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4th Annual PISS Fest!

Z

zonkerfilms

Zonker Films needs you! We need your film for the greatest super short stories ever told: The Portland International Short Short Film Festival. Better known as the mighty, mighty PISS Fest!

As is tradition, the 4th Annual PISS Fest! will be a showcase of films suitable for ADD sufferers everywhere. Namely, films from around the globe that clock in at 10 minutes or less running time. PISS Fest! has a proud tradition of putting cash in prizes into the hands of needy filmmakers and this year will be no exception! We will be presenting more than $1,000 in cash and useful merchandise, such as a gift certificate from Disc Makers, to PISS Fest! award winners. The fest will be held September 23-24, 2005 at the historic Hollywood Theatre in Portland, Oregon but to make the magic happen, we need YOUR MINI-MASTERPIECE!...or films by your friends, it's cool to let them know what's up...

So don't delay, send you film to us today! The deadline is July 15, 2005, late entry July 31, 2005. Entry form and more details can be found at http://zonkerfilms.com. Thanks for your support and for reading all the way to the end of this post.
 
Submission deadline is received by July 15, 2005. Late Entry, received by July 31, 2005.

Zonker Films must receive all entries no later than July 15, 2005, postmarks are not acceptable. Entries accompanied by a late entry fee will be considered eligible if received no later than July 31, 2005, again postmarks are not acceptable. All entrants will receive a discount for entry into a future Zonker Films sponsored film festival. Zonker Films will strive to notify all filmmakers of their selection status by August 30, 2005.

Submission Materials

· VHS NTSC or DVD copy of film submission. It is recommended that you do not use fiber-padded envelopes for videotapes as the residue may damage the tape and equipment. It is recommended that you preview your tape to ensure that it is in working order.

· Completed Entry Form.

· Brief Summary of the film (no more than 50 words)

· Appropriate Entry Fee - $20.00 US entry fee per film. Films received after July 15 and no later than July 31 must be accompanied by a Late Entry Fee of $40.00 US. Checks must be made payable to Zonker Films. There is a $40 US fee for any check returned due to insufficient funds.

· Film stills or other promotional materials may also be submitted at the filmmaker's discretion

· Multiple submissions may be made in the same package but separate entry forms and fees must be provided for each entry.

DUE TO VOLUME, NO ENTRY MATERIALS WILL BE RETURNED
 
$40 fee for returned checks??

Why not just throw the application out. Sounds like a scam to make money of someone down on their luck.
 
I'm sorry to agree with Anamorphic, but this doesn't sound legit... the web site is a little hokey as well...
Can you tell us information about previous screenings?
Previous movies that have been screened?


EDIT: To clarify. I'm not sorry to agree with Anamorphic because I don't like him. He's a swell guy. I'm sorry to agree because I like festivals, and I don't mean to "dis" this festival... but Anamorph is right.. it's a little fishy.
 
These guys could very well be legit, but charging more than the face value of a check for a returned check charge - for a festival entry - is just disturbing to my indy "zen."

It's not like any of us have a producer who can make a phone call and fill our petty cash drawers or boost our marketing budgets. If someone screwed up and went over on their camera or lighting rentals (or rent!), and then bounced the check for the entry fee; Isn't missing the festival punishment enough?

I didn't even visit their site when I saw the returned check charge, and I love short films. I just can't support an organization with that mentality.

I also had a client bounce a check once, and it was like an $8 fee to me. I would understand something to recoup those charges, but not an additional $30 to process it. They could just hold the original $20 check for a couple weeks and send it through again too (then let you know it didn't clear and ask how you wanted to handle it).
 
That's true... the bank charges me for bounced cheques anyway... it would be a hefty loss... and especially with the nature of independant cinema being the poor helping the poor, that cheque thing just ain't adding up thar pardner.
 
Yeah, but the bank is doing this for pure profit (don't tell me a banker goes to work everyday to be nice and help people get cars and houses and such - they're in it for the interest and penalty fees).

Festivals should be to bring movies to people who want to see movies. Period. There is some expense involved, and that is why all the festivals I have ever been involved with get grants and corporate sponsorship. If you expect to make money off a festival, I hope you fail miserably. (end rant) :D
 
I hate to see this happen to a thread. For those worried about a returned check fee, just don't write a bad check. Anyone writing bad checks should expect to pay the submission fee, plus a returned check fee, that is normal.
 
The thing that you all may not understand is that there are charges and fees that you will received if a check you deposit bounces. The fee from THEIR bank could be $30, which is not uncommon. Or maybe it's $20 and they charge $40 to get what they lost and your original entry fee. Regardless, if you write a bad check, and they deposit it, THEY get charged for YOUR bad check.
I'm glad to see that they told you up front about the fee. It's a CYA thing.
 
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