FOURTH ANNUAL MILLERS CREEK FILM FESTIVAL 2009 CALL FOR ENTRIES

The Huron River Watershed Council wants you to help us reach new audiences. We want you to incorporate our ideas and concerns for protecting the watershed into YOUR short film. Photo at right is a scene from the winning 30 second announcement in the 2007 festival "A Message from the Huron River Rock Bass".

We want you to include one of our Six Messages somewhere in your film, extra points for including more. How you do it is completely up to you. The cool thing is that your film can be about whatever you like. There are no restrictions on topic, genre or style.

Maybe you've got a hilarious idea for a romantic comedy short. How about a date who's obsessed with storm drain pollution?

Or maybe you like westerns. How about a violent showdown between neighbors with very different ideas about how to care for their lawns?

Or an action short. Kidnappers who are impressed by their victim's use of rain barrels and rain gardens?

The idea is to be clever and original. We don't want to tell you what kind of film to make, we want to see if you can impart the importance of our river's health in your movie ...while still telling the story you want to tell.

We are equally excited by something entertaining that simply addresses the human connection to the Huron River. Again, no restrictions on genre or style. Look at past winners (see below) for examples.

No film-making experience or fancy equipment necessary although we appreciate good use of technology and tight editing.

Our Festival consists of THREE CATEGORIES:
     (1) A short film Adult filmmakers;
     (2) A short film School-Age filmmakers;
     (3) A 30 second public service announcement.
(Short films must be shorter than 5 minutes; shorter is often better.)
You can enter as groups or teams.

WIN CASH PRIZES: $500 winning prize for each category.

SEE YOUR WINNING FILM ON THE BIG SCREEN with family and friends at the Michigan Theatre on March 13, 2009. Some qualifying films will also be shown.

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS DECEMBER 22, 2008.

Entry Form and Rules
Six HRWC Messages
More Ideas for Human Connections to Rivers
Music Release Form
How to Make a Mini-DV
Index Map of the Huron River Watershed

For more information contact Joan Martin at jmartin@hrwc.org or 734/769-5123 x11.

SIX MESSAGES
Note (a): We can provide you with more information about any of these topics and are available to help craft whatever information you need for your film.
Note (b): It is not necessary to feature one of these messages to win.

1. Storm drain awareness. Neighborhood storm drains deliver rain water directly from our streets, through underground pipes, to the nearest natural body of water, a creek or lake or the Huron River. Any pollutant that is on your sidewalks, driveways and street, ultimately ends up in the river. Pollutants include fertilizer, motor oil, dirt, litter and pet waste.

2. Natural Areas Preservation. To save the Huron River Watershed from irreparable damage, river-friendly choices must be made by developers. This means encouraging higher density communities where infrastructure already exists (building up our downtowns), and encouraging open space and farmland preservation in rural areas.

3. The benefits of capturing rain where it falls. Using rain barrels, rain gardens and green roofs you can help the Huron River and its creeks and streams by slowing the flow of storm water runoff that comes off of hard surfaces like rooftops and pavement. A healthy river has a consistent flow instead of the flash floods followed by too little water caused by runoff during rain storms.

4. What is the Huron River Watershed? The Huron River Watershed is all the land area, creeks and streams that drain into the Huron River. It spans 908 square miles and encompasses 56 communities within 7 counties in Southeastern Michigan. It supplies drinking water to over half a million residents and provides habitat for countless animals, insects, fish and birds.

5. Stream monitoring is easy, fun and important. The Huron River Watershed's 16-year-old Adopt-A-Stream program gets people of all ages and experience out on the river to learn about stewardship in an easy and fun way. Volunteers collect bugs and document the river's flow. The data produced impacts community planning and decision-making throughout the watershed.

6. Zero phosphorus lawn fertilizers help protect the Huron River. Because runoff from residential lawn fertilization is the primary source of phosphorus entering the Huron River, by limiting its application, we can reduce the amount of phosphorus washing off our lawns and sidewalks into storm drains and waterways. Choose zero phosphorus lawn fertilizer and sweep up spills of any type.

Last Updated: November 2008