May 29, 2014
Start Time: 6:32PM
Total in Attendance: 17
Location: RCTV
Agenda:
Introductions:
- Made individually around the room
Upcoming Events:
RMM Writers Group
- Location moved to Crossroad’s Café (behind Cinema Theater)
- Wednesdays from 6:00pm to 8:00pm
- Next meeting is June 11, 2014
- Bring outlines, short scripts, or first ten pages of feature for reading and discussion
- All skill levels welcome
- Sign up to receive updates on RMM Writers Group’s Facebook page
RCTV’s 35th Annual Black Music Month Celebration
- RMM bought a ten-seat table
- Anyone interested in going with RMM board members should contact stan AT rochestermoviemakers DOT org
RMM Auditions
- Film audition reels almost completed and will be available for viewing online shortly
- Over fifty auditioners this year
Upcoming Projects:
Adrian Esposito – Journey in Brookside
- Writing a script about institutions for the mentally ill from the 1960s and 1970s
- Needs help/assistance with structure and story of his screenplay
- Wants to finish script in December and start shooting next year
- Contact adrianesposito AT rochester.rr DOT com for more information
Other Announcements:
Mike McFadden – available for freelance work and teaching/training
- Mike McFadden is a full freelance sound technician and is now available to help work on projects/films/etc.
- Is also willing to train others on his gear/sound setup
- Contact michaelmmcfadden AT gmail DOT com for more information
Speaker:
Mary Reed – Executive Director of High Falls Film Festival (HFFF)
Background
- HFFF is a film festival that celebrates women in film
- Today, only 16% of the top 250 films are run by women
- Started in 2001 in Rochester because of its convergence of women’s rights and the motion picture industry
- 2010 – festival changed its focus and became the “360/365 Film Festival” for two years
- 2012 – new festival wasn’t working, so the board took a year off to rebrand again
- 2013 – switched back to HFFF and had first festival again April 2013
- This year, HFFF is October 23-26, 2014 at the Little and Dryden Theaters
- www.highfallsfilmfestival.com
Festival Submission Criteria
- First preference for an accepted film is a woman behind the camera (producer, director, cinematographer, writer)
- Also looking for films with a strong female lead or a positive life experience
- Local films that don’t meet this criteria can still be entered and shown as a “spotlight” piece, not included in the official festival
- Can submit films online for consideration
- Deadline is probably going to be in early or late August
- Can submit if it hasn’t shown yet in Rochester or on broadcast
- Can also resubmit if a film didn’t get in previously
Programming
- Currently starting to program the festival by getting films
- Nora Brown is head of programming committee
- Very close to bringing in a big-name director to attend festival
- Will probably show twenty films, including a shorts, children’s, and animation programs
- Planning on building in coffee chats with filmmakers
- Including a panel with local filmmakers
- In need to narrative films right now (need more narrative film submissions)
- HFFF is trying to balance local spotlight films with films about/by women
Other
- Need volunteers to help out
- Looking for sponsorship
End of Meeting: 8:00PM