The Celtx Blog

2009 EnhanceTV ATOM Award Winners Announced

Winners of the 2009 Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) Awards were announced last week in Melbourne, AUS and Celtx is proud to have been a part of this prestigious event that honours the talents of film, TV and multimedia creators in the student, professional and educational production sectors in Australia and New Zealand.

This year the Celtx sponsored Award for Best Instructional / Training Resource went to DIY DOCO, A Screen Australia Digital Learning program in association with Roar Film Pty Ltd. DIY DOCO is an interactive broadband website that encourages users to explore all facets of the documentary process. The site contains video clips, text, sound and activities that users can interact with, edit and create.

The Celtx Team also extends special Congratulations to winner of the Teacher's Award - Stephen Taggart, Head of Film Studies at the Anglican Church Grammar School, Queensland, and to Student / Director, Alex Moir of the International Film School Sydney for winning Best Tertiary Short Film (Short Fiction) for 'Daniel' (written and pre-produced in Celtx!) All three winners will receive a Celtx Studio for a year.

For more event details and to find out who else received the ATOM nod of approval, check out the media release below...

Cheers to All,

Sheila & The C-Team

2009 ATOM WINNERS

STUDENT
Best Primary Video Production

Miss Lil's Magic Eggy Rock
Year 7 Film Club 2008
St. Michael's Catholic School, Palm Island & Strong and Smart Inc.
Qld

Best Middle School Video Production

Mercury Vapour
Zoe Barnes, Sam McManus, Rachel Clough, Sean O'Keeffe
Lithgow High School
NSW

Best Middle School Multimedia Production

Contrast
Sarah Lang
St Catherine's School
Vic

Best Secondary Animation

Spud Lovin
Mei-Lynn Wilkinson
Narrabundah College
ACT

Best Senior Multimedia Production

I
Ahmad Halimi
Indooroopilly SHS
Qld


Best Secondary Documentary

MB's Story
Alex Case
Wesley College
Vic

Best Secondary Fiction

Wax Wings
Grace Louey
Wesley College
Vic

Best Secondary Music Video

By My Side
Brandon Lee
Queensland Academies of Creative Industries
Qld

Best Tertiary Animation

El Visitante
Maisie Cohen
University of Technology, Sydney
NSW

Best Tertiary Documentary

The Rise of Leatherman
Kim Munro
Victorian College of the Arts
Vic

Best Tertiary Short Film (Experimental)

Perspective
Sarah Burke
Deakin University, School of Communication and Creative Arts
Vic

Best Tertiary Short Film (Short Fiction)

Daniel
Alex Moir
International Film School Sydney
NSW
EDUCATIONAL
Best Indigenous Resource

12 Canoes
Wanted Digital & Molly Reynolds
NSW

Best Instructional / Training Resource

DIY Doco
Roar Film Pty Ltd and Screen Australia
Tas

Best Educational Multimodal Production

Exploring Civics & Citizenship through a visit to the National Capital Canberra
Ryebuck Media for DEEWR
Vic

Best Multimedia Learning Resource

DIY Doco
Roar Film Pty Ltd and Screen Australia
Tas

Best Primary Education Resource

Exploring Civics & Citizenship through a visit to the National Capital Canberra
Ryebuck Media for DEEWR
Vic

Best Secondary Education Resource

Exploring Civics & Citizenship through a visit to the National Capital Canberra
Ryebuck Media for DEEWR
Vic

GENERAL
Best Animation

Figaro Pho - EP 18 Fear of Poo
Vishus Productions
Director: Luke Jurevicius
Animator: Andrew Kunzel
SA

Best Children’s Television Production

Snake Tales
Ann Darrouzet
Westside Film & Television Pty Ltd
Vic

Best Documentary General

My Asian Heart
David Bradbury & Carmelo Musca
NSW

Best Documentary Human Story

Bastardy
Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Jack Charles & Philippa Campey
Vic

Best Documentary Science, Technology & the Environment

Lizard Kings
Gisela Kaufmann & Carsten Orlt
Kaufmann Productions P/L
NSW

Best Documentary Social & Political Issues

The 10 Conditions of Love
Jeff Daniels
Arcimedia & Common Room Productions
Vic

Best Documentary Short Form

My Uncle Bluey
Written & Directed by Britt Arthur
Produced by James Grandison
Vic

Best Experimental

Necessary Games
Closer Productions and Restless Dance Theatre
SA

Best Multimedia

European Voyages to the Australian Continent
National Museum of Australia and Roar Film
ACT

Best Music Video

Black Culture
John Power
AIM Centre, RMIT
Vic

Best Interactive / Video Game

Figaro Pho
Katalyst Interactive and Vishus Productions
SA

Best Multimodal Production

Dharma Wants You
ABC / Hoodlum
Qld

Best Short Fiction

The Bully
Shane McNeil
Smoking Gun Productions
SA

TEACHER'S AWARD
Stephen Taggart
Anglican Church Grammar School
Qld

MEDIA RELEASE

2009 EnhanceTV ATOM Award Winners Announced
The winners of the 2009 EnhanceTV ATOM Awards were announced last Friday, 23 October at a ‘big screen extravaganza’ held in the Plaza Ballroom of Melbourne’s Regent Theatre. The announcement of the outstanding list of winners was greeted with much enthusiasm by attendees and highlighted the glowing future of Australian screen.

"We were thrilled, as always, with the calibre and content featured by this year's productions, both of the winners and the worthy finalists," commented Simon Wilmot, ATOM Awards Executive Officer.

"This program stands alone in this industry as the only one which judges, recognizes and then celebrates student works and those of industry professionals at the same time, something of which we at ATOM are very proud. The importance of the education and professional media industries working together to ensure that the bar is constantly being raised and our industry is continuing to grow and flourish cannot be underestimated and this program works hard to further this drive," he added.

The annual ATOM Awards program - now in its 27th year - recognises excellence in over thirty categories of Film, Television, Animation and Multimedia (including video games) and celebrates the very best of Australian and New Zealand production.

The competition was open this year to anyone who had produced a short film, documentary, animation, electronic game, educational resource, television program or innovative new media work in the past twelve months.

The 2009 EnhanceTV ATOM Awards program was presented by ATOM and EnhanceTV.

The 2009 EnhanceTV ATOM Awards program was sponsored by Madman, Qantm College, Monash University, Deakin University, Encore Magazine, Celtx and Quest Collins Street Central and Multimedia Victoria and is supported by Metro Magazine, Screen Education, Open Channel, Qpix, MetroScreen, Wide Angle and Netagi, Screening Sponsor Big Mouth Marketing Communications and Screening Partners Federation Square, Melbourne, and the International Film School Sydney.

The 2009 EnhanceTV ATOM Awards were funded by Screen Australia, South Australian Film Corporation, Screen NSW (formerly the New South Wales Film and Television Office) and Film Victoria.
For more information about the 2009 EnhanceTV ATOM Awards please visit www.atomawards.org

The call for entries for the 2010 ATOM Awards will open in the coming weeks, so stay tuned to the website for more information.
-ends-

June 3: Ninth Annual Media That Matters Film Festival Launch

If you're in the New York City area next week, here's a 'Must See' event organized by our friends at Media That Matters.... - S

Media That Matters: MORE THAN A FESTIVAL

SCREEN the collection of jury-selected films.
ACT now to make a change.
IMPACT your community by using short films with on-the-ground activism.

Following the official launch on June 3, we invite you to Screen. Act. Impact.

For the first time ever we will have the DVD collection available for you to purchase online directly following the Premiere.

Check out the store to see how you can pre-order the DVD now and host a screening.

We are finalizing international screening locations now. Add yours to the map! Prep for upcoming semester and integrate film into your curriculum!

You're invited!

Wednesday June 3, 2009

6:00 pm - Doors Open
Arrive early to take part in the impACT salon with some of our presenting partners for Take Action opportunities and a chance to meet the festival filmmakers.

7:00 - 9:00 pm - Screening of ninth annual Media That Matters Film Festival
Join us for the world premiere of the ninth annual Media That Matters Film Festival!
Be among the first to see the 12 new inspiring short films selected this year by our jury of 12 incredible activists and media makers.

School of Visual Arts (SVA)
Visual Arts Theater
333 West 23rd Street
New York, NY
See map

The theater is accessible by wheelchair.

Presenting Partners for impACT salon include WITNESS, POV, MercyCorps, Creative Commons, Miro and Breakthrough.

Buy your tickets today before they sell out! http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/63247

WE'LL SEE YOU THERE!

Questions?
Send us an email!

festival@artsengine.net

As we reach out to get the message about this launch to a wide international audience, the opportunity to share this information with your friends / fans / members / community is invaluable to us. If you have space for a short announcement to post on your blog, on your profile, in your upcoming newsletter, or in an email blast it would be a great help to us.

Thank you!

Celtx Motion Sketches - Episode 7 - The Art of Workflow

Built around CELTX open-source software, Motion Sketches is an online video series that explores contemporary approaches to media production development. From the big screen to the mobile screen, from live-action to the virtual camera - Motion Sketches presents a range of highly practical perspectives on developing a media project from concept to production - screenplay, design, story, development and delivery.

This month we're happy to bring you....

Episode 7 - The Art of Workflow

The planning and structuring of your production workflow is at the heart of creative thinking. This episode looks at the importance of planning your digital workflow and developing a creative assembly process that is flexible and matches your particular creative impulses. It also looks at practical ways of planning and organizing a workflow using Celtx to ensure that everything gets done when it needs to be done. (Among other things, be sure to check out Mike's innovative use of the Celtx index cards!)

As always, we extend BIG thanks to Mike Jones and Greg Dolgopolov of Bad Dad Productions for another informative and entertaining view in to different approaches for media production development.

Previous episodes include:

Episode 1 - So This is Cinema?
Episode 2 - There's No Such Thing as Good Writing
Episode 3 - Writing for Sound
Episode 4 - Writing for Actors - Part I
Episode 5 - Writing for Actors - Part II
Episode 6 - The Art of the Producer (more than finding the money)

Go here to view all.

Or go here to view Motion Sketches on your iPhone!!!

Enjoy!

Sheila

Tracey: Re-Fragmented - A Unique Online Editing Opp for Canadian Filmmakers

Here's a terrific filmmaking opportunity for the HOME crowd...

In an online contest launched last month called Tracey: Re-Fragmented, Canadian Director, Bruce McDonald released all the footage from his latest award-winning feature film, The Tracey Fragments under Creative Commons and is inviting aspiring filmmakers to mash it up as a re-cut, which any old way they like! The other bonus is this initiative makes the movie's score by Indie, Broken Social Scene available for use as well.

In explaining his inspiration for the project McDonald says:

“The Tracey Fragments is a film that fully embraces experimentation and teamwork. I wanted to find out if that experience exists on the Internet and give others the chance to experiment and play with some beautifully shot footage of a world class actress in a free form environment. I hope people make their own feature films, short films, rock videos, trailers, experimental films and personal manifestos out of The Tracey Fragments."

(see full Press Release)

The contest started October 29, 2007 and closes on Jan.31, 2008, so there's still lots of time to enter.
The winning Canadian submission will be chosen by Bruce McDonald and his editors and receive an Apple Final Cut Pro prize pack, in addition to a spot in the bonus features on the DVD release of The Tracey Fragments.

So Guys and Gals, get online and strut your stuff...... If anything, it could be a bit of fun :)
Instructions and contest details are available here.

Good Luck!

Sheila

Film Racing Grand Prix 2007 - Can you make a film in 100 hours?

Test your skills against filmmakers around the world in the Film Racing Grand Prix 2007. On Thursday, November 29th at 8PM EST, teams are e-mailed a theme and a surprise element for their film. The films must be no longer than 5 minutes and must be shipped by Monday, December 3rd at 11:59PM EST. The top 25 films will be featured on filmracing.com and all entries will compete for a special Audience Award on OurStage.com. Thousands in cash and prizes go to the winners and anyone can compete from anywhere, so get your team together and sign up today! To register or learn more, click here.

Sponsored in part by Celtx.

Special Discount for Celtx Users - Use the discount code PRIXGRAND for $10 off the entry fee.

4th Annual Screenwriter's Challenge - Presented by nycmidnight.com

Hey People... Listen up!

If you just finished Script Frenzy and are screaming for more, Charlie and the gang over at nycmidnight.com are inviting you to participate in their 4th Annual Screenwriter's Challenge.

Open to anyone, anywhere.... Writers from around the world compete to see who can produce the best short screenplay (15 pages max.) on an assigned genre and subject in one week. Winners are chosen from this First Round to advance to the Second Round and compete for over $13,000 in cash and prizes by writing a short script in just 24 hours.

Entry Fee is $45 (US) and the Final Entry Deadline is July 11, 2007.

That means ONLY 7 DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER!!!! Space is limited too, so hurry, hurry.
And... There's a *SPECIAL DISCOUNT for CELTX USERS TOO!!

To Register and find out MORE on how it all works, please go here .

Thanks Charlie!! - S

Mark Your Calendar!
Final Entry Deadline
July 11, 2007

1st Round (1 Week)
July 13 - 21, 2007

2nd Round (24 Hours)
September 22, 2007

Overall Winners Announced
October 3, 2007

*Special Discount for celtx users – Use discount code CHALLENGE4 for $5 off the entry fee.

"Punch Up at A Wedding" wins the Celtx prize for "Best Local Film" at the Nickel Film Festival!

Congratulations to "Punch Up At a Wedding" for winning the "Celtx Award for Best Newfoundland Film" at the 2007 Nickel Film Festival

Justin Simms, the writer/director of this short film was on hand to accept the handmade trophy and $500 cash prize at the closing night party.

In "Punch Up at a Wedding", six people reflect upon past mistakes after a botched wedding toast ruins the perfect day. The story revolves around three scenes about a single event that we never actually see. The film exhibits wonderful performances by Newfoundland actors, Frank Barry, Lois Brown, Stephen Lush, Mark Power, Monica Walsh, Ed Tanasychuk with cinematography by Jamie Lewis.

Justin Simms, the NLAC’s Emerging Artist for 2007, made this award-winning short in 2006. Justin has been very busy for the past couple of years. He was the first time film mentor at NIFCO, has attended The Canadian Film Center and his film "Punch Up at a Wedding " has won several awards including the Best Atlantic Short, the Michael Weir Award for Best Original Screenplay and the Best Director at the Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Justin is currently in production on his first feature film, an adaptation of Joel Hynes' novel "Down to the Dirt".

Congratulations Justin, We look forward to seeing your new film at next year's festival!

-Michelle

Celtx version 0.9.9.1 Now Available!!!

Hey Gang,
This Celtx point release fixes several bugs that hampered several users. Here are the list of fixes:

Mac OS X 10.3.9 and earlier
Celtx successfully opens schedule and calendar documents
Celtx shuts down cleanly

Text Selection in Editor
Performance of text selection in long documents has been improved

Proxy Server & Firewall Issue
Improved performance of registration wizard and project upload for
users behind proxy servers and firewalls.

Print Preview
Celtx successfully prints from print preview window

Can't Add Word to In-line Dictionary
In-line spell check successfully adds words to dictionary

Text Element
The text format element has been added back into the script editor

As always you can get the new version from our download page.

For the folks late to the party you can review the release notes for version 0.99 here.

A Cultural Anthropologist's vid explains why "Web 2.0... the Machine is Us/ing Us"

If you haven't seen this video already, I think you'll find it interesting...

In an effort to explain Web 2.0 and why it matters, Michael Wesch, an assistant Cultural Anthropology Prof at Kansas State University, created this video by mixing together a bunch of animations, text and screenshots.

So is the machine using you?
You might want to keep the kleenex handy ;)

And btw... I noticed our stats have recently indicated a lot of interest in Celtx from Kansas State University, so a hearty welcome to our new KSU users!

The Promiscuous Materials Project

If you are an advocate of Free Culture, and are familiar with the writings of critically acclaimed American author, Jonathan Lethem, then you'll be excited to learn that he has recently launched
"The Promiscuous Materials Project".

Lethem created the project as an opportunity to make an argument for Free Culture by offering up some of his own stories for remixing and adaptation. He says,

"...These stories are for filmmakers or dramatists to adapt. They're available non-exclusively -- meaning other people may be working from the same material -- and the cost is a dollar apiece...... There's a simple written agreement to sign, which imposes a couple of restrictions, and that's it -- once you've paid your dollar and signed the agreement, you're free to adapt or mutate the story as you please..."

So what do you think? Wanna make your mark in Free Culture history? If so, head on over here for more info.
Here are some examples of completed projects and other works in progress.

Enjoy!
-S