Announcing Juror for 2023 Festival!
LAZARA GONZALEZ is a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry. With a degree from the Art Institute of Atlanta, she wasted no time in making a name for herself. As a student, Lazara created and produced KT2 News, a groundbreaking news show for kids. She also wrote a script for a PSA called "Death of the Arts," which not only won a contest but was used as the premise for the ending of the hit show Seinfeld. After graduation, Lazara went on to produce and direct "DEATH OF THE ARTS" in Atlanta, solidifying her position as a talented and innovative producer. She then began working as a Line Producer for major studios like CBS Radcliff, Paramount, Sony, Gower Studios, and Culver City Studio. Her contributions to hit shows like The Big Bang Theory, Grimm, Modern Family, and Enders Game have helped to shape the landscape of modern television. In addition to her impressive work in television, Lazara has also made a name for herself in film. She has worked on movies like The Blind Side and Get Low, helping to bring talented actors and crew members into the industry. But Lazara's accomplishments don't end there. She is a member of numerous organizations, including Women In Film/Latina's In Film, Script Writer Guild, LP Guild, George Lucas Producers Circle, and the Academy. Lazara's passion for mentoring and encouraging others is evident in the work she has done to help actors and crew members break into the industry. Today, Lazara is in pre-production for three unique films. Two of these films, SEPARATE BUT EQUAL - THE ADA LOIS SIPUEL FISHER STORY and Hood Chameleon, are based on true-life events, while the third, CPS, is a groundbreaking storyline that has never been brought to the screen. As Julian Fellowes once said, in Los Angeles, being a producer may not mean much more than being a member of the human race. But for Lazara Gonzalez, being a producer means making a difference, breaking down barriers, and helping others achieve their dreams.
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Announcing Current Camera Technology Workshop Presenter!
JASON CANTU is a working Cinematographer in the Midwest. Jason has 30 years of production experience and has worked almost every job in production. Jason is most noticed for his work in the music video genre, working for the likes of Tech N9ne, Kendrick Lamar, 2 Chainz, T-Pain, T.I., and many more. In the music video genre, Jason's videos has eclipsed over 2 billion views, cumulatively, on YouTube. Jason is also recognized for his work in agency commercial cinematography, Jason's worked for brands such as: Wendy's, Quicktrip, EASports Madden, Hard Rock, Holiday Inn, Nestle, and many many more. Jason has also worked on television dramas and theatrical releases. These shows and films have grossed millions of dollars and are available to view nationwide. In addition to the many music videos, television shows, independent films, and commercials, Jason has also had the honor of filming installations for many museums, including the Chickamauga Civil War Museum, Mt. Vernon, and the National Civil War Museum in Richmond Virginia; with local production partner Shane Seley and Wide Awake Films. Jason continues his work to this day and doesn't plan on quitting anytime soon! Announcing Juror for 2023 Festival!
MELANIE ADDINGTON has worked in the film festival world since 2006, first as a volunteer, and then eventually becoming the Oxford Film Festival Executive Director in August 2015. She used to be a reporter for the Oxford Eagle (a community newspaper) and then Pizza Magazine Quarterly (Global trade magazine). She still loves pizza. She is from Southern California originally but lived in the South for 20 years. She joined Tallgrass Film Festival in May 2021 as Executive Director. She has family in Wichita and considers it a great new home. She also writes, directs, and produces films. She is married and has one son. Announcing Juror for 2023 Festival!
DARRYL COX is a professional SAG/AFTRA actor whose career spans the spectrum of major film and television productions. Among his credits are over 90 principal roles in film (including ARLINGTON ROAD, ROBOCOP, BOTTLE ROCKET, MINARI, and A PERFECT WORLD) and TV (including FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, PRISON BREAK, L.A. LAW, RESERVATION DOGS, and NYPD BLUE). He taught On-Camera Acting at Adam Roarke’s Film Actor’s Lab in Dallas and the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, later at Oklahoma City University and the University of Central Oklahoma, and for 25 years at the University of Oklahoma. A former officer in the U.S. Navy, he served onboard the destroyer U.S.S. Forrest Sherman, including a deployment to the Persian Gulf in 1980. In 1977 he graduated with a B.A. from the University of Oklahoma, and currently resides in Norman, Oklahoma. Announcing Costuming for Film Workshop Presenter!
GINA BRYANT-NUGEN is a director, producer, production and costume designer from Wichita, KS. She has always loved fashion and learned to sew at age 7. You could often find her in the costume shop in high school and she worked in the costume shop at Southwestern College where she designed costumes, props, hair and makeup for various shows. She designed and built props for 10.10 Post 9.11, an original play by Adam Sharp, which was featured at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre festival. She went on to earn a BFA in Studio Art at Wichita State University with her senior project consisting of wearable art influenced by historical fashion. Eventually she made the transition to film. Currently Gina is a co-producer and director at Danger Caution Films, a production company she founded with her partner Roy Nugen. She has been production and costume designer for dozens of short films which have been featured in festivals across the country, winning numerous awards.
As of September 1, BisonBison Film Festival is accepting submissions to the 2023 festival! Submissions may be made through FilmFreeway.
​ The Bison Bison Film Festival is open to filmmakers enrolled in accredited colleges, universities and trade schools in mid-America (Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Arkansas, and Texas). All works must be 40 minutes or less in length, including titles and credits. Any film exceeding this limit will not be considered. No works in progress. Incomplete entries are ineligible. The work must have been created within the past two years, and the filmmaker must have been an enrolled student at the time. While you are allowed to submit multiple films, only one film submission per filmmaker will be accepted to be shown at the festival. The earlybird submission deadline is Saturday, December 10, 2022. The final submission deadline is Friday, February 3, 2023. Selections will be made and filmmakers notified by February 18, 2023. The 8th annual BisonBison Film Festival will be held at the Burford Theatre in Arkansas City, KS on Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1, 2023. Submissions will be accepted beginning on Thursday, September 21, 2022. The earlybird deadline for submissions at a cost of just $25 will be Saturday, December 10, 2022. The final submission deadline at a cost of $40 will be Friday, February 3, 2023. Filmmakers will be notified of their selection status between Wednesday, February 15 and Saturday, February 18, 2023.
The 2022 BisonBison Film Festival: A Student Competition (BBFF) is proud to announce the two workshop presenters: Nathan Oesterle and Chad Sanborn. BBFF will be held in Arkansas City, KS at the Historic Burford Theatre, 118 S. Summit. The dates are Friday through Sunday, April 1-3, 2022. The Festival is open to filmmakers enrolled in accredited colleges, universities and technical schools in the Mid-America Arts Region: Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas. The mission of the BisonBison Film Festival is to recognize, promote and showcase the work of emerging filmmakers. All the workshops at BBFF are free and open to the public and held will be held on Sat. April 2, time to be announced later. Nathan Oesterle recently moved to the area from NYC where he worked professionally as a fight director and actor from 2011-2021. Starting with stage combat in 2005, he trained extensively with Art Of Combat with their Michigan and New York Branches until 2016. He then went on to study with Neutral Chaos from The Society of American Fight Directors. In 2016, along with Patrick Harman, he created a combat company called Stone & Steel Combat with the goal to create compelling violence that keeps actors and crew safe at all times. He has designed violence for numerous films, musicals, plays, operas, and live shows. In addition to working on projects, he has taught classes for combatants, assisted film makers in understanding how to shoot fights, and trained individuals for fights in film roles. His workshop is: FILMING THE VIOLENCE - Create the action you want, while staying safe. This workshop is designed for filmmakers wanting to learn how to effectively film violence. We will be covering how to cover your angles so that both your crew and actors stay out of the ER. Special attention will be paid to close-up physical combat. Chad Sanborn is a crime novelist, screenwriter, story consultant and writing coach. He's worked with countless authors to help them pen their memoirs, novels, short stories, leadership guides, self-improvement books, cultural commentaries, and more. He is a graduate of Arkansas City High School (class of '85) and earned a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications from Kansas State University. His personal projects have won multiple crime fiction, journalism, business writing and interactive storytelling awards. Also a professional cheesemonger, Chad lives with his wife, Jennifer, in Kansas City. His workshop is:
HOW TO TELL IF YOU HAVE A GOOD IDEA - Before writing a single word of your story (And if not, how to fix it) Using tools and exercises drawn from a range of storytelling and screenwriting books Chad walks through early story creation steps including: How to develop your story concept; Finding your theme/unifying idea; Tools for fleshing out and testing your story idea; Using your theme/unifying idea to fix your story. In addition to the above, the jurors will also present an Open Panel Discussion at BBFF, on Saturday, April 2. All college level or technical school students with a current valid ID can receive one (1) Free All Access Pass to the Festival by calling the Burford Theatre at (620) 442-5896. The BisonBison Film Festival is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to nurturing the film artists of the future and was started in 2013 with the first Festival in 2014. For more information, visit BisonBisonFilmFestival.org or BisonBison Film Festival on Facebook. The 2022 BisonBison Film Festival: A Student Competition (BBFF) is proud to announce the three jurors: Anna Dewell, Jeffrey Mundinger, and Shane Seley. BBFF will be held in Arkansas City, KS at the Historic Burford Theatre, 118 S. Summit. The dates are Friday through Sunday, April 1-3, 2022. The Festival is open to filmmakers enrolled in accredited colleges, universities and technical schools in the Mid-America Arts Region: Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas. The mission of the BisonBison Film Festival is to recognize, promote and showcase the work of emerging filmmakers. The three jurors will decide which entries receive the three Awards of Excellence of $1,000 each. The Awards will be presented at the end of the film viewings. All three jurors are professionals in the film industry and will bring their expertise and knowledge to the judging process. Anna Dewell is a Marketing and Communication Specialist with over twenty years of experience in art, graphic design, film, communications, and digital media. Her experience in producing ads for all media comes from her years as a freelance communication consultant, headed the communications for Music City Texas in Linden TX, and her current position as Communications Specialist for Aramark. Anna is an Ark City native with an M.F.A. in Radio, Television, & Film, with a documentary film concentration, from the University of North Texas. Before moving to Texas, Anna obtained her B.A. at Southwestern College and an A.A. at Cowley County Community College. Jeffrey Mundinger is a filmmaker and media creative based out of Kansas City, Missouri specializing in cinematography and producing. By embracing the medium of film and video Jeff hopes to shed a little light on the uncertainties of what it means to be human, while connecting cultures through imagery. Jeff has been the cinematographer or producer for over eight short films in the past few years, as well as commercial productions for Visit KC and Rondevu Pictures. He currently works as the in house cinematographer for the Strange Music record label and freelance outside of that. Jeff is a 2018 BBFF Award of Excellence winner with his film “Kostym.” Shane Seley transformed a life-long passion for history and storytelling into a film career that has spanned thirty years and included work for some of the most recognizable companies and institutions in the world. After nearly a decade working as a producer/director, in 1999 he became an entrepreneur when he co-founded Wide Awake Films in Kansas City. Twenty years, and 5 Emmys later, the company he helped create is one of the nation’s leading producers of non-fiction and educational films for streaming, broadcast, museums and non-profits. NatGeo, the History Channel, the BBC George Washington’s Mount Vernon and PBS have all commissioned projects with Wide Awake Films. As a longtime resident and business leader of the Greater Kansas City area, a diehard KU Jayhawk, proud husband and parent, he has remained devoted to his community and region, providing employment to scores of filmmakers, freelancers, historians and actors, and building a production entity that has continued Kansas City’s proud, century-long heritage as a breeding ground for creative and technical innovation.
In addition to the juror duty, Anna, Jeffrey and Shane will present an Open Panel Discussion at BBFF, on Saturday, April 2. All discussions and workshops presented by BBFF are free and open to the public. All college level or technical school students with a current valid ID can receive one (1) Free All Access Pass to the Festival by calling the Burford Theatre at (620) 442-5895. |
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