Week 14

Last class, James and I presented on what we have so far for the scavenger hunt (appropriately named Galaxy Quest) and everyone seemed to love it. We decided to go ahead with having everyone in class be the leaders of their own teams so that we will have many people involved for optimum marketing exposure. I intend to to make sure that we have a nice bundle of prizes for everyone. I am really excited for this event! While I will still help out with Galaxy Quest, my focus will be shifted to the parties I will be throwing next semester. I plan on completing almost all plans for the Valentine's Day party over Winter Break. The location, catering, decorations, and all other details should be completely secured. I also am looking into confirming the location for the After Party. I have been recommended to look into the Ironclad Brewery, which looks like it will be a great location. I will also begin my research on different catering options and fun activities for the night of. Having Winter Break to focus on these upcoming events is a really nice thing to have. I would recommend making sure to take advantage of the time and to not push everything to the beginning of the semester.

Week 13

Though we are coming to an end of this semester, there are still many tasks to do before the end of 2015. After last week's class, Zoe, Jack, James, and I had an in person meeting about the Scavenger Hunt and decided on many things. We came to the decision to have the Scavenger Hunt last for an entire week (five days) upon returning to classes in January. People can sign up for the Hunt in teams, which would help create bonds between the group. We also want to make sure that it's not too easy or difficult, so we want to make questions related to film and pop culture but not from a strictly "film major" perspective. We decided to keep the hunt down on busier end of campus, the side with the Fishers. We thought that a total of 25 clues would be a sufficient amount, place in 5 buildings on this side of campus. This breakdown would leave for teams to essentially find 5 clues per day, which we believed to be a fair amount.

With that being said, our plan of action has been to split up the five building among the four of us and determine where we can hide clues within those buildings. This task must be completed before Monday, November 23rd, when we will meet at 8 p.m. to discuss with each other the places we picked. We will then work lastly on the Fisher Student Center together and collectively find places where we can hide clues. Our next step from there is to create a logical progression for the Hunt while keeping it challenging but fun. I am really excited for this project and hope that it will turn out amazingly!

Cucalorus Film Festival Response Assignment

Cucalorus, how I am finally glad that I went to you! It couldn't be any truer what the Film Department says about its students: it's unbelievable that so few go each year. Not only did I have an amazing time, but I learned so much of what it's like to run a film festival other than the amazing Visions. Seeing it from the view of a guest truly did give me a different perspective.

I began my Cucalorus journey at the opening night party, which was held at Ziggy's By the Sea. I had never been to Ziggy's before but was excited to see how they would decorate the location and how they would entertain the guests the entire night. When I walked into Ziggy's, my ticket was taken from me at the front, then I walked down the hall to see their "step and repeat," and went around the photographer to get into the main location. Taking note, I wasn't so keen as a guest to have the step and repeat so closed to the door and all of the foot traffic. If it would have been in more of a corner of the space, then it wouldn't have taken up so much of the hall space and cause any foot traffic issues. After a few minutes waiting in the main area, the hosts of the night went onto the stage opposite of the entrance and began entertaining the guests. It was a little noticeable that they were up there to distract us from technical difficulties and I learned that it's always good to have something prepared in case of such a situation. When the show finally began, I loved the fact that they had several screens set up all over the room so that it wasn't a struggle to see. I got a little bored after ten minutes of the video and was glad that there was a secondary party location option on the second floor. I thought it was the perfect space to have the food set up and allow those wanting to socialize a more quiet place. I did meet one of the directors of a music video that was playing there, and it was really nice to talk to one of the filmmakers!

On top of the opening party, which cost me one of my tickets in my Jibasorus pass, I saw two shorts blocks, a narrative feature, and a documentary feature. The first shorts block included narrative shorts, most which were really well filmed! The second shorts block began with a couple of experimentals, which I know made Kevin really happy. Most of Visions staff watched a few films together, which was really nice. I also saw the documentary Mom and Me and the narrative feature Princess. I am pleased to say that I liked all of the films that I saw, save maybe a few of the shorts.

Going to Cucalorus was an amazing experience! I am so sad that I had never gone before but they have made a repeat customer out of me! The people were nice and I had a great time! I will definitely be back next year!

Week 12

It's Cucalorus Week! It has been a fun one! But despite our adventures at one of Wilmington's international film festivals, we had to keep up our departmental work. In preparation for the scavenger hunt next semester, I have inquired all information from Zoe about how her high school professor used to run his intricate hunts. I think that my team will most likely go with his method, seeing that it matches an academic setting like what we have here in UNCW. Nonetheless, I have been doing research about different scavenger hunts geared towards adults to help us better understand how to make this kid game work for our age group.

The first website I went to, via the wonderful Pinterest, had an article called "How to plan a scavenger hunt for grownups." Not only did it have some unique clue ideas, it also stressed to choose a theme for your hunt. If needed for further explanation, it is the following: http://www.outdoorbookclub.org/blog/how-to-plan-a-scavenger-hunt-for-grownups

"Scavenger, Adult Style" went into great detail of all of the possibilities you can do for a new adult party. It also included a section dedicated to prizes and winners, and what a scavenger hunt would look like as a group activity. The website: http://www.lifescript.com/well-being/articles/s/scavenger_hunt_adult_style.aspx

I also found a website that gave specific scavenger hunt missions and its details so you can take all of the stress out of hoping to make an awesome theme. The website can be found here: http://blog.goosechase.com/post/18112981699/the-20-best-scavenger-hunt-missions

Week 11

After the success of the Bake Sale and the Halloween Party, the Department of Development and Fundraising are on to our next assignment!

 In class last Tuesday, I held a small presentation, recapping the party and bake sale to the class and asking for their feedback. For the bake sale, we discussed how we should keep the speakers the same for our next bake sale. Some other suggestions for our Valentine's Day fundraising sale was to use tents, have a cooler, label all of the treats, and make them more decorative. We need to try for a Wednesday and should explore having sweet and savory food options. It was also mentioned that we should include both nut-free and nut options at the same table for easier accessibility for our customers.  For the Halloween Party, there was a lot of feedback as well. We as a staff agreed that it was a really good time of year to have a party, which should definitely be noted for next year! Catering options for our Valentine's Day party include Wake and Bake Doughnut and V-Day candy, like Hershey's Kisses.

We also need to be wary of staff winning contests and we had a lot of requests to add a few more games. We now have our next project to complete under marketing: a scavenger hunt! I am excited to explore this further with my team!

Weeky Update: After the Halloween Party!

The party finally happened! After weeks of planning and collaborating and a bit of stress, our Visions6 Launch Party Fundraiser came and was a success. Not only did our guests seem to enjoy themselves, but we ended up exceeding our goal of $300! Through the raffle basket ticket sales and the cover charge, we ended up making $447! I was so proud of the staff and my department, but I was really proud in my own ability to be able to make such an amazing event from essentially nothing and turn it into a fun party that people wanted to come to. 

The evening started with Adrienne and I picking up the chips and salsa donated to us from Chili's. We then made our way to The Calico Room and touched bases with the two employees on shift tonight. I introduced myself and we talked about the night. They were wonderful, answering all of my questions and providing help whenever I needed it. The location was already so amazingly decorated for Halloween that we only added a few of our own items here and there. I had a team of 5 people help with set up, putting together the game room as well as the tables for raffle information and for food. The DJ arrived at 8 p.m.  and he began to set up all of his equipment. His name was The DJ Evan. When all of the Visions6 staff showed up, we had a little pow wow to talk about all of the different positions of the night and what they entailed. We then got into position as the party started around 9 p.m.

We all mingled with guests and let them know about the raffle. A few hours later, we promptly started our Lip Sync Battle. We had about 6 people participate, including a few group performances. After, we had our costume contests, gave our guests one last call for the raffle, and then we drew the winner for the raffle. By the end of the night, we were all exhausted, but we all carried on with smiles on our faces. Everyone on staff stayed after the party to help with clean up, making the place look as if we had never been there. I will be emailing all involved parties tomorrow thanking them for everything that they did.

Week's Update

Today was a very productive week! I was able to meet up with James and go to a few locations to obtain items for the party raffle basket. Might As Well Grill donated to us many things, including money vouchers for the restaurant, a cup, hooded shirt, and a koozie. Adrienne and I also did another trip in which we received money vouchers for Chili's, as well as donated chips and salsa, and four free movie passes to Carmike Cinemas. I think that the raffle basket is going to be looking great! I am preparing the budget for the party that I will present to the class this upcoming Tuesday and my department and I have plans to work on all crafts for the party this following week. I am keeping my mind on all of the decorations that will be needed for the night of the party, as well as the logistics of when we all need to show up and who I need to have assigned for different duties. I know that everyone will lend a helping hand but I also want to be as prepared as possible for the day of. I am very excited to see how this party turns out!

Weekly Update

Last class I presented my first solo presentation about the Halloween party. The theme is Monsters and Aliens. We are going to have it at the Calico Room downtown. I asked the class to help me decide on a few details about the party, such as when it should start, if we should have a DJ, and what sort of raffle we should have. I didn't have a lot of time to both present and ask questions so I put up the polls on Facebook to receive answers. I even went over a few housekeeping rules, such as "behave like you're not insane." After giving examples of great decorations and what we could do for entertainment, I has the class sign up to bring in decorations. Rob O'Conner has stated that he will make a shooting game. I am so excited to see how this turns out.

Shannon did make a point that my theme for the party was good but it didn't connect to the bake sale theme, which was Star Wars. We decided that as a class we wanted to stay more true to the party theme, so we went with Monster and Aliens. My department has more planning to do now that this is the case, but I think that it will work out. 

Research for Development and Fundraising

1. Steps to Plan a Successful Fundraising Event

This articles is very helpful because it breaks down the essentials of what you need for a successful fundraiser in a easy bullet point form. It also provides examples to generate some great fundraising ideas. This article inspired me to plan in more details on what I can be doing a few weeks out from the event.

http://www.doorwaysva.org/files/uploads/Helpful_Steps_to_Plan_a_Successful_Doorways_Event.pdf

2. 5 Things You Need to Throw a Fabulous Fundraiser
Writer Rebecca Andruszka really inspired me by her point in this article about how you want to make your guests feel like they are having such an amazing time that they feel like they owe us to donate more. They way to get guests to feel that way is to create an entire experience.

https://www.themuse.com/advice/5-things-you-need-to-throw-a-fabulous-fundraiser

3. Creating or Holding a Successful Community Event or Fund Raising Event
I really like this article for a lot of the reasons I like the first mentioned, save I feel that this article goes into more detail. For example, this article has an entire part dedicated to items that one needs to remember costs money and that we shouldn't look over or take or granted.

http://www.coyotecommunications.com/stuff/events.html

4. Planning and Executing a Successful Nonprofit Fundraising Event
I love what this article said about finding out your biggest supporters and having them market with you as intensely as you are. This article really inspired me to have a communications plan. Overall, a very helpful read.

http://www.networkforgood.com/nonprofitblog/planning-and-executing-your-next-big-event/

5. Planning Perfect Fundraisers for Sponsors and Partners 
This article actually made a really good point of stating that you need to make sure that you design the event for your organization's needs, and not your sponsors. We also need to be very familiar with our network and community in order to reach them. It also tied in with us because it recommends that we make our event educational, but since we are already attached to the university, it solidifies that we are going in the right direction.

http://www.eventbrite.com/blog/planning-perfect-fundraisers-for-sponsors-and-partners/

Week Recap

Today, I finally was able to have my film festival interview with Gwinnett Center International Film Festival! Speaking with Selina Branstetter, the Festival Director, was a great experience. She gave me great advice and was really warm and welcoming to talk to. We ended up speaking for half an hour. The GCI Film Festival is very similar in a lot of ways to Visions. They both are more on the smaller scale and have only one location. Selina's greatest piece of advice was to continue to follow up with potential sponsors until they officially say no. Most people need to be reminded to look at the information given to them, then reminded to give an answer. I hope that I am able to attend this festival one day and that more will come out of this connection with Selina. I will make another post with the entire interview so that you can see all of what we discuss. Overall, it was a great experience that I hope to do again! It seems like a really good way to make a connection with a person in leadership at a festival that you may want to attend or be a part of.

Gwinnett Center International Film Festival Interview

My interview about the Gwinnett Center International Film Festival was with the Festival Director, Selina Branstetter. The following is an approximate transcript of my interview, starting from my point of questioning:

Rebecca: I found on the website that you are the Festival Director, but who started the festival?

Selina: Kevin Powers and I started it together and are full time employees of GCI. We started brainstorming ideas of what to bring to the center in the summer, since those are our slow months, and decided to due this film festival. Kevin is very big in the film community here, and we pulled in our co-worker, Robin. So the three of us together are the founders.

Rebecca: Do people register to attend this festival, and how much does it cost?

Selina: We actually don't have pre-registration. We just sell tickets the day of. If you submit your film, you can get two free tickets for the weekend. We decided to do it that way because the event ise all at one location We found it more efficient to simply sell tickets. We have a one-day ticket price that will get you into all the films and panel for the day, which is $15. Our weekend ticket price is $35.

Rebecca: As Festival Director, how would you personally describe the mission/goals of your festival?

Selina: To provide an area or a space for filmmakers to present their work in an open environment. It's a place for them to feel, despite their age, that their films are welcome. It doesn't matter the genre. We also provide a facility for people to network with other professionals. We do a lot of local invitationals so we have a good number of people from Atlanta that our guests can network with.

Rebecca: What is your absolutely favorite thing about your festival?

Selina: To see all of the different cultures and community in film. This last festival, we represented 14 different countries in our screenings and to see that people will come from Israel or Japan just to see their film on the big screen is just amazing.

Rebecca: What is most challenging part of your festival?

Selina: We knew going in that the challenge of not knowing who is going to show would be a bit stressful, because there are no ticket sales in advance. It is all done day of. It leaves us in the dark of what are crowd is going to look like and where we can provide them with enough necessities.

Rebecca: What do you wish they had done differently or better when they were first starting out? Or something you wish you knew then that you know now?

Selina: Our 2nd and 3rd year, we opted for multiple platforms for submission. Our 1st year was done on withoutabox only. The 2nd and 3rd year we added filmfreeway and got way more submissions, almost by 50%. We found the filmfreeway is easier and a better to reach the filmmakers we are looking for.

Rebecca: How many entries did you get this year? Specifically between features and shorts?And how many films do you aim to screen each year?

Selina: We had 120 films shown. I would say 15 to 20 were features. This year, we had a strong submission of shorts, with more than 80. For us, it doesn't matter about showing more features than shorts. If a film is receiving a lot of acclaim, and Kevin knows it will get in crowds, we may repeat that film screening in the festival. This year just happened to be aimed toward shorts. Our festival time frame is from 11am to 10pm, so we simply program to run for that entire time. We have found, however, that by the 8pm, unless you have a high end feature, we lose people.

Rebecca:What is your pre­screening process?

Selina: I am actually not too sure. This is more of a question for Kevin. I do know that whatever film we get, Kevin previews all of them. We do have a panel that then chooses which films to show at the festival. Then we have judges at the event choose who receives prizes. 

Rebecca: How do you score entries? Are there scoring guidelines?

Selina: The judges score entries. They have specific scoring guidelines with a 1 to 5 scale in different categories. The categories are specific to if the film is a feature, a short, or the like.

Rebecca: How far in advance do you send out your call for entries?

Selina: Anywhere from November to January of that year. It really all depends.

Rebecca: When do most entries come in? Do most come early or late? Or do they come in waves?

Selina: Generally in waves. There has been a lot more of a social media push by us on Facebook and through their ads. We get a trickling of entries but when we get closer to the deadline, there are a lot more submissions.

Rebecca: How many paid employees and volunteers does the festival have each year? 

Selina: Kevin, Robin, and I have full-time jobs at the center and whatever work associated with the festival is added to our existing jobs. We usually have around 25 volunteers that go on a rotation. They usually sign up for several time slots and come back on different days to help out.

Rebecca: Is there a software program that you use for programming, trafficking, and budgeting? Do you like it?

Selina: We have used excel spreadsheets for the past few years. Our budgeting is done a little differently than most festivals because have it go through the center. We use their accounting firm.

Rebecca: What community outreach do you do outside of your festival season to keep your event on the public's radar and/or to raise funds?

Selina: We are very active on social media throughout the year. We also go to many film events in Atlanta. Kevin works with other people to get their films in our festival and obtain their interest. Atlanta hosts a monthly film event called Get Connected where we go to network. We also do a big pushes closer to our event date.

Rebecca: Do you give out swag bags to visiting filmmakers or presenters? If so, what items do you include in those bags?

Selina: Swag bags are actually given to judges because they volunteer. They typically include staff shirts, lanyards, swag from Gwinnett Center, like cups, pens and pads. We don't sell any merchandise at the festival but are looking into it for the future, so this is our way of saying thanks.

Rebecca: Do you have local sponsors and, do you have any advice for us to reach out to them?

Selina: The festival has sponsorship opportunities with different levels and I personally reach out to any company I think would make a good sponsor. Since we are a part of Gwinnett Center, we do a lot of trade with the center's partners. We get it for no or little cost to advertise for them. They are usually avid film goers or passionate about film. My advice would be to always follow up until you hear no. You must follow up to get it. You must be persistent! You have to follow up to make sure that: 1. they got it; 2. they read it; and 3. they answer you.

Rebecca: Do filmmakers pay registration to attend?

Selina: No, they just pay the submission fee.

Rebecca: Do you provide filmmakers with funds to cover travel or lodging?

Selina: We are still in the early stages so we actually cannot afford to at this time. We do try to assist filmmakers if they do ask for help for travel accommodations. We will usually get them in touch with discount rates for hotels we are work with.

Rebecca: What "perks" do your filmmakers enjoy at your festival? Do you encourage them to do anything while they're in town? 

Selina: Where we are located, there really isn't a large nightlife. We don't have clubs around, I will admit. Because of that, all of our additional programming is done at restaurants in town. We try to encourage the restaurant/bar atmosphere instead. 

Rebecca: Do you have special donor perks during the event? Or how do you thank them?

Selina: We have an opening night reception for donors and sponsors, and its a big closed party that you must RSVP for. It is one of our biggest ways to thank everyone who has worked to make the event happen.

Rebecca: Any other ideas or advice that we haven’t thought to ask about?

Selina: Marketing! Marketing is so important for festivals. We are really into grassroots marketing, being a local event. Our print is minimal, just for this day and age; a lot of it is on social media. We tried doing a television commercial our first year, but we found that it was not a big enough return for the price. We like to really advertise in the community, hitting the artist niches in town.

We first talked to the Atlanta film festival's marketing firm, kind of like you are doing with me, and the key things they said is never count on ticket sales for events, but submissions! We must be accountable for submission and money. 

Gwinnett Center International Film Festival (Festival Research Round 2)

1. What time is your interview scheduled and who will you be talking with when you call/skype?
 I will be speaking with the Festival Director, Selina Branstetter, on Wednesday, September 30 at 11 am.

2. Who started it and who runs it?
**The website does not say. I will make sure to ask.

3. What is the mission of the festival/conference? (copy and paste the first paragraph)

GCI Film Festival celebrates the efforts and accomplishments of produced and funded independent films while also expanding the knowledge and awareness of films nationally and internationally. The festival showcases a unique blend of local, national and international films including shorts and feature films of all genres and styles.

The GCI Film Festival is located in Duluth, Georgia at the luxurious Gwinnett Center & Performing Arts Center where our main theater (of four), which seats over 700, will provide audiences with an authentic theatre experience.  Our two seminar rooms will provide workshops, panel discussions, and Q&A sessions, so film makers and audience members will be able to converse with other film makers through a variety of related topics.  We are excited to be awarding some of the most innovative and artistic film makers in a variety of categories of competition to demonstrate our appreciation of such creative works.  Film makers and audience members will also have a variety of vendors at the event that will provide a plethora of goods and services.  Our venue is easily accessible from the highway and for our out of state film makers there are multiple hotels within walking distance

and all parking is free.

4. How does this compare with their actual programming choices from the past two years? Be specific in describing what they program (mode, categories within mode, niche, Political? Global? Local? Gender? Sexuality? Race? Any themes that you see? etc...)
They program many films from all genres. There is some sci-fi, some southern-rooted films, docs. They show features, shorts, music videos, student films, and have panels, workshops, and retrospectives.

5. Where is the event?
It is in Duluth, GA at the Gwinnett Center

6. When is the event? (Give dates from last year if not current)
July 31 to August 2, 2015

7. How do you submit? Snail mail, online, withoutabox, through their site, etc...
Through withoutabox and filmfreeway

8. When are the deadlines to enter? Early? Reg? Late?
Early Bird: May 15, 2015
Regular: June 5, 2015
Late: June 26, 2015
WAB Extended: July 4, 2015

9. How much does it cost to enter?

Early Bird

Feature - $40.00

Short - $30.00

Student - $25.00

Music Video - $25.00

Regular Deadline

Feature - $55.00

Short - $45.00

Student - $30.00 

Music Video - $35.00

Late Deadline

Feature - $70.00

Short - $60.00

Student - $40.00

Music Video - $45.00

WAB Extended Deadline

Feature - $85.00

Short - $70.00

Student - $50.00

Music Video - $55.00

10. Who’s eligible, what are the guidelines to enter?

  Short Films

•      Short films are 44 minutes or less. Any and all genres are accepted including animation and 
•      experimental.
•      Feature Films
•      Feature Films are between 45 minutes and 150 minutes. Any and all genres are accepted including
•      animation and experimental.
•      Short Documentary
•      Short documentary films are 45 minutes or less. Any and all topics are accepted.
•      Feature Documentary
•      Feature documentary films are between 45 minutes and 150 minutes. Any and all topics are 
•      accepted.
•      Student Films
•      Student produced or directed films that are 45 minutes or less. Any and all genres are accepted.
•      Note: There is no Feature Student Film category as these films if accepted will be included in the 
•      featurecategory automatically.
•      Foreign Films
•      Films that have been produced outside of the US. Any length and all genres are accepted.
•      Family & Children's Films
•      Films displaying family values that both children and adults can enjoy. Shorts & Features will be  
•      accepted.
•      Music Videos
•      Preferred length 1-10 minutes with a maximum of 15 minutes. Any entry over 15 minutes will be 
•      considered a shortfilm. Any and all genres accepted including animation and experimental. 

•      Animation Short Film
  
• •      Animation short films should be 46minutes or less. Any and all genres are accepted

11. Is there a Student category?
Yes

12. What formats do they except for jurying? DVD, Vimeo, Flash drives?
DVDs are the only form listed

13. What formats do they except for exhibition/screening?
DVD

14. How many films screened at the festival last year?
121 screenings

15. How long is a typical shorts block or paper presentation block at their event?
About two hours

16. How many films or papers do they program per block?
Shorts: 4
Feature: 1

17. How do people register to attend? Is there a cost to attend as a guest?
**There isn't any current ticketing information due to the festival ending recently.

18. Look at sponsorship page and see what businesses. Grants and private entities give money to the event. Figure out how many of each kind and note any leads that might be useful to us.
The Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment is a sponsor, Avid, Comprehensive Technical Group, MBS Equipment Co., Barbizon Lighting Company.

19. What are their sponsorship levels and incentives for each level?

Showcase - $3,000 

     •Listed as an Showcase GCI Film Festival Sponsor

     Support - $1,500
     •Listed as a Support GCI Film Festival Sponsor

     Program - $100

     •Ad in Program

20. Did they have a kickstarter or indiegogo? What incentives did they have for each level of donor?
I couldn't find a link.

21. What kind of non­traditional film/video events have they had before? Things like Installations, 'Visual Soundwalls,' VJing etc.
They have retrospectives, but nothing really "nontraditional"

22. Are there ways in which they have expanded the typical film screening event? How have they branched out from sitting in a dark room in front of a screen?
No



Answer the following questions about your experience with your assigned festival’s/conference’s website:

23. Is the layout easy to navigate? What makes it easy?
It's fairly simple of a layout to navigate. There isn't too much information presented.

24. Is the layout difficult to navigate? What makes it difficult?
Not all of the information is listed. The tabs at the top also have sub-tabs that lead to too many different pages. You can also scroll over the sub-tabs and there are sub-sub-tabs on some of them. It's a little much.

25. Can you find the information you are looking for on the homepage or via a link on the homepage?
Yes, but some key information was within a picture slideshow, which I don't think was the most efficient method of providing info, like the 'about us' page.

26. Aesthetically, what catches your eye? What's cool about it?
I like the broken glass header image. It makes it look as cutting edge as it can with the rest of the page.

27. Aesthetically, what doesn't fit in? What makes it look bad?
I think that the font is really outdated and plain. There are too many shades of purple and grey. The logo looks like the mix of a cheap film festival design and an auto shop. Their 2015 festival schedule page is literally screenshot photos of the schedule that are pasted on to the page. It doesn't look professional.

28. Should there be more information? Is the page too bare?
The page is full of text and pictures. The amount is fine, I just think that they should be more useful photos, descriptions, and links.

29. Should there be less information? Is the page too busy?
Only in the sense that the pictures should be more professional.

30. What would you do differently if you were to redesign this website?
I would come up with a cleaner color design that didn't look so young. I would update the logo to fit solely a film festival, take out any unoriginal photos, and place useful info on the home page, including a dominant link to the 'about us' page.

31. What would you keep the same if you were to redesign this website?
I would keep the gradient black-to-grey background and the original photos of the event.

Event Management/Budget Response

I really appreciated the reminders within the reading Event Budgets: The Basics–And Some Lessons You Don’t Want To Learn The Hard Way! The step-by-step process was a direct way to learn about many of the parts of budgeting that one can't forget. I also thought that it was great that the writer included several ways people go over their budget, including forgetting to include overtime and not properly checking their Excel budget sheet. As I move forward with the Halloween party planning, I look forward to budgeting for the event with as much detail as I can. I will continue to work on identifying expenses for the party's budget and plan! 

I really liked the points in Top 10 Tips for Successful Event Management. I think the point about having a back up plan resonated the most with me. For the Halloween party, I am now more sure that a back up venue would be a good idea just so we are 100% covered for that night. I agree that photographing everything is important to highlight that the event was a success and fun as well as promote our event online. Overall, I thought it was a good read!

Here's to a great week!

Dirty Dozen Case Study: Halloween Party

Dirty Dozen Case Study: Halloween Party

1. What is the project supposed to achieve?
The Halloween Party is to promote Visions Film Festival to the general public and to provide a venue for fundraising.

2. Who is the customer?
The potential guests of our film festival in Wilmington: UNCW students and the city's locals, 

3. What are the deliverables of the project?
It is projected that we will get raffle items from local businesses, such as gift cards/certificates, t-shirts, mugs, and the like. These will be items that are donated by said local businesses.

4. What is the budget?
As of now, I do not know my budget.

5. How long will it take?
This event will be held on Thursday, October 29th and I plan on using each week diligently to create an amazing event with the Visions team.

6. What specific skills are needed?
Communication skills, especially over the phone. Ability to budeget, plan, and organize all materials needed for this party. Creativity is necessary to decorate the party space, as well as the ability to work with others to create an inviting atmosphere for guests. 

7. What special resources are needed?
It's important to have a list of local businesses to ask for donations from. 

8. Who is working the project? What is each person's job?
My role is to lead the planning of the Halloween Party. I am working with Adrienne, the head of the Development and Fundraising Department, to make sure this event is everything that it can be. 

9. What is the schedule?
Oct 6: Obtain all raffle swag
Oct 13 : Determine staff's role at the party and sign up for decorations.
Oct 20: Have all decorations accounted for.
Day Before: Confirm that everything is reserved and all items are present.
Day of Show: Arrive early to venue and set up party

10. What are the risks? (Small vs. large impact, likely vs. unlikely)

• Large impact, likely: We will not have enough guests to the party, and raffle tickets are not purchased. Thus, we would lose money.
• Large impact, somewhat likely: We don't receive as much foot traffic from the locals. 
• Large impact, unlikely: We will not get items for the raffle.
• Small impact, likely: We will not have every decoration that we plan for.
• Small impact, unlikely: We will end up losing the location.

11. How will you communicate with your team?
We communicate through our team's Facebook page and through texting. We are all working together to create wonderful October events. Adrienne is working on a list of contacts, I have secured the location, and James is generating ideas for this party.

12. How will you determine if the project is successful?
By the amount of people present and enjoying themselves as well as how many raffle tickets are sold. We also want to make sure that our marketing of Visions is well received. 

New Media Film Festival Research Assignment

I will be interviewing Susan Johnston from New Media Film Festival, which will be held next on June 7, 8, and 9, 2016 in Los Angeles CA. Johnston is the Founder and Director of the festival, which began in 2009. 

The mission of this festival is as follows: For years, The New Media Film Festival has led the way in the pursuit of stories worth telling, the exploration of new media technologies, boundary pushing resulting in new distribution models and creating and establishing new methodologies in the global monetization of content. The New Media Film Festival embodies the transformative power of the cinematic arts and it reaches across cultural bridges to wed story and technology for everyone.

The mission statement aligns well with the programming, which is geared toward cutting technology. Some of the categories include apps, web series, digital comics, and more. There is a block dedicated to LGBT films, as well as music videos from almost all genres. Attention is also placed on speakers, with conference panels led by producers, directors, and the like. 

Submissions to the festival must be done through their website, which will link you to eventbee.com. There, you will find the categories that you can submit your film into and the payment feature for the entry fee. You can also submit through several other websites including Withoutabox, FilmFreeway, and Click for Festivals. 

The website does say that there is a discount for early submissions and students. On September 3, 2015 the price is $65 for the general public, $60 for students. Submission price for November 3, 2015 is $75/70. Submission for February 3, 2016 is $80 for the general public and $75 for students. The last submission deadline is April 20, 2015. With that being said, there is specifically a category for students to submit to.

The festival accepts all media in all lengths from every country, both distributed and non-distributed content. All formats, including an online link, are acceptable for jurying. If accepted into the festival, the screening formats are DCP, h.264, .Mp4, DVD or Blu Ray.  

Around 79 films are screened at the festival last year, including music videos, shorts, and pilots. A typical block is either 90 minutes to two hours. They include a discussion panel or a film block. Tickets can be bought for these individual blocks. The amount of media shown during each block differs from what is playing. 6 films play during the documentary block, but 20 episodes play during the TV pilot block. There are typically four speakers in a conference panel. 

A VIP All Access Festival Badge is $149. The badge includes red carpet press access, all screenings, Q&A's, and panels. Access to opening and closing programming and the award ceremony is included. Tickets to individual blocks can also be purchased, which range form $15 to $25. You can buy tickets or the badge online.

New Media Film Festival has three levels of sponsorship: bronze, silver, and gold. Their gold sponsor is KessPro Studios. Their silver sponsors are That's So Funny Pictures and Nvidia. The bronze sponsors are Select Services Films, Inc. and Mongo Media. Below are the benefits of each level, provided by the website:

Corporate Gold

• Featured logo placement and “calls to action” directly connecting your brand with NMFF. Customized engagement ideas are welcome.
• Company name & logo on all NMFF programs, press releases, publications, website, newsletters & email messages
• Hotlink on all electronic communications
• Rotating banner on website
• All access passes for the event
• Programming introduction
• Keynote address
• Panel participation
• Gift bag inclusion
• Signage throughout festival
• Presented by title part of PNG on theatre screen
• Dedicated marketing space
• Acknowledged at our VIP soiree
• Inclusion in all media and press
• Social media promotions and marketing
• Solo customized e-blast

Investment: $50,000

Corporate Silver

• Featured logo placement and “calls to action” directly connecting your brand with NMFF. Customized engagement ideas are welcome.
• Rotating banner on website
• All access passes for the event
• Programming introduction
• Panel participation
• Gift bag inclusion
• Signage throughout festival
• Logo part of PNG on theatre screen
• Dedicated marketing space
• Acknowledged at our VIP soiree
• Inclusion in newsletter
• Social media promotions and marketing

Investment: $35,000

Corporate Bronze

• Featured logo placement and “calls to action” directly connecting your brand with NMFF. Customized placement across the website and mobile apps.
• Name and logo on our website in widget section
• Programming introduction
• Gift bag inclusion
• Dedicated marketing space
• Acknowledged at our VIP soiree
• Inclusion in newsletter
• Social media promotions and marketing

Investment: $20,000 

After searching the website, I could not find an Indiegogo or Kickstarter page for this film festival. They do, however, have a Tubestart account, which is another crowdfunding website. After looking at the program guides since the 2010 festival, I noticed that one of the biggest improvements of the festival is how they learned to balance the panels with the films. In 2010, they panels were placed first and the films last instead of a nice balance throughout. One of their main non-traditional events is their "3D Opening Night," which is a block dedicated to showing several films in 3D. Ways in which they have expanded the typical film screening event is by including an art exhibit and through holding panels at an expo center. For the most part, this festival holds a typical location layout, watching most films in a dark room.

Response to the Festival's Website:

The layout for the website is fairly easy to navigate, with the most important information as one of the links at the top of the page. The only feature that I think is a bit difficult to navigate is the schedule from the 2015 festival this year. There is, however, a pdf version that makes it easier to follow. The only information that I wasn't able to confirm was whether one could buy tickets the day of the event. 

Aesthetically, the video on the homepage catches my eye, letting me know what they create and what they do. I also like their social media links placed in the upper right hand corner. I believe that this helps with ultimate exposure to the public. What doesn't fit in my opinion is the logo. It looks very outdated and confusing. I wouldn't understand that it represented a film festival at all if it wasn't for the title of the site. Whoever is head of the program guides needs to make sure to spell check. Several words were misspelled or grammatically incorrect. It made it seem not as professional with these errors. 

The page has a nice balance of white background to text to pictures. It is not too overwhelming, yet doesn't have me asking too many questions. If I had to redesign the website, I would stick to a certain color theme, instead of using a large variety of colors. I think it would add a touch of sophistication to the page. I would also make the name of the website and logo bigger, instead of an afterthought in the left hand corner. The audience should know what sit they are on. I would keep the font type and the amount of white background used. It brings the website a sophisticated air.

Thanks for reading!

A Little Biography and Response

Hi, I am Rebecca, though many of my friends call me Kebba. I am from Charlotte and am excited for my junior year. I come from an ethnically diverse family, which you are completely fine to ask about. I am the oldest of four children and the first to leave home. I am a double major in Film and International Studies as well as a Film Chair for ACE.

I am really excited for this year in Visions and I am grateful to be given such an amazing opportunity. What I am looking forward to  most this year is growing in my planning and event execution. I am ready to learn several different aspects of Visions in order to provide the most help that I can for all involved. I am most excited about how it will feel to look back at the end of this year and reflect on all of the work that we have accomplished.

Watching the first tutorial video and completing the reading was a great thought-provoking task. I can truly relate to feeling overextended. If one only looked at my calendar, they would see that it is packed from Monday to Friday. The reading served as a great reminder that there is only so much work you can do in a day and it's important to delegate what you cannot accomplish. The Eisenhower Matrix brought up a great point on making sure to write down the tasks that you need to avoid doing.


I have used Google Drive for a few years so I thought that the tutorial was helpful in filling any gaps
that I didn't know about. As a user of Outlook Calendar, I thought that Google Calendar was very efficient. I copied all of my meetings over to Google Calendar very easily.