ENCOUNTERS OPEN SUBMISSIONS WITH AN ENHANCED ONLINE SERVICE FOR INDUSTRY
Encounters Bristol International Film Festival launches call for submissions and teams up with Vast Blue to provide a digitally enhanced festival experience.
Wednesday 13 April 2011: After record breaking submissions last year, Encounters has teamed up with Vast Blue to streamline the submission process and provide an advanced video-on-demand short film service, through the Online Digital Viewing Library.
To encourage more digital submissions, filmmakers and animators can now upload their short films and animations via the Encounters website. All films submitted to the festival are entered into the onsite Digital Viewing library, offering more than 1000 films to all delegates’, buyers, distributors, programmers and press during the festival. Additionally, all films programmed within the competitive screenings will be available to delegates online in a video-on-demand short film service for a period of time after the festival.
Encounters Managing Director, Liz Harkman said, “I am delighted to be developing this partnership with Vast Blue to provide more opportunities for filmmakers and enhance the festival experience for Delegates. The Online Digital Viewing Service is an innovative tool to expand the festival online, allowing filmmakers and delegates to watch the submitted short films and animations without any restrictions. Through this service, emerging talent can showcase their work to the people that matter, both at the festival, and all over the world.”
Director of Vast Blue, Ben Rashleigh said, “We are very excited to be working closely with Encounters on providing this innovative submissions tool and online viewing library using our VTheque Digital Videotheque technologies, our Festival Management Platform tools and our global Content Delivery Network (CDN).”
In 2010 Encounters International Film Festival received 964 digital submissions, comprising over 59% of the 1628 films submitted from 63 countries across the world. Liz Harkman concludes “The festival has received digital submissions for the past two years, however 2010 saw a significant up take from filmmakers opting to submit their short films digitally. It was therefore important for us to respond to this demand and provide an advanced online service with Vast Blue. In a bid to move the festival into the digital age we hope to continue to push the boundaries, to take part and challenge new developments made in online and projection technology, and be a key player in the digital revolution of film and animation.’
Submissions opened 4 April and close on 30 June. Celebrating its 17th year, Encounters Bristol International Film Festival is now the leading UK gateway to the world’s most prestigious short film and animation awards including the Academy Awards® Short Film Category, BAFTAs, European Film Awards and Cartoon d’Or. Films under 30 minutes of any genre are accepted, see the website www.encounters-festival.org.uk for full terms and conditions.
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EDITOR’S NOTES
Encounters Bristol International Film Festival is the umbrella festival for Animated Encounters and Brief Encounters which together presents one of the world’s best-known showcases and meeting points for new and established international short and animated film talent. The longest running competitive short film and animation festival in the UK, and one of Bristol’s leading cultural events, Encounters seeks to promote the importance of short film as a means to develop and progress the next generation of creative talent. The 2011 festival will be held in Bristol, UK, between 16 – 20 November.
The festival is funded by Bristol City Council and South West Screen. Encounters Festivals Ltd operates as a registered charity and limited company.
For more information: www.encounters-festival.org.uk
Vast Blue was established in 2006, and has been committed to offering solutions which are cutting edge and push the boundaries. Unique, creative and above all easy to use and functional. Vast Blue has grown quickly, building a great reputation. They are based in Edinburgh, Scotland and also have a presence in London. Their primary focus is on the film, arts and creative media industries, developing unique technologies for private businesses, public organisations and the public sector.
For more information: www.vastblue.com
MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Encounters Bristol International Film Festival
Festival
Office: +44 (0) 117 929 9188
Mireia O’Prey, Festival Coordinator: mireia.oprey@encounters-festival.org.uk
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Encounters-Short-Film-Festival/16162795635
Twitter: twitter.com/encountersSFF
Vast Blue
Office: +44 (0) 131 2255 663
Ben Rashleigh, Director: info@vastblue.com
Edinburgh: 111 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4JN, Scotland, United Kingdom
