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And the 2018 Eclipse Awards nominees are …

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Nominees for the 7th Annual Eclipse Awards were announced LIVE on Monday, April 2, and round two of judging has begun!

By WKTV Staff

 

Local personalities Aaron Noble and Jessie Hollett announced the 2018 Eclipse Award nominees on WKTV and Facebook LIVE Monday, April 2.

 

Each year, the Eclipse Awards celebrate West Michigan filmmakers and the films they create. Filmmakers can enter in several main Categories, such as Cinema Trailer, Documentary, and Narrative Short. There are also craft Categories focused on the expertise in creating a film, such as Acting, Directing and Original Score.

 

“The Eclipse Awards is a one-of-a-kind event in Michigan,” said Tom Norton, WKTV general manager. “Now in its seventh year, the Awards continue to recognize outstanding content and content creators right here in our state. The quality of the work submitted continues to be top-notch, proving that the Michigan production community continues to develop and retain incredible talent and skill.”

 

Aaron Noble and Jessie Hollett announced this year’s Eclipse Awards nominees on April 2 (photo courtesy of Jessie Hollett)

After an intense screening process, judges from across the country have narrowed the field down to the nominees listed below.

 

Nominees and their guests may attend the Certification Reception Monday, April 30, and winners will be announced at the Excellence in Craft Eclipse Awards Presentation LIVE, Thursday, May 3, from The Ballroom at McKay Tower in downtown Grand Rapids.

 

CONGRATULATIONS to the 7th Annual Eclipse Awards nominees!

 

Categories

 

Documentary Feature nominees are: Co-Operatively Yours–Kristin Ojaniemi, Jim Kurtti, producers; Newcomer Legacy: A Vietnamese-American Story–Alan Headbloom, producer.

 

Music Video nominees are: Nottingham–Jacob de la Rosa, Kathryn Postema, Joshua E. White, producers; Never One Thing–John Hanson. May Erlewine, DJ Viernes, producers; Small Town–Zachary Clark, Nick Turske, Andy Westra, producers; Flight School: Don’t Know–Chris Mac, producer

 

Narrative Feature nominees are: Into A Dark Mind–Harley Wallen, producer; Moving Parts–Harley Wallen, producer; Return of the Scarecrow–Adam Mikrut, Walt Lodes III, producers; Kid Brother–Bryce Cameron producer; The Incantation–Dan Campbell, producer; Thaw of the Dead–David Marek, Matthew Von Dayton, producers.

 

Narrative Short nominees are: Model No. Human–Harper Shecter, producer; Mino Bimaadiziwin–Carese Bartlett, producer; Drilling Dad–Jeff Vega, producer; Frankie— Josh Martin, producer; Four-Ninety–Scott Magie, producer; The House on Oak Street–Kyle Misak, Don Chase, Jesse Charles, producers; Deadbolt–Michael McCallum, William C. McCallum, Patric J. Arnold producers.

 

Promotional segment in television or online nominees are: Challenge Day 2017–Caleb Carson, producer; Memphis the Musical–Angela Peavey, producer; Benjamin’s Hope – Welcome Home–Eric Schrotenboer, Sara Hogan, producers.

 

Television and online Programming (30 min) nominees are:  Mind Games – Tea & Sympathy–Jeff Vega, producer; The Michigan Experience: Vietnam Veterans–Rodney Brown, William Redwine, producers; Verify--Eric Schrotenboer, David Bailey, Emma Nicolas, producers; The Chaplain–Rhodes Short, Heather Fairbanks, producers.

 

Cinema Trailer nominees are: Death Island Paranormal retribution–Chris Penney, producer

 

Documentary Short nominees are: Stories of Us–Angela Peavey, producer; Ten Years Later–Nathan Roels, producer; Everything Happens Somewhere-Joppa–Eric Schrotenboer, producer

 

6th Annual Eclipse Awards ceremony

Crafts

 

Acting in a Supporting Role nominees are: Amanda Buhs–Dylan; Peter Herold–Kid Brother;  Dean Cain–The Incantation; Michael McCallum–Deadbolt; Johnny DeMarc —Deadbolt; Brie Roper–Deadbolt; Matthew Dennis–White Hair; Rico Bruce Wade–Four-Ninety; Michael Gordon–Finding Home; Heather Fairbanks–Thaw of the Dead.

 

Screenplay Feature Length nominees are: Bryce Cameron, Devin Cameron–Kid Brother; Ryan Webber, Brett Christiansen–Finding Home.

 

Screenplay Short Subject nominees are: Scott Magie–Four-Ninety; Kyle Misak, Jesse Charles, Don Chase–The House on Oak Street; Justin Muschong–Deadbolt.

 

Direction in Narrative short nominees are: Kyle Macciomei–Closeted Hemispheres; Shane McSauby–Mino Bimaadiziwin; Nabil Nona–Consequences; Josh Martin–Frankie; Scott Magie–Four-Ninety; Kyle Misak–The House on Oak Street; Michael McCallum–Deadbolt.

 

Cinematography in Documentary nominees are: Angela Peavey–Stories of Us;  DT Kofoed–REACH Teen Open Studio 2016 Spring Mural Project

 

Animation nominees are: Garrett Bleshenski–Clearing the Smoke; Josh Reed–DoseDr.

 

Sound Design nominees are: Adam Mikrut–Return of the Scarecrow; Roy Wallace–Frankie; Andre Bottesi–Four-Ninety; Roy Wallace–Deadbolt.

 

Direction in Narrative Feature nominees are: Devin Cameron–Kid Brother; Jude S. Walko–The Incantation; Ryan Webber, Brett Christiansen–Finding Home.

 

Original Score nominees are: Gregory De Iulio–The House on Oak Street; Eric Schrotenboer–Cultures in Conflict.

 

Acting in Lead Role nominees are: Rhodes Short–The Chaplain; Michael McCallum–Angela; Jimmy Doom–Four-Ninety; Michael Empson–Finding Home; Elizabeth Moore–Deadbolt; Brad Stocker–Deadbolt.

 

Cinematography in Narrative Feature nominees are: Derek Street–The Incantation; Matthew Von Dayton–Thaw of the Dead.

 

Cinematography in Narrative Short nominees are: Dane Covey–Frankie; Travis Hayward–Four-Ninety; Erin Hughes–The House on Oak Street;  Andrew K. Tebeau–Deadbolt;  Dane Covey–Small Town.

 

Editing in Narrative nominees are: Kyle Misak–The House on Oak Street; Scott Baisden, Michael McCallum–Deadbolt; David Marek–Thaw of the Dead.

 

Hyperion Award — Mark Adler. The Hyperion Award acknowledges the contributions of unique individuals who maintain high standards in their craft while inspiring others to do so as well. At the same time, that individual works to expand the opportunities that benefit the entire creative and production community.

 

Winners will be announced live on Thursday, May 3rd on WKTV, Comcast channel 24, starting at 7:30 pm, hosted by Joe Anderson. The Eclipse Awards show also will be streamed live at theeclipseaward.com. WKTV News will be providing complete coverage of the entire event.

 

The annual Eclipse Awards are made possible by Sony, Key Code Media, Ferris State University, Compass College of Cinematic Arts and WKTV Digital Cinema. The Eclipse Awards seek to elevate content creators throughout Michigan by honoring their works through regional, national and international voting on entered works in film, television and on-line production. The Eclipse Award is given for story telling and production excellence in the production community.

 

Listen to the nominee announcements here:

 

6th Annual Eclipse Awards for Regional Film, Video and Television set for May 18th

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By Tom Norton, WKTV

 

An epic year, with nearly 90 Nominees — that’s how to best sum up the quality of entries in the 6th Annual Eclipse Awards for Film, Television, Video and the supporting crafts.

 

The Eclipse Awards honors content creators for Excellence in Craft in the disciplines of film, television, video, acting, sound, music, writing, direction, and visual effects. Created by WKTV Community Television and Media as a means of empowering the West Michigan “voice” of content creators, the Eclipse Awards has become the “big event” for the creative community. Since its beginning in 2012, The Eclipse Awards has spread across the state of Michigan to include content creators from the east side as well.

 

Judging in the Eclipse Awards is done by the nearly 200 previous nominees, recipients and select industry leaders in Los Angeles and New York City. Voting members score the works they view and through arbitrary tabulation, the Eclipse Award is decided upon for each category and craft. Winners are not known until the envelopes are opened on stage at the award presentation — this year on Thursday, May 18, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. at the City Flats Ballroom, 77 Monroe Avenue in Grand Rapids.

 

On Monday May 15th, the Official Nominees Certification takes place at 7 p.m. at the JW Marriot, downtown Grand Rapids. This year nearly 90 nominees and their guests participate in a classy-casual event of meeting each other, photo ops and receiving the formal certificate confirming their nomination in this year’s awards.

 

The Awards ceremony will be televised same night, Thursday May 18, starting at 10 p.m.

 

To see clips of previous years ceremony and images, visit theeclipseaward.com.

March 27 is deadline to enter The Eclipse Awards

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By Tom Norton, WKTV

 

The 6th Annual Eclipse Awards are on their way to a record number of entries, and there are just three days left to enter: Deadline is 5 pm Monday, March 27.

 

Michigan is hopping with serious content creators and WKTV’s Digital Cinema Program, the WMFVA, Ferris State University, Compass College of Cinematic Arts and the West Michigan Film Office are all sponsors of Michigan’s only competition for film, television, online and the crafts that support them.

 

Sixty judges from a vast array of disciplines in Grand Rapids, Los Angeles and New York will see your work, whether or not you’re screening in any of these cities.

 

Viewing and voting begins March 30. The announcement of nominations is April 17 at 7 pm. Go here to enter.

 

 

Deadline for 2017 Eclipse Award entries fast approaching 

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By WKTV Staff

 

Calling the best and brightest producers, directors, actors, writers, and filmmakers to submit their entries for the 2017 Eclipse Awards! Entries are accepted until March 27th, 2017.

 

The Eclipse Awards honor content creators for Excellence in Craft in the disciplines of film, television, video, acting, sound, music and writing. Created by WKTV Community Television and Media as a means of empowering the West Michigan “voice” of content creators, the Eclipse Awards has become the “big event” for the creative community.

 

“There really are a large number of content creators here who are either fully established and enjoy the recognition or who are just starting out and have that spark of genius with a great idea,” said Tom Norton, General Manager of WKTV.

 

Tom Norton, General Manager of WKTV Community Television and Media

In the first round of voting beginning right after March 27th, voting members from Michigan select the nominees. Nominees are then announced at 7 pm EST on Monday, April 17th and streamed live on the WKTV Youtube Channels. A link will be available on The Eclipse Awards website, theeclipseaward.com. A second round of voting begins following the announcement and this time, voting members are joined by industry peers across the US and in Europe.

 

The tallies from those votes then decide from the list of nominees who will be the recipient of The 6th Annual Eclipse Award in each category and craft.

 

The Hyperion Award — a leadership award given to outstanding leaders in TV, Film and the Arts — is voted on by the Eclipse Awards Board of Governors. The name “hyperion” refers to the light that exists behind an eclipse and this is the leadership that The Hyperion Award honors; the individual in West Michigan who by example and leadership encourages others to excel and contribute to an already thriving community of content creators.

 

The 2017 Hyperion Award recipient will be announced on the day the Eclipse Nominations are announced and will be presented at the 6th Annual Eclipse Awards Ceremony televised live from City Flats Ballroom on Thursday, May 18th.

 

NEW to the Eclipse Awards this year, Los Angeles distributor FairwayFilm Alliance, through their Rogue Arts label, is offering a first look to the 6th Annual Eclipse Award winners in the feature film and documentary category. Following the night of the awards ceremony, when the winners are known, the connection between Fairway Film Alliance and the winner(s) in these categories will be arranged.

 

“We’re tremendously pleased to be working with all of our sponsors,” said Norton. “They really believe in the importance of West Michigan having regional awards recognition to help foster the creative spirit. The democratization of media over the last few decades has really given voice to a much wider array of creativity and WKTV wants to see it grow and expand.”

 

Here are the important dates:

  • Friday, March 27th at 5pm — Entry Window Closes
  • 1st Round of Voting Begins
  • Nominations Announcement 7pm on Monday, April 17th
  • Hyperion Award Recipient Announcement Monday, April 17th 7pm
  • 2nd Round of Voting Begins with National Judges
  • Nomination Certification Party, Monday May 15th
  • The 6th Annual Eclipse Awards Excellence in Craft Award Ceremony, Thursday, May 18th 7pm

 

More information can be found on the website www.theeclipseaward.com or by calling 616.261.5700. Entries are $35 for content creators and $20 for students, however there is no student criteria for voting by the judges.

 

The 6th Annual Eclipse Awards is sponsored by WKTV Digital Cinema, the West Michigan Film Video Alliance, West Michigan Film Office, Compass College of Cinematic Arts and Ferris State University.

 

Janice Limbaugh: An Appreciation

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Janice4By: Colleen Pierson

 

Janice Limbaugh has been an avid student of life. She was a beacon of humor, creativity, intelligence, and compassion to all who knew her. Death succumbed her last week after fighting a lengthy, courageous battle with cancer. She served as a model of a life well lived.

 

JaniceJanice made a name for herself here at WKTV Community Television as one of the individuals who started the Citizen Journalism program. I, along with the rest of the staff, had the opportunity to be alongside her in that journey. When you walked into her cubicle, we would all light up to see her face breaking grin and the way she celebrated life with uncommon vigor and joy. In a word, she was a SUPERSTAR.

 

She could write about anything, but what interested her most were stories that surrounded the history of the Wyoming/ Kentwood area, and people stories. On some days, we would just hang out at Marge’s Donut Den, and anyone that walked through those doors was fair game for a well-told story. She had a crisp mind and an uncanny focus when she sat down to write.

 

Janice2“Startup programs are never easy,” remarked Tom Norton, General Manager at WKTV. “Janice attacked all the challenges we gave her day in and day out in building a successful Citizen Journalism program here at the station. Always with a smile on her face.  Always being the consummate professional.”

 

Gratitude always encompassed Janice. She always felt positively grateful for her family, friends, the winning performance of the Detroit Red Wings, and the ability to find a scenic camp site.

 

She also told me numerous times how thankful she was to the WKTV Board of Directors and Tom Norton who helped her extensively with medical bills and financial help throughout her cancer fight.

 

Janice1“Not many places of employment would do that for an employee these days,” Janice would relate.

 

She graduated from Redford Union High School in 1977, and from there went on to Grand Valley State University. Janice later transferred to Ferris State University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and journalism in 1981.

 

Her Catholic faith played an important role throughout her entire life and helped her through the death of her beloved daughter Hannah and husband Dan Limbaugh. Her sons Dave and Nick have been a constant source of love.

 

In 2013, Janice met John Gore, and he later became her fiancé. She loved spending time outdoors which led to the purchase of a camper. The enjoyment continued as they traveled all over Michigan, enjoying the state’s natural beauty along the way. During Janice’s final days, John became her primary and devoted caregiver.

 

Janice6Because she was such a great friend and family person, her death leaves everyone who was part of her life in such profound grief.

 

The staff at WKTV may feel utterly bereft and sad for a while– losing the affable, huggable writer who was never at a loss for words. So, be kind to them. She was loved by all, and will not soon be forgotten.

 

I spoke to her two days before she died.  The last thing she said was, “I do not want to suffer.”

 

I will always hold onto that.

 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Koss National Triple Negative Breast Cancer Research Foundation at curetnbc.org.

Nominees for the 2016 Eclipse Awards announced

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Marie Ullrich and Todd Lewis announce the nominees for the 2016 Eclipse Awards.
Marie Ullrich and Todd Lewis announce the nominees for the 2016 Eclipse Awards.

The nominees for the 2016 Eclipse Awards were announced today by Todd Lewis and Marie Ullrich on WKTV.

 

With a record number of entries, judges from around the globe narrowed the field down to the nominees listed below. An annual event, the Eclipse Awards are designed to celebrate West Michigan filmmakers and the films they create.

 

Winners will be announced live on April 28 on WKTV, Comcast channel 24, starting at 7:30 p.m. and is hosted by local comedian Ben Wilke. The Eclipse Awards show also will be streamed live at theeclipseaward.com. WKTV News will be providing complete coverage of the entire event.

 

For all nominees and their guests, there will be the Eclipse Lounge on April 25 at 7 p.m. at the second floor patio of the Rockwell Republic, 45 S. Division Ave. Tom Norton, station manager for WKTV, which helps to organize the event, said the the Eclipse Lounge is an important aspect to the event in that it gives nominees an opportunity to network and for everyone to be recognized for their accomplishments.

 

“We believe that being nominated is an important achievement and so we honor all the nominees,” Norton said.

 

Filmmakers can enter in several main Categories such as Cinema Trailer, Documentary, and Narrative Short. There are also craft Categories focused on the experiste in creating a film such as Acting, Directing and Original Score.

 

Categories are listed in alphabetical order with nominees listed in random order.

 

Documentary nominees are My Personal Pink Time, Josh Reed, producer; Strong Words: The Art of Toi Derricotte, David Schock, producer; and UP a River, Kristin Ojaniemi, producer.

 

Local & Regional Segments & Promotional Pieces (under 20 minutes) nominees are Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park: A Grand Rapids Treasure, Experience Grand Rapids, producer; GoSite Sponsor Video, Mallory Patterson and Randy Strobl, producers; HappenDance, Andrew Tebeau, producer; Meet Maren, Mallory Patterson and Randy Strobl, producers; There’s a Little Gilda in All of Us, Mallory Patterson and Randy Strobl, producers; and Why We Work at Wedgwood, Navin Kharmai, producer.

 

Local TV & Cable (30 minute time slot) nominees are Cooking with Angus: Mozzarella, Noah DeSmit, producer; Feel Like You Belong – Takunda Maxima Episode, Alan Headbloom, producer; and Jake’s Safari, Randy Bassin, producer.

 

Narrative Short nominees are Interference, James Stephens, Kelly Loughlin, producers; Portrait, Andrew Behm, producer; shehimher, DJ Viennese, producer; The Discovery of Alan Hindley, Andy Fortenbacher, producer; The Million Dollar Nickel, Kyle Misak, Jake Maxwell, producers; and This is Munyagwa, Erick Lauchie, producer.

 

On-line Programs, Segments or Promotional Pieces nominees are Live Arts, Andy Terzes, producer; Lucky Jay, Brian Gotberg and Harper Philbin, producers; Recognizing the Signs of Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus in the Clinic, Kendall College of Art and Design, producer; and The Story of the Nutcracker Village, Jacob Schmiedicke, producer.

 

Craft categories are listed in alphabetical order with nominees listed randomly.

 

Acting nominees are Ray Brazaski for Cathedral; Michael McCallum for Lucky Jay, Sherryl Despres for Rodeo Girl, Sophie Bolen for Rodeo Girl, Heather Baker-Jackson for shehimher and Liz Nolan for Two For the Show.

 

Animation nominees are Sanjo Antony for Jake’s Safari, Larry Lauria for Pete’s Odyssey, and Brett Deacon and Evan Hollingsworth for Project Liberation.

 

Cinematography and Videography nominees are Reid Petro for Alaskan Adventure, Logan Hurtado and Dylan Sanders for Death at the Opera, Steve Steketee for Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park: A Grand Rapids Treasure, Reid Petro for It’s Your Move, Matthew Weaver for Journeyman, Andy Terzes for Live Arts, John Hansen for shehimher, Reid Petro for The Million Dollar Nickel and Travis Babbitt for Topanga.

 

Direction nominees are Andy Terzes for Live Arts, Harper Philbin for Lucky Jay, DJ Viernes for shehimher, Kyle Misak and Jake Maxwell for The Million Dollar Nickel,  and Michael McCallum for Two for the Show.

 

Editing nominees are Alex Bolen for L I G H T, Tim Lieber for Lucky Jar, Mallory Patterson and Randy Strobl for Mosaic Mobile 2015 Promo, Kyle Misak for The Million Dollar Nickel, and Michael McCallum and Andrew Tebeau for Two for the Show.

 

Original Scoring nominees are David Purnell for INK 180 and Theo Ndawille II for shehimher.

 

Writing in Produced Content nominees are George Snider III for Jake’s Safari, Harper Philbin, John Dufresne and Angelo Eidse for Lucky Jay, DJ Viernes for shehimher, Kyle Misak and Jesse Charles for The Million Dollar Nickel and Michael McCallum for Two for the Show.

New Discovery in Egypt Adds Deeper Intrigue Into King Tut’s Exhibit at the Public Museum

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It is behind this north wall, an exact replica appearing here from the exhibit at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, where researchers have discovered the hidden chamber. Could the royal tomb of Queen Nefertiti be behind this wall?
It is behind this north wall, an exact replica appearing here from the exhibit at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, where researchers have discovered the hidden chamber. Could the royal tomb of Queen Nefertiti be behind this wall?

By Tom Norton

With the exhibit of the Treasures of King Tutankhamen winding down in less than a month at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, the latest news out of Egypt creates a new reason for revisiting, or catching the exhibit for the first time, what is likely one of the greatest exhibits ever to come to West Michigan.

 

3,300 years ago King Tutankhamen was laid to rest in what researchers now believe was a hastily constructed or modified tomb. Since its discovery in 1922, one nagging question remained unanswered; why was his burial tomb not fitting that of a ruling pharaoh?

 

Scores of reasons were supplied; the tumultuous period in Egyptian history when Tut lived and ruled was the most obvious. His father, the heretical pharaoh Akhenaton had recently been deposed and the 11-year-old Tutankhamen placed on the throne. DNA evidence today shows he was a sickly teen who died at the age of 19, but beyond all that there were tantalizing items in the tomb that didn’t add up. A number of the treasures didn’t appear to have ever been owned by the boy king. Treasures where the text has been erased altogether or altered to reflect the new “ownership” of Tut.

 

Now in 2016, the news coming out of Egypt could be as thrilling as it was in 1922 when the most famous Egyptian tomb ever was discovered.

 

The Egyptian government has now announced that it has a 90% certainty that there is a hidden chamber behind the north wall of Tut’s tomb. Far from being a storage room, researchers and Egyptologists believe the north wall of Tut’s burial chamber may have been built and painted over to conceal the entrance to the tomb of the fabled Queen Nefertiti, possibly an aunt of the boy king.

 

The north wall of the burial chamber shows the young King in the afterlife and going through the ritual known as the “opening of the mouth.” A ritual performed by the gods as the pharaoh enters the underworld. Strangely, however, some of the figures that were always assumed to be the boy king have certain feminine characteristics. Could these images have been originally been painted for Nefertiti?

 

If all this is true, the tomb of Tut that we know today would actually be merely the outer rooms to a much larger tomb built for the most famous Queen of Egypt.

 

Tut2The questions surrounding the strange size of Tut’s tomb would also be answered.

 

The results of the radar scans which discovered the hidden chambers will be announced in the coming few weeks. If an intact royal tomb is found within Tut’s tomb, it would be the most spectacular archaeological discovery of the last 100 years. All the more reason to take in the breathtaking exhibit at the Grand Rapids Public Museum before it leaves at the end of January.

 

Read the Original Article about Tutankhamen’s Treasurers at the Grand Rapids Public Museum here.

WKTV Kicks Off Digital Cinema Guild

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colleen_piersonAre you interested in developing skills as a digital cinematographer? Are you a filmmaker who would like access to WKTV’s extensive equipment inventory? Join the WKTV Cinema Guild!

Tom Norton, President of WKTV is more than passionate about the formation of the guild.

“The Digital Cinema Guild is going to be a huge asset to film makers.  The pedigree WKTV has as instructors and the caliber of pro gear is the perfect blend.  WKTV truly believes this is a logical step in building stronger, more creative and more vibrant use of community media.  Films, be they documentaries or narrative shorts and features are a powerful voice in any community.  We want everyone to have those tools to make their messages and stories a reality,” he explained.

WKTV invites area residents to discover the possibilities at a kick-off event on September 22 at 7 p.m. The kick-off event will be held at the studio at 5261 Clyde Park Ave. SW, Wyoming, MI 49509. The even will showcase the Cinema Guild’s:Digital Cinema - Black Magic

  • Onsite Workshops
  • Online Explorations
  • Opportunities for Screening Your Work

The People

WKTV has engaged two of the area’s most experienced filmmakers to facilitate its Digital Cinema Guild.

  • Barbara Roos, founder of Grand Valley State University’s Film & Video Program, brings more than 40 years’ experience as a scriptwriter, film maker, and professor of film. She joined academia from an award-winning career in public broadcasting, both television and radio.
  • Girbe Eefsting has spent an equal number of years producing films for advertising agencies, corporations, governmental agencies, NGOs and NPOs, including ten years with Grand Rapids Community Media Center. In 1996, Girbe founded the Grand Valley Summer Film Program. In 2010, he founded Film Farm, a company specializing in media production, education and preservation.

Edit Suite“The Digital Cinema Guild becomes part of the explosive nationwide growth of innovative production approaches incorporating digital technologies,” Eefsting explains.

Prof. Roos reminds us that media production efforts in the real world as well as in classroom depends on cooperating communities, and welcomes WKTV’s effort to broaden the depth and the scope of our west Michigan community by way of the opportunities offered by membership in the DCG.

“Producing media makes us all life-long learners,” Roos notes.  “And at the same time we are all life long teachers.”  Current growth in the role of  digital media – by international institutions on the one hand and by first-time digital camera individual users  on the other – makes The Digital Cinema Guild a hot topic!”

The Program

  • Online Workshops: Under the direction of successful digital film experts, Digital Cinema Guild members can take part in ongoing, weekly workshops at three levels: 1) Pre production & Script writing; 2) Production: and 3) Post-production, marketing and distribution
  • Online Explorations: Guild members can access web-based information modules that share additional skills and information. Members will also be able to mentor each other through an online Digital Cinema Guild Forum.
  • Opportunities for Screening Work: WKTV’s organizational goal for the Guild is to have more programming to broadcast on its public access television station.

For information, visit www.WKTV.org or call 616-261-5700