“On My Block” Neighborhood Filmmaking Competition Is Back

Get your friends and grab your cameras as the On My Block (OMB) “Neighborhood Film Challenge” competition is back with its second annual event. The challenge invites filmmakers to create one- to three-and-a-half-minute movies about their block, using only people that actually live on your block as part of the cast and crew.

The challenge begins on July 1, and just like last year, all films will be screened online and people will have a chance to vote for their favorites until the challenge ends on October 31, 2013.

A special month long Kickstarter campaign was also launched last week that aims to raise $10,000 to fund the second season of OMB, an updated website, promotional material, festival venue fees, and prizes for winning filmmakers.

Here is a list of relevant details from OMB’s press release on important dates and contest rules:

Viewers will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite short film on Vimeo from July 1 through October 31, 2013; a panel will judge the 40 films with the most votes the first week of November 2013 of which the top 20 films will be entered into the festival.

The top 20 films will be screened at an awards event November 11, 2013, located at the SVA Theater. Awards will be presented for Best Narrative Film, Best Documentary Film and Best In Show. This year, we introduce a new category for films made outside New York City’s five boroughs as we begin a global expansion of our program.

Dates:  June 19 – July 19 – Kickstarter campaign

July 1 through October 31 – Films shot, edited, uploaded to Vimeo

July1 through October 31 – Public voting opens

November 6 – Judging panel votes

November 11 – Top 20 films screened at festival

All filmmakers must sign up on the On My Block site and complete the application before the finished film is submitted. For additional information including submission guidelines, neighbor recruitment tools, tips for writing and producing, or to sign up as a filmmaker or sponsor of On My Block, please contact Mary Crosse at mary@onmyblockfilms.com or visit www.onmyblockfilms.com. To view films that were created last year, visit www.onmyblockfilms.com/video. For updates on the festival, follow @onmyblockfilms on Twitter.

Good luck to all participants. And remember, if you end up making a film, let us know so we can watch the film and share it with the community.

For more information on the contest you can visit the OMB website by clicking here.