Slamdance Q & A Listings

 This is the list of Q & A' s with the filmmakers, producers, actors, and folks involved in the many productions that are represented at the 2022 Slamdance Film Festival. Your pass will give you access to all of them. One of the many awesome things Slamdance does after each screening when the festival was in person at the Treasure Mountain Inn and you will get to experience it from the comfort of your own home.  

YOU WILL HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF THESE Q & A EVENTS WITH YOUR ACCESS PASS FOR $10. 

WHICH YOU CAN PURCHASE HERE

NEW RELEASES TO READ & WATCH FOR JANUARY 21ST, 2022

SEASON OF THE DRAGON BOX SET (BOOKS 1-3)

BY J. E. TAYLOR
(EPIC FANTASY)




BLURB: Monsters, trust issues, betrayal, and a near death experience.

What else could go wrong?

The end of life as we knew it didn’t come with a nuclear blast. It didn’t come with the deadly impact of a hurdling asteroid. No. It came in a wave of illness that swept the world with fear, and in our quarantined silence, the monsters awoke.

Leviathans, serpent kings, and dragons came forth from the bowels of the Earth. The season of the dragon began with fire and fury and ended with a new world order. One in which these giant terrorists held all the power.

When Mikhail St. Clare betrays the monsters by saving me from death at their claws, I cannot trust the last remaining dragon shifter. Not when humankinds’ survival is at stake, and he had a hand in our near extinction.

The only thing we seem to agree on is our desire to annihilate the leviathans and unseat the Serpent King. Our personal futures depend on ridding the earth of these murderous overlords. We thought crossing the leviathan-patrolled city where every corner hides a hideous death was our most lethal hurdle. But building a bomb large enough to wipe out an entire species carries its own insane levels of danger.

One wrong move and we could destroy everyone living in New York instead.

YOU CAN GET THE BOOKS HERE


WHEN SLEEPING GIANTS WAKE (ANTHOLOGY) BY VARIOUS AUTHORS
(FANTASY)




BLURB: Hidden in a magical garden...

Discovered on an abandoned planet...
Mistaken for an extinct volcano...

...sleeping giants never sleep forever.

This imaginative collection of ten fantastical stories explores one giant theme.

YOU CAN GET THE BOOK HERE

ARCTIC VOID

(FANTASY/PSYCHOLOGICAL HORROR)

SYNOPSIS: When the power mysteriously fails, and almost everyone vanishes from a small tourist vessel in the Arctic, fear becomes the master for the three who remain. Forced ashore, the men deteriorate in body and mind until a dark truth emerges that compels them to ally or perish.

CO-WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY DARREN MANN

ALSO WRITTEN BY MICHAEL WEAVER & WILLIAM PAUL JONES

STARRING MICHAEL WEAVER, TIM GRIFFIN,  RUNE TEMTE, AND JUSTIN HUEN  

YOU CAN WATCH IT HERE

Special Event Benefit on e360tv with Indie Film Courageous Warrirors

Courageous Warriors: Beauty from the Ashes documentary continues its winning streak at festivals as it prepares for its Worldwide streaming premiere Benefit on e360tv.com called “An  Evening of a Different Kind of Love” 

Denver- Darla Rae’s award-winning feature documentary Courageous Warriors; Beauty from the Ashes, added two more awards from Doc without Borders, including Excellence for Original Score. Recently they inked a streaming deal with e360tv.com. e360tv is an on-demand and live streaming network that is available on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, Android TV, IOS, Android mobile, and web and is geared towards audiences that live in the mainstream, but whose hearts and minds are on the fringe. 

Director Darla Rae said “Were grateful to be working with e360tv.com, Initially, our film will be streamed one night only as a fundraiser for breast cancer organizations featured in the film Courageous Warriors;  Beauty from the Ashes, as well as other organizations here in Colorado and those across the country whose missions align with the message of our film. “e360tv has been a leader in streaming immersive interactive live events. It’s a blessing to have a company like e360 to help raise awareness. The impact of our film and this event with e360 is the first step to further distribution and a follow-up Docu-series. We hope people who have ever been touched by breast cancer or any cancer will buy a ticket and buy one for someone you love and pay it forward to help others. Rae’s mother passed away from Breast Cancer as did her best friend. 

Joshua Berglan VP of Immersive Media for e360tv said, I am honored to announce the signing of our first film, the multi-award-winning Courageous Warriors; Beauty from the Ashes by Director Darla Rae. This will not be a normal film viewing experience, as this will be the first global film release for e360tv.com  using immersive media technology, which brings viewers into the film (think digital Mystery Science Theater, Rocky Horror Picture Show). Not only will there be real-time engagement, but there will also be  LIVE Q & A with the Director and other people from the film, and many more surprises. This will revolutionize the film industry for independent filmmakers and there is no better way to start that than with this powerful film.  

World Premiere Streaming Thursday, February 24th, 2022! The event cost is $19. Tickets on Sale  Now. Link for tickets https://tinyurl.com/CourageousWarriorsMovie 

Organizations benefitting in Colorado are: #HopeHeldByAHorse, #Personalink #RayofHope,  #SenseofSecurity. This event helps them to expand their programs both locally and nationally 

Courageous Warriors; Beauty from the Ashes documentary, narrated by Dee Wallace is the Story of Extraordinary Women & Men from Colorado who took their recovery from breast cancer a step beyond medical diagnosis, by creating new paths of wholeness through body, mind, and spirit, now offering those as gifts to others. Courageous Warriors is a raw and real look at breast cancer, as told by survivors,  spouses, and caregivers. It’s an unfiltered look at the disease; from diagnosis to treatment, to rising from the ashes to find beauty in life again. 

 You will be entertained and educated through laughter and tears.   You will leave with a newfound Point of View you never knew existed.   You will know what everyone wanted to know, but no one had been able to say. 

New Releases: What to Read and Watch this weekend

BE THE CHANGE BY SAMANTHA BRYANT 

(SUPERHERO) 

This is Book 4 of the Menopausal Superheroes Series 

BLURB: The city of Springfield cannot stay saved. Worse yet, the Menopausal Superheroes themselves are at risk this time, when a new mutation causes dangerous spikes in the unusual abilities of all the Liu-vians.Literal sparks ignite, and it’s a race against time to find the cause and cure. Only Flygirl remains unaffected and she’ll have to cooperate with the notorious mad scientist who changed their lives to find the answers that could save them all.

Heroism also isn’t easy on domestic life: romances waxes and wanes, adding drama on the homefront. Weddings and divorces loom large on the horizon, making balance more than a question of physics. Can our heroines really have it all?

AVAILABLE IN KINDLE & PAPERBACK NOW

YOU CAN BUY IT HERE

DAUNTING DARKNESS BY LILY LUCHESI

(COZY MYSTERY)

This is Book 1 of the Paige Papillion Paranormal Mysteries

BLURB: Following your dreams can become a nightmare.

Paige Papillon has always loved mysteries. So much so, she enlists in the Police Academy to one day become a detective.

But when she washes out of training, her Sergeant inspires her to go another route: become a private investigator.

After a few boring cases, she receives an envelope full of cash and mysterious clues that lead to the discovery of a cover up of paranormal proportions.

Worse, the Sergeant's wife is at the center of it. Can Paige solve the mystery and stay alive, or will she become a midnight snack for a monster?

One click the start of this supernatural series today!

AVAILABLE IN KINDLE & PAPERBACK

YOU CAN BUY IT HERE

FREAKY FAMILIARS BY LILY LUCHESI 

(COZY MYSTERY)

This is Book 2 of the Paige Papillion Paranormal Mysteries

BLURB: Now aware that things that go bump in the night exist, private investigator Paige Papillon has expanded her business to include clients of all species.
Assisted by a former detective and his mystery writer wife with a checkered past, she takes on a case for a missing witch's familiar ... but this case is closer to home than she'd like.

When this goes far beyond a simple catnapping, Paige must delve into a world of magic and mischief she never imagined would be right on her doorstep.

AVAILABLE IN KINDLE & PAPERBACK

YOU CAN BUY IT HERE

BLACK FLAMES BY MADILYNN DALE 

(PARANORMAL FANTASY/ROMAN MYTH)

This is Book 1 of the Ember Series

BLURB: Ember believes she's a latent wolf until she finds herself facing a demon using hellfire. The black flames trigger something within her and the world as she knows it is dumped on its head. Has her entire life been nothing but a lie?

Tied to the future Alpha via contract, she seeks an escape to find her true mate. Confused by the emotions surrounding her discovery, she sacrifices herself to save her pack and is taken to hell. With a false engagement and memories erased, she finds herself part of a larger plan. Can she fulfill her role and manage to return home without her secret being discovered?

AVAILABLE IN KINDLE & PAPERBACK

YOU CAN BUY IT HERE

****************************************************************************************************************************************************

I, CHALLENGER

(COMEDY)

CO-WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY PAUL BOYD, 

CO-WRITTEN BY KARA SCOBEY BROWN 

STARRING JAMES DUVAL, COY STEWART, AND TINA MAJORIN

SYNOPSIS: Sid, a perennial kid who spends his days playing video games and selling weed, is about to be evicted. Desperate to change his life, he enlists his gaming buddy Logan in a dangerous scheme involving the livestream of a self-burial video.

AVAILABLE NOW ON DEMAND 

YOU CAN READ JOE COMPTON'S REVIEW HERE

YOU CAN WATCH IT HERE

2021 may have stalled for some but for Libraries it meant kicking it into OverDrive

CLEVELAND, Jan. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As the pandemic persisted in 2021, librarians and educators enabled readers worldwide to borrow 506 million ebooks, audiobooks and digital magazines, a 16% increase over 2020. With a focus on equity of access to books for all, libraries achieved all-time records for circulation while lowering the average cost-per-title borrowed. 2021 also produced a banner year of book sales and earnings to the authors and publishers who supply digital books to libraries. Data was reported by OverDrive, the leading digital reading platform for 76,000 libraries and schools in 94 countries worldwide.

"Public and school librarians delivered extraordinary results for readers and students this past year through curation to specific audiences and data-driven purchasing," said Karen Estrovich, OverDrive Senior Manager for Public Library Content. "Top performing libraries utilized simultaneous access, cost-per-use and community reading programs to maximize access by increasing the number of available books in their collections. The success of library programs was aided by the Libby reading app's custom local library guides, skip-the-line feature for high-demand titles and dramatic interest in diverse content including digital graphic novels and magazines," she added.

Probably to a surprise of nobody, none of the books that were listed as their Top Borrowed books of 2021 and none of the Top Genre Books were Indie or Small Press Published. In an email exchange Go Indie Now had with OverDrive they could not break down a percentage of Indie books lent. "We are unable to break down usage by demographics as OverDrive does not store any of that data. Library card usage is anonymous.

Breaking down the results by the type of author or publisher is also, unfortunately, not possible. We can segment some data by genre (as we did in the release) but not by specific types of publishers or authors," a spokesperson at OverDrive told Go Indie Now.

However they are very aware of the movements Indies have made to be more seen on social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. Something Libraries themselves are already instituting by not only have featured sections like "As Seen on BookTok or BookTube" but also hosting reading groups specifically created by Booktube and BookTok. As COVID restricts attendance and proximities one of the riches and rewards of most libraries is the idea that this has been institution that has given anyone and everyone access while providing ample personal space to those seeking to just be left alone. While that's not a great advertising campaign it has been a principled unwritten rule for a very long time in the Public Library system. Still those challenges do exist but as people look to get out and about again, one place they can rely upon to allow them somewhere to be other than home is the public library.

Which begs the question how aware are Indies when it comes to OverDrive?

This has been an issue that actually OverDrive was well in front and aware of as far back as 2018. That is when the Library lending liaison service started an initiative called SELF e-select. That project was aimed toward diversifying the library landscape with more Own Voices Fiction within several popular genres and Non-Fiction. In 2019 OverDrive evolved that Project into The Indie Author Project. Which expanded that reach into more genres and with more books to be made available to wider audiences. This program also extended out of the United States and incorporated Canada as eligible to participate.

This program is still available to submit to and it also runs various contests throughout the year to help expand even more reach. TO learn more about the program itself you can visit The Indie Author Program Website.

OverDrive can be a valuable tool for Indie Authors and you haven't looked into it and checked it out, the OverDrive spokesperson told Go Indie Now, "Our catalog does include many independent authors and small-press publishers, and we’re grateful to them for offering their content digitally through libraries and schools."

This service also doesn't just benefit Indie Authors out there. In 2021 as highlighted in OverDrive's press release announcing this news a significant purchase also helped drive these numbers. 

• OverDrive acquired Kanopy, the industry's most-acclaimed video catalog serving public and academic libraries with an award-winning catalog of over 30,000 highly curated films.

Kanopy had been especially known to Champion Short Films, Short Subject Documentaries, and Full Length Documentaries. 3 categories that Indies have found footholds in and utilize to be seen and make the art they want to make.  

So as OverDrive, which will utilize the built in direction of Kanopy to add to its own reach, that means more films get put into the library system too. Something Go Indie Now sees as a positive net result for Indie Filmmakers, one that certainly didn't exist 2 years ago even. 

So the opportunities are there. OverDrive wants to welcome you to their services. So if you have never seriously checked it out, this may be the best time to do so?

You can find out more at OverDrive's website.

SLO FILM FESTIVAL PUSHES BACK ITS DATES IN 2022

 PRESS RELEASE

 

The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival 
announces new 2022 dates and
Mercedes-Benz of San Luis Obispo as the Presenting Sponsor 

 
 

          

 
 
San Luis Obispo, CA (January 6, 2022) – The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival has pushed the dates for the film festival this year to April 26-May 1 due to safety concerns regarding the winter spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The popular film festival also announced that Mercedes-Benz of San Luis Obispo will be the presenting sponsor for the 28^th edition. 
 
SLO Film Fest’s organizers have concluded that the combination of stringent protocols (which includes patrons, staff, and filmmakers providing proof of vaccination or negative test prior to entry to screenings and events), as well as taking the film festival deeper into Spring, will provide a safer and more enjoyable experience to attendees.
 
Festival Director Skye McLennan said, “The surge of the Omicron variant and prevalence of cold and flu season caused us to take this additional step out of utmost concern for our SLO Film Fest filmmakers, staff, and film fans. We understand that there has been much enthusiasm for us to return to theaters this year, but we also place the highest priority on the safety of our patrons as we put on an incredible in-person film festival that includes more outdoor events as well as a virtual component.”
 
McLennan was also enthusiastic about the addition of Mercedes-Benz of San Luis Obispo as a presenting sponsor for this year’s film festival. “Having Mercedes-Benz join forces with us this year is a huge stamp of approval regarding the importance of SLO Film Fest as a cultural leader on the Central Coast and a big reminder of what this event means to our area and community. We are thrilled to have it be a part of this year’s highly anticipated return to the movie theaters!”
 
Chris Baughman, chief executive officer of Mercedes-Benz of San Luis Obispo, said his company “is delighted to partner with the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival to bring a cultural institution back in person to the SLO community. We appreciate and share the Festival’s enthusiasm for the arts and creating terrific experiences for its patrons.”  
 
With a long-held reputation as a beloved destination film festival, SLO Film Fest has been cited as one of the very first film festivals to go online in 2020 following the onset of the pandemic in the U.S. MovieMaker Magazine praised the festival — known for its beautiful location, parties mixing filmmakers with film fans, and unique melding of surf culture and wine country — for leading the way for other film festivals to pivot to the virtual space. 
 
McLennan was also enthusiastic about the plans for innovations to this year’s presentation and approach to the film festival, adding, “We have been brainstorming on various ways that we could update and enhance what we do, while highlighting the things people have loved about SLO Film Fest for so long now. The ideas are exciting and we’re looking forward to bringing the Central Coast film fans and filmmaking community back together again.”  
 
 
ABOUT SAN LUIS OBISPO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Located half-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, San Luis Obispo’s laid-back vibe and serene natural beauty is the perfect setting for this highly regarded annual film celebration. Filmmakers rave about the warmth and attentiveness that is so much a part of the SLO Film fest experience, as does the swelling tide of industry pros and film critics who are fast discovering the film festival’s thoughtful audiences and unique programming sensibility.
 

SLAMDANCE IS BACK AND ONLINE

 

27 JANUARY - 6 FEBRUARY 2022 | ONLINE

The Slamdance Film Festival will present its 28th edition in a virtual format running from 27 January to 6 February, 2022. An all-access virtual pass includes accessible on-demand streaming for the duration of the festival and costs just $10. Pre-buy your pass now.

Dedicated to fostering a community for independent emerging artists, the feature competition lineup boasts 23 premieres, including 13 World, 6 North American, and 4 U.S. debuts. Chosen from over 1,124 submissions, this year’s competition lineup hails from all corners of the globe, including Germany, Australia, Iran, Canada, China, Italy, Poland, and the UK among others. All competition films are feature-length, directorial debuts without U.S. distribution, with budgets of less than $1 million USD - a feature that has been unique to Slamdance since its founding in 1995.

As always, all films in the lineup were selected by a team of Slamdance alumni via a blind submission process and are programmed democratically. This year it received 8,168 total submissions, of which 1,579 were features. Narrative Features, Documentary Features and Episodes sections are eligible for the Audience Award while all films and projects are eligible for the George Sparks Spirit of Slamdance Award and the AGBO Fellowship, the former of which is voted upon by filmmakers at the festival.

**GO INDIE NOW WILL BE COVERING THE FESTIVAL, THE FILMS, THE FILMMAKERS, AND WE WILL ALSO HELP YOU NAVIGATE THE BEST WAY TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THE EXPERIENCE.**