Ovation Announces 2nd Annual Short Film Contest

Ovation Short Film Contest Sponsored by poppt; Winning Films to Air on Ovation and Showcased at LACMA

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.

For more information, entry guidelines and rules, visit http://www.ovationtv.com/filmcontest.