***COVID-19 UPDATE:

After much deliberation, we've decided to cancel The Micro Film Tournament. We we're so very excited and are truly disappointed, but well... 2020. Please know we will issue refunds to all submissions, and will also be sharing some of the films we loved on our social media.

Thank you so much for your interest in The Micro and we hope to move forward with it next year. Please stay tuned for any further updates.

Much love and stay safe,
Marcus

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“For big movies with small budgets.” - NoFilmSchool.com

A 16 film, 4 round tournament dedicated to micro-budget filmmakers who’ve made the most with the least. Our inaugural event kicks off November 2020, just a mile from Universal, Disney and Warner Bros. Studios. New and past features + shorts are welcome - please see criteria below. Welcome to "MICRO MADNESS”!

Dear Micro-Budget Filmmaker,

We wanted to do something different. The competition is laid out like a March Madness bracket, structured to resemble how a real world Consumer would choose to watch a film - 16 feature films compete for a Grand Prize and with a variety of rewards through each round, where 8 finalists screen their film in Los Angeles over 3 days. Production budgets must not exceed $250k, but there is no film age limit, so please submit your past film that may just be sitting there waiting for a revival! There is also a shorts ("Proof of Concept") competition of 8.

Having produced and delivered many micro-budget features ourselves, we know what it’s like to make a dollar out of fifteen cents, and also know how it feels to be overlooked in part due to a lack of initial resources. We know there are so many great films made for so very little, and not nearly enough acknowledgement of these highly creative and passionate endeavors, instead getting lost in the mix. We want to help change that and we want to keep it exciting. Recognizing not just your end result but how much you actually pulled off with what you had is our main goal here. We believe this is true creative success that should not only be recognized but celebrated. The ones who do the most with the least.

We look forward to seeing and sharing your work!

Marcus Mizelle
FORTE PICTURES

Champions for Best Feature + Short of "The Micro" receive:

-Color correction from eFilm (1 full day, where Roger Deakins colors)
-Final Draft screenwriting software (digital download)
-Podcast Interview with Noam Kroll's "Show Don't Tell"
-Sit-down with an industry professional to pitch your next project
-The Micro Champion trophy - "Best Feature" + "Best Short"
***Prizes to be added as we continue to lock in sponsors***

Runner-Ups receive The Micro Finalist trophy. ALL 16 films initially selected are eligible for the following awards, to be awarded on closing night, after the final double feature:
-Best Director
-Best Screenplay
-Best Cinematography
-Best Actor
-Best Actress
-Best Poster
-Best Trailer

We will also invite 4 of the final 8 filmmakers to take part in a Director's Round Table to discuss their micro-budget process which will be shared on our social media, podcast and more.


FEATURE FILMS shot for less than $250k. There is no film age limit so please submit your past project that may just be sitting on a shelf waiting for a revival. The first 16 features will be chosen by our committee of programmers, the only selections WE make. The rest is up to the people. SHORTS can be any length but must also work as a proof of concept for a feature film down the line. Each feature in the second round and beyond will open with a short film/POC.

ROUND 1 (16 feature films) - Films to advance are selected by an online audience who have access to our website + FB/IG pages to the films poster, trailer and synopsis- just like a VOD consumer deciding what to watch. The winner of this round will be announced 45 days before our live event takes place.

QUARTERFINALS (8 features, 8 shorts) - Screened films to advance are selected by a committee of Industry professionals (ie Producers and filmmakers of major Hollywood films such as "Vice", "Doctor Sleep", "Zero Dark Thirty", "Booksmart", "Phantom Thread", "Undefeated", "Sausage Party", "End of Watch" and more) who watch and critique the remaining films.

SEMIFINALS (4 features, 4 shorts) - The final 4 films are fully watched and reviewed by film critics on a 5-star system, with the top 2 overall averages moving on to the finals to compete for “Best Micro-Budget Film”.

FINALS (2 features, 2 shorts) - The winner of the 2 remaining films are selected by a live audience attending the closing night screenings. The Champion receives the trophy for BEST FILM, an exclusive sit-down with an industry professional to pitch your next project and a gear rental package + post production services discount.

Let the films begin!

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Screening Schedule
THURSDAY, November 5th: Opening Night Party
FRIDAY, November 6th: Features & Shorts #8 and #7
SATURDAY, November 7th: Features & Shorts #6 through #3
SUNDAY, November 8th: Features & Shorts #2 and #1 + Closing Night Awards