Memphis Filmmaking News

Some great, good and bad news:

• The West Coast Turnaround's track "The Gear Jam" has been picked up as part of the soundtrack for a motion picture. They don't have details yet, but congratulations are in order.
  
  Congratulations!
  


• ArtsMemphis is sponsoring a film contest, Our Vibe. Our City. On Film. It's a good idea, with some great prize money.
  
  They do note that "for each film entry, we are asking you to make a small donation of $15 to support the local arts community." Anyone who makes films in Memphis, especially one highlighting Memphis art, by definition supports the local arts community. It's great to make a donation to further support the local arts community, but I don't think it should be a requirement. It makes it harder to support themselves and their art.
  
  (imho, any competition's entry fees should pay for only the strictest shipping and handling costs for the media entered. With the progress of the web and cheap digital media, those costs are tending toward zero; entry fees should follow that curve. Artists shouldn't have to pay for a party they might not get invited to.)
  
  A caveat, a trifle. Check it out.


• Last Train to Memphis' Shorts Fest on WYPL has stopped production. The Shorts Fest featured locally-produced independent films and was a great tree-roots creative resource that furthered the cause of Memphis filmmaking.
  
  LTTM hints that it wasn't a voluntary decision.
  

  The shorts fest had a lot of fans, and we know we will get a lot of people wanting to know why the demise of the shorts fest. All we can say is send email's to council members, library management, local officials, news media and mayors. Also read the Memphis Flyer article for this last week......

  
  (link mine)
  
  It doesn't make sense to push a self-produced show (zero cost for the Library) off the air.
  
  More of Memphis' fertile ground left forced fallow.