Thank God For Hip-Hop Film Festival & Action Conference
Jan. 11-15, 2006
Presented by Chicago LOC of the,
2006 National Hip-Hop Political Convention

Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies,
Northeastern Illinois University
700 E. Oakwood Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60653-2312
312.327.0494
MARKARMYSTRONG62@aol.com

General Information

The Thank God For Hip-Hop Film Festival & Action Conference, hosted by the Chicago Local Organizing Committee of the 2006 National Hip-Hop Political Convention, will screen and stage excerpted readings of new and emerging screenplays primarily for feature shorts, some select features, documentaries, trailers, and music videos Jan. 11-15, 2006, at Kennedy-King College, 6800 S. Wentworth Ave., Chicago.

Films selected for screening and screenplays selected for excerpted staged readings must contain strong hip-hop themes, characters, storylines, music, and should reflect cast and tech crew strongly associated with hip-hop. Ideal entries will reflect the themes of education, economic justice, human rights, health care, and media justice of the Chicago LOC, and the 2006 National Hip-Hop Political Convention (please see HipHopConvention.org, Chiloc.com, or request background sheet on convention at chiloc@gmail.com of Chihiphoppac@aol.com).

Entries that are not accompanied by completed entry forms will not be considered.

Work by independent filmmakers is preferred, but major studio-backed entries that have not yet gone into major domestic and international distribution will be considered.

Upon request, the Chicago LOC Film Curator will assist with drafting and designing audience feedback questionnaires for selected entries and administering them to Thank God For Hip-Hop Film Festival patrons of the film screenings on a fee basis. It will be entrants’ responsibility to print up questionnaires and arrange for them to be passed out, completed, collected at the event, and turned into entrants.

Official Guidelines

ELIGIBILITY

1. Entries that have aired in entirety on U.S. commercial television before Thank God For Hip-Hop Film Festival & Action Conference or are in major domestic and international commercial distribution, theatrically and in home video release, will not be eligible.
2. Productions in the following formats are eligible for screening at the Thank God For Hip-Hop Film Festival & Action Conference: DVD, VHS.
3. Entries will be accepted until Dec. 31, 2005.
4. Entrant warrants required legal authority to submit entry for screening at Thank God For Hip-Hop Film Festival & Conference and to use all music, content, and images in entry.
5. Entrant will allow use of clips from entry for promotional use on television, radio, in print, and at all pertinent events connected with the Chicago LOC, 2006 National Hip-Hop Political Convention, and Thank God For Hip-Hop Film Festival & Action Conference.
6. All entries must be in English or contain English subtitles. Non-English entries submitted without subtitles or without supplementary printed translations will be automatically disqualified.
7. For works in progress, only submitted advanced rough cuts or fine cuts for works in progress. Roughly assembled first cuts will not be considered.
8. Exceptions to Thank God For Hip-Hop Film Festival & Action Conference guidelines must be approved by the Film Curator provided that the required formats are approved for public screening (see above).
9. Only completed entries forms (including entry form, DVD or VHS tape,) will be considered for screening.
10. Please submit a legibly typed or printed entry form. Additional entry forms may be photocopied and the backs may be use to provide complete information. Neither the Chicago LOC of the 2006 National Hip-Hop Political Convention nor the Thank God for Hip-Hop Film Festival & Action Conference will be responsible for incorrect wording in publications, news media, and on awards if entry form is incorrect or illegible.
11. Cost of shipping an entry to screen at the Chicago LOC Hip-Hop Pavilion of the Thank God For Hip-Hop Film Festival & Action Confernece must be paid by entrant. Collect or COD shipments will not be accepted by either the Chicago LOC of the 2006 National Hip-Hop Political Convention or the Thank God For Hip-Hop Film Festival & Action Conference.
12. All international entries must be sent “free domicile” to the Thank God For Hip-Hop Film Festival & Action Conference, c/o Chicago LOC, 2006 National Hip-Hop Political Convention, 700 E. Oakwood Blvd., Chicago, IL 60653-2312, with all transportation charges, duties, and taxes prepaid by shipper. Fees charged to the Chicago LOC of the 2006 National Political Hip-Hop Convention or the Thank God for Hip-Hop Film Festival will be refused. Please include all proper customs documentation required by shipping service.
13. Entries will not be returned unless entrant personally picks them up, sends someone in their stead with a letter signed by entrant (and with entrant’s contact information) authorizing them to pick up said entries or entrant pays, provides for, and arranges for return of said entries.
14. Every reasonable effort will be made to protect tapes and DVDs from damage. But neither the Film Curator, Chicago LOC, the 2006 National Hip-Hop Political Convention, the managers, organizers, and the Chicago LOC nor the Thank God For Hip-Hop Film Festival & Action Conference and its management can assume liability for damage or loss.

Categories
(please select one)
1. Feature Film
2. Feature Short (less than 72 minutes)
3. Industry Feature Film Trailer (3 minutes or less)
4. Promotional Feature Trailer Short (5 minutes or more)
5. Music Video
6. Feature Length Documentary
7. Documentary Short (less than 60 minutes)
8. Student Documentary
9. Experimental Short
10. Student Experimental
11. Animated Short
12. Student Animation
13. Screenplay

Thank God For Hip-Hop Film Festival & Action Conference ENTRY FORM
(please fill out completely,
using back if necessary)

Original Title:
English Title:
Category:
Category #:
Genre (e.g. Urban, Horror, Comedy, Period):
Running Time:
Country of Origin:
City of Origin:
Language:
Date Completed (month/year):
Production Budget (mandatory) US$:
25-30-Word Summary of Production’s Content:
Producer(s):
Director(s):
Casting Director(s):
Screenwriter(s):
Cinematographer(s):
Makeup:
Wardrobe:
Production Designer:
Art Director:
Special Effects:
Editor:
Music:
Distributor:
Lead Cast:
Supporting Cast:
Featured Cast:

Is this entrant’s first or second feature film?

If screened, would this be a World Premiere, North American Premiere, U.S. Premiere, Greater Chicagoland Premiere?

Is the filmmaker currently a Greater Chicagoland resident (from Northeastern Illinois, Northwest Indiana or Southeast Wisconsin)?

Please list any other film festivals and screenings this film will appear in and has appeared in.

If student, please attach proof of student status at time of production, e.g. copy of student ID, transcript, &c., &c.

Please attach as much publicly information as possible (including press releases, bios, press packs, promotional production stills, cast & tech crew headshots), or email to MARKARMYSTRONG62@aol.com.

Entrant Information

Name:
Company:
Address (street, no P.O. Box):
City:
County:
State/Province:
ZIP/Postal Code:
Country:
Telephone:
Fax:
Email:
Website:

I have read and accept the guidelines for screening films at the Thank God For Hip-Hop Film Festival & Action Conference hosted by the Chicago Local Organizing Committee of the 2006 National Hip-Hop Political Convention and Kennedy-King College.