What’s your love letter to Miami Beach?
About the Program
Oolite Arts and the City of Miami Beach teamed up to launch Local Love Letters, an open call short film contest that will provide 10 filmmakers with $5,000 to create short films set in their favorite Miami Beach locations. Your short must run between three to five minutes in length and can be a narrative, documentary, hybrid, or experimental style film. The winning submissions will be screened at a public community event on Miami Beach.
Filmmakers can share their ideas by applying now through March 7, 2022.
Apply
Applications are now closed.
Contact
If you have questions, please contact Cinematic Arts Manager Danielle Bender at [email protected].org or Programming Coordinator Samantha Ganter at [email protected]
FAQs
What is Local Love Letters?
In an ongoing commitment to support Miami’s short filmmaking ecosystem Oolite Arts is launching Local Love Letters, providing $5,000 to 10 filmmakers to create new short films featuring South Florida as the backdrop. While open format in terms of content, we’re challenging filmmakers to use their favorite spots in Miami Beach as the locations for their short films. Filmmakers will have 2 months to complete the film, which will go on to screen at a community event.
This program was made in collaboration with the City of Miami Beach and was generously co-funded by the Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Family Foundation.
When will applications for Local Love Letters be accepted?
Applications for Local Love Letters are open from February 14 – March 7, 2022.
Who is eligible to apply to Local Love Letters?
Applicants must be 18 years or older, Miami-Dade County residents and must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.
What are you looking for in applicants of Local Love Letters?
Local Love Letters is open to both experienced and amateur filmmakers, as well as film professionals. Applicants should have creative ideas to incorporate their favorite Miami Beach location into their film.
Can I pitch a short film that is unrelated to Miami Beach?
Your short film does not need to be about or filmed entirely on Miami Beach. Local Love Letters encourages filmmakers to use their favorite location in Miami Beach as a location in your film.
I have already started working on a short film on this subject. Can I submit it?
You are eligible to submit a work in progress. However, all judging will be based on the application guidelines. The proposed short film must run between three and five minutes long.
Can I submit an animation? Or does it need to be filmed on Miami Beach?
Yes. You can submit a proposal for an animated short, as long as you are using your favorite spot on Miami Beach as a location depicted in your short.
Are filmmakers/artists from Broward or Monroe counties eligible to apply?
No. Local Love Letters is only open to filmmakers/artists who reside in Miami-Dade County.
Who decides the winners?
The winners of Local Love Letters will be determined by a jury of nationally-recognized film professionals with expertise in both documentary and narrative filmmaking.
When will the winners be announced?
Local Love Letters applications close on March 7, 2022 at 6 p.m. and selected proposals will be notified by early April 2022. You will have until May 31, 2022 to complete your short film and send Oolite Arts a final piece.
What support will I receive?
The top 10 proposals will be awarded $5,000 each to complete their proposed short film. These filmmakers/artists are responsible for securing their own production crew. Oolite Arts does not cover housing, travel or visa costs for participating cast and crew.
How long do I have to complete my my short film?
Once winners are notified, all selected works are due to Oolite Arts by May 31, 2022.
How many applications can I submit?
As many as you like, though we’d suggest no more than three. Give us your strongest and most focused material.
Will Oolite Arts own the rights to my film?
No. Each winning filmmaker retains all ownership and rights to their completed film. The artist gives Oolite Arts, the City of Miami Beach and other partners in this initiative a nonexclusive license to show the Local Love Letters work in perpetuity.
Who should I contact with any questions I may have?
Please direct all questions via email to Cinematic Arts Manager Danielle Bender at [email protected], and Programming Coordinator Samantha Ganter at [email protected] We will also be hosting information sessions on February 16 or March 2, 2022.
Acknowledgements
Sponsor
Thank you to the Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Family Foundation for having generously provided funding for this program.
Partner
Presented in collaboration with the City of Miami Beach.
Oolite Arts strives to be a leader in the South Florida contemporary cultural scene as a creative learning center and internationally recognized as a world-class cultural center.