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AMPS 2011

Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 6:35 pm
by ned c
The entry form/rules are now up on the AMPS site, www.ampsvideo.com for the 2011 American International Film & Video Festival. If you live in the USA or Canada the entry/rules are also up for NAMMA. We look forward to receiveing your entries,

ned c

Re: AMPS 2011

Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 6:53 pm
by Dave Watterson
As we have been lamenting on other threads, there is now only one main contest for non-commercial / amateur film makers in the UK. There are some overseas festivals worth considering - see the main IAC website Events/Competitions & Festivals.

The American Festival has a long history - and they speak more or less our language (!) - they accept movies up to 30 minutes long. (There is also a section for comedies up to 5 minutes long.)

The cost of the first entry by someone who is not a member of AMPS is 12 dollars (around £7.30) - you pay online through PayPal which avoids exchange costs and bank transfer fees. Additional entries cost less ... and if you join AMPS (which costs just 10 dollars) you get member's discount rates immediately!

Closing date is 1st October. Like BIAFF you get notes from the judges as well as any certificates or awards you win.
Dave

Re: AMPS 2011

Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 12:19 am
by Howard-Smith
I was fortunate enough to win two awards in AMPS 2010 for my film PERCEPTION: Joint best film by a new member of the Society; and Certificate of Merit. I was very grateful for Dave Watterson's extremely comprehensive scene-by-scene analysis of my film which was the most thorough critique of any film I've ever made. Unfortunately I'm still waiting for the awards/certificates to come through. I'm beginning to wonder whether I shall ever receive them!
Howard-Smith LACI

Re: AMPS 2011

Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 12:21 pm
by fraught
I won an award in 2008 at AMPS, yet still haven't received the award... maybe they don't like sending them to us brits? ;-)

To be honest, the judges comments were brilliant, so I was more than happy.

Re: AMPS 2011

Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 3:05 pm
by Willy
fraught wrote:I won an award in 2008 at AMPS, yet still haven't received the award... maybe they don't like sending them to us brits? ;-)
To be honest, the judges comments were brilliant, so I was more than happy.


I won an award in 2008 at AMPS with the film "Will Ye' Go to Flanders". Also in 2007 with "Breendonk". I received the awards. Very beautiful ones! They like sending them to Belgians, I think, Fraught,... but maybe out of pity. We are poor fellows!

Re: AMPS 2011

Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 3:21 pm
by ned c
All the awards have now been mailed out; so please be patient and you will have something to hang on the wall!

For the members of AMPS the newsletter is also on its way with the news that like many n-c festivals we are struggling for survival. Our problem is finding enough people to judge/adminster both AMPS and the Festival; not an unusual situation I fear. I see that the long running Canadian International will not run this year. After 82 years we do not want AIFVF to just vanish and are working on possible survival plans.

ned c

Re: AMPS 2011

Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 9:49 am
by fraught
I'll certainly be entering some of my latest work this year Ned. :-)

Re: AMPS 2011

Posted: Sat May 07, 2011 1:28 am
by Michael Gough
Thanks Ned,

My trophies have arrived safely and now have pride of place at home.

It would be a shame if such a longstanding competition disappeared. There are not many left. We should all support it if we can. It is easy to enter, and they accept PAL format DVDs.

They even speak English (or at least some form of it !!) although "Train Spotters" needed subtitles and they are now sending Cheryl Cole to a voice coach because the Americans have trouble understanding her Geordie accent. Dinna fash yersen pet an gan canny. Tharl soon knar all aboot yer.

Michael

Re: AMPS 2011

Posted: Sat May 07, 2011 10:01 am
by Mike Shaw
Cheryl Cole is a Geordie? Gosh - I must listen to her as well next time ... :roll:

Re: AMPS 2011

Posted: Sun May 08, 2011 11:14 am
by Michael Slowe
If we're talking about AMPS, I do like it (won it once so I'm bound to!!) but I have one big moan, they have a limit of 30 minutes running time. Now I know people grumble about 'long' films, but it does depend on the quality of the film doesn't it? I've seen 10 minute documentaries that bored me silly, and yet I sat entranced in the Curzon Mayfair for 2 hours 22 minutes watching a documentary shot in a mountain monastery with hardly a spoken word throughout! We can't always make films with festival limits in mind. I do what I feel I have to and take pot luck, very often my film is shown in isolation or, (latterly on TV), when the formula works. The problem arises when it is included in a programme, particularly when the audience is gasping for a cup of tea. Thirty minutes for a major international competition does seem rather niggly though. What does the team think?

Re: AMPS 2011

Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 12:32 am
by Stephen
Great competiton to enter...

I too was fortunate to be awarded a very smart trophy which also is proudly on display in the 'den' alongwith a rather great looking certificate on the wall!

top notch awards from AMPS ... expect support from this quarter !!

Re: AMPS 2011

Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 9:00 am
by fraught
Now i know the closing date is the 1st October... but when is the actual event? I can't see it anywhere on the site?

Re: AMPS 2011

Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 9:19 am
by Dave Watterson
Ain't none!

A couple of years ago it became clear that the cost of bringing people together from all over USA and Canada was too high to be sustained. The festival, in the sense of screenings, is no more.

There are several such events around the world. I would prefer to call them competitions and save the word festival for a celebratory screening.

Of course in many cases they are the same things, since the final judging is done during a weekend or a week of screenings.

-Dave

Re: AMPS 2011

Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 2:41 pm
by fraught
Cheers Dave,

So those people entering, when will they know the results by?

Re: AMPS 2011

Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 6:04 pm
by Dave Watterson
Hmm.

That depends on how long it takes the judging team to go through all the entries and so on. Last year there was a longer delay than anyone wanted because of illnesses ... and the active team running AMPS is very small.

As soon as I know them, you will. I look after the AMPS website as well as keeping an eye on this forum ...


Dave