Last week we chatted with Sundance exec Joe Beyer about his efforts to raise nearly $750,000 to save a small ranch in Arizona called Rex Ranch. We've had a few people ask on social media how the campaign is going, and how Joe is holding up.

The Film Collaborative’s Sheri Candler is back, and she wants you to think about your marketing before you worry about distribution. Topics include the importance of goals and focusing on your core audience before you try to “go wide.”

Even the most controversial, angry and politically incorrect Spike Lee film isn’t as raw and rebellious as Hale Gerima’s 1972 short film ‘Child of Resistance’.

Today we're sending out a message to our members encouraging them to renew their memberships for 2014 as part of our Kickstarter campaign. This post contains additional information in long form that we didn't think was appropriate to dump into our members' inboxes. If you're not a member,  you're welcome to check it out to see what we're up to. Our members get year-round invitations to advance screenings and other perks, as well as all-you-can-watch movies at the annual Festival in the Spring.

Episode #15, in which Chris Holland talks crowdfunding with Joseph Beyer, Director of Digital Initiatives for the Sundance Film Festival & Institute. As one of the founders of Sundance's Artist Services program, Beyer has worked with Kickstarter on the successful funding of more than 90 crowdfunding campaigns, raising more than 2.8 million dollars since 2011. Joe now faces his biggest challenge in his first personal crowdfunding campaign — and because of the nature of the project, he can't use Kickstarter as his platform. Tune in for an informative and personal look at the technical, strategic, and emotional aspects of fundraising online.

Earlier this week, the nominees for the Independent Spirit Awards were announced, and we couldn't be more ecstatic with the number of ATLFF alums we recognize. 

Charles Judson sits down with Steven K Greer and Keith Brooks, creators of the upcoming film "Dickball." Greer and Brooks are currently raising funds for the film via Kickstarter. ATLFF Artistic Director Charles Judson sat down with them to discuss the direct and indirect benefits of a crowdfunding campaign, celebrity Twitter encounters, and the power of kittens. And other things.

Alumni filmmakers Shasha Nakhai and Lyndon Casey are running a crowd-funding campaign for their next film, the short comedy WEEKEND WARRIOR. 

Our last deadline to submit films for the 2014 festival was this past Friday, and for the third year in a row, submissions for the Atlanta Film Festival have shown a remarkable increase.

If you’re a local filmmaker with fifteen pages of polished written material (either a complete short or a section of a larger work) and you’re looking for an intensive work-shopping experience to hone your skills and take them to the next level, then you want the new Sessions Workshop. 

The Sessions Workshop, run by the Atlanta Film Festival, is designed to encourage the growth and development of established artists within the Atlanta film community. Our mission is to serve as an incubator for local filmmakers by providing a forum within which they can develop their skills through experimentation and rigorous peer-to-peer critique.

Join Marketing/Ops Director Chris Holland and Artistic Director Charles Judson for a discussion of the progress and management of the Atlanta Film Festival's Kickstarter campaign. We'll talk expectations vs reality, mistakes made and corrective actions taken, and what seems to be working. Plus, a few tips and tricks for making donation calls without feeling sleazy. This webinar is free and open to the public. 

The behind-the-scenes business of film festivals, including festival premieres, the significance of name actors, and more. ATLFF Artistic Director Charles Judson and "Film Festival Secrets" author Chris Holland will be on hand to dish the dirt in this free webinar.

Maybe you're new to the world of film festivals. Or you've been at it a while and you're frustrated with the results. This hour-long online film festival seminar is designed to give you a solid foundation in these key areas of the film festival circuit:

• Before you even think about submitting
• Submissions strategy - saving money & finding the right fit
• What to do on the ground at a film festival
• Plus: your questions answered (as many as we can cram in during the allotted time!)

When you start making a short film, you soon realize there are hundreds of things you're expected to know to make that film successful. In this webinar, "Film Festival Secrets" author Chris Holland imparts his favorite secrets about the life of a short film from completion to festival run to distribution.

Julie Kohler is prevented from suicide by her mother. She leaves the town. She will track down, charm and kill five men who do not know her. What is her goal? What is her purpose?

A committed film director struggles to complete his movie while coping with a myriad of crises, personal and professional, among the cast and crew.