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Modern Film Fest is currently taking submissions for its inaugural short film competition. Films must be 10 minutes or less and will be posted on the festival's web site at www.modernfilmfest.net where viewers will be able to vote on their favorite short films. The top 12 finalists be played on the big screen at the 900 seat Gem Theatre, in Kannapolis, N.C., during Modern Film Fest, which will be held Sept. 30, Oct. 1 and Oct. 2. This year's festival will include 12 movies from around the world plus a zombie walk and gala. Tickets are just $4 for each movie. Entry fee for short film competition is $10 each. For rules go to http://www.modernfilmfest.net/modern-film-fest--

SANTA MONICA, CA -- March 8, 2011 For the second year running, Ovation, the only television network dedicated to arts culture, will hold its Short Film Contest for aspiring directors. This year, the Ovation Short Film Contest is sponsored by poppt, a new social network for connecting talent. The channel will promote the new contest to filmmakers attending the South By Southwest (SXSW) Film Awards on March 15. Ovation is a title sponsor of the Film Awards Reception and Awards ceremony.

To enter the Ovation Short Film Contest, directors are encouraged to go to www.ovationtv.com/filmcontest for the entry form and instructions. Qualifying films will be under 20 minutes in length. Submissions must be received by May 13.

Short film entries will be designated and judged in the categories of Comedy, Drama, Animation and Documentary. Winners will be determined in the categories of Top Film, Viewers’ Choice, Best of Comedy, Best of Drama, Best of Animation and Best of Documentary.

Ovation staff will determine 12 finalists for a panel of judges to review. Among those judges to review the final submissions are Charles Segars, CEO of Ovation and creator of Disney’s National Treasure movie franchise, and Kevin Iwashina, Managing Partner, Preferred Content.

“The response to last year’s contest was phenomenal. Now that we’re in our second year, and we are being sponsored by the incredible people at poppt, we anticipate even more films to be entered into the competition,” said Charles Segars. “Filmmakers will once again have the chance to have their work seen by my fellow judges and a shot at having their film reach a national audience on Ovation, as well as a special exhibition at LACMA. It’s a golden opportunity for any aspiring filmmaker.”

Viewers’ Choice voting begins May 23. The judges’ winners will be announced on June 3 and the Viewers’ Choice winner will be announced June 6. The Top Film winner will have his or her film air on Ovation during the network’s “American Revolutionaries: The Hitmakers” programming event in July. The winner will also have a meeting with Ovation CEO and film producer Charles Segars and receive air fare and accommodations in Los Angeles for a special screening of his or her film. The winner in each of the five additional categories -- Viewer’s Choice, Comedy, Drama, Animation and Documentary -- will receive on air and online promotion via Ovation and OvationTV.com.

Ovation is the only multi-platform network devoted to arts culture. Ovation gives its viewers access to the artists who define our cultural landscape through its one-of-a-kind mix of hand-picked documentaries, series, movies, and specials.

The channel reaches a national audience of 43 million households through carriage on cable systems, DirecTV (channel 274), Dish Network (channel 157) and Telco systems nationally. Ovation is also available in HD and VOD (both in standard and high definition). Ovation extends its linear channel experience for viewers online via its popular website, www.ovationtv.com. In addition to offering contests, trivia, facts and supplemental video online, the network has created an award-winning online community (www.ovationtv.com/community) for everyone from passionate artists to curious creative’s who want to share their work and their thoughts. To date, over 150,000 pieces of original art have been uploaded to the site by members.

poppt is an online artists' colony that was founded in 2010 by a team of entrepreneurs who realized the need for a digital platform that encourages collaboration between users through a creative networking environment with a goal of elevating careers. Writers, designers, filmmakers, visual artists, performers and musicians now have a forum to showcase their work, connect with fellow artists, collaborate on projects and engage with individuals who can launch careers.

If you’re a witty writer, facile filmmaker, dexterous director (or any other type of fun alliteration) and want the chance to win a cool prize package (not to mention insanely awesome bragging rights), then get your skills ready for the Dances With Films “2 Minute, 2 Step Short Film Challenge”

Here’s how it works:

1. Submit a 2-Minute Script

Funny. Dramatic. Artsy. Whatever you’re proud of… but all that glitters is not gold. READ ON to find out why…

2. Eight Scripts are Selected

A DWF jury narrows down the submissions received between now and May 11^th at 11:59PM. The application is here. The rules are here. Next comes the REALLY fun part… READ ON…

3. Selected Participants get to Make Their Vision Come to Life… in 4 hours or less…

If your script is chosen, you are given 4 hours to shoot, edit, and turn in your 2 Minute film during the 14^th Annual Dances With Films Festival in Hollywood, CA June 2-9^th 2011. DWF provides a location to shoot, cameras, and editing bays. You provide the rest: clowns, paintings, wooden horses, i.e. whatever crew, props and actors your script calls for… which is what you should keep in mind when writing your script. Selected participants will have 4 Hours to execute. So simple is smart… Click here and here for examples. READ ON for the payoff…

4. All Eight 2-Minute Films are screened at the prestigious Laemmle Theatre as a part of the DWF festival, and a Grand Prize Winner is Selected

One talented team will walk away with a pretty awesome Prize Package (last year's winners took home a Canon 5D & Showbiz Software). ALL selected participants walk away having completed their 2-Minute film, IMDB credit, and a connection with other talented writers, filmmakers, and industry types. Pretty cool, huh?... SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!?!? Enter the 5^th annual “2 Minute 2 Step Short Film Challenge” and show the Indy World your chops.

*Please note, you do not necessarily have to be living in CA to take part in this challenge. DWF only asks that if selected, participants can reach out to crews in CA to take part in creating their script, or take the trip out to LA to participate if they wish.