Entry Deadlines
The Society of Amateur Videomakers and Cinematographers honors amateur video makers everywhere who create non-commercial video and motion pictures. The International Amateur Motion Picture Festival accepts all entries that are non-commercial and that have not been subsidized by any private, public or charitable organization. Entries may be submitted in VHS, S-VHS, 8 mm or Hi8 formats. Entries for the festival will be accepted for June 1 to August 15, 1998. For a contest entry form e-mail: savac@iname.com.

The Short Attention Span Film and Video Festival is accepting entries that are non-commercial and run 2 minutes or less including credits. Entries can originate on any format but must be submitted on VHS tape only . There is a fee of $5 per entry and the deadline for entries is August, 1998. Send entries to:

          Short Attention Span Film and Video Festival
          P.O. 460316, 
          San Francisco, Ca. 94146

Quick Focus

The Other News
A channel-surfing alien in middle America might assume that we only use our camcorders to supply videotapes to blooper and reality-TV producers. Outside the U.S., however, a group of Dutch, British, New Zealanders and Canadians is putting consumer camcorders to more productive use.

Small World Media is a non-profit organization that provides media support to groups working on environment and social justice issues. "If we can't get films onto TV we don't give up," is the bold proclamation on the group's Web site (http://antenna.nl/~smallwor/index.html). Instead, Small World helps activists to make and distribute their own video footage. They believe that everyone not only has the right to communicate but, with training and access to resources, the ability to do so.

The non-profit organization teams camcorder owners who are looking for subjects with local groups that need video support. Then they teach them how to get their footage aired on local and national television. Small World also distributes "Undercurrents" and "Stoom!" video newsletters that contain action reports and other features that are mostly researched, shot and edited by activists.