by Culture Ireland is proudly funded by the Arts Council, and the Council works closely with the Department and the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Mary Hanafin TD, to ensure Irish arts are showcased across the globe.

In 2011, the strategic focus will be on the United States, and priority will be given in the upcoming Culture Ireland grants round to high-quality projects planned for the US which have strong American partners in place, in particular in New York, Washington DC, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and/or Atlanta. Applications are accepted from Irish artists/companies or from international presenters.

The next deadline for applications to Culture Ireland is 5pm on Monday 16 August.

Further information
• Further information on the application process is available at www.cultureireland.gov.ie.

The 18th annual Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, renamed the GAZE Film Festival, will run for five days over the August bank holiday in the Light House Cinema in Smithfield, Dublin. This year’s event offers a wealth of features, documentaries and shorts from countries such as Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Switzerland, China, Sweden, Ireland, Norway, New Zealand, UK and USA which are of interest to the gay community.

The 2010 line up celebrates and showcases the quality, diversity and invention which is now evident in LGBTQ film and includes a retrospective of Irish Gay shorts from the 18 years of the Festival, presented in collaboration with Culture Ireland. The 2009 shortlist for Best International Gay Short will also be showcased over the weekend.

The Festival runs from 29th July–2nd August 2010 at the Light House Cinema, Dublin. For a full programme log on to www.gaze.ie or add the Gaze Film festival on Facebook.

Tickets on sale now from Light House Cinema Box Office Market Square, Smithfield, Dublin 7. Call the ticket line on 01 879 7601 from 1–8pm or book online at www.lighthousecinema.ie.

The Kerry Film Festival (KFF) has partnered with a number of film festivals in Spain, Italy, Sweden, Canada, the UK and America in an effort to promote the best of Irish short films.

The Rushes Soho Shorts Festival 2010, one of KFF’s partner festivals which is based in London, takes place from 21–30 July and will screen 6 films from KFF 2009 at a number of venues throughout the city.

The films selected for the Soho Shorts Festival include Cardboard Boy, which was directed by young Kerry filmmaker, Kelley O’Sullivan. Also on the bill are Uncle Bill’s Barrel by Eoin Ryan; the brilliant animated film It’s all about George by Roy Lecane & Don Field, which recently won a festival award at the Chicago Irish Film Festival; God and Napoleon by Ciaran Deeney; Long is the Way by Eoin Heaney and the Oscar nominated Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty by Nicky Phelan.

For more information or to download application forms to KFF 2010 please log onto www.kerryfilmfestival.com, email info@samhlaiocht.com or call +353 66 712 9934

The National Campaign for the Arts is stepping up a gear in advance of the pre-Budget estimates in an effort to protect national and local funding for the arts.

They are preparing ads aimed at the general public and would appreciate any space they can be given in brochures/show programmes etc. Those interested should email the National Campaign by Friday 30th July with the copy deadline for autumn/winter brochures and show programmes and the dimensions of the available ad.

For those without ad space, The National Campaign for the Arts asks for the inclusion of the NCFA logo which is available for download here and perhaps a short sentence in the Director’s introduction along the lines of:

‘We are a proud participant in, and supporter of, the National Campaign for the Arts, which is working to inform our politicians and the public that the arts are central to Ireland’s economy, reputation and daily life. If you value artists and creativity as much as we do, log onto www.ncfa.ie and take action to support the campaign.’

The National Campaign for the Arts will prepare an e-card for supporters to send to customers and friends on the morning of the 17th September which explains their efforts and thanks them for their continued support.

The NCFA website is being updated in the next fortnight and will have a range of useful material for download including: sample letters to TDs, useful facts and figures, a simple guide to lobbying and posters that can be put in foyers of theatres, galleries etc.

to assist with the cause follow The National Campaign for the Arts on their facebook page and Twitter account. Go to www.ncfa.ie for more information.

Dysart’s Sail In Film Festival is a Flagship Project for celebrating Fife 2010 and is looking for entries to their short film competition.

A short film competition on the theme of celebrating Fife will give local and international filmmakers the chance to see their work projected onto a huge screen on a harbour cliff wall in.

The festival events will culminate in a Spectacular outdoor film screening in Dysart’s Historic Harbour, on Saturday, September 11th. The event is organised by award winning Filmmaker Lawrie Brewster, and Scriptwriter Sarah Daly.

Entry to the competition is free, and and successful films will be screened in front of a local audience of about 200, but with a publicised live stream broadcasting all over the world.

Films should be no longer than 6 minutes and should be on the theme of ’safe harbour’ or ’shelter’. The deadline is the 6th of September.

For more details go to www.fifefilmfestival.info

Don’t forget the deadline for the IFB’s Reality Bites scheme for the production of short documentary films is Friday 6th August.

The deadline for the IFB’s Signatures scheme is Friday the 3rd of September.

For more info on both of these schemes visit www.irishfilmboard.ie.