Latest news with #LouisianaFilmPrize
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Oscar access for La. Film Prize Winner, new partnership
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL, KMSS)— The ultimate prize for filmmakers is now within reach thanks to a new partnership between the Fort Worth Film Commission and the Louisiana Film Prize. More KTAL NEWS NOW With this partnership, the winning short film of the 2025 Louisiana Film Prize Fest will receive a trip to Fort Worth for a limited theatrical release, complete with a red carpet premiere and celebratory after party. 'The Louisiana Film Prize has always been about connecting filmmakers with amazing industry mentorship and real, tangible opportunities,' said Gregory Kallenberg, founder of the Film Prize and Executive Director of the Prize Foundation. 'This partnership with the Fort Worth Film Commission represents a major leap forward. We're not just celebrating independent film—we're creating real access to the industry's biggest stage.' Tarrant County in Fort Worth was designated as an Oscar-qualifying region by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the 98th Academy Awards season. What used to be a process that was costly, time-consuming, and difficult to navigate, has now been made easy for filmmakers. Now the grand prize winner of Film Prize will also have the ability to host an Oscar-qualifying screening in Fort Worth. Fort Worth Film Commissioner, Taylor Hardy, said, 'We've been blown away by the global interest in screening in Fort Worth as a path toward Oscar eligibility.' 'We're excited to partner with a powerhouse like the Louisiana Film Prize to provide more opportunities while connecting with talented and inspiring filmmakers.' Louisiana Film Prize winner Josh Munds shares his journey to filmmaking Louisiana Film Prize 2026 is still open for submissions and will be held during Prize Fest, October 16–19, in downtown Shreveport. For more information, visit Filmmakers with completed short film projects interested in pursuing Oscar qualifications can now apply for a Premiere Package at *Please note: Eligibility for Academy Award® consideration is determined by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and is subject to change based on its official rules and guidelines. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Louisiana Film Prize winner Josh Munds shares his journey to filmmaking
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Josh Munds got his filmmaking start back when it was not nearly as accessible as it is today. As technological advancements made film equipment more affordable and convenient to travel with and use, Josh's passion for film continued to grow. 'Whenever they had those huge boombox recorders that you had to carry on your shoulders, that's kind of what initially sparked the interest of filming things,' Munds said. 'I think I have chronic shoulder pain because of having those experiences. From there, technology caught up, where you were able to record higher quality stuff with just a handheld.' Register for film camps at the Robinson Film Center this summer Munds discovered the Louisiana Film Prize, an annual film festival that offers the largest cash prize for a short film in the world, and decided to start entering his movies in the competition. His short film, 'Peeping Todd,' took home a Founder's Circle Grant in 2023. 'Sometimes you've got to climb or crawl through a lot of muck and mud to get to a point where you can actually be recognized for something that you did,' Munds said. 'I made tons of terrible things before getting to a point where even one of them could be recognized. The team that we worked with, Alexander Jeffrey and everyone else, is what made it that good. They take things to such a bigger level than I could have ever done.' Munds is also an actor, primarily in his friends' short films. He credited his experience as both an actor and director for allowing him to understand the filmmaking process better. Star of 'The Ms. Pat Show' on BET will perform at Live! Casino & Hotel 'I want to be as authentic to whatever character this person wrote and try to portray that,' Munds said. 'As a director, when you have a certain vision, you want that to come across on screen. Actors read the script, we have a conversation, and then they take it from there and add their little stuff they want to add.' Following the success of 'Peeping Todd' at the Louisiana Film Prize, Munds says the short film is being made into a feature-length version. 'I'm very excited for people to see that once it lands out of festival,' Munds said. 'That's my next thing: showing the world what weird, crazy thing we created. Of course, Chris Alan Evans is the lead in it as well, so you get to see more of his face if you enjoyed the short.' Chris Alan Evans: radio host turned filmmaker's unique journey While Munds's body of work has primarily been comprised of comedy short films and series, he said that he would 'definitely' love to explore other genres but understands he would be stepping out of his comfort zone. 'It's a terrifying thought,' Munds said. 'It's one of those things where I would trust the team that I'm making it with. I trust the actors for moments where I'm not positive if it's coming across the way I want. I feel like it's great when you find a good team of people with great opinions. You can lean on them in certain moments when you're kind of out of your wheelhouse.' Two-time Tony Award-winning musical heading to Shreveport Munds added that aspiring filmmakers should not be afraid to make bad movies, because one might eventually turn out to be a diamond in the rough. 'Don't be afraid to make crap,' Munds said. 'I feel like a lot of people are scared of other people's opinions because if I don't make something that's immediately good, people are going to judge me and think that I'm not ever going to be good. I feel like if you don't do that, you'll never sharpen the tools that you need to take off in your career.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Chris Alan Evans: radio host turned filmmaker's unique journey
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Since the age of 14, Chris Alan Evans has always wanted to pursue his dream of making movies, but the road he took to get there is a pretty unusual one. 'I wasn't very focused as a high school graduate and a college student, and there weren't really any programs in Louisiana that were film-geared,' Evans said. 'I ended up going to Northwestern State University and majored in journalism, because that was the closest thing they had to anything film.' After graduating from NSU, Chris became a radio host and programmer in Shreveport for nearly 16 years. At almost age 40, he decided it was time to take a leap of faith into the world of film, crediting his previous experience in radio as being a foundation to stand on. 'I think I have a unique approach to people who have been in the industry since they were film students,' Evans said. 'I've lived life as a regular person. I've had an entire adulthood outside of the film industry that a lot of people in it haven't lived. 'As a radio programmer, you're basically managing people and infrastructure. As a producer and director, you do some of those same things. They're very different jobs, but there were some skills that translated for sure.' Chris' life completely changed in 2021 when his mother, who was living with Parkinson's, began deteriorating. He decided to uproot his life and become his mother's primary caretaker as she battled the disease. Chris' experience with his mother became the subject of his short film 'Toots.', which finished in the top five of 2024's Louisiana Film Prize competition. 'I really forced myself to be vulnerable in the writing process,' Evans said. 'It was going to be a drama, which was something I hadn't really written yet. Part of the goal was like 'How honest can I be? How real can I make this? All of those were things I did to push myself and grow as a writer-director.' Evans highlighted what makes the film scene in the Shreveport-Bossier area so different from bigger markets, particularly in the realm of independent short film. 'Shreveport is low-key one of the most vibrant independent film cities in all of the Southeast,' Evans said. 'To me it's maybe the short film capital of the United States of America. If you go to Dallas, you're all of a sudden in a big market of people that are making commercial content. It's not the same as making an independent film about living with your mother, right? We're not Los Angeles, we're not New York, but we've got hundreds of short films being made in this area every year.' The Louisiana Film Prize is an annual short film festival that awards films shot in Louisiana. The grand prize is doubled for films shot in Caddo and/or Bossier Parish. The winner receives $50,000, the largest cash prize for a short film in the world. Chris received a grant from the LFP for 'Toots' to make his next short film, which he hopes to shoot next month in the Shreveport area. While Chris has been making a living for himself in film, this wasn't always the case. He started out working on movie sets for no pay for years before being able to tell his own stories. When asked about his venture into film at such a late stage in his career, Chris had a message for aspiring filmmakers looking to break into the industry: just go for it. 'I know that's cliché, but I lived the cliché and now it's starting to pay off for me,' Evans said. 'If not now, when? I know people have to pay bills and have responsibilities they've got to worry about, but if you're not doing what you want to do then what are you doing? I bet on myself, and that put me in a position where it made me want to work harder because I had a lot at risk.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Prize Foundation invites hair stylists and makeup artists to free workshop
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – The Prize Foundation announced a free Hair and Makeup for Film Production Workshop for hairstylists and makeup artists in North Louisiana. 'The team at the Prize Foundation and Film Prize are super proud to help lead the workforce development effort for the film industry for our community,' said Gregory Kallenberg, Executive Director of the Prize Foundation and founder of the Louisiana Film Prize. 'Our hope is that attendees get the training through Film Prize University to gain jobs in the media industry and improve their lives.' Learn about all things Oscars at the Robinson Film Center According to a press release, the workshop is tailored for makeup artists and hair stylists eager to break into the entertainment industry. The workshop will include hands-on experience, working with live actors, lights and cameras, while learning essential techniques and protocols that set film production apart from traditional salon work. The event will be guided by Eva Reed, who goes by Eva Styles professionally. She is a licensed hairstylist, makeup artist, and educator with 10-plus years of experience in the beauty and entertainment industries. The workshop is part of a Film Prize University workforce development initiative which aims to bolster Northwest Louisiana's economic landscape. 'By equipping local talent with specialized skills and cross-training, the program enhances Shreveport the region's appeal as a production hub, ensuring that filmmakers have access to a reliable, skilled workforce,' the press release said. 'This effort can not only attract more film projects to the region but also stimulate job creation and economic growth across various sectors, from hospitality and retail to tourism and small businesses' Guest registration is free, but space is limited. The press release states that priority will be given to those who hold a cosmetology license or are actively pursuing their credentials through a cosmetology institution. The workshop will be held on Saturday, March 22 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at LSU Shreveport. To learn more and register for the workshop, please visit Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
