HOLLYWOOD -- (SPW) --

Seed&Spark, the one stop shop where filmmakers can crowdfund, distribute and interact with their audiences is joining forces with Tugg, the platform that gives audiences power to bring movies to local theaters to deliver the keynote address at the upcoming HOLLYSHORTS FILM CONFERENCE Presented By Method Studios discussing Crowdfunding To Build Independence.

The HOLLYSHORTS FILM CONFERENCE takes place on Friday August 15 at 12noon at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. Emily Best, Founder and CEO of Seed&Spark and Alex Dobrenko from Tugg will headline the session. Seed&Spark and Tugg’s seminar will explore how Crowdfunding has become a fundamental piece of most financing plans for independent film. However, many filmmakers miss the opportunity to turn their film funding campaigns into audience-building opportunities that can last an entire career and provide the groundwork for theatrical distribution that they control.   The session will provide an action plan for Crowdfunding and Distribution, an important element to creating a lasting, flourishing, direct relationships for audiences.

The 10th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival takes place August 14-23, 2014.

Other power HOLLYSHORTS FILM CONFERENCE sessions include THE GOLDEN AGE OF TELEVISION on Saturday August 16 at 2pm moderated by David Rodriguez (American Bully) and featuring Mick Betancourt, Consulting Producer/writer-Chicago PD (NBC), Christopher Mack, VP, Current Programming and Writer/Director Workshops-Warner Bros., Jeanie Mau VP, Current Programming and DGA Director Diversity Program CBS, Ashley Holland, Literary Agent-CAA, Rina Brannen, Literary Agent-Rothman Brecher, Andrea Simon, Literary Manager-Andrea Simon Entertainment, Liz Devine, Co-EP/Writer, CSI (CBS), and Mike McGrale, Fox’s The Following.

On Friday, get ready for A TERRIFYING CALLING CARD: HOW TO BEST USE YOUR HORROR SHORT FOR BUSINESS presented by Shout Factory’s Scream Factory and Fangoria conversation about making the most of your horror short in regards to the business of film. Speakers include: Gavin Hignight –Moderator – Writer, Marketing Manager at FEARnet, Filmmaker Nicholas Tana – (Hollyshorts Alumn), Drew Daywalt, horror features streaming network and Charles Brand, Full Moon Entertainment.

The HOLLYSHORTS FILM CONFERENCE will feature 2 sessions tackling Film Financing. One on Saturday, August 16 at 12noon and the other on at 12noon on Sunday August 17.

Sunday August 17 is also Washington Film Day at HollyShorts and at 4pm attendees can hear from a series of Washington based entertainment companies discussing: WASHINGTON FILM—COME SEE WHAT YOU’RE MISSING (30% Back in Tax Credits in 30 Days).

Also on Sunday August 17 at 2:30pm get ready for FILM DIRECTORS REVEAL-WHAT DOES IT REALLY TAKE TO GET YOUR MOVIES INTO THE FEST?  with Alex Ben Block, Moderator – Senior Editor, The Hollywood Reporter, Sharon Badal – Tribecca Film Festival, Director, Shorts Programming, and Larry LaBoe – New Filmmakers LA.

On Tuesday August 19 is the ENTERTAINMENT LAW FOR SHORT FILMMAKERS-PLATFORMS, MODELS, CAN YOU DO THE DEALS CONTRACTS YOURSELF?

Wednesday August 20 is Digital Day at HollyShorts Presented by General Assembly with sessions that feature the PGA Digital, Digital LA and much more.

HollyShorts To Open With Russo Brothers (Captain America) Visionary Award And Luke Wilson’s Short Satellite Beach

The HollyShorts Film Festival are kicking off the 10 day event by honoring fest alumni brothers Joe and Anthony Russo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) with the HollyShorts Visionary Award on opening night. In addition, on opening night, HollyShorts will premiere Luke Wilson’s Award-winning short film Satellite Beach, which follows the unique journey of the Endeavor space shuttle as it travels through the streets of LA and the final move of the Atlantis space shuttle to the Kennedy Space Center. Erin Darling from AMC Movie Talk will host HollyShorts opening night.

The Russo Brothers, who are confirmed to direct the third installment of Captain America for Marvel, which will hit theaters May 2016, originally made their mark as indie filmmakers and later went on to direct and produce shows like Arrested Development and Community. Captain America: The Winter Soldier had a $95 million debut earlier this year and has earned $712 million worldwide. The film will be released via Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D and DVD on September 9, 2014. Through the years they’ve helped inspire young filmmakers at HollyShorts by participating in a number of panel discussions and workshops.

Satellite Beach was Written and Directed by Luke Wilson and his brother Andrew Wilson. The film was shot during Endeavor’s actual move through the streets of Los Angeles. The film was produced by Steve Eckleman, Christopher Mallick, and co-produced by Peter Mergus, Christy Taylor Barnes and Larry Chavana. The film has won a number of Awards including Santa Barbara International Film Festival- The Bruce Corwin Award for Best Live Action Short Film Under 30 Minutes, High Desert International Film Festival- Winner for Best Actor- Luke Wilson, Winner for Best Screenplay, Winner for Best Live Drama, Knoxville Film and Music Festival- Best Short Film.

Commented HollyShorts founders and directors Theo Dumont and Daniel Sol: “We are proud to present the Joe and Anthony Russo with the 2014 HollyShorts Visionary Award on opening night, we’ve seen their meteoric ascent through the years and what’s special about them is how they always look to inspire the next generation of filmmakers and that’s what our festival is all about. We are equally thrilled to showcase Luke Wilson’s incredible short film Satellite Beach, which has been making headlines across the country at some of the best festivals.” 

The full HollyShorts program with all official selections will be posted later this week.  This year, HollyShorts has achieved records across the board. Starting with it’s famed monthly screening series which expanded beyond Los Angeles and into Miami, Austin and New York, the festival received well over 1600 submissions for the August mega-festival. The organizers have accepted and programed a fest record 400 short movies. Filmmakers from Canada, France, Spain, Mexico, the UK, Italy, Haiti, UK, Ireland, Israel, South Africa will transcend to Hollywood in the coming weeks all for HollyShorts.  Film schools such as USC, UCLA, Chapman, Florida State, NYU, Columbia, Tisch Asia, NYFA and AFI are all represented with official selections.

HollyShorts is also awarding nearly $200,000 worth of production and scholarship prizes.  Company 3 is awarding $45,000 in Post-Production Services including $15,000 for the Best Short, $10,000 For Best Director, $10,000 for Best Cinematographer $5,000 For Best Music Video and $5,000 in Post services for Best Commercial. Method Studios will award a $10,000 Post-Production Services Prize for Best VFX. Latino Art Beat (LAB) and HollyShorts Youth Film Competition celebrating young filmmakers’ will award the winning young filmmaker a $40,000 scholarship prize to attend The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (SMFA). Sponsors also include UCLA Extension, NYFA, ShortsHD among others.

Last week the organizers unveiled the HollyShorts 2014 Jury, which can be seen here http://hollyshorts.com/festival/festival-archive/2014-jury.

HollyShorts opening night tickets are currently available at www.hollyshorts.com. All access passes are also available.

Participating and presenting companies include: Warner Bros. TV, Lionsgate, CBS, General Assembly, PGA Digital, CSA, Route 1 Films, DigitalLA, Voltage, Electus, Women In Film, Shout Factor’s Scream Factory, Fangoria, ShortsHD, UCLA Extension, IndieFlix, Tribeca Film Festival, The Hollywood Reporter, New Filmmakers LA, Evil Slave, Quick Film Budget, Final Draft, Full Moon Entertainment,  Circus Road, Three Point Capital, among others

About Emily Best/Seed&Spark
Emily Best founded Seed&Spark to make a contribution to the truly independent community in which she would like to make moving pictures. In 2011, she had the great fortune of producing her first feature with a remarkable group of women. The spirit, the community and the challenges of that project, Like the Water, inspired Seed&Spark. Before producing Like the Water, Emily produced theater, worked as a vision and values strategy consultant for Best Partners, ran restaurants, studied jazz singing at the Taller de Musics, tour guided and cooked in Barcelona, and before that, was a student of Cultural Anthropology and American Studies at Haverford College. Emily was named one of the 2013 Indiewire Influencers, dedicated to 40 people and companies who are asking the big questions about what the independent film industry is today (and why) and, more importantly, what it will become. Emily is touring film and tech festivals around the world, Sundance and SXSWV2V to Sheffield and Galway, to educate filmmakers and learn their best practices in connecting with their audiences to build a sustainable career.

About Alex Dobrenko/Tugg
Alex Dobrenko has been with Tugg since it's inception in 2011. As Tugg's second employee, Alex helped develop the Tugg Theatrical model and has been working with promoters, filmmakers and partnering organizations to create theatrical events in theaters across the country. In mid-2012, Alex began to work with Tugg's top filmmakers on developing Tugg's Non-Theatrical service in response to promoter inquiries from universities, churches and community centers interested in bringing the films to their non-theatrical venues. Since then, Alex has helped develop the strategy and execution for the Non-theatrical campaigns of films like Honor Flight, Blood Brother, Travis: A Soldier's Story and more.

About HollyShorts
HollyShorts Film Festival is an annual short film festival showcasing the best and brightest short films from around the globe. HollyShorts is devoted to the advancement of filmmakers through screenings, Q&A sessions and networking events. The HollyShorts Film festival showcases the top short films produced 30- minutes or less. For more information please visit www.hollyshorts.com.

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