Minutopia

COCA Center for Outdoor Contemporary Art presents


Minutopia new actualities for a new world


project summary
Minutopia new actualities for a new world celebrates the magic and mystery of our viewable world through new artist-made documentaries that creatively explore in minutiae the familiar marvels of our contemporary age. Extending the rich legacy of cinema’s earliest documentary achievements, these new “actualities” offer vivid examples of the hidden poetry and lyricism found in our waking life. Crowds, street-scenes, animals, tasks, transportation, nature, art and architecture – plus curious oddities and events all unfold to offer unexpected insight or passing fancy to audiences of all ages. Minutopia visitors may enhance their viewing experience through a customized viewing port stationed within the glorious rustic setting of the historic Presidio of San Francisco. Viewings are ongoing and free – with additional educational presentations, materials, and special events included. Minutopia is central film programming for Silver Sun Illuminating the Splendor of the Silent Screen presented by COCA Center for Outdoor Contemporary Art www.cocanow.org


call for new actualities!


guidelines
1 minute maximum duration
documentary, journalistic, reportage, experimental/personal-poetic documentary ok
digi, video, or film ok
color, toned, tinted, or black & white ok
intertitles or subtitles optional
silents only
new works only, to be premiered through minutopia
open to artists from all countries

All new works selected for minutopia to be part of ongoing screenings and central film programming for Silver Sun Illuminating the Splendor of the Silent Screen. Selections are based on artistic quality, innovation, composition, and fluidity. Special attention will be paid to works that display strong connectivity to minutopia source material, chiefly: turn-of-the-century actualities. Names of artists will be included on all outgoing promotional and educational materials for Silver Sun. All new works will be sequenced and edited to one disc with credits and subtle ambient soundtrack provided by COCA. Selected artists will receive free promotional materials before project launch, plus a complete minutopia disc to produce your own optional minutopia screening events during the month of the September. Scheduling information/details for all minutopia screenings will be listed on the silversun blog http://silversunscreen.blogspot.com and promoted through various means

research
For inspiration and info regarding actualities, see
http://chnm.gmu.edu/exploring/20thcentury/narrativefilm/index.php
http://muse.jhu.edu/demo/film_history

submit
· minutopia format: DVD, region1 (up to 4 different submissions per artist accepted)
· title
· subject matter (4 sentence max)
· duration
· artist name
· artist location & bio (4 sentence max)
· artist website (if any)

mail your minutopia DVD & information to

Ellen Lake
609 56th Street
Oakland, CA 94609
USA

For return of any items, please include a SASE (self-address stamped envelope)

postmark deadline
May 31, 2008

notification date
July 15, 2008

contact
openskies1@gmail.com


Minutopia new actualities for a new world is an original project developed by Elliot Lessing & Ellen Lake for COCA Center for Outdoor Contemporary Art as part of Silver Sun Illuminating the Splendor of the Silent Screen featuring a new placemaking sculpture by Scotland-based artist Emma Butler-Cole Aiken

COCA Center for Outdoor Contemporary Art
everything is possible

www.cocanow.org