Whether you’s are an indie filmmaker with a project in development or a law student with a taste for IP and entertainment law, NOVAC may have just what you need to kick your project into gear. On April 14 NOVAC members, filmmakers and members of Loyola College of Law’s Sports and Entertainment Law Society (SELS) will come together at NOVAC’s Making the Deal, presented by Baker Donelson Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowiz, PC to learn the ins and outs of indie film financing in the current marketplace, and hopefully pick up a contact or two while they are at it.  Hosted by Loyola’s SELS Making the Deal will take place at Loyola’s law school campus from 10AM – 5PM with a networking event to follow.

Taught by seasoned entertainment attorney, author and lecturer John Cones, Making the Deal will cover producer packages, an overview of film finance, the relationship between film distribution and finance, investor financing strategies and more.

“It is absolutely essential,” says Cones, “for independent filmmakers to have a basic understanding of what their film finance options are, because almost all of them will, at one time or another in their careers, set out to become an entrepreneurial filmmaker and seek to find financing for a project.”

Cones has lectured extensively on investor entertainment financing and film distribution deals at seminars in Los Angeles, Houston, and Las Vegas as well as at the American Film Institute, UCLA extension, USC – Television Alumni Association and more.

Making the Deal will not only provide participants with critical information necessary to secure investors, but it will also connect local filmmakers to future entertainment attorneys so that together, they may package films for financing and distribution in the future. Featuring guest lecturers from the National Law Firm Baker Donelson, Making the Deal will also cover legal and other resources available to the growing film industry here in New Orleans.

NOVAC caught up with Making the Deal guest speaker and Baker Donelson of Council Rob Wollfarth who insisted ”programs such as [Making the Deal] are a good way to connect those in the industry, and those hoping to become a part of the industry, to local professionals who can provide the services they need and who are also interested in helping them grow the film business in New Orleans.”

Whitney Kelem, president of SELS is also excited about partnering with NOVAC on Making the Deal. “NOVAC is an organization that offers so much to the burgeoning film community and SELS is thrilled to be able to expose law students to issues of film financing, an area that many of them may not even realize is a potential source of legal work and that will give them an opportunity to begin thinking about alternative ways they can apply their legal expertise,” says Kelem.

Following the course, participants will mix and mingle at the followup networking event where they will have the opportunity to discuss their projects, diverse fields and how they may work together in the future.  Tuition for Making the Deal is $75 for NOVAC members and $125 for non-members.  For more information about Making the Deal, instructor John Cones or to register, click here or call the NOVAC offices at 504-940-5780.

So sign up and get cracking on those producer packages and financing strategies.  Isn’t it about time you made that deal?

DON’T BE SHY – LET US KNOW YOU’RE REGISTERING: #MakingTheDeal

MAKING THE DEAL IS MADE POSSIBLE WITH SUPPORT FROM

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 Having nurtured the voices and artistic expression of New Orleans and Louisiana filmmakers for four decades, NOVAC is celebrating its 40th Anniversary by showcasing the community voices  that have taken the New Orleans Video Access Center from its grass-roots beginnings to the dynamic production hub and training center it is today.

The 40 Second Film Festival, scheduled to coincide with NOVAC’s 40th Anniversary Gala is now accepting film submissions 40 seconds in length from NOVAC and community members in 3  categories: Short Cuts, Young People’s Corner and Citizen Voices.  You don’t need a fancy camera rig or film school pedigree, just a video, a vision and a voice.

Jury members will judge the official selections in three categories:

Short Cuts – Is your film an official selection in an upcoming film fest like the New Orleans Film Fest or Third Street? Do you have a picture or work in progress that you would like to show off or a teaser that has been dying to find a home outside of vimeo?  NOVAC welcomes filmmakers with 40 second trailers or teasers promoting a short or feature film.

Young People’s Corner – NOVAC understands that the future of our city and state and the sustainability of the film and creative industries in Louisiana rests in the hands of our young people and their passion for telling their own stories. The 40 second teasers, trailers or films in this category must be completed by filmmakers 18 and under.

Citizen Voices – No need for fancy cameras or tons of filmmaking pedigre, just a lot of heart! NOVAC welcomes members and anyone with access to a video-camera who wish to express their love affair with New Orleans or any parish in Louisiana.  From the decadent foods and festivals of the Big Easy and swamps of Terrebonne to the oyster beds of St. Bernard Parish and the Creole legacy of Cane River we want to hear your stories.

Submissions Must Include:

Film Entry – Online submissions are preferred, however NOVAC will accept DVD submissions.  Online submissions should be password protected and uploaded to an approved video host such as: Vimeo, YouTube or Daily Motion.  Please indicate the URL and Password in your application. Mailed submissions should be post-marked no later than July 31, 2012 and sent to the address below.

Entry Fee  - Entry Fees must be paid through the NOVAC website by clicking on one of the categories below. All submissions include admission to the NOVAC anniversary bash: NOVAC@40: Fast. Forward. in September where official selections will be screened and 40 Second Film Festival award winners will be announced. Fees are as follows:

• $25 – NON-MEMBER PRICE – Short Cuts and Citizen Voices Categories
• $20 – NOVAC MEMBER PRICE – Short Cuts and Citizen Voices Categories
• $15 – Young People’s Corner Category

Application – Submissions must include complete application forms available by clicking here.

Before you comb withoutabox for your next group of festival submissions, print your hundredth promotional push-card, or stuff your next DVD screener into that padded envelope, consider some advice from guest blogger and New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF) Program Director Clint Bowie. And with NOFF submissions now open and NOVAC’s 40 second film festival gearing up for the fall, this may be just the extra nudge or advice you need.

New Orleans Film Festival Director Clint Bowie

People often ask what it takes to get a film accepted into the New Orleans Film Festival—and I wish I could simply answer, “make a really great film.” The problem with that answer is that we receive more “really great films” than we have room for. In 2011, for example, we received over 900 submissions, but we could only screen around 15% (which was around 140, and that was about 40 more than we accepted the year before). Even though the other 85% all received the same rejection notice, that’s not to say they were all bad. In fact, we probably could have screened more like 30% of all submitted films without compromising the quality of the festival. Alas, budgets, time, and space don’t allow us to show every good film that submits, so we have to make some very difficult decisions. (On the very day that notification emails went out last year, we had to cut 50 films that we really wanted to screen but simply didn’t have room for. It’s hard, but it has to be done.)

Know Your Film and What You Want
There are a number of things you can do to ensure that your film doesn’t end up being one of those that gets left out. For starters, make sure that your film is a good fit for the festival that you’re submitting to. Check out their previous line-ups. Would your film fit in nicely with their selections last year?

Before even submitting to festivals, it’s important to think about what you’d like to get out of your festival experience. Do you simply want your film to be seen? Do you want to connect with other filmmakers at the festival? Do you just want the “official selection” laurel to put on your website? Are you hoping your film will find distribution?

If the latter is what you’re interested in, I’ll be frank—it’s probably not going to happen. The myth of indie films being discovered and finding distribution at festivals is mostly just that: a myth. These days, festivals themselves serve as the main distribution method for most indie films. If they’re lucky, some features will end up at libraries and maybe on Netflix, but the life of a short film pretty much ends after the festival circuit.

So before choosing which festivals to submit to, it’s important to think about who you want to see your film. Does your film target a niche audience (environmental, social issue, women’s interest, LGBT, ethnic, etc.)? Are you looking to reach industry professionals? Or audiences in a certain region? Think about who you want to see your film, then research the festivals you’re interested in and find out who makes up their primary audience. READ FULL ARTICLE.

2011 was a great year for Docs, and with the Citizen Voices’ open-source curriculum published and Doing Your Doc coming up this February, NOVAC is basking in the non-fiction frenzy. Check out NOVAC’s highlights of a Year in Docs as well as some docu-goodies waiting in the wings.

Citizen Voices
NOVAC was thrilled to join forces with the New Orleans Film Society on Citizen Voices, a panel discussion and breakout series held at the Louisiana Humanities Center covering ethics, techniques and best practices of non-fiction filmmaking. Presented during the New Orleans Film Festival, topics included ethics of representation, legal issues and fair use, constructing your story, and funding and outreach and contributing to the panel and breakouts were award-winning documentary filmmakers, featured guests for the New Orleans Film Festival and seasoned video-journalists including: Sandra Dixon (Wake Forest University) Rebecca Ferris (Miller’s Tale), Ben Lemoine (The Experiment), Angela Tucker ((A) Sexual), Lusia Dantas (Land of Opportunity), Ada McMahon (bridgethegulfproject.org), Nancy Schwartzman (The Line), Rebecca Snedeker (By Invitation Only, Desire), Tim Watson (Video Veracity) and Bryan Myers (Peabody and Emmy Award Winning Video Journalist).  Missed it? Browse the Citizen Voices videos covering the day’s panel and breakout sessions.

MediaNola Wiki
Citizen Voices was structured during a series of development meetings, where NOVAC and seasoned documentarians worked to design a reference tool for Tulane University’s MediaNola Wiki. This project was not only created for use at Citizen Voices but serves as an open-source curriculum available for any educator or filmmaker interested in developing their non-fiction filmmaking skills or those of their students.  Interested to learn more? Check out the Citizen Voices curriculum at the MediaNOLA Wiki.

If the Children are OK
NOVAC is the proud fiscal sponsor of the documentary film, If the Children are OK. Written and directed by Vincent Morelli.  If the Children are OK follows Louisiana’s beleaguered public school system – featuring students, parents, educators, activists, politicians and more, documenting their personal experiences as well as the massive transformation of  Louisiana’s public school system since Hurricane Katrina. The film examines the film’s subject in the larger context of international educational trends. Pictured: Vincent Morelli

And the Nominees Are…
Some killer docs graced the screens in 2011 including Wim Wenders’ Pina, and the highly anticipated Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory, both nominated for Academy Awards. This year NOVAC is thrilled that NOFS and the Prytania are partnering to showcase 2011′s nominees for Best Documentary Short on February 9th, a cant miss opportunity for New Orleans doc lovers. Click here for more on the event and the complete list of nominees. And don’t forget to root for your favorite doc at NOFS’ annual Oscar Party on the big night. Pictured: Image from PINA

Doing Your Doc
Kicking off 2012 in high gear, NOVAC is teaming up with the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) to co-sponsor, Doing Your Doc: Diverse Visions, Regional Voices, a three part intensive led by renowned documentary doctor, Fernanda Rossi and covering issues effecting every documentary filmmaker.  Doing Your Doc will cover topics like structuring your documentary and trailer mechanics and will also offer filmmakers an opportunity to work one on one with a NALIP mentor. For more information on the syllabus or how you can participate click here. Pictured: Image from DOING YOUR DOC

So there it is my friends, a Year in Docs.  If you are a documentary filmmaker or lover join us at the 2012 docu-jump-off for the screening of Rebel followed by the Doing Your Doc kickoff Q&A on February 10 at Second Line Stages. For more on Rebel or to view the trailer click here.  For more information about Doing Your Doc or to register click here or call 310-395-8880.

Between the Facebook page updates, your latest twitter movie review, updating that Linkedin page with the latest shoot on your resume, and of course popping into kickstarter or IndieGoGo to donate an Alexander Hamilton to a buddy’s crowd sourcing effort there seems to be no time left for face to face networking.  That’s why NOVAC is bringing back an oldie but a goodie: social networking…in-person.

On March 15th NOVAC will debut 3rd Thursdays, a monthly networking event designed to connect NOVAC friends and members to other local filmmakers, future collaborators, likeminded artists, potential mentors and maybe even your next gig.  Hosted by partner ve