Just received some great news from filmmaker, writer and Celtx user, Jeff Palmer of Dover, NH ...
"Hello Celtx,
I've been using Celtx for the past few years now and wanted to pass on some cool news. My script "The Sleeping Deep" took Top Prize at this year's H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival...Just wanted to THANK YOU for creating such a wonderfully intuitive and robust screenwriting program!"
Well, Congratulations Jeff! That's quite the accomplishment and we're glad we could be of assistance.
If any of you live in, or are handy to the Portland, OR area, this festival devoted to the works and fans of the late great Gothic horror writer Howard Phillips Lovecraft, takes place Oct. 3-5/08.
In the meantime, check out the press release and Jeff's letter from the HPFF Screenplay Committee informing him of his award... :) -Sheila
UPDATE!
Having returned recently from the Lovecraft Fest's red carpet with 'Best Screenplay' trophy in tow, Jeff Palmer reports back with a snapshot of a weekend adventure bespeckled with glamor and fame - Thanks Jeff! - S
Howdy folks,
I attended the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival in Portland, Oregon over the weekend of Oct. 3-5. Overall it was a really great time. I met some talented people, saw some fun films, attended a few informative panels, and grabbed my award for best screenplay which was a real treat.
Admittedly, I am not the best at making small talk and schmoozing with strangers – which is what the biz is all about, right? So I did find myself in your standard awkward moments (like weddings, office parties) where you should say something that you don’t, or vice versa, and the conversation kinda fizzles instead of sizzles. Oh well. That’s to be expected. No biggie.
I tried to make a connection with Mike Mignola, the creator of Hell Boy, but he was usually surrounded by several fans (comic nerds) or staff members so that made it tricky.
The audience was mostly comprised of Goth “kid” grown-ups who appear to have stepped out of a Marylin Manson video (or their mom's basement) and were getting prepped for a walk-on in a Tim Burton flick. I looked to be the odd fish in the barrel with jeans, a plain T-shirt and tattoo-free arms and pierced-free nose. Kinda funny.
A few movies stuck out from the heap. If you get the chance to see AM 1200 at a festival, check it out. Very well done. Shot on 35mm with Ray Wise (Twin Peaks) and directed by David Prior it won top prize for films at the festival. “Eel Girl” was another good one as well as “Casting Call for Cthulhu” a comedy that had people laughing. “The Dunwich Horror” was another good one starring Jeffrey Combs and Dean Stockwell. The animated The Amazing Screw-On Head by Mike Mignola was great time, too.
Oh, I did want to add this. When it comes to screening movies in a theater, DV is a hard sell. I know a lot of the films were low budget, but the “video look” turned me off. I think it was mostly because of the lack of saturation on the screen. Everything looked washed out with no contrast. So when AM 1200 was projected in 35mm – wow – what a difference. I’d like to see a RED ONE film projected sometime.
No big deals were made – no surprise there – but the festival director Andrew Migliore and his business partner Stephen Getman are going to put me in touch with a few folks “after the dust settles” from the weekend, which is nice of them. They really want my script to get produced as it would make a great addition to their festival when it does. I told them I was working on revisions and will certainly keep them posted with any progress I make.
In the end, the weekend was a blast. In addition to the festival we had some amazing food (sushi!), lots of good beer, and got in quite a bit of walking. After Portland, we drove up to Seattle on Monday and flew back to Dullsville, I mean Davis, on Tuesday night. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be back in a few years with a film in tow?
Later,
Jeff
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