OK, not a BIFF act per se -- a still from "Air Guitar Nation," one of our favorite BIFF films ever!
The Boulder International Film Festival is not only a window onto world cinema – it’s one of the 25 coolest film festivals in the world, according to MovieMaker Magazine. One of the reasons is our hot calendar of events that surround the festival.
An integral part of that is the lineup of top-notch entertainment we present in conjunction with the festival. We are proud to announce our musical guests for BIFF 2011. They will enliven and enrich our experience (and kick butt to boot!).
On Opening Night, Thursday, Feb. 17, at the Boulder Theater, we welcome Cool Shooz, Colorado’s own six-piece award-winning “sole-ful” a cappella group brings precision harmonies and great showmanship to our festival-launching festivities.
The DiMe Symposium on Friday, Feb. 18, includes a reception after the panel discussions that make up its heart. There to provide ambient backup for the schmoozing will be Colin Bricker of Notably Fine Audio, master of shaping and editing live digital beats on his laptop computer, Bricker layers dense and intricate backdrops of sonic wallpaper.
Closing Night’s big bash at the Boulder Theater on Sunday, Feb. 20 sports the incredible sounds of Something Underground, a power trio that specializes in rich vocals, visual antics, and rock-solid, good old rock ‘n’ roll!
A spectrum of great music to augment a great festival is imminent. Bring your dancing shoes!
For some time, the Boulder International Film Festival has shared elements of what we call our Film Lovers' Tool Box -- links to websites we find particularly helpful to the filmgoer, whether he or she is a novice or top-notch expert.
The world of cinema is vast, and there is more content out there about it than you could possibly click through. We've tried to find and post an essential list of links that will give BIFFsters information about the regional, national and international film scenes, including reviews, history, showtimes, resources and more. You will find them to the right of our fresh posts. Enjoy!
And, as always, we can't do it without you. Please post comments with your own suggestions for valuable links we can add to our blog. Look for more linklists as the days progress -- including links to our sponsors and partners, and links to our filmmakers and films. Thank you!
Boulder, Colorado is on the cutting edge of the digital revolution. This fact, and the staggering implications for innovation and economic growth in the region it implies, has somehow gone overlooked by press and public alike.
Says Kathy Beeck, Director of the Boulder International Film Festival, “The DiMe is a value-added for BIFF because of its connection to films and entertainment. And Boulder recently ranked number three in the nation in a survey for concentration of high-tech employment, with 22 percent of all jobs in Boulder in the tech sector. Coupled with this city’s love of entertainment, it’s a perfect fit.”
Here's a nice look at last year's DiMe from Indie Media: The New Journalism via Vimeo --
The DiMe is Colorado’s premiere entertainment-based digital media meet-up – brainstorming, speculating and networking on a grand scale. Some of the biggest players and most ardent visionaries in the world of digital media will gather for the event. Industries represented include film, gaming, advertising and online entertainment, not to mention the tech gurus whose efforts make all the above happen today.
“The DiMe is a fantastic showcase of Colorado’s Creative Industries in the digital media arena. Colorado has unbelievable talent and opportunities in film, television, game design, and digital media,” said Marcia Morgan with the Colorado Creative Industries Office. “The DiMe will be the connecting point of the year for digital media professionals as well as anyone interested in learning more from industry visionaries about the future of 3D and digital distribution, especially as it relates to Colorado.”
This year, two dynamic panels will cover topics of moment – “Digital Distribution and Monetization,” and “The Future of 3D.” They will take place from 1 to 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18 in the confines of the beautiful St. Julien Hotel in the heart of downtown Boulder, at 900 Walnut St. Tickets are now available online at http://biff1.com/biff_tickets.html.
Here are your panelists!
Digital Distribution and Monetization
Your moderator is David Slayden, the Executive Director of Boulder Digital Works, “a project-based and accredited learning initiative focused on developing today and tomorrow’s digital leaders and entrepreneurs” based at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Ann Van Ordsel: President, The 1st Movement -- Denver-based national digital strategy ad agency
Peter Roberts: Vice President of Digital Development, Starz!Digital -- Colorado
Andrew Steele: Chief Creative Officer, Funny or Die – Emmy-winning writer for television, cable and the web, partnering with Will Ferrell, L.A.
“The Future of 3D”
Your moderator is Don Hahn, award-winning producer and director of animated and documentary films, most notably for Disney. He is the driving force behind Stone Circle Pictures, and has written several critically acclaimed books on the animation process as well.
Participants:
Joshua Greer: Co-founder and COO of RealD – Award-winning and globally utilized 3D technology company, Boulder
Kurt Hall: CEO of National Cinemedia – leading provider of cinema advertising/interaction, and alternative in-theater events, Denver
Mark Lyons: President, Idol Minds – top 3D game-design firm, Louisville
DiMe begins at 1 p.m., followed by a cash bar reception with complimentary hors d’oeuvres at 6 p.m. For more information about DiMe, please visit www.dimeboulder.com . Special thanks to our Premier Sponsor of the DiMe, RealD, the global leader in theatrical stereoscopic technology. Thanks to our other sponsors as well, including Mighty Fudge Studios, 1st Movement, Colorado Creative Industries, the Boulder Convention & Visitors Bureau and Comcast.
Advance tickets for this event are $50 each; $40 for students. As tickets are extremely limited, and go up to $65 on the day of the event, you should get on this opportunity now! Tickets are now available online at http://biff1.com/biff_tickets.html. If you want to see the future, come with us.
For the first time ever, the Boulder International Film Festival is expanding its reach! Come join us for a very special preview event in nearby Louisville on Sunday, Jan. 30.
That night, Louisville welcomes BIFF 2011 with a special screening of last year's hit documentary feature, "Rock Prophecies." It's the story of Robert M. Knight, one of the first to photograph Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, and the last to capture the image of Stevie Ray Vaughan. His 40-year career spanned the central decades and resulted in nearly a quarter-million images. His lively and engaging life and groundbreaking career fill the film to overflowing with energy and wit!
The event will be held at Waterloo, 809 S. Main St. in Louisville, at 7:30 p.m. Kathy Beeck, co-director of BIFF, will be on hand to present the film and a sneak peak of this year's festival picks. Festivities include food and drink specials starting at 5:30 p.m. and drawings to win free tickets to 2011 BIFF, as well as original prints of legendary bands taken by Boulder Theater photographer Lisa Siciliano ( who will lead a Q&A after the film). Presented by Old Town Cinema in association with Arts Hub, all proceeds go to The Art Underground supporting visual and performing arts in Louisville. Tickets are $7 at the door. For more information and to reserve tickets email oldtowncinema@gmail.com.
Seating is limited, so reserve your tickets now! It's all about the FUN!
At the Boulder International Film Festival, simply showing films is definitely not enough. As always, we will be providing a number of activities that will allow our festivalgoers opportunities to interact with and learn from film experts. These folks hail from across the country, and there are some in our own backyard of whom you may not be aware.
In the past, we’ve brought you workshops with screenwriters such as John August (“Big Fish,” “Go,” Tim Burton’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”) and Amy Fox (“Heights”). We’ve learned about documentary filmmaking from the award-winning Jim Butterworth (“Seoul Train”). We’ve even sat down with a gallery of regional film critics, to learn about life in the dark with deadlines.
This year is no different. We are proud to present two workshops this year, in conjunction with Boulder Digital Arts, one of the top educational resources in the country for digital artists and creative professionals working in film/video, web/interactive, photography and graphic design. Plus, our friends at Mighty Fudge Studios are letting us use their fun and funky space for the sessions.
WORKSHOP #1: Making a Short Film
Presented by BIFF and Boulder Digital Arts
Saturday Feb. 19, 10 a.m. to noon
Location:
Mighty Fudge Studios
1017 Pearl St., 2nd floor
Do you have a story to tell -- but you want it to look better than a home movie? This two-hour workshop will help you through the key steps toward more effective storytelling on video. There will be a practical demonstration with camera and lights, as well as a description and discussion of key steps to an effective production. The concept. The planning. The shoot. The edit, and the final show, we will cover what you need to know.
Distill your story to make a compelling narrative.
Create a shooting script.
Plan your logistics.
Optimize your resources, actors, crew, locations.
Shoot effectively.
Pick the right format and tools available.
Get good coverage.
Edit a compelling story.
Test your movie for feedback and revisions.
Deliver your film effectively, for a live showing, the Web, or DVD.
Tickets are $25 each and can be bought ahead of time or at the door.
WORKSHOP #2: Animation Station
Presented by BIFF, ASIFA Colorado and Boulder Digital Arts
Sunday, Feb. 20 from 10 a.m. to noon
Location:
Mighty Fudge Studios
1017 Pearl St., 2nd floor
From the two-dimensional drawings of Looney Tunes to the computer-animated processes of “Tron,” animation takes many forms and has come a long way in the past century. Animation is both a science and an art form. Take an exciting journey into the basics of animation with this two-hour workshop. Learn how animated movies are made and about the process used when creating an animated film. Create and work with different instruments used to explore the science of animation. During this workshop we’ll be working towards an animated short that will be screened on YouTube. We’ll also discuss the 12 principles of animation used in every character-animated movie.
The workshop will take place in an actual animation studio that produces many cartoons and music videos. If you have any interest in finding out more about what goes into an animated film then this workshop is for you – don’t miss it!
This workshop is FREE and recommended for participants 13 years and older.
So, what are you waiting for? Mark your calendars, get excited and get ready to learn!
"Is the cinema more important than life?" "Cinema is an improvement on life." -- Francois Truffaut
Welcome to BIFF Blog 2011!
Hey, film lovers! It’s time for the seventh annual Boulder International Film Festival!
A week from now, our program will be announced. Less than a month from now, on Feb. 17, Opening Night of the festival takes place. We are excited, and are busy preparing to make this the best BIFF ever.
Those of you who follow us faithfully already know that Oscar-winning director, writer and producer Oliver Stone will be our special Closing Night guest. “An Evening with Oliver Stone” will feature a retrospective of his work, an onstage Q & A with our master of ceremonies Ron Bostwick, and much more.
It will be the culmination of four days of screenings, workshops, panels, interviews, parties, symposia and all-round frantic fun as we present 39 separate programs of film. As always, these will encompass rigorously selected works from around the world, including feature-length films, narratives, documentaries, short films and animation.
And don’t forget the second annual Digital Media Convergence Symposium – DiME – which features national and regional leaders in cutting-edge entertainment and information technology, discussing topics of moment and offering opportunities for networking with key industry players.
Our unique Call 2 Action slate of issue-driven films gives audiences and activists a chance to make real change happen! Speakers, events and activities will surround these thought-provoking, socially conscious cinematic works. No other film festival on the planet offers this kind program.
The aim of festival directors Robin and Kathy Beeck, nearly three dozen staffers, and a small army of 300-plus volunteers is to inundate festivalgoers with an avalanche of images, to share visions from filmmakers new and seasoned – to bring the world of film to Boulder.
The idea of a film festival is, like the art/industry itself, historically rather new. To celebrate and reward significant creative achievements, however, is an age-old impulse, and one in which we strongly believe. BIFF seeks to inspire and cross-pollinate – and have fun doing it.
We invite you to make the journey with us. Our website, http://www.biff1.com/, contains all the necessary info for you to optimize your filmgoing experience. Here you will find on-line ticket purchasing, a full schedule, FAQs, contact information, maps – all kept up-to-date by our intrepid webmasters.
If you are not following us on Twitter (#BIFF1), or have not friended us on Facebook (simply type in Boulder International Film Festival), please do so! Look to those media in the days to come for breaking news, updates, interactive billboards, and our usual silly pre-festival contests and quizzes.
For the first time since the festival’s inception, we are dedicating this blog as a kind of digital press office. Look here for a continuing series of posts that provide in-depth information regarding events to come – including interviews, profiles, schedules, how-tos, behind-the-scenes glances, and more. As always, we welcome your input – questions, suggestions, comments.
Also, look for us to provide you with an array of images, trailers, weblinks, lists, bells, whistles and a kitchen sink or two.
Your Blogmeister has been involved with the festival for six of its seven years, and can honestly say that life-changing events and encounters (and the stuff of life-long anecdotes) happen here every year. Join us!
To whet your appetite, here's a masterful compilation by documentary filmmaker Chuck Workman, made for Turner Classic Movies in 1994 -- "100 Years at the Movies":
Hey, BIFFsters! Yesterday, everyone got all hot and bothered about the news that Oliver Stone is coming to visit the Boulder International Film Festival this year. But let's not forget, one of our very special friends is returning as well. DON HAHN (pictured above), award-winning producer of Disney classics such as "Beauty and the Beast" and director of the marvelous behind-the-scenes documentary "Waking Sleeping Beauty":
will be back as a panelist at the second annual Digital Media Symposium, presented by the Governor's Office of Film Television & Media, The Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau, and BIFF.
What is DiMe, anyway? It's a convergence that emphasizes creativity and new media, featuring a slate of visionary leaders in the film, media and gaming industries who will discuss the potential for collaboration as well as the evolution and applications of new technology, and how to engage in this profitable arena.
This year, the Symposium takes place once again in the confines of the beautiful St. Julien Hotel, located conveniently close to all BIFF 2011 sites. The Symposium occurs on Friday, February 18 from 1 to 6:30 p.m., with a special film presentation to follow. A reception following the panel brings the players together for lively discussion and interaction – trading ideas, business cards and building community.
Tickets for DiMe 2011 go on sale on Jan. 19 at the Boulder Theater box office! Stay tuned for more DiMe, and more BIFF, info as the day progress . . .
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