Traverse City Film Festival 2011 Bumper Contest

Sponsored by FIM Group

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Showing off your love for Traverse City and its film festival on celluloid, or its digital equivalent, could land you some cold, hard cash during this year’s Traverse City Film Festival.

The TCFF and its sustaining sponsor FIM Group are launching the second TCFF Bumper Contest this June. (Bumpers are short films that play before feature films.) This year filmmakers are being asked to strut their movie-making mojo by creating a movie trailer parody featuring Traverse City and the film festival.

Top prizes are $1,000, $500 and $250 (with several $100 runner-up awards). Plus, all winning bumpers will be shown before feature films during the 2011 Traverse City Film Festival.

So for all you aspiring filmmakers who love Traverse City and the TCFF, here’s your chance to shine. Get ready to show us your best because the deadline for submissions is Friday, July 8. Winners will be announced Monday, July 18.

TCFF is looking forward to another crop of submissions like those from last year’s winners, Joe Carter, Gym Hinderer, Ian Prokes, John Paul Morris, and Scott McCambridge. The 2010 winners can be viewed on the TCFF web site.

For more information and the fine print, visit traversecityfilmfest.org. Submissions and questions can be sent to trailers@traversecityfilmfest.org or by mail to PO Box 4064, Traverse City, MI 49685.

Submissions should meet the following criteria:

• Themed around the topic “Movie trailer parody featuring Traverse City and the film festival”
• Length of 20 to 60 seconds
• Submitted on DVD (higher resolutions are welcome if your trailer is selected)
• Above-average production values

Entries should be submitted by email or on DVD by Friday, July 8, 2011. Preview versions of trailers may be submitted by email to trailers@traversecityfilmfestival.org. Submissions on DVD should be mailed to TCFF Trailers, PO Box 4064, Traverse City MI 49685.

The Traverse City Film Festival may request changes by entrants to chosen trailers before their final approval.

Some tips:

• The film festival audience is diverse, so humor and references should be very accessible
• Keep the pacing fast
• Think about lighting and sound clarity
• Have fun and be entertaining!

The fine print:

All trailers must be in English or contain English subtitles.

TCFF reserves the right to reject any trailer, in its sole and absolute discretion.

Please note that if your trailer is selected, you will be required to provide us with a copy of your trailer in a minimum of standard definition television (NTSC 720×480) format, such as DVD. You may also be required to provide us with Clearance Paperwork for your trailer in forms acceptable to TCFF in order to be declared a winner.

An eligible minor (as applicable in states where the age of majority is older than 18) should have his/her parent’s or legal guardian’s permission to submit a trailer. The contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws.

You (or, if an eligible minor, your parent or legal guardian) understand and agree that no confidential or fiduciary relationship is established by your submitting a trailer to us hereunder.

Discharge/Payment of Obligations: By submitting your film, you (or, if an eligible minor, your parent or legal guardian) represent(s) and warrant(s) that you have discharged or paid (or will discharge or pay) all of the following: (i) Copyright: All claims and rights of the copyright holders, if any, in literary, dramatic, musical or other material, including stories, plays, scripts, scenarios, themes, incidents, plots, photos, clips, characteristics, dialogue, music, words appearing, used or recorded in your film; (ii) Contracts: All obligations, of any kind, including, without limitation, those with artists and personnel, relating to purchases, licenses, laboratory contracts, distribution, exhibition, performance or use of your film; and (iii) Guild/Union/Performing Rights Society/Participation Payments: Any payments required to be made by any performing rights society or to any body or group representing authors, composers, musicians, artists, and other participants in the production of your film, publishers or other persons having legal or contractual rights of any kind to participate in the receipts of your film or to payments of any kind as a result of the distribution or exhibition of your film and any taxes thereon or on the payment thereof.

Additional Representations: You (or, if an eligible minor, your parent or legal guardian) warrant and represent that (a) you are the sole and exclusive owner of the film and all rights therein; (b) you have the full and exclusive right, power and authority to submit the film and to grant us the rights to the film herein granted upon the terms and conditions set forth herein; (c) no part of the film has been published; (d) no rights in the film have been previously granted to any person, firm, corporation or other entity or otherwise exercised or made use of or encumbered in any way; (e) your film does not defame or invade publicity rights or privacy of any person, living or deceased, or otherwise infringe upon any person’s personal or property rights or any other third party rights; and (f) if any film contains persons other than yourself or third party elements not owned by you, that you have obtained express written consent to submit such film and, if requested to do so, can produce such written consent in a form and manner acceptable to us.

Conditions of TCFF Use of Film: If your film is selected by us to be used in any way by TCFF, we will contact you by email, telephone and/or mail and you will be required to execute and return an affidavit of eligibility, liability/publicity release as well as a fully-executed release in a form and manner acceptable to TCFF for each (i) person other than yourself who appears in your short film and/or (ii) owner of any third party element not owned by you appearing in your short film. Failure to return any of these documents within the time period specified by us, the return of any notification as undeliverable, or your noncompliance with these Terms and Conditions will result in the disqualification of your film. If you are an eligible minor, your parent or legal guardian will be required to fulfill all obligations imposed on you set forth herein.

About FIM Group

FIM Group has been assisting clients in achieving financial success for more than 25 years. As a pioneer in the fee-only wealth advisory industry, FIM Group currently manages in excess of $500 million in client assets. With a team of more than 30 professionals dedicated to making the client experience as rewarding and fulfilling as possible, FIM Group is one of the largest independent investment managers in Northern Michigan. Additional information is available at fimg.net.