DVC17 Theme Announcement! GO, GO, GO!!!! at DVinfo.net

Lorinda Norton · September 10th, 2009, 07:31 AM

Here it is, folks, in the words of the DV Challenge mastermind himself!

The challenge for DVC17 is:

Make A Trailer For A Feature Film

That's it. It can be any genre you like, any style you like. The winner will be judged on ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY - Which trailer makes us want to watch the full film?
Whichever we all vote we'd choose to watch, wins. Draw in whatever elements you like, just make us want to see more.

The time limit is 2:30, but this is one case where less may be more. Remember, most trailers don't run more than two minutes, and if you can't get someone hooked in that time, you can't get them hooked in two and a half.

A few tips, since this isn't the traditional short film project we do:
-Have a story in mind, don't just write cool one liners, remember you have to convince us that you have a huge story to tell.
-Don't shoot scenes, shoot images that sear into our minds and stay there after it’s over.
-Give us something we haven't seen before.
-Open with a punch, end with a flurry (Blake Snyder's words, not mine)
-Show the character, show the conflict.
-MUSICMUSICMUSIC

Good luck!
***********************

Thanks, Dylan!!! Now for the rules:

1. Trailer must include “thedvchallenge.com presents” in the beginning (without quotation marks). Credits are not required but you sure may include them if you’d like.

2. If you use music that has been published you’d better make sure you’ve got permission. No copyright violations allowed. There’s lots of good royalty-free music out there.

3. Use all new material shot especially for this challenge. Sure, we’d be hard pressed to prove otherwise, but you’d be cheating. Besides, you’d miss out on all the fun.

4. Make sure your “movie” has a title and it gets placed somewhere within the trailer.

5. You retain 100% ownership of your trailer/film and are 100% responsible for its content.

6. Trailers must be uploaded to YouTube and/or Vimeo and links emailed to thedvchallenge@gmail.com by 11:59 p.m., PDT, on Sunday, October 11.

You’re good to go! Good luck and have fun!

Lorinda Norton · September 10th, 2009, 07:32 AM

That’s the official challenge. NOW....here’s an option. Some of you might be thinking that if you’re going to go to the trouble of setting up that many scenes you’d rather shoot a complete film. Do it! And then after you’ve uploaded your trailer take the extra weeks to polish your entire film and we can have an After-Challenge Festival on October 31!

It could be any length up to 10 minutes. This is completely optional --not part of the contest-- just a great opportunity for serious filmmakers to go all out. Sound like fun? :)

Craig Bellaire · September 10th, 2009, 08:22 AM

took you all night to double check that? gggeeee must be the west coast thing... 8^)

Mitchell Stookey · September 10th, 2009, 09:17 AM

Hahahaha!! I did not expect that to be the twist, but it is AWESOME!

Mike Calla · September 10th, 2009, 10:59 AM

Awesome subject, thanks!

Andris Krastins · September 10th, 2009, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorinda Norton

That’s the official challenge. NOW....here’s an option. Some of you might be thinking that if you’re going to go to the trouble of setting up that many scenes you’d rather shoot a complete film. Do it! And then after you’ve uploaded your trailer take the extra weeks to polish your entire film and we can have an After-Challenge Festival on October 31!

It could be any length up to 10 minutes. This is completely optional --not part of the contest-- just a great opportunity for serious filmmakers to go all out. Sound like fun? :)

This is fantastic and I'll do just that! :)
I already had the idea to do exactly this after reading the first post. Onwards to the drawing board!

Daniel Bates · September 10th, 2009, 01:00 PM

I'm quite sure I do not have the resources for a full production, so my role in the Oct. 31 After-Challenge Festival will be limited to that of a very interested spectator. However, I fully intend to come up with *something* at least for the Challenge.

Jeremy Doyle · September 10th, 2009, 02:22 PM

This is fantastic!!! I mean super fantastic!! Hope I have the time to get it done!!

Dick Mays · September 10th, 2009, 04:20 PM

Just the excuse I needed to shoot a trailer for my Blinded Angel screenplay. Thanks!

Marc Burleigh · September 10th, 2009, 04:47 PM

All right! This might be perfect timing. I could be about to unglue myself from the wall of shame and redeem with something I hope none can beat. You're on. Brain gears are whirring..... will the result be trailer trash or movie magnificence?

Craig Bellaire · September 10th, 2009, 05:36 PM

can I borrow the screenplay? 8^)

Keep it simple
keep it simple
Keep it simple
keep it simple
Keep it simple
keep it simple

Mugurel Dragusin · September 10th, 2009, 06:26 PM

This *IS* a challenge and love it! :) See you at the "screening" :)

Robert Martens · September 10th, 2009, 07:05 PM

Earlier this summer I'd started getting my act together and focusing on the screenplay I've wanted to write since before I knew about DVi (before it even existed, actually); scoured my hard drive for every scrap of an idea I'd written about it, collected everything into one master document, started making decisions about the characters and story, picked up some hard-to-find research material from a used book seller on Amazon, the whole nine yards. I thought maybe I'd have to put it on hold for this contest, but this is the perfect opportunity to get down to brass tacks and produce something tangible.

After an admittedly pathetic eight and a half years of "talk", I've actually got all the material I need to do some "walk". I should be able to write a sizeable portion of the script, if not the whole thing, and I'll most definitely be able to put together a worthwhile trailer.

This is the first DVC where I've had a clear plan from day one, and known exactly what I want to do and how I want to do it right out of the gate. I feel good about this, but the bigger they come, the harder they fall, so here's hoping for either an awe-inspiring miracle or a spectacular, cataclysmic disaster.

Either way, this should be fun to watch.

Dick Mays · September 11th, 2009, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig Bellaire

can I borrow the screenplay? 8^)

Craig,

I laughed, but then I got to thinking about it. It would be really, really cool to see what someone else would do with the screenplay. So, if Lorinda and Dylan allow it, I'll send it to you. It has a country setting and a city setting, a pretty girl, assorted men, and a few animals. After you look it over, you may decide to do something else.

Lorinda, is it cheating to do two different trailers based on the same screenplay?

Dick

David Cummings · September 11th, 2009, 02:49 PM

can I still sign up ???? I really want to participate!

September 10th, 2009, 07:31 AM	#1
Lorinda Norton Wrangler Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southwest Idaho, USA Posts: 3,066	DVC17 Theme Announcement! GO, GO, GO!!!! Here it is, folks, in the words of the DV Challenge mastermind himself! The challenge for DVC17 is: Make A Trailer For A Feature Film That's it. It can be any genre you like, any style you like. The winner will be judged on ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY - Which trailer makes us want to watch the full film? Whichever we all vote we'd choose to watch, wins. Draw in whatever elements you like, just make us want to see more. The time limit is 2:30, but this is one case where less may be more. Remember, most trailers don't run more than two minutes, and if you can't get someone hooked in that time, you can't get them hooked in two and a half. A few tips, since this isn't the traditional short film project we do: -Have a story in mind, don't just write cool one liners, remember you have to convince us that you have a huge story to tell. -Don't shoot scenes, shoot images that sear into our minds and stay there after it’s over. -Give us something we haven't seen before. -Open with a punch, end with a flurry (Blake Snyder's words, not mine) -Show the character, show the conflict. -MUSICMUSICMUSIC Good luck! *********************** Thanks, Dylan!!! Now for the rules: 1. Trailer must include “thedvchallenge.com presents” in the beginning (without quotation marks). Credits are not required but you sure may include them if you’d like. 2. If you use music that has been published you’d better make sure you’ve got permission. No copyright violations allowed. There’s lots of good royalty-free music out there. 3. Use all new material shot especially for this challenge. Sure, we’d be hard pressed to prove otherwise, but you’d be cheating. Besides, you’d miss out on all the fun. 4. Make sure your “movie” has a title and it gets placed somewhere within the trailer. 5. You retain 100% ownership of your trailer/film and are 100% responsible for its content. 6. Trailers must be uploaded to YouTube and/or Vimeo and links emailed to thedvchallenge@gmail.com by 11:59 p.m., PDT, on Sunday, October 11. You’re good to go! Good luck and have fun! __________________ Lorinda

September 10th, 2009, 07:32 AM	#2
Lorinda Norton Wrangler Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southwest Idaho, USA Posts: 3,066	But wait....There’s more!!! :) That’s the official challenge. NOW....here’s an option. Some of you might be thinking that if you’re going to go to the trouble of setting up that many scenes you’d rather shoot a complete film. Do it! And then after you’ve uploaded your trailer take the extra weeks to polish your entire film and we can have an After-Challenge Festival on October 31! It could be any length up to 10 minutes. This is completely optional --not part of the contest-- just a great opportunity for serious filmmakers to go all out. Sound like fun? :) __________________ Lorinda

September 10th, 2009, 08:22 AM	#3
Craig Bellaire Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 422	Wow took you all night to double check that? gggeeee must be the west coast thing... 8^) __________________ Craig Bellaire www.VerticalVideoSolutions.com

September 10th, 2009, 10:59 AM	#5
Mike Calla Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Shanghai Posts: 344	Awesome subject, thanks! __________________ boxoutsidemedia.com

September 10th, 2009, 05:36 PM	#11
Craig Bellaire Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 422	Dick can I borrow the screenplay? 8^) Keep it simple keep it simple Keep it simple keep it simple Keep it simple keep it simple __________________ Craig Bellaire www.VerticalVideoSolutions.com

September 10th, 2009, 09:17 AM	#4
Mitchell Stookey Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 196	Hahahaha!! I did not expect that to be the twist, but it is AWESOME!

September 10th, 2009, 01:00 PM	#7
Daniel Bates Regular Crew Join Date: May 2006 Location: Daegu, Korea Posts: 180	I'm quite sure I do not have the resources for a full production, so my role in the Oct. 31 After-Challenge Festival will be limited to that of a very interested spectator. However, I fully intend to come up with something at least for the Challenge.

September 10th, 2009, 02:22 PM	#8
Jeremy Doyle Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brainerd, MN Posts: 287	This is fantastic!!! I mean super fantastic!! Hope I have the time to get it done!!

September 10th, 2009, 04:20 PM	#9
Dick Mays Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 690	Just the excuse I needed to shoot a trailer for my Blinded Angel screenplay. Thanks!

September 10th, 2009, 04:47 PM	#10
Marc Burleigh Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Paris (France) Posts: 143	All right! This might be perfect timing. I could be about to unglue myself from the wall of shame and redeem with something I hope none can beat. You're on. Brain gears are whirring..... will the result be trailer trash or movie magnificence?

September 10th, 2009, 06:26 PM	#12
Mugurel Dragusin Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Philippines Posts: 253	This IS a challenge and love it! :) See you at the "screening" :) __________________ Lost signature, if you find it, please return it to me, thank you.

September 10th, 2009, 07:05 PM	#13
Robert Martens Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 820	Earlier this summer I'd started getting my act together and focusing on the screenplay I've wanted to write since before I knew about DVi (before it even existed, actually); scoured my hard drive for every scrap of an idea I'd written about it, collected everything into one master document, started making decisions about the characters and story, picked up some hard-to-find research material from a used book seller on Amazon, the whole nine yards. I thought maybe I'd have to put it on hold for this contest, but this is the perfect opportunity to get down to brass tacks and produce something tangible. After an admittedly pathetic eight and a half years of "talk", I've actually got all the material I need to do some "walk". I should be able to write a sizeable portion of the script, if not the whole thing, and I'll most definitely be able to put together a worthwhile trailer. This is the first DVC where I've had a clear plan from day one, and known exactly what I want to do and how I want to do it right out of the gate. I feel good about this, but the bigger they come, the harder they fall, so here's hoping for either an awe-inspiring miracle or a spectacular, cataclysmic disaster. Either way, this should be fun to watch.

September 11th, 2009, 02:49 PM	#15
David Cummings Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: denver, colorado Posts: 80	can I still sign up ???? I really want to participate!