AMPS 2011

A forum for sharing views on the art of film, video and AV sequence making as well as on competitions, judging and festivals.
ned c
Posts: 910
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:39 pm
Location: Dammeron Valley USA

AMPS 2011

Post 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
User avatar
Dave Watterson
Posts: 1872
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:11 pm
Location: Bath, England
Contact:

Re: AMPS 2011

Post 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
User avatar
Howard-Smith
Posts: 298
Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2010 12:11 am
Location: Wolverhampton
Contact:

Re: AMPS 2011

Post 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
User avatar
fraught
Posts: 567
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:54 pm
Location: Basingstoke
Contact:

Re: AMPS 2011

Post 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.
Only Boring People Get Bored
http://www.fraught.net
User avatar
Willy
Posts: 711
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 10:42 pm
Location: Antwerp Belgium

Re: AMPS 2011

Post 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!
Willy Van der Linden
ned c
Posts: 910
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:39 pm
Location: Dammeron Valley USA

Re: AMPS 2011

Post 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
User avatar
fraught
Posts: 567
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:54 pm
Location: Basingstoke
Contact:

Re: AMPS 2011

Post by fraught »

I'll certainly be entering some of my latest work this year Ned. :-)
Only Boring People Get Bored
http://www.fraught.net
User avatar
Michael Gough
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:14 pm
Location: Sunderland

Re: AMPS 2011

Post 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
Mike Shaw

Re: AMPS 2011

Post by Mike Shaw »

Cheryl Cole is a Geordie? Gosh - I must listen to her as well next time ... :roll:
Michael Slowe
Posts: 807
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 4:24 pm

Re: AMPS 2011

Post 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?
User avatar
Stephen
Posts: 223
Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2007 3:36 pm
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
Contact:

Re: AMPS 2011

Post 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 !!
Stephen

Film making is not a matter of Life and Death
It's much more important than that.
User avatar
fraught
Posts: 567
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:54 pm
Location: Basingstoke
Contact:

Re: AMPS 2011

Post 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?
Only Boring People Get Bored
http://www.fraught.net
User avatar
Dave Watterson
Posts: 1872
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:11 pm
Location: Bath, England
Contact:

Re: AMPS 2011

Post 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
User avatar
fraught
Posts: 567
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:54 pm
Location: Basingstoke
Contact:

Re: AMPS 2011

Post by fraught »

Cheers Dave,

So those people entering, when will they know the results by?
Only Boring People Get Bored
http://www.fraught.net
User avatar
Dave Watterson
Posts: 1872
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:11 pm
Location: Bath, England
Contact:

Re: AMPS 2011

Post 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
Post Reply