Second Annual HypeFest Is A Grand Slam
HypeFest Doubles Attendance in Year Two

HypeFest, the unique festival that links independent ideas with commercial creativity, concluded its weekend-long screenings and festivities with an awards show and the stylish sounds of DJ Starskee Suave. The festival took place July 24 — July 25 at CineSpace in Hollywood and showcased approximately 75 original short-subject works from filmmakers around the world.

The Style Council Award, which recognizes a project for its unique style and visual panache, was given to the short film "Heaven" by Todd McCammon. The Incubus music video, "Megalomaniac," directed Floria Sigismondi and submitted by Stardust, received the Honorable Mention. The D.I.Y. Award, presented to a compelling project created on a limited budget, went to Keith Schofield for his music video, The Notwist "One With the Freaks." Honorable Mention went to "Stop Thief!" by Soseh Kevorkian. Stash Magazine's Animation Award, which honored the best animated project, was presented to "The Balloon" by Satinder Singh. Director Joel Trussell's kid606 "The Illness" music video won Honorable Mention. The short film, "Gravity," directed by Erik Weigel, received the Audience Award, which went to the project voted most popular by attending audiences.

Prizes were furnished by production and postproduction supplier Moviola, music production company Hear the Picture Musicworks, animation software company Kaydara, DVD Magazine Stash, entertainment business software provider Media Services, film and video production resource 411 Publishing, indie music store Amoeba Music, retail beauty chain Sephora, Lucky Strike Lanes, and publisher Michael Weise Productions.

Also honored were the music video Gwem "FYMW" by Alexandre Singh with the You Won't See This on MTV Award, "Praxis" by The Pattan Brothers with the Triumph Over Adversity Honor, and "Headache" by Eric Devlin Taylor with the Take Two Aspirin and Call Me In The Morning Award.

For the screenplay competition, with prizes provided by The Writers Store and Hollywood Scriptwriter, first place went to Amy Roy for "Rent Control." Second place was awarded to Ned Farr for "How to Ace an Intervention."

All award winners received a signature HypeFest trophy, as well as a copy of The Ultimate Filmmaker's Guide to Short Films by Kim Adelman.

Screenplay Competition
First Place
Rent Control by Amy Roy
amyaroy@lycos.com
A romantic comedy about a woman who will go to extremes to take away the apartment of her dreams from a jilted bride.

Second Place
How to Ace an Intervention by Ned Farr
ned@nedfarr.com
Traci thinks she's throwing a cocktail party for her closest friends, but soon discovers the party is just for her — and that the "party" is over. A satiric look at a group of people who stage an intervention for an alcoholic friend, who turns the tables on them by using her own 12-step program, leaving her with a Pyrrhic victory.

Semifinalists (alphabetical order by author)

The End of the Beginning by Greg Brooks
brooksgreg80@comcast.net
A ten-year-old boy growing up in the 70s must write about the most influential person in his life. He realizes he doesn't know much about his family, and his research proves enlightening.

Erotomania by Zakary Kurzawski
nothingtoprove@hotmail.com
Burckhard is obsessed with a dead girl. Could delivering the girl's last words to her lover spoil Burckhard's own chances of happiness?

Me and Sammy by Ian McCamey
imac@bluemilkprod.com
A random encounter with famous rock star Sammy Hagar has an unexpected outcome in this short screenplay that pokes fun at the nature of celebrity encounters, along with the Van Halen legacy, while demonstrating that all anyone wants is to be in pictures.