MIAMI, FL--(Marketwire - December 7, 2010) - Openfilm.com, the online platform where independent filmmakers expand their careers and gain exposure and revenue for their work, today announced that Openfilm Launchpad has been selected as the hosting platform for the CinemaSlam 2011 Miami film school competition. Sponsored by The Miami International Film Festival, CinemaSlam 2011 aims to discover, showcase and celebrate the work of undergraduate and graduate students in Miami's film schools.
Openfilm Launchpad is a flexible, easy-to-manage and highly secure solution specifically designed for film festivals seeking to take all or any part of their festival online. Designed for festivals of all sizes and budgets, Openfilm Launchpad makes it easy to create and manage online competitions, fundraisers and other events on the festival's site and supports development of a year-round, global audience for festival activities.
Openfilm Launchpad will be used in the online submission, viewing and voting process for the all-new competition which will display the work of finalists from five Miami schools at the Miami International Film Festival, March 4-13, 2011.
"We needed an online platform that offered a wide range of features and could showcase the high production standards found in the work of students using state-of-the-art equipment," said Danette Wolpert, assistant director for programs and industry, Miami International Film Festival. "We evaluated a number of different options before selecting Openfilm Launchpad, which we feel best supports all phases of the competition."
"We're extremely pleased to have the opportunity to be a part of CinemaSlam 2011 and provide global exposure via the Web to short films by students at Miami colleges," said Brenda Nieborsky, director of Openfilm's Film Festival Services Department, which provides customized services to more than 250 film festivals worldwide.
The five schools competing in CinemaSlam 2011 include Miami Dade College, Miami International University of Art & Design, University of Miami, Florida International University and Barry University.
In Phase One of the competition, extending from December 7 to January 28, three films from each school will be selected as CinemaSlam Finalists, with 50 percent of the score determined by online public voting and 50 percent determined by a select group of faculty judges from each school. In Phase Two, the winning film from each school plus the grand prize winner ("Miami Student Film of the Year") will be selected by MIFF's esteemed Florida Focus Jury.
CinemaSlam 2011 winners will be announced and screened during the 28th annual Miami International Film Festival, March 4-13, 2011. The winner also will be invited to enter the Openfilm "Get It Made" competition which will award one filmmaker $50,000 in cash and a $450,000 financing contract to adapt their short film into a feature with Openfilm Studios. For complete information about CinemaSlam 2001 visit http://www.miamifilmfestival.com/cpage.cfm?id=1124.
About The Miami International Film Festival
The Miami International Film Festival (MIFF), celebrating its 28th edition March 4-13, 2011, is the premier Ibero-American film festival in the U.S. The annual event, which is produced and presented by Miami Dade College, attracts more than 70,000 film enthusiasts and 400 filmmakers, stars and industry professionals. During the past five years, the festival has screened films from 60 countries and hosted 300 East Coast, U.S. and world premieres. Through Encuentros, the festival's mentorship and film development program for filmmakers and projects from Spain, Portugal and Latin America, MIFF has become a primary gateway for the discovery of Ibero-American talent in the entertainment world. Additionally, the festival's REEL Education Seminar Series consistently attracts top industry executives, including representatives of such leading firms as Warner Bros., Sony Pictures Classics, IFC Films, Fox Searchlight, DreamWorks Animation, HBO Films/HBO Latino and William Morris Endeavor. For more information, visit www.miamifilmfestival.com.
About Openfilm
Openfilm is an online technology company that is advancing the world of independent film by providing a platform for filmmakers to expand their careers and gain exposure and revenue for their work. With an Advisory Board of well-established industry professionals including Scott Caan, Robert Duvall and Mark Rydell and led by Chairman James Caan, the Miami-based company is working to transform the way independent films are discovered, financed and distributed. Through its $500,000 "Get It Made" competition, which discovers and produces talent, Openfilm is driving the careers of independent filmmakers forward. For more information, visit: http://www.openfilm.com/studio/2.
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