ReadingFilm to present the film HELL OR HIGH SEAS

ReadingFilm is pleased to partner with RUOKBerks, Mission 22 and Berks County Department of Veterans Affairs to present the film HELL OR HIGH SEAS on September 15, 6:30 pm at Boscov Theatre, GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, 201 Washington Street, Reading, PA 19601. The screening is free, but seating is limited. Pre-register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hell-or-high-seas-film-screening-and-discussion-tickets-396867059057

Every day in the U.S. over 20 veterans die of suicide. HELL OR HIGH SEAS is a documentary film that follows U.S. Navy veteran Taylor Grieger and writer Stephen O’Shea as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime — sailing around Cape Horn, the world’s most treacherous ocean waters.  A moving portrait of a veteran using his own painful journey with PTSD to find healing for himself, and pave a smoother path for veterans returning to civilian life.
There will be a post-film panel discussion with Mission 22 Ambassador Stacy Ayres, U.S. Navy Veteran and Mission 22 Statewide Representative Noreen Krymski, and Lebanon VA Medical Center’s Suicide Prevention Coordinator John J. Lucas.
About Mission 22:

Mission 22 is a national community supporting active service members, Veterans, and their family members, through three areas of focus:

  • Support and Treatment Programs— for active service members, Veterans, and their family members, addressing Post-Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury, suicide risk and other challenges.
  • Social Impact— uniting civilians and the military community to raise awareness of issues active service members, veterans, and their family members face.
  • Memorials— remembering and honoring service members and Veterans through large scale installations and digital initiatives, while raising awareness for issues faced on home soil.
About ReadingFilm:

The mission of ReadingFilm is to promote the region as a location destination for film and media production, enrich the community through events and programming, and cultivate a regional film industry. We are committed to lifting-up voices of the under-represented and providing content and services that reflect and meet the needs of the diverse communities we serve.

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Film Tax Credit Increased to Boost PA Film Production!

The ReadingFilm Office is excited to announce that the PA Film Tax Credit has been increased to $100 million! “We applaud the Pennsylvania Legislators for increasing PA Film Tax Incentives and seeing the benefits of a vibrant film production industry in PA”, said Executive Director, ReadingFilm, Cammie Harris.

Keeping the PA film tax credit competitive is a key part of attracting new projects into our region. ReadingFilm’s mission is to grow film production in the region, build a local production community, support film productions through location scouting and connecting them with production resources, and market Greater Reading as a film destination location. Since its inception, ReadingFilm has supported dozens of local and visiting film productions, produced a short film to market the region, created a film festival and a high school film competition, hosted numerous community events, supported local artists, and helped Pulitzer Prize winner and Tony nominee Lynn Nottage and Emmy winner Tony Gerber create SWEAT and THIS IS READING. The tax credit increase is extremely beneficial in attracting more film production to our region.

While the bulk of film production has traditionally happened in LA and NY, states around the country are learning the value of investing in the film industry. Film production is a huge economic driver in the communities which have capitalized on its potential. In 2020 – a year when the pandemic literally shut down production for months – the industry accounted for nearly $234 billion dollars of the US economy. That economic impact has grown each year and is expected to nearly double by 2030. Jobs in the film production sector are 50% higher paying than the national average. Most of the people in the industry are small businesses, with under 10 employees. A major motion picture can infuse up to $250K each day into the local economy, while a TV show can generate $150K a day in local spending.

In addition to a $30 million increase to the overall film tax credit, $5 million has been carved out for independent films. This will give small budget, independently produced, and local film productions a greater opportunity to take advantage of the film tax credit program.

Want your next project to be a ReadingFilm? Click below to learn more!

Reading FilmFEST Receives $35,000 Grant

ReadingFilmFEST, a program of the ReadingFilm, is the recipient of a $35,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development. The Pennsylvania Office of Marketing & Tourism, facilitated by Senator Schwank’s office, has awarded this grant for the festival for the past three consecutive years. The grant will support the festival’s development initiatives, including production, marketing and promotion, and administrative expenses.

“It is vitally important to support the arts when considering community and economic development, which is why I advocated for ReadingFilmFEST in this grant process,” Senator Schwank noted. “In just a few years, this festival has established a tremendous reputation for quality events that support artists and has brought positive attention into our city and county” according to Senator Schwank.

ReadingFilm Announces New Board and Advisory Council Members

Reading, PA – ReadingFilm, home of Berks County’s international film festival, ReadingFilmFEST, welcomed new members to the board of directors and advisory council effective Monday, June 13, 2022. The new directors include Wynton Butler – Reading School District, Christian Crespo – City of Reading, Susanna Fultz – Barley Snyder, Michelle Ramsey – Penn State Berks, and new Advisory Council Member, Rick Olmos – Centro Hispano.

Executive Director, Cammie Harris expressed her appreciation and gratitude. “I am truly thankful for the continued dedication and support of our existing board and council members and excited to work with our new members on the next phase of growth and development of a thriving film industry in Berks County.”

The ReadingFilm Office mission is to enrich the region with the art of storytelling through film, and stimulate the local economy by advancing film education, entertainment, and film production.

See the Full Story on BCTV.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Tracy Schott, MS/MSWPresident
Chris Woodward, MD Treasurer
Carol Toomey, Secretary
Heather Adams | BCTV
Wynton Butler | Reading School District
Christian Crespo | City of Reading
Suzanna Fultz, JD | Barley Snyder
Santo D. Marabella, DSW | Marabella Enterprises
Michele Ramsey, Ph.D | Penn State -Berks
Cammie Harris, MBA Executive Director

ADVISORY COUNCIL
Cara Cotelles, MS | Kutztown University
John Ernesto. | Berks Arts Council
John Hoskyns-Abrahall | Bull Frog Films
Levi Landis, MPA | GoggleWorks Center for the Arts
A.J. Merlino, DMA | Albright College
Rick Olmos | Centro Hispano
Rodney Ridley, Ph.D | Alvernia University
Sandy Solmon | Sweet Street
Rosario Torres, Ph.D | Penn State -Berks
Meredith Walker | Reading RC 11 / Imax Theater

FiveMinuteFilmFEST

The annual Berks County high school student film festival, Five Minute FilmFEST, is finally here!

All high school student films will be broadcast on BCTV, Facebook, and Youtube beginning Sunday, April 24rd, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM. If you miss today’s show, films will screen again on 4/25, 4/26, and 4/27 from 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM on our Facebook and Youtube channels.

BCTV (Comcast Ch. 15, Service Electric Ch. 19) and streaming at www.bctv.org

ReadingFilmFEST YouTube Live: FiveMinuteFilmFEST2022

ReadingFilmFEST Facebook Page: facebook.com/ReadingFilmFEST

The Awards Ceremony will occur in person on Thursday, April 28th at 6:00 PM at the Miller Center for the Arts RACC. It will include our special guest speaker, J.W. Cortes, Actor, Speaker, Marine Combat Veteran, and NY Police Officer. Join us in supporting these talented students and be a part of the discussion with JW Cortés, who will share his story and discuss how film can be used as a catalyst for social change. This program is free and open to the public. We look forward to seeing you there!

Below is the complete list of student films:

FILM TITLES:

Reading Boxing

A Message from Josephine

Oley Cheerleading

Hope Rescue Mission

Egg

State of Mind

Cleaning Day

The Film Project – Cat Film

Lenzettas

The War of Revenge

Overflow

Integrated Cup

College Ready

Enjoy the show!

Friday Night After Party!

Lisa Tiger Homes presents The Groovemasters!

Cliff Starkey (photo credit Greg Wallace)
Bennie Sims (photo credit Greg Wallace)

Featuring Bennie Sims and Cliff Starkey, Berks own Groovemasters will light up the stage with their legendary R&B, funk, jazz vibe. Bring your dancing shoes to the outdoor venue at the GoggleWorks and be prepared to have fun!

Enjoy food by Greg Buckwalter, beer from Chatty Monks, Pennsylvania spirits,  and Stony Run Wines. This event is free to all VIP pass holders. Cover charge for non-passholders $10/person.

Friday October 1st 9:30-11pm

GoggleWorks Parking Lot*

*In case of rain, this party will move indoors. All attendees must show proof of vaccination to enter any indoor ReadingFilmFEST events.

 

Panel: From Development to Distribution

A conversation about the changes in film release strategies and the impact on the creative process.


Screen Shot 2021-09-18 at 8.46.09 AM

Navigating the changing world of filmmaking and distribution

Streaming, theatrical release, film festivals, self-distribution…what do you do with your finished film in this world of ever changing options? It’s a question you should be considering before you develop your film.

Join us for a casual conversation with Tiffany Boyle (who will join us from LA via Zoom) and Kevin Christoffersen on what we all should be thinking about when making our films. This is your chance to ask the experts!

Tiffany Boyle – President of Packaging and Sales, Ramo Law,PC

TIFFANY is the President of Packaging & Sales at Ramo Law PC, joining in 2009. She is an adviser to foreign production companies all over the world, such as Backup Media (France), Upper Street (UK), and Media Fund Management (Australia). She has been a successful financial consultant, bringing in financing or leading foreign sales, on films such as Ashes in the Snow, which premiered at the 2018 LA Film Festival; The Card Counter, from writer/director Paul Schrader, starring Oscar Isaac and Tiffany Haddish with EP Martin Scorsese; and Die in a Gunfight, starring Diego Boneta and Alexandra Daddario. Tiffany also is a partner with production company Vested Interest, and has served as an EP for films including Better Start Running, which premiered at the 2018 Newport Beach Film Festival; After Midnight, which premiered at Tribeca in 2019; Line of Duty, starring Aaron Eckhart; Arkansas, starring Liam Hemsworth; upcoming Rollers; and Chick Fight, starring Malin Akerman, Alec Baldwin, and Bella Thorne.

Kevin Christoffersen – Educator and Development Executive, Film Startup

Kevin has been working in just about every form of media for nearly 3 decades – producing content internationally across 4 continents while living in 5 countries.  He is an Educator and Development Executive of the platform, ‘FILM STARTUP.’  In this role, Kevin guides filmmakers through the A to Z feature film development process with his workshop courses, development labs, webinars and consultations.  On the Executive Producing side, he works on establishing financing for different feature films of various budget levels both in the U.S. and in Europe.  He is also consulting filmmakers on distribution deals within foreign markets that include tv broadcasters, distributors and streaming platforms.  Kevin sits on the Advisory Board of the Art Of Brooklyn Film Festival and has recently completed co-writing a feature length screenplay.  He was based in Switzerland for over 7 years as Executive Producer of World Television managing Film StartUp managing large scale productions for Fortune 500 companies, United Nations agencies and NGO’s.  While working between New York, Los Angeles and Vancouver, he continues to form new film industry partnerships along the way.

https://readingfilmfest.com/readingfilmfest-course/Don’t miss Kevin’s workshop on Friday Oct 1 at 1 PM for a soup to nuts guide to packaging your film!

Music in Picture

A workshop with composer Evan Hodges

Not everyone went to music school, but everyone knows the power that music can provoke in film. This immersive workshop will educate directors and producers on how to effectively communicate with composers. This course is also vital for up-and-coming composers as well.

 

Evan Hodges is an Atlanta based, multi-instrumentalist mixed media composer. His compositional style is a mix of neoclassical and electronic minimalism, funneled through his education of jazz’s improvisation, harmony, and rhythm. His greatest strength is his ability to shape emotional connections through sound and silence to film.

In his career, he has scored a myriad of projects, ranging from narrative and documentary films, modern dance arrangements, corporate commercials, VR projects, video games, and musicals. In 2018, the feature PBS documentary he scored, My Dear Children was nominated for an EMMY. In the same year, he also won a Telly Award for his work on an Arby’s commercial.

As a guest lecturer, Evan has taught composition, film scoring, and music technology techniques at both state and private universities, film festivals, and has led discussions at several music industry round table events. As an artist, Evan is endorsed by: KORG, Adam Audio, Roli, Eventide Audio, Dave Smith Instruments, Phoenix Audio, Spitfire Audio, Audio Modeling, Fodera Guitars, and Aguilar Amplification.

Website: www.evanhodges.com

Made In Reading Films

The Stakeout

Director: Federico Castelluccio
Runtime: 6:24 minutes

Two detectives, one Cuban and one Italian, on a late night stakeout argue about the best mob movie of all time.

website

Righteous Sunday

Director: David Speace
Runtime: 7:14 minutes

Righteous Sunday is a poem written by Greg Gaul. The poem reveals the true inhumanity of racism as it tells the shocking story of the brutal murder of Mary Turner in 1918. While this is an actual reading of the poem, the film creates through a window of time a powerful, historical recreation of the event. The audience will be disturbed as it experiences what racism was really like in the Jim Crow south.

website

Fire on the Mountain

Director: Patrick Corcoran
Runtime: 8:31 minutes

A young woman must stop a centuries old demon from unleashing hell on a small town after she fails to complete an ancient sacrifice designed to prevent it.

Filmed in one of America’s oldest deep coal mines featuring practical FX from Emmy award-winning makeup artist Santino Ferrese (Star Trek Discovery, Transformers: Dark of the Moon)

website | watch trailer | facebook

Reading Cares for Puerto Rico

Director: Mateo Toro
Runtime: 45:13 minutes

Follow Me and I Will Be Behind You

Director: Kyle Allison & Taryn Habel
Runtime: 41 minutes

The true story behind the transformative culture of one hotel, the impact of leadership, trusting in the forgotten, and the revitalization of a community.

watch trailer

Screening Info

Date: Sunday, October 3, 2021 at 2pm
Venue: Reading IMAX Theater
Address: 30 N 2nd St, Reading
Tickets: $10

Shorts Block Remix

I’ll Meet You There

Director: Karl Fernandez
Runtime: 14:46 minutes

A man recounts a trip to his late wife’s childhood home as they prepare for the future.

watch trailer

Wistful Pieces

Director: Ellany Kincross
Runtime: 18:03 minutes

Nick and Nadia are a successful couple in their 40’s who have been married for 12 years. Their lives have revolved around love and career until Nadia’s ex-boyfriend, Adam enters the picture. Adam is desperate to make peace with the past. As he thrusts himself into their lives, Nick and Nadia’s commitment is tested by otherworldly forces.

Can Nadia forgive Adam? Can Nick and Nadia find their way back to each other?

Wistful Pieces explores how the past isn’t always complete and that the world you see isn’t really all there is.

website | watch trailer | facebook

Duet

Director: Mika Orr
Runtime: 21 minutes

Duet is the story of one fateful day in the lives of 8-year-old girls May and Shadmit, who dislike each other but learn that their lives have become oddly intertwined forever.

Duet is a multidisciplinary project, uniquely integrating film and music. The story raises questions about loneliness, regret, subject memory and fate that ties two children together for a lifetime.

website | watch trailer | facebook

The Gangbuster

Director: Mark Adderley
Runtime: 16:30 minutes

A tale of stoic and unwavering determination. Meet OSCAR, an eleven year old boy (with asthma) on a mission to join a “gang”. His strategy is simple: badger an older boy, Kush, who he thinks must be “nice” simply because he “plays in goal.”
Is Oscar irritating? Yes. Is he persistent? Definitely. Is he innovative in his approach? For sure. Is he small for his age? Yes – he has a condition called Ring Chromosome 5 Syndrome. BUT he is also a young boy who quite simply doesn’t see skin color.
Meet The Gangbuster…when NOT seeing a difference… makes you very different.

Life Happens & Then You Cry

Director: Qbah Fernandez
Runtime: 19:53 minutes

A day in the life of busy career woman, Kate (Kate Hughes). Kate finds herself in a pivotal moment of her life where she must make a difficult choice about her relationship with long term boyfriend, Dave (Christopher Morris). With some help from her sassy Latina best friend, Sara (Sara Viteri) she may be able to find a solution to her dilemma.

facebook

Anything 4U

Director: Joshua J Santiago
Runtime: 20:04 minutes

From living the American dream to hitting rock bottom, Damon finds himself struggling with addiction. With help from his nephew Joe, who tries to steer him in the right direction, Damon battles his inner demons to get his life back. However some illnesses are better at hiding in plain sight.

watch trailer | facebook

Jabaril Keating

Director: Stacey Larkins
Runtime: 10 minutes

Upon making a life altering decision, Jabari Keating is a candid first person narrative film that explores his personal reflections, life experiences and trials and tribulations as an African American in present day America.

watch trailer

Screening Info

Date: Sunday, October 3, 2021 at 12pm
Venue: The GoggleWorks Boscov Theater
Address: 201 Washington St, Reading
Tickets: $10