Congratulations to all the DIY Filmmakers out there!

 Just a note from the DIY Film Fest that all the films have been entered, all aboard that's coming aboard, and now we're going through the usual process of arm wrestling, shouting matches and other forms of debate over the films that have been entered. Stay tuned to this space for the Finalists in the various categories, which will be announced as soon as possible.

  But more importantly, congratulations to all of you filmmakers who have taken your vision, your passion, your sense of humor and translated it to film. Whether it be in the form of a documentary, in the form of animation, with actors being serious or being funny - then editing the film, putting on titles, and finding its way out to film festivals... now is the time to say congratulations!  

In the infamous meme words of Shia LaB "Just Do It." 

Shia LaBeouf "Just Do It" Motivational Speech

 

Well... congratulations. You've done it!

We're proud of our sponsor KinoNation, who offers a bonafide digital distribution deal to all of the winning films - you can visit their website at KinoNation.com, an excellent resource to help the filmmakers navigate the waters of the various distribution place that are online; they insure your film is formatted properly as per the various specifications, and their payment schedules and percentages are really good - the best we've come across in the industry.

KinoNation's Roger Jackson, sponsor of the DIY Film Fest

Some of the platforms that KinoNation has agreements with; Hulu, Amazon Instant Video, Vimeo on Demand, MGo, Infinity, Streampix, Viewster Reel, Feed, Hulu Plus, Indiereign, Snagfilms, Fandor, Roku, Cineclick, Docurama, Cinecliq, Neovod.

We have entries in this year's batch from across the globe, from Iran, Romania, India, France, Great Britain, Australia, Canada as well as students across the United States, filmmakers across the US of all backgrounds and stripes.  It's nearly impossible to say why a film does well at one festival over another (else studios would always be successful - and at best they're 50% - the equivalent of flipping a coin) - but suffice to say what we've learned here at the DIY Film Fest is that it's always more about content than delivery.

It's always more about heart than the package it comes in.

And also in terms of PACKAGES - we have to thank Pinnacle Editing Systems - which has been so generous to offer our winning filmmakers editing packages for their future films.  

These editing systems are used worldwide, they've got codecs from their time with Avid, before moving on to Corel - they make great editing software for the Prosumer or the Amateur filmmaker who wants to take a step up in their editing system.

We thank them for providing these prizes for the festival for a number of years. So many we can't agree on how long it's been. Perhaps five years.  Thank you Pinnacle!!!

You can't judge a book by its cover - which in terms of film means seeing the heart and passion behind telling a story, versus the slickness of the telling, the visuals or the overall production quality - however, when a film shows up that combines all those qualities - great story telling, heart, and an eye for seeing humanity in a new way - then those are the films that resonate.

The DIY Film Fest is proud to feature those films that might be overlooked by other festivals - they might not have name actors - but they have heart and grit and feature great actors that are on their way up, or that haven't ventured away from home.  

That being said, sometimes great actors do show up in these films, doing a part they haven't been asked to do in the past, or doing something that might be a bit outside their wheelhouse.

During our 15 year history, the DIY Film Fest has taken over AFI for a weekend and shown films, we've screened them at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, in outdoor venues, in indoor nightclubs, we've shown them online as well as in front of crowds. We've shown them at the famous Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, site of the first Oscars, and we've shown them in a funky nightclub in Silverlake.  Every year is different, but the essence remains the same - films that are about people, about humanity, made with individuality.

2015 Venue in Silverlake

Just a small note of gratitude for those filmmakers who have put so much time and effort into their creative endeavors.  We at the DIY Film Fest are fond of the quote that came from French avant garde filmmaker Jean Cocteau - "When the cost of filmmaking is as much as a pencil and a piece of paper, then you'll find true art."

That rings true in the DIY Filmmaker's experience.

2015 Festival Awards

 

A wee bit o' fun.

Stay tuned.