Pillow Fight en Masse

Pillow Fight Asheville's Anti-Valentine's Day 2013 from Katie Damien on Vimeo.

The 3rd annual anti-Valentine's Day Pillow Fight held in Asheville, North Carolina. Shot and Edited by Katie Damien on February 14, 2013 with music by Muse.

Voted Best of Western North Carolina!

A while back I was honored to be voted one of the best local filmmakers in Western North Carolina by the readers of the Mountain Express.  I actually tied for Second!  This was news to me, since I hadn't told anyone to vote for me and it's all done by write-in.  In fact I forgot to vote myself.  So I don't know who put me down as one of the best filmmakers around, but I want to send them a big thank you!

Also just to update you on the film festival saga.  I recently received a very nice rejection from the Atlanta International Film Festival.  The cool thing about that festival is that they were sending regular updates to all the filmmakers that had entered so that we all knew how the selection process was going.  They also sent some really great tips and resources out to filmmakers.  So while I didn't make it in, I have to say the experience was still a good one.  I'm 1 for 3 so far.  Down to just 3 more festivals.

Making a Film Festival Run

Film Festivals are tricky business.  As an independent filmmaker with short films, there aren't that many more venues out there to get work seen.  With that in mind, I sent my movie, "Second Parent" out to 6 major film festivals:

South by Southwest

Cleveland International

Atlanta International

The Florida Film Festival

Aspen Shorts Fest

and Nashville Film Festival

In addition, I also sent it out to two smaller fests: the Seattle True Independent Film Festival and Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film Festival.  Most of the festivals I've had my shorts play at in the past have been smaller, niche festivals where my work stood a better chance of being accepted.  So just getting in to one of these six major festivals is a huge honor!

So far I've been rejected from South by Southwest....but I made it into the Cleveland International Film Festival! http://www.clevelandfilm.org   I'll let you know if my movie makes it into any others.

Katie