Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District, Inc. (LPCCD) is a Newark, NJ based non-profit organization actively engaged in the practice of economic development leveraging Creative Placemaking through the lens of diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice and community advocacy.
The HUMANS, BE KIND 7 Day Film Contest is not for the sleepy heads or faint of heart! You’ll have one week (7 days) to create a short narrative film around the themes of COVID-19, vaccinations and how the “new normal” world we live affects communities of color, especially Black Americans, Black Caribbean-Americans, the Latinx Community, Portuguese, Brazilian and Spanish speaking. This includes survival, hope, overcoming, historical fears, anxiety, social isolation, mental health, trauma, family, friendship, love, human kindness and just…everyday life. Your team will write, cast, shoot, score, edit and export with titling and credits a narrative short film with a final total running time of at least 10 minutes no more than 20 minutes.
SUBMISSION FORM: https://bit.ly/HumansBeKind7DayFilmContestV21
ELIGIBILTY
Students: Applicant must be at least 18 years old amateur filmmaker; media maker/content producer or collective in Newark, NJ or the Greater Newark area that currently attends college, or have graduated from college in Newark, NJ between 2019 and 2021.
Non-Students: Applicant must be at least 18 years old and a professional filmmaker; media maker/content producer or collective in Newark, NJ or the Greater Newark area that has created work, screened work in a public setting or worked in Newark, NJ within the past 10 years.
JUDGES
Kay the Kreator, Host/Mentor/Judge
Kay The Kreator is the Official Ambassador, Co-Producer and will serve as a judge for the “Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District HUMANS, BE KIND 7 Day Film Contest”. Kreator is a dynamic Cinematographer with a style that easily appeals to the eye. Kreator has been working as a Professional Cinematographer since 2012 but has been operating under her company The Gold Standard Productions since 2016. She was cinematographer for Director Yucef Mayes’ short film Zahra and The Oil Man, which went on to win multiple awards globally and received recognition from film festivals such as The American Black Film Festival, The Bronze Lens Film Festival, Martha’s Vineyard FF and The Pan African FF to name a few. In addition, Zahra and The Oil Man was featured on ABC & CBS as part of the African American Short Films series. Kreator’s work includes Revolt TV (Jim Jones’ Drip Report), Victory Media (WNBA), Complex Media (The Culture Series: Sickamore), The Wolves by J. Lyones Films, The Gift, a short film by The Olusala Sisters Productions.
Yucef Mayes, Judge
Yucef Mayes is a graduate of The New School University NYC, and a former writing fellow of Center of Black Literature of Medgar Evers College of Brooklyn. Co-Founder of Shine Black Art & Film, a film company that aims to broaden the narrative for underrepresented people of color. Yucef's 2nd short film Zahra and The Oil Man was an Official Selection of American Black Film Festival, Blackstar Film Festival, and Pan African-Film Festival. Zahra and The Oil Man was nominated for Outstanding Short Film in Black Reel Awards. Zahra and The Oil Man can be viewed on kweli.tv , Muslim Content Streaming Site https://www.alchemiya.com/ and Tim Reid's own streaming site, legacy TV. ZAOM premiered on CBS Channel 2 NY as part of African-American Short Films collection. Yucef's next film The Mechanic's Rose, about a sickly mother who escapes the hospital for the most heartbreaking reason is Produced by Cinereach and Wavelength Productions. It is scheduled to be released in late 2021.
Andrew Binger, Judge
Andrew Binger is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director at Yendor Theatre Company. Created in 2016, Yendor Theatre Company (YTC) bridged Rodney Gilbert's passion for theatre arts and his love for his community of Newark. Today, Yendor Theatre Company brings quality theatre programming to the City of Newark and develops, produces and celebrates the works of writers from historically resilient communities.
REVIEW PROCESS
Films will be judged on originality, creativity, plot, pacing, structure, characters, dialogue, cinematography, sound quality, music score and entertainment value as well as on effectiveness of the message and the ability of the film maker to reach an audience. Judges will pay attention to message effectiveness; does the film clearly depict the message of the required themes of COVID-19, vaccinations and how the “new normal” world we live affects communities of color, especially Black Americans, Black Caribbean-Americans, the Latinx Community, Portuguese, Brazilian and Spanish speaking. This includes survival, hope, overcoming, historical fears, anxiety, social isolation, mental health, trauma, family, friendship, love, human kindness and just…everyday life.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND LIKENESS USAGE
Selected teams will grant a fully paid up license and all rights necessary for Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District to use any publicly recognized name, alias, logo, mark, graphic, photograph, Official Video or likeness. Team may be included in all marketing communication and PR pertaining to the “Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District HUMANS, BE KIND 7 Day Film Contest” project to include but not limited to newspapers, periodicals, television (including newscasts), radio, podcasts, documentaries about the making of the project, recap/archival sizzle reel video, social media and screenings on the Internet/World-Wide Web or in-person. Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District reserves the right to use the resulting photographs and Official Video footage in all media worldwide in perpetuity.
COVID-19 PROTOCOL RESOURCES
Newark, NJ COVID Testing Sites
Newark Residents Only: https://www.newarknj.gov/news/covid-19-testing-sites-for-newark-residents-only
Essex County Sites: https://essexcountynj.org/covid-19-vaccine-locations/
State of New Jersey Sites: https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/testing-and-treatment/where-can-i-get-free-public-covid-19-testing-or-treatment
New Jersey
New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission
Source: https://www.nj.gov/state/njfilm/index.shtml
The New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission has announced that the state is currently open to productions. The commission states that productions are subject to statewide regulations for business operations, but has yet to outline any best practices specific to local film production. If you’re thinking of shooting in New Jersey, be sure to check with local jurisdictions to make sure permitting is proceeding as usual. For further information on specific city or county offices, e-mail njfilm@sos.nj.gov.
Source: https://www.wrapbook.com/blog/covid-19-film-production-guidelines-by-state
United States Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration
“Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace”
Source: https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/safework
Greater Newark Area / New York City
Media Production Guidelines for Employers and Employees NY
https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/MediaProductionShortGuidance.pdf?mc_cid=80b06319aa&mc_eid=4ad4ed778d
Interim Guidance For Media Production NY
https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/MediaProduction_MasterGuidance.pdf?mc_cid=80b06319aa&mc_eid=4ad4ed778d
Waiver
By entering the Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District HUMANS, BE KIND 7 Day Film Contest, I attest that I am at least 18 years old and have a valid photo ID in the form of a current State Issued driver’s license, State Issued Non-Driver’s ID or US Passport with my photo and date of birth. In consideration of my participation in the Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District HUMANS, BE KIND 7 Day Film Contest, I acknowledge that I am aware of the possible risks, dangers and hazards associated with my (including the possible risk of severe or fatal injury to myself or others). While participating in Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District HUMANS, BE KIND 7 Day Film Contest, consistent with CDC guidelines, participants are encouraged to practice hand hygiene, “social distancing” and wear face coverings to reduce the risks of exposure to COVID-19. Because COVID-19 is extremely contagious and is spread mainly from person-to-person contact, Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District requires that all participants be tested for COVID-19 no later than January 19th, 2021 and receive a negative result no later than January 26th, 2021; participants must self-quarantine until start date January 29th; all participants must wear masks, gloves, utilize hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes and spray where needed. However, Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District cannot guarantee that its participants, volunteers, partners, or others in attendance will not become infected with COVID-19. Participants and volunteers agree to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 (symptoms typically include fever, cough, fatigue, runny nose, headaches, new loss or taste or smell and shortness of breath) and, contact Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District at lpccdmarketing@gmail.com and get tested for COVID-19 if he/she experiences symptoms of COVID-19 within 14 days after participating.
INDEMNIFICATION AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY
In return for voluntarily participating in the “Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District HUMANS, BE KIND 7 Day Film Contest” and related activities, I agree:
1. TO ASSUME AND ACCEPT ALL RISKS arising out of, associated with or related to my participating in the “Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District HUMANS, BE KIND 7 Day Film Contest”;
2. TO BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURY, LOSS OR DAMAGE which I might sustain while participating in the “Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District HUMANS, BE KIND 7 Day Film Contest”;
3. TO HOLD HARMLESS AND INDEMNIFY THE ORGANIZERS OF THE “Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District HUMANS, BE KIND 7 Day Film Contest”
a) from any and all liability for any damage to the personal property of, or personal injury to, any third party resulting from my participation in the “Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District HUMANS, BE KIND 7 Day Film Contest” and all related activities; and
b) from any and all claims, demands, actions and costs which might arise out of my participating in the ““Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District HUMANS, BE KIND 7 Day Film Contest”.
KEY DEADLINES
Call For Submissions Starts January 12, 2022
Networking and Information Session January 19, 2022
Get COVID Tests* and Self-Quarantine January 19-26, 2022
Call For Submissions Ends January 24, 2022
Notifications January 26, 2022
-- Proof Negative Test Results / Rapid Testing
-- Team Producer Packets Out
-- PPE Kits Dropped Off to Teams (No Contact)
-- Masks, Hand Sanitizer, Disposable Gloves, Disinfectant Spray and Wipes
Start Production January 29, 2022
End Production February 4, 2022
Submit Final Projects February 5, 2022
Screening & Grand Prize Announcement February 11, 2022
*Allow 5-6 days for testing and results to come back.
USE OUR SUBMISSION FORM: https://bit.ly/HumansBeKind7DayFilmContestV21
Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District will produce a screening of the final three films and the winning team will be awarded a grand prize of $1,000.00.
Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District would award the winning team a prize of $1,000.00. Accepting the funds on behalf of the team will be the project producer or director/producer who will be responsible for administering the funds to the team accordingly. Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District will issue one (1) check for $1,000.00 to the winning team and will have no input or opinion on how the funds are administered within the winning team. In order to award the funds, Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District will request formal invoice statement and completed W9 form. The payee on both the invoice statement and W9 should be identical. Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District will issue the grand prize award within ten (10) business days of receipt of the formal invoice statement and completed W9 form.