The Story of the Year is...
The stories you've turned into films this year deserve more recognition
If you tried to do absolutely nothing at all, you’d still be a participant in your story. Telling stories is how we connect to each other, and we do it through our emotions. We’ve all watched films that grab us and suspend us in its narrative until the very end. Or is it?
It has been a very sensitive year for everyone in the arts industry. As this year transitions to he next, we hope to lift your spirit a little bit.
Between the International Mobile Film Festival bringing people from around the globe together to celebrate as a community, to the SBP Podcast that brings you together online along with MobileFilmStories that showcases inspiring films and includes a forum for the community: We’ve looked to you to inspire each other.
Since our launch in 2009, we have been interacting with curious entities and individuals. Around 2011 we heard from entities and individual pioneers from Egypt to New Zealand, and later Europe and closer to us in California. The podcast has been a direct line between the community to the world since 2017.
People from all over the world have been listening to the voices of filmmakers in the podcast, and they come from all over the world as guests on the show. It is the voices of the community that inspire each other. It’s similar with the smartphone filmmaking community that meets in our film festival, which is an intimate film festival event for all filmmakers. Every aspect of our work is, and has been, about you.
You are the biggest story of the year from our perspective.
We cannot depend on social media algorithms to tell the story of humanity. It’s always been the arts that’s shaped our present culture during evolving periods throughout history.
In 2021, festival founder Susy Botello hosted a series in the SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking. In the Weeds, with Jason C. Marshall, in Canada. The series focused on screenplay writing and storytelling.
The goal was to share the elements in film from a writer’s perspective. It was designed simple so a novice could “get it” while going “into the weeds” providing clarification, with examples and refined definitions of specific terms as concepts.
This series is empowering if you put what you learn into practice. It will help you become a better filmmaker.
We wanted to gift you something that we hope inspires you to get that story out of your head into a tangible screenplay you can use to pull resources to get your film made. If you write with the intention of shooting it with smartphone cameras, bring your passion along and realize your film.
Your film will be made because your smartphone lowers your budget a lot. When you have a great story and good acting performances, you may fall in love with filmmaking all over again.
Mobile filmmaking is the strongest connection between watching films growing up and wishing you could make one or be in one, and realizing that today. Not tomorrow, not in the future—today.
Screenplay Audio Series
In the Weeds Audio Podcast Series with Jason C. Marshall, hosted by Susy Botello on the SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking. Listen now
Are you aware, that the International Mobile Film Festival is closing its film submissions? The deadline to submit feature length narrative films (1-2 hours) shot with smartphone cameras, and not more than 10% aerial drone footage, is December 24. The deadline for all short films is January 13.
All films must be shot with smartphone cameras, any brand or make qualifies. Use of AI disqualifies films in any contest or competition.
Get all the rules and criteria before you submit on FilmFreeway. There are no refunds.
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