Are you confident in your filmmaking skills, but feel completely at sea when it comes to nailing down funding, creating a business plan etc? Check out Artist's Trust's professional development program, or "Edge":
"The EDGE Program for Filmmakers will take place from October 23 to December 11, 2009. Applications are now available! For more information about the program click here".

Deadline: September 15, 2009

Ilona Rossman Ho, a 2005 SFI graduate, has been selected, along with Staci Bernstein and Morgan Elisabeth, to produce a short video for the Washington Film Works viral video campaign. The video "Where the Hell is the Film Crew" depicts actual film crews shooting all over Washington State.

From the press release:

"Staci Bernstein (Hero Labs) and local filmmakers Ilona Rossman Ho and Morgan Elizabeth were awarded one of five grants by Washington Filmworks (WFW) to create :30 and :60 commercial spots promoting Washington state’s new 30% tax incentive. Their winning entry spoofs the “Where in the Hell is Matt” silly dance videos which Matt Harding shot in locations all over the world.

The IFP/Seattle Spotlight Award is a production grant awarded annually in the fall to one member filmmaker and offers several thousand dollars of in-kind goods and services from leading Pacific Northwest production companies. The application is designed to challenge filmmakers to produce a comprehensive and compelling film package that includes a script, breakdown, budget and marketing strategy . Each application is seriously considered and evaluated by experienced industry professionals.

New this year, the application fee has been lowered to $30.

For complete details on the award, see http://www.ifpseattle.org/events_spotlight.htm.

ENTRY DEADLINE IS AUGUST 5, 2009

WashingtonFilmWorks (WFW) is seeking five Washington based filmmakers to create :30 and :60 commercial spots promoting Washington state as a great place for motion picture, commercial, and television production. The Viral Videos will emphasize the WFW incentive program and focus on Washington's versatile locations and topography, crew base and talent. WFW requires the Viral Videos are dynamic, entertaining, and draws a target audience between the ages of 25-45.

* $1000 grant given to each filmmaker to help defer the cost of production
* Application materials must be submitted no later than Friday, April 24, 2009

Here's a couple of short film competitions, the first one with a prize of $50k!

http://stellaartois.triggerstreet.com/

And once again, the Seattle Times is having their three minute video contest, with a first prize of full passes to SIFF.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/flatpages/entertainment/3mm.html

Just got word of this in my email-- don't know anything more about it!

Paramount Pictures is holding a film contest to find the best Man Cave around. In the spirit of the film we are looking for the coolest dorm room, apartment, house or fraternity room. An individual or group would make a video explaining why their living space is the best around; gadgets, creative seating, sounds systems, wall art, etc.

Participants will:

Here's the new blog for our Alumni and Faculty to post news of their most recent accomplishments, upcoming film releases and broadcasts, festival dates, fun gigs or just interesting stories they'd like to share. If you're an alumnus of SFI, please feel welcome to go to our new user account page to get started; so that you too can post info, photos and links of your projects!

Please be patient if you experience difficulties, and let me know if you do. bradford@seattlefilminstitute.com