Cheyenne International Film Festival now accepting entries for 2012

Click on the Withoutabox logo to enter your short or feature film in the Cheyenne International Film Festival

The Cheyenne International Film Festival (CIFF) is now accepting entries. This year CIFF has partnered with Withoutabox for outreach and processing of film festival entries. We’re big on good stories, in fact, good stories trump production value. The CIFF happens May 17 – 20 in downtown Cheyenne, Wyoming at the Historic Atlas Theatre.

As usual, CIFF prefers to receive online screeners to cut down on the number of tapes, DVDs cut, plastic boxes, sleeves, envelopes that are wasted as a result of film festival entries. You can upload for free through Withoutabox.

A great benefit of entering CIFF via Withoutabox is, your film gets an imDb page, which is the gold standard with regards to film cred! CIFF fees are pretty low compared to many festivals. We generally don’t give out fee waivers. There are lots of things you can do to raise the $30 pittance – sell something, have a rummage sale, ask your friends and families for $30, cut back on the number of beers or coffees you drink this month.

I know there are a bunch of broke filmmakers out there, but as you’ll note, we are soft on first time filmmakers. CIFF also has the Wyoming Showcase category. If you have a movie about Wyoming, set in Wyoming, or if you’re a filmmaker, director, writer, photographer involved with a movie with or without a Wyoming connection, that increases your chances for CIFF selection.

CIFF also has a Call2ACTion category. We seek films having to do with women’s issues – domestic / dating violence; Native American issues; service veteran issues; films about life and death; and uplifting stories about people moving themselves out of poverty

The movies are screened by a group of judges consisting of movie fans, producers, writers. Like all film festivals we make no apologies for the films that get selected for screening.

WCM seeks content about Occupy movement in Wyoming for documentary

WCM is curious about Occupy Wyoming and wants to document it. WCM seeks digital video, images, music, audio. Click on the flag to go check out the Occupy Wyoming resource nexus.

Imagine when the Occupy Wall Street movement gets untracked? It’s just a matter of time when the tipping point happens. Occupy Wall Street in Wyoming is evidence that the tipping point is near. This site won’t be updated much, but will serve as a resource about Wyoming-based OWS efforts to the outside world. Dynamic info will be a result of locally-maintained facebook pages, groups and local websites.

Why is Wyoming important? The movement in Wyoming is unique and demonstrates the ubiquity of its appeal when considering the Equality State is the least populated – 565,000 people. It has only two cities over 50,000 – Casper and Cheyenne and dominated by the Republican Party – State legislature 76 GOP; 14 DEM.

Wyoming Community Media (WCM) is putting this information together with an eye on documenting the Occupy Wall Street movement in Wyoming. Wyoming should be an Occupy movement bell weather state. If the movement gains traction in a conservative stronghold, it will be clear the message is cross cutting.

This is one of many unofficial online resources for the growing occupation movement happening around Wyoming and the world. Here’s what the official unofficial Occupy Wall Street website has to say:

“Occupy Wall Street is a people-powered movement that began on September 17, 2011 in Liberty Square in Manhattan’s Financial District, and has spread to over 100 cities in the United States and actions in over 1,500 cities globally. OWS is fighting back against the corrosive power of major banks and multinational corporations over the democratic process, and the role of Wall Street in creating an economic collapse that has caused the greatest recession in generations . . .The occupations around the world are being organized using a non-binding consensus based collective decision making tool known as a “people’s assembly”.

If you have links to video, photo albums, music, etc. contact WCM by email.

Lights Camera Action video production workshops set

Lights Camera Action workshop participants frame up a shot during a recent session in Downtown Cheyenne

Lights, Camera, Action! Wyoming Community Media presents its video production seminar. You’ll produce a short film during the class. Classes are held at the Hynds Building – 1608 Capitol Avenue.

August 31 – 10am – 4pm
September 10 – 9am – 3pm
September 13 – 10am – 4pm

Learn the basics about how to operate a video camera, setting up lights and sound and the fundamentals of screenwriting while working on an actual film production project.

Here’s the video produced by the a similar production class: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21Tsch-q86w&NR=1

Thank you to the Wyoming Arts Council, Laramie County Community College and Wyoming Film Office for their support.

The Shoot Out Cheyenne set for Sept 23 – 25: $1000 Top Prize

Click on the TSOC logo and get to the registration page.

The Shoot Out Cheyenne 24 hour film making festival is set for September 23 – 25 in Downtown Cheyenne, Wyoming. Last year, 21 teams took the challenge and competed for $1000 in top prize money. Enter online by clicking on the TSOC logo.

Production groups of 1 or more are challenged to complete a 7-minute movie in 24 hours starting Friday night, September at 6pm in the lobby of the Historic Plains Hotel.

Contestants deliver their finished movie on a tape or digital file by 6pm on Saturday at 6pm.

You don’t have to be a filmmaker to enjoy the event. The top 10 films will be screened on Sunday afternoon September 25th at the Atlas Theatre 211 W. 16th Street – Doors open at 1pm with entertainment and movies and awards at 2pm. Refreshments will be available in the lobby.

For details, check out the website at: http://www.theshootoutcheyenne.com/

WCM documenting Cheyenne Cherub Mural Project

The Cherub Mural Project is being documented by Wyoming Community Media. Click on the image to watch a video and meet the artist.

There’s a new face in town. The Cheyenne Cherub Mural project has begun. Murray Properties decided to use the back of their building at the corner of 17th Street and Warren Avenue in Downtown Cheyenne as the canvas for a 41′ x 66′ mural of a renaissance cherub.

Muralist Michael Cooper and his wife Mickie operate a small Tennesee-based business called Murals & More and now find themselves in the Cowboy State with their paints and brushes. It’s a family affair with son Brad Lewis from Jackson also in on the project.

Mural Project Producer Ed Murray hired the Coopers when he and his wife Caren spied examples of their work in Nashville.

Why cherubs? Murray explains that cherubs are a mainstay in Old West saloon and hotel art and symbolize restfulness and peace. He cited his father’s antique collection which includes a large group of cherubs which was an influence on him while growing up in Cheyenne.

Michael Cooper is known for realistic, 3-dimensional looking works on flat surfaces.

The Coopers are busy preparing the wall for the paint application, using high pressure water and a LEED – approved latex paint solvent to remove the old paint.

Cooper estimates that the project will take three weeks, but has allotted a month.

The “First Stroke” ceremony is set for Thursday August 18th at 10am.

Murray invites all to attend the event at the base of the mural just past the foot of the viaduct – 16th Street at Warren Avenue.

Keep up with the project progress by “liking” the A New Face in Town – Cheyenne Cherub Mural facebook page.

Gallery 71 Cheyenne Frontier Days art show and sale opens

Click on the image "Of Beauty and Beast" by Georgia Roswell do download the show catalog

The Gallery 71 art show and sale sponsored by the Cheyenne Class of 1971 is now open at the Deselms Gallery, 300 E. 17th Street in Downtown Cheyenne, Wyoming. Four artists have their works on display through the end of the class reunion on August 7th.

The artists include Dave Rowswell, Georgia Rowswell, Diana Helzer and Sumiko O’Hashi (from the collection of Alan O’Hashi).

Click on the image “Of Beauty and Beast” by Georgia Roswell to download a copy of the show catalog.

The show is a collaboration among the Class of 1971, LightsOn! downtown group, Wyoming Community Media and the Deselms Gallery.

For more information about the class reunion, please check out the webpage at http://www.cheyenne71.com and join the facebook page at http://www.cheyenne71.org

Lights, Camera, Action! seminar Aug. 27th in Saratoga at W2F

Click on the logo to enter the CCHEC page.

Create professional videos without being a professional! Sign up for the Wyoming Community Media (WCM) Lights, Camera, Action! seminar August 27th through the Carbon County Higher Education Center (CCHEC).

WCM and CCHEC are teaming up to provide the video production seminar during the Wyoming Film Festival in Saratoga.

Participants will produce a short film during the class which will be screened at the Wyoming Film Festival on Saturday night August 27th. Also, there will be hands-on practical filming opportunities. The W2F is also has a need for panelists, speakers and filmmakers to be filmed for a documentary.

Learn how to operate a video camera, the basics of setting up lights and sound and the fundamentals of screenwriting while working on an actual film production project. Check us out on facebook!

Click on Alan O'Hashi's image to check out the WCM facebook page

The seminar instructor is WCM Executive Director and Producer Alan O’Hashi. He has been providing video – TV and Movie production services and training since 2004 and also produces the Cheyenne International Film Festival and The Shoot Out Cheyenne 24 hour film making festival.

Upcoming workshop dates:

Cost: $50 Location: Platte Valley Community Center – Saratoga, Wyoming
Registration Information: (307) 328-9204

Thank you to the Wyoming Arts Council, Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine, Wyoming Film Office, and the Carbon County Higher Education Center for their support.

These workshops are being offered for enrichment. No college credit will be issued. CCHEC reserves the right to cancel any classes without sufficient registration.