Chrysler's Extreme Filmmaking Competition Drives into New York This Week
NEW YORK--April 30, 2003--Ten filmmakers competing in the Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival (MDFF) arrive in New York this week prepared to cast, shoot, edit and premiere their original short films in just 10 days, all in pursuit of the competition's grand prize -- a $1,000,000 production deal with Hypnotic and Universal Pictures.
The 10-day schedule is the Extreme Filmmaking Competition (EFC) phase of the Chrysler MDFF. The limited resources and tight deadlines of the EFC will challenge the filmmakers to produce their Chrysler- branded short films with just a skeleton crew to assist with production and editing. Each competitor's short film will feature one of two all-new Chrysler vehicles: either the 2004 Chrysler Pacifica sports tourer or the 2004 Chrysler Crossfire sports coupe.
The EFC culminates May 10, when each film is premiered at the Directors Guild of America theatre in New York. An expert panel of judges will select five of the 10 filmmakers as the finalists of the Chrysler MDFF, and those finalists will be announced at the premiere. They will advance to the Feature Film Competition of the Chrysler MDFF, to be held in Los Angeles during July and August. During this phase of the competition the finalists will develop their feature film package. Each will pitch their $1,000,000 film package to a judging panel in Toronto this September, where the winner will be announced.
"Film is a form of entertainment that is a favorite of Chrysler owners and prospects," said Bonita Stewart, Director, Chrysler Group Marketing Communications. "The Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival provides a natural platform for combining the creativity of filmmaking with the style, refinement, quality and confidence of Chrysler-brand vehicles, particularly the new Chrysler Pacifica and Crossfire."
"The Extreme Filmmaking Competition is a critical phase of the Chrysler MDFF because it really tests the filmmakers' creativity, resourcefulness and ability to work under pressure," said Doug Liman, co-chairman, Hypnotic, and director of "The Bourne Identity" and "Swingers." "Filmmakers often identify this intense stage of the competition as the most educational and meaningful. It really challenges the filmmakers by forcing them to push the boundaries and go beyond what they have learned in the classroom."
The 10 semifinalists' extreme films will be available online at www.chrysler.com/filmfest starting June 2, 2003. Visitors to the site can view all of the films and vote on their favorite. The film that collects the most votes will be awarded the Viewers Choice Award. Every time a person votes they are automatically entered to win a trip for two to Los Angeles for the feature film phase of the competition this summer.
Each semifinalist will work off of a computer loaded with Avid Xpress(R) DV v3.5 software and portable Avid MediaDrive rS36/320 LVD for media storage. Avid will also provide each filmmaker with 24-hour, on-the-ground technical support. Avid is the recognized standard for professional filmmakers around the globe for everything from DV (Digital Video) to HD (High Definition).
2003 Chrysler MDFF Semifinalists
The 10 semifinalist filmmakers, their hometowns and their Chrysler-branded scripts are:
1. Victor Buhler (London, England) - "One Man's Castle"
2. Kevin Burke (Pittsburgh, PA) - "One Ring Circus"
3. Paul Cotter (Brighton, England) - "Last Hand Standing"
4. Ernst Gossner (Brixlegg, Austria) - "Otto and Anna"
5. Tanja Mairitsch (Vienna, Austria) - "The Fortune Teller"
6. Stephen Marro (New York City, NY) - "Delivery Boy"
7. Andrew Mudge (Sherborn, MA) - "Future Car"
8. Scott Perry (Lafayette, LA) - "008"
9. Terry Rietta (Austin, TX) - "The Day I Became A Man"
10. Jim Stedman (San Antonio, TX) - "Charles Gillpatrick: Front
Desk Clerk"
The Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival was created and is produced by Hypnotic in partnership with Chrysler and Universal Pictures and support from BBDO and Arnell Group, New York. It is one of the most widely recognized branded entertainment campaigns in the automotive industry.
Clips of the 10 semifinalists' qualifying films are available online at www.chrysler.com/filmfest.
About Hypnotic
Hypnotic is a New York- and Los Angeles-based branded entertainment company with a proven track record in traditional television and film development, entertainment marketing, and the distribution of short films and animations. The Company is leading the industry in developing brand-based content and marketing programs for the world's most innovative advertisers. Hypnotic offers its brand and agency clients a fully integrated solution, from entertainment strategy and creative development to the production and distribution of branded content and programs. Investors include Vivendi Universal, Knowledge Universe, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein and Windsor Media.
Visit DaimlerChrysler's Media Services web site at www.media.daimlerchrysler.com.
Visit the Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival's web site at www.chrysler.com/filmfest.