AMPS Festival Reborn

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ned c
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AMPS Festival Reborn

Post by ned c »

[url]https://www.americanmotionpicturesociety.org[/url]

This link will take you to the new AMPS (American Motion Picture Society) website and the rebirth of the Festival; originally The American International Film & Video Festival; now renamed The AMPS Film Festival. AMPS is no longer a "membership" society as we cannot see what benefits we could offer to members, so it is an open film festival specializing in non-commercial entries. Entries may be submitted directly via the website entry form or through Film Freeway. In this year of rebirth we are feeling our way and are open to suggestions for how we should develop. There will be no "real" Festival this year but it is hoped that in future there will be a Festival for attendance to see films and meet fellow film makers. Thanks for the great European support for AMPS in the past and we hope you will enter your films in the new 2015 competition/Festival.

thanks

Ned Cordery
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Dave Watterson
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Re: AMPS Festival Reborn

Post by Dave Watterson »

Welcome back, AMPS. In a world where there are ever fewer festivals which welcome films from amateurs / non-commercial films it is good to have the AMPS Festival back.

Behind the scenes, Ned has been working hard with the team of film makers and enthusiasts around him in southern Utah to get this going. The old guard of the amateur scene in the USA hung on for too long ... they had all done wonders for decades but new enthusiasts were not coming along or being nurtured if they did appear. As a result we know of only one club for amateur film makers left in the USA. In Canada the once thriving collection of film clubs has almost dwindled away. But those who met Ned at BIAFF 2015 will realise that he is a powerhouse. His enthusiasm goes a very long way. Let's hope this revival of the festival with a team of young-middle-aged organisers will thrive.

The new rules allow movies up to an hour long, which removes an obstacle for some UK film makers.

Note that the closing date is 15th September and that you have to get the copy of the film to them by that date. Using Film Freeway you can send it over the net. The entry forms and payment you can send over the net. UK/European film makers who are used to a pretty snappy mail service should note that if you are posting a disc to the festival they recommend allowing up to a month for it to reach them.
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John Roberts
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Re: AMPS Festival Reborn

Post by John Roberts »

This is brilliant news indeed, and I spent some time browsing the website yesterday with a mind to entering something. I have a couple of questions though:

Firstly regarding FilmFreeway. The website states: "Please note that entering through filmfreeway will require uploading your film(s) through the filmfreeway site, as well as submitting dvd or blu-ray materials directly to amps." so I'm not sure what the benefit of using FilmFreeway is, if we have to put to mail a DVD/Bluray as well? Perhaps Ned could comment?

Secondly, I cannot find any mention of the usual requirement of '10 seconds black leader etc' or indeed any mention that there shouldn't be any leader. Is this because there is no actual 'screening' as such this year? I assume that AMPS will accept a film with any format or combination of leader, colour bars, tones etc, as most filmmakers do include them in some form or other. Perhaps this is a detail to add to future entry forms?

Interesting to note that the AMPS entry form has a tick box for receiving via email the judges' evaluation of the entered film, if this is in the same vein as BIAFF it's definitely a plus point!

Very well done to Ned and the team for getting this off the ground - now it's up to us to support him, promote the festival and build on the successes of the past!
ned c
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Re: AMPS Festival Reborn

Post by ned c »

Thanks for the comments Dave and John. The reason for registering with Film Freeway is to get some exposure in the wider world of film makers. I believe that one of the problems that both AMPS and the BIAFF face is how make to ourselves known and recognized by the new breed of film makers who form transient groupings and don't belong to clubs. We are open to accept any form of leader/color bars/count down, I suspect that in practice not a lot of notice is taken of these, probably the most useful is the level of a 1 kiloherz tone. We plan that the judging will take place on large screens in good viewing conditions. At this stage we have no feeling for the potential number of entries and may have "screeners" if the entry level is high. There was some resistance to providing the judges notes but I have always felt that this is one of the great strengths of BIAFF as at very least it proves that someone actually watched my entry!

As you see this is very much a work in progress so all input welcome.

Thanks

ned c
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Dave Watterson
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Re: AMPS Festival Reborn

Post by Dave Watterson »

I'm guessing, but isn't one of the Film Freeway advantages that it allows the festival to preview entries online ... which could be helpful if there is a huge entry and everyone posts their disc at the last minute.

But let's make sure they get a large entry ...
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John Roberts
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Re: AMPS Festival Reborn

Post by John Roberts »

Well, I decided to support AMPS and I entered my latest effort via FilmFreeway and also packaged off a Blu-Ray disc to Utah.

I'm pleased to say that according to USPS the parcel is awaiting pickup from the local post office - not bad to say I only posted it on the 2nd of September! That's 9 working days, if you include Saturdays! But, it did appear to take a rather strange route to get to Ivins; after languishing in LA for several days it took 3 days to travel up to Salt Lake City, waving at the good people of Ivins half way on its journey up there, only to head back down to Ivins a couple of days later!

Good luck with the festival, Ned (and your colleagues) and if you get chance to catch my film 'First Light' I hope you enjoy it!

All the best - John
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Dave Watterson
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Re: AMPS Festival Reborn

Post by Dave Watterson »

The results are out tonight on https://www.americanmotionpicturesociet ... index.html - though I suspect many winners have already had private notification.

Among the British and IAC winners are:
You Are My Sunshine by R.A. Dunford second runner-up in the drama section

Master of Time by Willy Van der Linden first runner-up in the documentary section
First Light by John Roberts second runner-up in the documentary section
A Thump in the Eye by Michael Slowe second runner-up in the documentary section

Congratulations to them and to all of the winners. Some winning entries are - or should soon be - in the Cinema section on their Home Page.
ned c
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Re: AMPS Festival Reborn

Post by ned c »

Thanks to all the entrants. We have got off to a good start with the re-born AMPS; many countries represented with an excellent selection of films. The awards/certificates will be mailed out this week and to those entrants who didn't make the winners list it was all very close indeed.

Thank you

ned c
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TimStannard
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Re: AMPS Festival Reborn

Post by TimStannard »

Fantastic! I must check out if I can enter next year.
Great results for members of this forum. iIve not seen a couple of those and look forward to them (maybe at BIAFF 2016?)
Tim
Proud to be an amateur film maker - I do it for the love of it
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