Short Cuts

Representatives from the American Film Institute will be in town this weekto provide information about the AFI's maverick Education and Training Programs. Details will be available about their Center for Advanced Film and Television Studies, the Directing Workshop for Women, the Television Writers Workshop, and the California Digital Arts Workshop. Do some advance homework on their offerings at http://www.afionline.org. While there, you can also study the AFI's controversial list of the 100 most important films of the cinema's first century. The AFI Austin presentation will be on Tuesday, November 10, 12:30-2pm, in the CMA Auditorium (2.320) in the University of Texas College of Communications. The free presentation also includes a collection of award-winning short films from the AFI...

Those of you who already have your film in the can may want to be reminded that the deadline to submit films for consideration in next year's SXSW Film Festival is looming. The postmark deadline is November 16. The submission fee for shorts is $20, features $30. Forms can be downloaded from the Web site at http://www.sxsw.com, can be e-mailed to you by contacting [email protected],or can be obtained by calling 467-7979. The early registration deadline to attend the conference and festival is also looming. Register by November 30 for a rate of $125 or $75 student. The walk-up rate come conference time (March 12-20) is $245 or $125 student. The same conference registration deadline, rates, and info sources hold true for the SXSW Interactive Festival and there are also package rates for combined Film, Interactive, and Music registrations. The Interactive Festival is also accepting entries for its second annual Web site Competition; the postmark deadline is December 19. The entry fee is $10 for individuals and $20 if the site is associated with a company. Finalists will receive a free registration to the conference. The Web site categories are numerous: among them are best educational, best business (for profit and not-for-profit), best community, best film industry, best film, best band, best electronic entertainment, best designed, best use of animation, best use of audio, best use of video, best webzine, and many, many more. And given the almost inconceivable possibility that none of the offered categories fit the description of your favorite site, there's always best none of the above...

Another submission deadline reminder is for the Austin Cinemaker Co-op's third and final Super-8 film festival of the year. The theme of this one is "Cold Turkey," and filmmakers are invited to be free with their interpretations. Films may be four minutes maximum in length and edited in camera (with a maximum of four splices). For the complete rules and more info see http://www.cinemaker.austin.tx.us/announcements.html. The deadline is November 16; send submissions to Austin Cinemaker Co-op, 906 E. 5th St. -- #106, Austin, TX, 78702...

My apologies to Harry Knowles for an error I made in last week's "Short Cuts" when I commented on his rude exclusion from this year's Entertainment Weekly list of the 101 most power people in entertainment. I was incorrect to say that last year he placed at #101.5. Knowles was quick to point out that last year he indeed placed at #101; the Spice Girls took the coveted #101.5 spot. But more to the point is what Knowles went on to point out: "The interesting blurb is Austinite Terrence Malick and Auteur-de-forceStanley Kubrick took my spot. I quite humbly say, 'I'm Not Worthy. I'm Not Worthy,' and bow to EW's wisdom of letting Malick and Kubrick take my spot." There's more where that came from at http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com.