Weekend digital film festival takes aim at fostering creativity

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Filmmaker Christopher Coppola has impeccable Hollywood credentials.

After all, his sound-alike brother is none other than Nicolas Cage. (Although, as Christopher points out, “I’m older, so he kinda sounds like me.”)

And let’s not forget Uncle Francis, director of classics from “The Godfather” to “Apocalypse Now.”

But Christopher Coppola has a somewhat different filmmaking philosophy — which he demonstrates this weekend during a free, three-day digital media festival presented by his nonprofit Project Accessible Hollywood, in conjunction with Las Vegas’ CSB School of Broadcasting.

The MiniPAH: Vegas festival — which invites participants to “Tell Your Story: Think It, Shoot It, Share It” — aims to introduce the art of digital filmmaking to people from all walks of life.

“It’s about digitally empowering people to tell stories,” Coppola says in a telephone interview. “We make people feel like celebrities and shine a light on them.”

To that end, aspiring filmmakers of all ages have the chance to tell their stories in four separate contests, conducted over three days.

“It’s like a friendly Hollywood,” Coppola says of the festival competition. “I can’t stand the idea of exclusivity, where you had to have contacts and be a somebody” to create on film.

During PAH’s traveling festivals, “we go in with some pros, talk about storytelling” — and how participants can “focus on your community, your vision of things,” he explains.

But not with a camera. At least not this weekend.

Instead, participants will use video-equipped cellular phones to create brief videos in four categories. (Participants may use their own video-enabled phones or check one out on festival days from festival headquarters at CSB School of Broadcasting, 8983 S. Eastern Ave.)

Participants will compete in the following categories:

• Cell Phone Art, featuring one-minute videos on a topic Coppola announces, related to cowboys, poetry and ranchers.

• DigiPortraits, in which participants create a two-minute portrait of themselves or others.

• Cellular Tone Poems, in which musicians, songwriters and composers shoot a two-minute video featuring original music; computers, editing software and technical support are provided to help participants edit their pieces.

• Circus Vision Challenge, in which kids 14 and under use smart phones in a visual treasure hunt to create a two-minute piece featuring a list of visual ingredients related to a circus theme.

The first three competitions will take place from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Saturday at the CSB School of Broadcasting. Circus Vision will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday at downtown’s Sidebar/Triple George Grill, 201 N. Third St.

Closing awards and screening will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday at CSB; the Circus Vision winner will receive a $100 prize, with $250 prizes going to winners in the Cell Phone Art, DigiPortraits and Cellular Tone Poem categories.

The finished works will be posted online at www.PAHNation.org, where the public and celebrity judges will review the entries and vote for the winners. All submissions will remain online for future viewing.

Coppola has high hopes for this weekend’s Las Vegas event, in part because “Las Vegas is an international city,” he notes. “Hollywood could use some fresh voices.”

Contact reporter Carol Cling at ccling@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0272.