Half-Price Groupon for 2014 BigPictureCon!

It's the deal you've been waiting for! Take advantage of our Groupon offer for a great chance to attend the 2014 Georgia BigPictureCon for HALF PRICE!

Discount available for Student or Regular All-Access Passes, making admission as little as $80 for regular passes, and $55 for students. For the standard Groupon offer site, click here. For the mobile site, click here. The offer is of limited duration, so grab it today!  For questions or additional conference information, visit BigPictureCon.com, or call 770-354-4027.

Last Deadline for Short Film Festival Coming Friday...

ATLANTA, Ga.--The final, extended deadline to submit films to BigPictureCon Short Film Festival is this coming Friday, Sept. 12!

If you haven't already, please get your entries in! Tickets to attend the festival screening Sun 10/5 are just $10 each and are required for admission.

More information on the short film festival and entry details can be found here. For film festival tickets and info about registration passes to attend the two-day BigPictureCon Film & Technology Conference, visit bigpicturecon.com.

Georgia BigPictureCon Early-Bird Registration Has Been Extended

If you haven't registered for the 2014 BigPictureCon yet, it's not too late to get all the benefits for a reduced price!

The deadline for "early bird" registration has been extended from its original Aug. 31 date to Friday, Sept. 5. The all-access pass is $139, while the student all-access pass is $89. Starting Sept. 6, prices will rise to $159 and $109 respectively.

Why should you come to the conference? Watch the video below and find out.

 

For more information and registration, click here.

Two Deadlines are Approaching

ATLANTA, Ga.--Those with films to enter into the 2014 Georgia BigPictureCon's Short Film Festival, or who want to get into the conference at a reduced rate, don't have long--two deadlines are coming up quickly.

The late deadline for the film festival is today, Aug. 29, with a special extended deadline for those who need just a little bit more time Sept. 12. More information and how to enter the contest can be found here.

Meanwhile, early-bird registration for the BigPictureCon Film & Technology Conference ends this coming Sunday, Aug. 31. The regular All Access Pass is $139, and the student All Access Pass is $89. After Sept. 1, prices for regular admission rise to $159 and prices for students to $109. Day passes, tickets to the short film festival, and Green Pages resource books are also available.  For more information or to register, visit here.

Why come to the Georgia BigPictureCon, you ask? Well, if you're able to come to Clayton State University in Morrow Oct. 5-6, you'll be able to avail yourself of informative educational session- workshops and panels on topics including all aspects of filmmaking, production technology and web entertainment, as well as networking between student and emerging filmmakers and local and nationally known industry professionals. Specific topics include digital content creation, screenwriting, corporate production, film festivals and marketing & distribution. If you're looking to take your film/entertainment career to the next level, attending the conference is an excellent investment.

FilmClayton Now Premier Sponsor for Georgia BigPictureCon

MORROW, Ga.-- The Georgia BigPictureCon is pleased to welcome FilmClayton, the Clayton County Film Office as a Sponsor for its 2014 Film & Technology Conference.

According to its website, FilmClayton's purpose is to attract film and video production to Clayton County. The office manages the business side of the film-making process in order to generate business for the county--property rentals, hiring local crews and talent, renting local equipment, etc. FilmClayton provides servinces like marketing local crew, equipment, and expertise, assisting with location scouting, coordinating police, fire, and other local government agencies to facilitate shooting on location, and working with Clayton State University to provide continuing education in film crew training.

"We're thrilled to have the support of the Clayton County Film Office for the 2014 BigPictureCon!" said Nancy Howard, founder and organizer of the conference. "From the first time they heard about our event, they have been excited and most supportive."

The BigPictureCon takes place on Sunday & Monday, October 5-6 at Clayton State University.  The BigPictureCon is a 2-day summit that provides opportunities for student and emerging filmmakers and industry technology professionals to connect with one another and participate in a variety of educational sessions on topics like filmmaking, production technology, and web entertainment.

Clayton County Office of Economic Development Director Grant Wainscott will provide opening remarks for the conference on Sunday, Oct. 5th. Howard said she hopes there will be a great turnout to receive him.

FilmClayton Assistant Director of Production Tamara Patridge said the county is glad to help the BigPictureCon.

"We have been searching for the right opportunity to support a conference of this type in our county that will help our community members become a part of the booming film industry in Georgia," she said.

Patridge offered the conference a warm welcome to Clayton County.

This year BigPictureCon attendees will experience two (2) days of educational sessions including panel discussions and seminars focusing on trends and enhancements in technology for gaming, web entertainment and film production.  Featured conference sessions include digital content creation for mobile devices; as well as screenwriting, distribution, marketing, networking, panel discussions with award-winning local and nationally-known industry professionals; and many, many more!

For details sessions, speakers or to register, visit BigPictureCon.com, or email bigpicturefdn@gmail.com.

GA BigPictureCon Short Film Festival Welcomes International Submissions

 

ATLANTA, Ga.--The GeorgiaBigPictureCon's short film festival has received its first international entries, something Founder and Executive Producer Nancy Howard attributes to the conference's adoption of FilmFreeway.

"I was pleased but not very surprised to see that we had so many entries from the U.S.," said Howard. "But I was very pleasantly surprised that for the first time we also had entries from Canada, Germany, France, and the UK, as well as from places like Spain, Brazil, Turkey, Italy, Kenya, and Finland."

So far, the BigPictureCon has received over 40 submissions, with 15 of them coming from different countries around the world.

In previous years, the conference has accepted submissions manually or via online links.

"We've considered using Withoutabox.com," said Howard, "but it was expensive, particularly for small festivals like ours."

Withoutabox (WAB), one of FilmFreeway's primary competitors, is a popular online system created to streamline the submission process of filmmakers and film festivals. It has been well-received by the majority of its users, but others have expressed concerns about rising prices and declining customer support, as well as, for a time, an insistence on exclusivity.

After learning about the controversies with WAB, and the fact that FilmFreeway was free, Howard and the other conference organizers chose FilmFreeway.

"We are loving FilmFreeway," Howard said. "They have been upfront, easy to use, and fair thus far in our experience with them. It's been very exciting."

2014 Georgia BigPictureCon Coming to Clayton State University Oct. 5-6

ATLANTA, Ga., August 1, 2014 – This October, Clayton State University in Morrow will host the
2014 Georgia BigPictureCon Film and Technology Conference.

“The GABPC is a two-day educational summit for professional and emerging filmmakers and
those entering the film, technology, and digital media industry in Georgia,” said founder and
producer Nancy Howard.

The conference, which began in 2005, will provide opportunities for emerging filmmakers and
industry technology professionals to connect with one another and participate in a variety of
educational sessions. Conference participants will receive the Green Pages Resource Guide
Book that will include a directory of useful local, state, and federal film and video resources
targeted to the needs of emerging filmmakers, an academic planning calendar with a roster of
events put on by local film, visual arts, and digital entertainment organizations, as well as free
and online student resources, school info, and discounts.

In addition to educational sessions, workshops and panels, there will be opening and closing
keynote sessions by nationally known industry speakers. Session topics will include
screenwriting, distribution, marketing, digital content creation for mobile devices, editing,
funding and budgeting, audio production and industry networking. New this year are panels on
corporate production and local industry organizations. The conference also features a short film
festival with cash prizes up to $250 for the three winners, and an Audience Choice winner. Entry
deadlines and submission details are available here.

The speakers list is still being assembled, but previous keynote speakers have included Cory
Edwards, director of the acclaimed animated film Hoodwinked!; Chris Moore, producer of the
award-winning Good Will Hunting as well as American Pie and Project Sunlight; and Myrna
Moore, producer and host of TBS Storyline. Session speakers have included Kaneva
Entertainment President and CEO Chris Klaus, award-winning director and actor Ken Feinberg,
producer Dianne Ashford, Chris Escobar of the Atlanta Film Festival, and a host of other local
industry professionals sharing knowledge and access to inform eager attendees.

Earlybird pricing is available through August 31st. All access passes are available for $139, with
student and group discounts available. To register a group or for more information, call 770-
354-4027.

BigPictureCon Participants Get Discounts on Mobile Video Workshop

ATLANTA, Ga.--If you're looking for an affordable way to start creating films and videos, look no further than the device that's in your pocket--your smartphone. Android, iPhones, and tablets have moved into the mainstream for content producers.

To help you learn how to turn your device into a movie camera, broadcaster Amani Channel and Monique Johnson will host the Mobile Video Academy, a mobile video intensive on Saturday August 23, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. They'll share equipment, mobile production techniques, and apps during this workshop in Decatur, GA. There will be free mobile video gear and digital swag to lucky winners via RØDE Microphones, thePadCaster, Square Jellyfish, and Easy Web Video.

Event Info:
231 Sycamore St.
Decatur, Georgia 30030
Saturday, August 23, 2014 
8:00 AM to 1:00 PM (EDT)
Website: www.mobilevideoacademy.com

Early Adopter tickets will be on sale until Friday Aug. 8. $49/Regular price $99. There will be a $15 dollar discount for the Georgia Big Picture Conference Community. Just use the promo code "gabpcdiscount"

2014 Georgia BigPictureCon Now Accepting Submissions for Film Festival

ATLANTA, Ga., July 10, 2014 – The Georgia BigPictureCon (GABPC) Film & Technology Conference is accepting submissions for its 2014 Short Film Festival.  The festival will take place on Oct. 5^th at the 2014 BigPictureCon.  Early entry deadline is Friday, Aug. 1.

“The BigPictureCon Short Film Festival is a component of our conference that we’re very proud of,” stated Nancy Howard, the BigPictureCon Executive Producer.  “The festival mission is to allow student and emerging filmmakers a chance to have their work showcased at a venue where professionals and peers are present to evaluate their talent and vision, and where they can network and access opportunities for professional development.”

Howard also shared that films will be evaluated by an esteemed jury of industry professionals, such as film festival programmers and established filmmakers, based on judging criteria which takes into account elements such as quality of storyline, creativity, production quality, acting, soundtrack and editing.

Filmmakers can submit their films online at FilmFreeway.com, or manually using instructions available on our website at BigPictureCon.com.  Anyone can submit a short film on any topic.  However, the piece must be family-friendly (PG or G-rated), with no grotesque violence, nudity, or other inappropriate content. Films cannot be more than 15 minutes in length. An Audience Choice Award will be selected using state-of-the-art technology for smart phones.  The top three winners and the Audience Choice winner will receive cash prizes up to $250.00.

There will be four (4) submission deadlines.  Early submissions are encouraged and will be received through Friday Aug. 1.  After that the regular entry deadline is Friday Aug. 15.  Late submissions will be accepted through Friday Aug. 29, and an extended deadline will be available as well through Friday Sept. 12.  Those whose submissions are accepted for screening will receive two 2-day passes to attend the full BigPictureCon conference.  Submission fees start at $10.  Filmmakers can submit their films online at FilmFreeway.com, or send in via a private URL link and on a DVD, USB flash drive, or class-10 SD card with appropriate fee to:

The BigPictureCon Film & Technology Conference

Attn:  Film Festival Entry

2997 E. Cobb Pkwy SE

Suite 300, #724772

Atlanta, GA  31139-9998

The BigPictureCon, which will be held this year Oct. 5-6 at Clayton State University in Morrow, Ga., will provide opportunities for emerging filmmakers and industry technology professionals to connect with one another and participate in a variety of educational sessions on topics like film production and technology, and web entertainment.  Local film and visual-arts organizations will be able to tap into and utilize the growing local student population as a “second string” of talent to help independent filmmakers and producers maintain their competitive edge.  Students in any discipline, emerging and professional filmmakers, animators, editors, writers, storytellers, audio technicians, game developers, special effects artisans, and digital media specialists are all welcome to attend.

For festival submission information, or conference registration, visit BigPictureCon.com.

###

The BigPictureCon is produced annually by the Big Picture Film & Video Foundation, a Georgia non-profit 501(c)(3) organization established to educate, support, and utilize students and industry newcomers in the “big picture” of the Georgia film and video production community.  The foundation and the BigPictureCon (formerly GABPC) were founded by Atlanta-based Producer Nancy B. Howard.  For more information, please visit BigPictureCon.com or BigPictureFdn.org. 

Georgia BigPictureCon Seeking Volunteers

ATLANTA, Ga.--The Georgia BigPictureCon is seeking volunteers for this year's conference, which will be Oct. 13-14 at Westwood College.

The next meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 6:30 p.m. The location has yet to be determined. Those interested in volunteering should email gabpc@gabpc.com or download our volunteer app at BigPictureCon.com.

Clark Atlanta University Students Win Prizes At GAPBC Drawing

ATLANTA, GA.--Representatives of the Georgia BigPictureCon held a drawing Sept. 6 at Clark Atlanta University's Career Day and four lucky students participants won exciting prizes.

Ebony Terrell and Destiny Davis won GABPC Conference All-Access Passes, while Cha'Mia Holloman won a $15 Fandango gift card and Antonio McFadden won a $15 iTunes gift card.

Joe Howell spreads word in Westwood graphic design classes

ATLANTA, Ga.--Big Picture Foundation board member Joe Howell spoke about the Georgia BigPictureCon to graphic design students at Westwood College.

“We’re bringing film technology to the students,” he told the students in Darryl White’s Westwood College classroom August 14, referring to how the conference would be held at the college itself.

The event will cover film, technology, gaming, animation, and promotion. There will be two days of workshops and conferences with working professionals. The master class workshops for more advanced learners will feature industry professionals located in the metro Atlanta area. “They will be teaching about the most advanced aspects in their industry,” he said.

Student James York asked if the conference would be one large event or have different workshops. Howell said it would be broken up by topic. There will be three tracks dedicated to technology, industry and business, and the master classes.

Bryant Berkeley asked about Howell’s background. Howell said his degree is in information systems, but he has worked in music production for nearly 20 years. His career has brought him into contact with Universal Music artists and onto the production of film soundtracks. At the conference, he will host audio for gaming and music panels in the technology track, with a focus on scoring, soundtracks, and sound effects.

Director of Career Services Irene Hillman told students she was their point of contact for conference information and registration. Because Westwood is hosting the event, students will receive discounted rates.

Georgia BigPictureCon Accepting Short Films For Festival

ATLANTA, Ga.—The Georgia BigPictureCon (GABPC) Film & Technology Conference is accepting submissions for its 2013 film festival.

“At past conferences, we would always have a student film festival,” said founder and producer Nancy Howard.

Anyone can submit a short film on any topic. However, the piece must be family-friendly (PG or G-rated), with no grotesque violence, nudity, or other inappropriate content. Recommended genres include comedy, drama, suspense, music videos, and public service announcements (PSAs). Films cannot be more than 15 minutes in length. The purpose of the festival is to give participants a venue to showcase their work.

There will be four submission deadlines. The early deadline is Aug. 31, the regular Sept. 6, and the late Sept. 18. The fourth deadline, Sept. 25, is for those submitting via the online mechanism Withoutabox.com. Those whose submissions are accepted will receive two 2-day passes and additional 2-day passes at half-price. There is a $5 submission fee. 

For more information and submission information, visit here.

Georgia Big Picture Foundation To Hold Sound Workshop

ATLANTA, Ga. — Sam Ash Music Store will be hosting a sound and audio workshop courtesy of the Georgia Big Picture Foundation.

Foundation board member Joe Howell said the event, which will last from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. August 13, will draw on his background in audio engineering and sound design. An audio engineer works with recording audio and video on a film set, with duties including working with microphones and creating sound effects. A sound designer specifically records sound effects and creates the overall sound of the project, including the music needed to set the mood.

“That could mean I create a score that’s going to create suspense around a particular scene,” Howell said.

The foundation is putting on the workshop due to e-mail and survey requests for more information about sound. Howell said sound is one of the least-studied aspects of filmmaking. Even a film school graduate might have little knowledge about how to properly handle sound in a film.

In the workshop, participants will analyze equipment, talk about what sound can do for a picture, do hands-on exercises with audio equipment, and discuss the soundtrack and sound needs for a film. Howell will teach the class along with guest producer Gerald Coby.

Those interested in participating can sign up at www.gabpc.com. The deadline is August 9 and the cost is $39 in advance.