Being a filmmaker doesn’t mean that you are working within a specific style, genre, or category. Being a filmmaker means that you are bringing your ideas to life through motion pictures, which can open up an unknown world of storytelling to viewers and other filmmakers.
There are endless ways you can tell your story, and Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia wants to celebrate your creativity. Asia’s largest international short film festival, Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, is teaming up with Kodansha to celebrate talented new filmmakers and visual creators.
Kodansha Cinema Creators’ Lab, the Kodansha project, was announced at the SSFF & ASIA 2022 Awards Ceremony. This ambitious project’s goal is to fully support the art of filmmaking, from discussions on a film’s production to funding and publicity.
What Is Kodansha Cinema Creators' Lab?
SSFF & ASIA has been supporting filmmakers worldwide since 1999. SSFF & ASIA aims to introduce a new film culture from Asia while supporting young filmmakers from every corner of the world. Winners in the festival's Live Action/Animation/Non-Fiction Competitions are even eligible to be nominated for an Oscar at next year’sAcademy Awards!
Kodansha, which was founded in 1909, is a publishing company aimed at finding interesting and informative entertainment. The company truly believes that everything they do is in service of the creator, and wants to expand its collaborative spirit to all filmmakers and creatives. The Creators’ Lab is a department in Kodansha that was established in 2021 to discover and support new creators in a wider range of genres.
Together for the first time, SSFF & ASIA and Kodansha Cinema Creators’ Lab want to award the best three pitches ¥10,000,000 (about $72,745) to fund the complete cost of the short film’s production.
Selected pitches will also work closely with an experienced editor from Kodansha who will oversee the project until the short film's completion.
“Our editors will support the production of not only games but also films through a 'one-on-one dialogue' with the creators,” Kodansha’s President and CEO Yoshinobu Noma said in a statement. “Kodansha, which has always supported creators, is delighted to meet new talented creators to discover new possibilities in the field of visual images.”
'Take Flight'Credit: Kodansha
How to Pitch to Cinema Creators' Lab
This competition is open to all filmmakers across all formats and genres.
Directors, producers, animators, CG creators, and production companies are welcome to apply by sending pitches to the official SSFF & ASIA website. These pitches must include a storyboard, completed script, and resume.
To apply to the Kodansha Cinema Creators' Lab, submit a completed member application form. While it is possible to apply for multiple projects, SSFF & ASIA and Kodansha Cinema Creators’ Lab strongly recommend only applying for one project.
Applicants selected for the first screening plan from the application plan will be notified of the results by the end of January 2023 on the Kodansha Cinema Creators’ Lab page on SSFF & ASIA’s website.
Submissions open on Sep. 1, 2022, and will close on Nov. 30, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. JST (7:59 a.m. PST).
What are you waiting for? Pitch your idea today for the chance to win ¥10,000,000 and to work with a renowned editor from Kodansha to make your short film idea a reality! We can't wait to see your work.
Source: SSFF & ASIA and Kodansha
