ASIFA-East President’s Letter – September 2011
The ASIFA-East season officially opens tomorrow night with the ASIFA-East Annual Open Screening.
One of only two ASIFA-East events that is done annually, the ASIFA-East Annual Open Screening is held in the fall as our first official event of the season. The second annual event, the ASIFA-East Festival and Awards Ceremony, is held in the spring, after which we go into hiatus for the summer. They are the bookends of our season and, as a member, you should make a point to go: They are the only two events that exclusively showcase the work of your fellow ASIFA-East members.
The Open Screening is a place to show off student films, works-in-progress, reels, pencil tests, independent films, animatics, and abstract ideas. Filmmakers have the option of opening up the floor to feedback and the crowd of students and veterans is always supportive and helpful. Exposing our work and being receptive to constructive criticism is what pushes us to focus and hone our craft. This is a terrific and safe forum to cultivate personal artistic growth.
Notice that I call our spring event the “Festival AND Awards Ceremony”. That’s because the “Festival” part of what we’ve traditionally called the “ASIFA-East Animation Festival” is the three or four nights of jury screenings that precede the Awards Ceremony. The Awards Ceremony is where we celebrate the most heralded films from the festival. Those who want the full festival and awards experience will attend the jury screenings and add their voice and vote to the process.
This year, work previewed at the Open Screening, finessed by feedback received there, will makes its way to the Festival Jury Screenings and perhaps close out our season by being recognized at our Awards Ceremony.
And that’s how a bill becomes a law.
It all starts tomorrow night. See you there.
Linda Beck
ASIFA-East President
Thursday, September 29, 7pm
School Of Visual Arts
209 East 23rd Street
(Bet. 2nd & 3rd Ave)
3rd Fl, Amphitheater
NYC
www.schoolofvisualarts.edu
