Samsung Fresh Films

What is Samsung Mobile Fresh Films?
Samsung Mobile Fresh Films is the only national filmmaking program where the pros are replaced by teens. You and a team of teen filmmakers will have seven intense days to make a short film. We’re talking a knockdown, drag-out, killer short film, written by a young, emerging screenwriter, and produced, shot and edited by your team. No experience necessary!

Once the films premiere online, your movie will go online for a head-to-head competition against the other Samsung Mobile Fresh Films crews! The audience may crown you with the Viewer’s Choice Award! And, our jury of industry professionals will score you- you could top out your category for the Jury Award. This year is our fifth anniversary, and it's bigger than ever, so come on! Jump in!

Is this a summer camp?
No horseback riding here! Samsung Mobile Fresh Films is an action-packed week of filmmaking, where you and your team will report daily from 9-5 Sunday-Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Thursday will be reserved for an all-day shoot!

Who is eligible for Samsung Mobile Fresh Films?
You must be between the ages of 14-19 during production.

I have no experience in film. Is that a big deal?
There is absolutely no experience necessary to be on the Samsung Mobile Fresh Films crew! You just need to have a passion for filmmaking and a willingness to make a film with a team of teen filmmakers. We’ll fill you in on the rest! Just let us know in your application!

Where and when will Samsung Mobile Fresh Films crews be this summer?
Samsung Fresh Films Crews will be producing in 9 cities this summer for five weeks. Yes, some crews will be producing films at the same time! This year's shoot cities will be Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Boston, St. Louis, Dallas, New Orleans, Salt Lake City and Portland.

How do I enter to become a Samsung Mobile Fresh Films Filmmaker?
To enter, fill out the application at www.fresh-films.com between March 27 until May 5, 2007 at 10 a.m. CST .

You should apply for the film crew closest to your home (i.e. if you live in Milwaukee, you should apply for Chicago.) While you're welcome to apply for a spot in any city, YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING. That's why we suggest you stick close to home!

Be ready to answer those questions in a hundred words or fewer, because that could be your ticket onto one of our nine teen film crews!

Do I HAVE to write the 100-word essay?
Yes! How else would you prove your passion for filmmaking?

Can I enter for my friends?
Not if you want to run the risk of them make the crew instead of you. We evaluate each filmmaker on their individual entry, so encourage your friends to sign up on their own – it’s really easy!

So wait, I am going to Hollywood to make a film?
No. Samsung Mobile Fresh Films crews will be traveling to the 9 cities to produce a short film in seven days. If you’re selected to be a part a Samsung Mobile Fresh Films crew, you will come to Samsung Mobile Fresh Films Headquarters in your production city, locations to be announced. You will be responsible for getting to and from production headquarters and the shoot locations.

So you’re gonna give me money to make my film?
Sorry, no film grants. But we will teach you the producing, directing and editing skills you will need to create your own short film.

What do I have to buy?
Nothing! There is no purchase necessary to submit to be a filmmaker with the Samsung Mobile Fresh Films program.

How much is this program going to cost me?
There are no tuition or application fees for Samsung Mo bile Fresh Films. But, you do have to arrange your own transportation to and from the production headquarters and film shoot. Samsung Mobile Fresh Films does not provide transportation or housing.

What happens during the Samsung Mobile Fresh Films production week?
You're going to learn how to make a movie, then you're going to make one! Interns from previous Samsung Mobile Fresh Films seasons, along with adult instructors, will teach you everything you need to know in an intensive, seven-day filmmaking boot camp.

You'll get tech training on all the equipment, business training from producers who will teach you how to arrange for film permits, craft services and so much more. Industry training will walk you through the process of arranging auditions, making callbacks, and rehearsals.

You'll make a shot-by-shot storyboard for your script, and on shoot day, you'll get in there and actually make that film. When the shoot is over, you'll return to headquarters and start editing your masterpiece. Every crew member will work on every aspect of the film, so when you're finished, you'll be able to really say, "I made this movie!"

If you want to know how we smash all this action into one week, check out the production schedule on our
Production Sneak Peak Page!

I don’t have a car. Are you gonna drive me to the Samsung Mobile Fresh Films Headquarters?
No. If you are chosen to be on the Samsung Mobile Fresh Films crew, you are responsible for getting to and from the Samsung Mobile Fresh Films Headquarters and shoot location.

I already have a crew including actors. Can we make my film?
Sounds like you’re well on your way – congratulations! Samsung Mobile Fresh Films, however, is a team-oriented experience, from start to finish. Our program isn’t designed to produce any one filmmaker’s vision. But, we certainly hope you go on to make your own short films!

Can I be the director?
No one filmmaker will be selected over another to serve in any crew position for the duration of the production week. As a Samsung Mobile Fresh Filmmaker, you will rotate through several crew positions, including camera, sound, assistant director, etc. Our instructors will act as the producer, director and technical director of the films, but they will work closely with your team, teaching you all aspects of those roles.

Who gets to write the script?
This year, young and emerging screenwriters have submitted their screenplays, which you'll produce!

If you're more interested in writing than producing, check out the Samsung Mobile Fresh Films Emerging Screenwriters program here. This program is open to young screenwriters between the ages of 14 and 24, no experience necessary if you can write! We'll be taking screenplay submissions from February 15 to March 24th, so get to crackin'!

What equipment are we gonna use?
Get ready to start drooling! You will be handed HD camera equipment and provided professional editing stations where you’ll be teamed up with Samsung Mobile Fresh Films grads to create your film and learn the fundamentals of production, shooting and editing a short film in just 7 days. Samsung will also hand over their awesome mobile equipment to help you when you’re in the field and need to connect with the rest of the production crew!

I want to be on the crew AND act in the film. Is that possible?
Sorry, no. We LOVE multitaskers, but if you’re selected to be on the Samsung Mobile Fresh Films crew, we will need you to participate strictly behind the camera. Unless you’re George Clooney, odds are you won’t get to be in front and behind the camera!

I just want to act in the local Samsung Mobile Fresh Film. Do I have to be a professional actor?
There is no experience necessary to audition and act in our Samsung Mobile Fresh Films! Whether you star in your high school’s musical or your family’s Christmas talent show (how embarrassing!), all actors (union, non-union or enthusiastic newcomers) are encouraged to come to our open casting calls to try out for a paid role in one of our films.

Casting Calls will be held on the 1st Sunday of each production week. We'll post the casting call locations at
www.fresh-films.com! Stay tuned for times and locations.

What’s with the “genres”: Action Hero, Uncommon Comedy and Drama/Thriller?
Each city’s production crew will be assigned a genre for their film - Action Hero, Uncommon Comedy or Drama/Thriller, and a screenplay in that genre, written by one of the Samsung Mobile Fresh Films Emerging Screenwriters! There is a wide range of types of films in each genre. Our jury will select the best film within each genre - just like at a film festival! And, viewers online will be able to pick their genre favorite, too!

How do I know which genre I am submitting for?
Just check out the Production Map online and you’ll know which city is making a film in which genre!

Can I apply as a crew member for any city Samsung Mobile Fresh Films shoots in?
You can… but you’d have to pay your own way to get to the city, and you’d have hotel accommodations, too. Not to mention getting to and from headquarters and set!

Samsung Mobile Fresh Films does not pay for transportation or accommodations, which is why we encourage you to apply for the city nearest to you. If you’re going to do it, make sure you mention in your essay that you could get to the city.

What is this online vote-off business?
For three consecutive weeks starting in July, we will premiere three new films online. Viewers can vote for their favorite film either by online voting at www.fresh-films.com or by SMS Text voting. After six days of voting, the film with the most combined online and SMS Text votes will be declared the winner for the Week.

Each of the winning Films will then go onto a final Vote-Off where viewers can vote for their favorite via online or SMS text vote. Of the three films in the final Vote-Off, the film with the most combined online and SMS text votes will get the Viewer’s Choice Award of the season.

What’s up with the celeb jury?
In addition to audience voting for the best films, we have a jury consisting of a minimum of five film professionals. The jury members will watch three films each week and review them, based on a series of criteria, including Film Originality, Production Values, and Story and Action Quality. At the end of each week of voting, the jury will declare it the Jury Favorite film for that genre. There will be a total of three Juried Favorites, one for each genre, Action Hero, Uncommon Comedy or Drama/Thriller. And all filmmakers will get the jury's feedback on their film.

Samsung Mobile Fresh Films started the Jury so that YOU could get professional feedback to continue your growth as a filmmaker. To meet last year's Jury here. Remember the Jury Award is very prestigious but only the Viewer’s Choice Award winners go to the Hollywood Premiere.

What kind of prize do we get for winning?
First, there's being selected as one of only 99 teens out of the several thousand who enter, and getting the 7-day Samsung Mobile Fresh Films filmmaking experience! Then there's the opportunity for your film to be crowned several Awards:

If your film wins the Viewer’s Choice Award, your film gets screens at the Samsung Mobile Fresh Films premiere event at AFI Fest in Los Angeles. You and your crew win hotel and airfare accommodations to attend, as well as a mini-Fresh Films studio, complete with Samsung Mobile phone (so you can get your actors to the set on time, natch!) and a laptop to edit and soundtrack your future films.

Finally, both the Jury Award winners and Viewer’s Choice Award winners get promoted in national press and submitted to national and international film festivals for further consideration. HALF of all Samsung Mobile Fresh Films go on to compete at juried festivals. Ten have competed in Academy Award™-qualifying festivals!

Who's on the Jury?
We'll be announcing the panelists on the jury for our 2008 season in the coming weeks, and we promise it will be good. Take a look at the 2007 jurists:

Each jury member will review all nine teen-produced Samsung Mobile Fresh Films movies. They'll select a winning film in each Genre (Comedy, Drama and Action/Thriller). Additionally, they'll comment on each film, giving each crew real commentary and feedback to help them improve their craft.

Can a Jury winner also win the Viewer’s Choice Award?
Yes. The audience can certainly agree with the jury! The jury will judge films according to their criteria, but will not release their official juried selection until after online/SMS voting has ended. So, your film could receive the most audience votes and be the Juried Favorite.

Won’t the jury’s selection give unfair advantage to one film during voting?
The audience will not know which film the jury has selected until after online/SMS voting has ended.

Are you making this stuff up? It sounds too good to be true!
And yet, it's completely true! We'll prove it to you! Check out our website to view last year’s films and behind the scenes documentaries on the films page.

How do I intern with Samsung Mobile Fresh Films?
Interns are chosen from our alumni of former Samsung Mobile Fresh Filmmakers. Once you've participated in the Samsung Mobile Fresh Films program, you will receive information on how to apply to be an intern for the following year.