TAMPA BAY FILM ONLINE FILM FESTIVAL BLOG & UPDATES

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Thursday, August 18, 2011 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Online Film Festival Scheduled To Be Updated This Weekend

After taking a few months off, it’s time to start updating again. The online film festival should be updated this weekend, schedule permitting. While I will be adding a few films, the majority of the work will be on the content. This update section/ blog will be organized, content will be added to all of the spotlight films, all of the films will be tested (and Revver code will be replaced with more reliable code if Revver hosted films have playback issues), and other adjustments will be done. I’m also thinking about refreshing the entire site code. This is important, as we have to prepare for the addition of a lot of new films this fall, as the online film festival remains the best independent film promotional and marketing platform for indie films in not just Tampa Bay, but elsewhere (Google the names of the films playing here to see the proof). We should get a Tampa Film Award, for sure, because the aspiring competition has been soundly defeated and put in their place. We are going to keep them in their place!
We will also start reviewing the films on the online film festival, and those reviews will be published on the Tampa Film Review Tampa Bay Film site. Stay tuned!

Thursday, April 28, 2011 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Upgraded Online Film Festival

After over a year and a half, I finally upgraded the online film festival. I audited all of the films, added two more channels to the online film festival, which are the Indie Film Graveyard Channel and the Indie Film Dumpster Channel, and redid the featured film thumbnail array. Of all the enhancements, the main thumbnail array, for featured films, is the most substantial. Why? Well, those films that you see will now be rotated as frequently as they need to be, and they finally can be. As of now, I don’t have to refresh the entire site to change out featured films, and this means that I can change, add, and shuffle them as easily as I can change something on the index. Expect the thumbnails to change monthly, now, at the very least, or whenever they need to be.
So, as of now, there are 89 films on the online film festival which work, and that’s the official film count as of today. The others are in the Indie Film Graveyard, where their search results can be maintained, which hopefully will inspire the filmmakers to fix their files so they can be rotated back to the general online film festival playlist and the other channels.
The Indie Film Dumpster, another new channel, is the opposite of our Showcase Channel. The Dumpster has some of the worst films available on the online film festival there, which link to the reviews which validate that placement on the Tampa Film Review Tampa Bay Film site. Feel free to check out those films for entertainment value which I’m sure was unintended by the filmmakers, especially Terence Nuzum’s A Grave Matter, which, in my opinion, is the worst independent film ever made in Tampa Bay. Terence Nuzum, also in my opinion, has to be the worst filmmaker in the Tampa Bay market, too, and he makes no-talent cookie-cutter filmmakers like Joe Davison look like geniuses.
I also added some new films. Check them out on the main film festival channel.
Which reminds me..... I want to add more films as soon as possible. I am thinking about adding two dozen more films shortly, which will bring our film festival film count up (I want more films playing on here, constantly, than large film festivals play). Expect our film count in our online film festival playlist to go up to as many as 250 films by 2012.
At any rate, I added some new sections to the main Tampa Bay Film site, too. Be sure to check it out, too!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Online Film Festival To Be Updated

Thursday, April 28, 2011, the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival will be updated, and upgraded.
I know that it is overdue by at least a year and a half (a reason why I want to take out time this weekend to do this), but I have at least 8 hours of work booked to bring this online film festival up to spec.
Just don’t expect a lot of new films to be added (most of the ones which will be added are submissions that we’ve been sitting on for a while now, and the filmmakers have been patiently waiting). I’ll have my hands full doing maintenance on all of the existing films, restoring the films that I can find alternate sources for, and building a new graveyard channel for the films that I cannot get back online. There are a lot of films, mainly those hosted on the defunct Revver, which do not work right now, and it’s been a serious issue; it’s been a problem, but I have not had time to address it, until now.
So, I have to go through ALL of the films, add content where I can (expect brief reviews for all of the films, eventually, to be on the Tampa Film Review Tampa Bay Film site, and the film reviews to be linked from, and to, the film on the online film festival. These reviews will be brief, a paragraph or two, and will be expanded as needed), adjust navigation links (for films which I have to move to the graveyard), and do an official count.
This, of course, will require for the online film festival to have all of its directories refreshed. This is tricky, and tedious, but it needs to be done.
In brief, expect the following improvements.

1. Featured Films Redirected
The featured films in the thumbnail array will be redirected to a new directory (this was recently done to the thumbnail portfolio of Tampa Bay Modeling, an innovation designed for the online film festival which was applied to a sister site before it was applied here). The numbered directory, and renamed sequenced and numbered thumbnails, will allow the featured films to be swapped out, and updated, without having to refresh this entire web site. This means that featured films in the thumbnails will be rotated out much more frequently! I’ll also be adding more content to those films in their sections.
To make this easier, I am thinking about replacing all of the films in the featured film thumbnail array this weekend. This might cause an initial hit on search engine rankings, but it will quickly bounce back if that were to happen. Of course, this means the addition of at least 14 films (I can add as many as 16 films in a day, but this could be as many as 24 if I work fast. Keep in mind, too, that any music videos, eventually, will be linked to on the Tampa Music Festival site, which is in the works; read on for more).

2. Graveyard and Dumpster Channels Added
I’ll be adding a graveyard channel to maintain the search engine results for films which short-sighted filmmakers have removed (and, if they did it without warning, this is much deserved! Although we have not added many new films recently, the films which ARE up have been very good for the filmmakers as far as exposure). The graveyard channel will also be directly linked from every web page, although it will not be something which we will push our viewers to go into from our main menus (who would want to try to watch films which do not work?). Once the filmmakers notice that the online film festival is showing up as the top search result for their film, they should feel inspired to make sure that it works, and once they do this, we will re add it to our main playlist.
The dumpster channel, on the other hand, is the antonym of our showcase channel. The dumpster is for the worst indie films playing on our online film festival. Currently, the king of the dumpster will be a Tampa indie film called “A Grave Matter”. The dumpster channel will be featured on all of our main menus, unlike the graveyard channel.

3. New Films Added
There will not be a lot of films added to the online film festival, but there will be a few. I will also rotate in new films to the featured film thumbnail array, which will make the site look different (this will happen more frequently in the future because of the new thumbnail array directory and organizational format, which will make rotating films easy because the entire web site will not have to be refreshed to do so). Since I am considering replacing ALL of the films which are featured in the thumbnail array, this means that I may be adding as many as 14 new films.

4. Official Film Count
I’ll have the accurate count of the films playing on the online film festival, as well as the number of films that were buried in the graveyard channel. At the moment, well...... I really don’t know how many films we have. I do know that it is less than 90, though.
By 2012, I hope to have about 250 films playing on the online film festival, and all of those films will have detailed content, a review on the Tampa Film Review Tampa Bay Film sites, and other features on Tampa Bay Film. 250 will be the limit for this version of the online film festival, and it will have to do until the next version (the third generation, as the current online film festival is the second generation), which will have user editable submissions and will be built using a PHP database. At that point, the 250 films hardwired into the online film festival will be phased out, over time. The fourth generation online film festival will have our own flash player and server space for film file hosting, and the fifth generation online film festival..... Well, all that I can say is that the fifth generation online film festival will give film festival events a run for their money, and close the gap in the advantages that a film festival event has over an online film festival. We have detailed plans, and files, on how that it going to work, and it is quite revolutionary; no one in the world is doing anything like it. That fifth generation will use the fourth generation format as a foundation, and it will build off of that. In a few years, the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival will be the top online film festival in the world, with thousands upon thousands of films playing 24/7, as well as a lot more channel categories and other cool features.
The really cool thing is that Tampa Bay Film and this online film festival is not just for Tampa indie film, but indie film worldwide. Just because it has “Tampa” in the title does not limit it to Tampa Bay. This is especially true because, in the future, if I get my way and things work out well, the Tampa Bay area will become a worldwide leader, and one of the top innovators, in independent filmmaking. Just like Cannes isn’t all about French films, neither will Tampa Bay Film be about Tampa indie film, but rather indie film as an industry.
That, and the fact that there are not nearly as many good Tampa films that we’d need to support this. We have to be accepting, and supportive, of indie films from around the world.

5. Music Video Channel To Be Spun Off As Sister Site
All of those music videos on the online film festival will soon have a new home. We have a sister site to the online film festival in the works, which is the Tampa Music Festival. Although it will have a Super Raptor design, and have a right side navigation menu linking to the main Tampa Bay Film sites, this site will not technically be a Tampa Bay Film site, and will more of a blend between the Tampa Bay Film sites, my DJ sites, Frontier Pop, and my event planning / stage production company sites. The Tampa Music Festival will be unique, in many ways.
Although it will link to all of the Tampa Bay Film sites like the online film festival, the Tampa Music Festival will be, technically, more on an interlinked annex site of the online film festival. The site will also be a marketing and support site for Tampa Music Festival events and the commercial releases of my DJ Frontier alter ego. The primary purpose of the Tampa Music Festival is to serve as an online platform to break and support music.
At the moment, the Tampa Music Festival is in development. It will share the same layout and design, but it will look different from the online film festival, with blues, purples, and greens in the color scheme. The navigation buttons will be the same design, though. As time goes on, the evolution of the Tampa Music Festival site design is expected to diverge from that of the online film festival, and in a few years, both sites, though still interconnected, will look, and function, far differently, following different development paths, although starting out on common ground.
Expect the Tampa Music Festival site to go online this summer or fall, and the music videos on the online film festival to migrate over there. The new site will also take over the function of our music video channel, and will be highly interlinked with the online film festival as a result. The online film festival itself will focus more on independent films than music videos, too, as a result of this.

6. Major Overhaul Done To Film Festival To Catch Up On Maintenance
And, of course, there is always the case that the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival has not been updated much since late 2009. This, and the fact that our network of film festival events has also been delayed, means that my previously posted plans for the evolution/ revolution of the online film festival, posted on July 29, 2009, is two to three years behind at this point.
It doesn’t mean that it will not get done, though, and the facts that the specifications have not changed in that time means that we are on the right track. We’ve just been on hold since late 2009.
The major overhaul of the online film festival will also catch us up on maintenance, which has been neglected for the past year and a half. Despite this neglect, the online film festival is still popular, and it is still effective. This said, we do have quite a few films which have been submitted which have not been added, yet. This will change.

Expanding on the upcoming generations of the online film festival hinted upon in this post, I now am publishing a revised list of this work, and the current (tentative) schedule.
As you can see, because of the hold with Tampa Bay Film and our film festival properties, we are currently two to three years behind our original schedule posted on July 29, 2009.

2nd Generation Online Film Festival
2008 to Present (was supposed to be phased out in late 2009/ early 2010)
HTML online film festival dependent upon embedded video files from other sources. "Hard wired". Current web site, and very successful, as well as effective. The top indie film marketing and promotional platform, with more viewers and play than all Florida film festivals combined.

3rd Generation Online Film Festival
2012 (Was supposed to be late 2009/ early 2010)
PHP online film festival dependent upon embedded video files from other sources, but allows filmmakers to directly submit their films and embed codes. Films would be organized by PHP, searchable, pulled up by relevant category, and would automatically generate a discussion thread on the Tampa Film Community Tampa Bay Film site PHP message board, which would also link back to the film on the online film festival. Of course, the film would only go live upon approval of Tampa Bay Film.

4th Generation Online Film Festival
2013 (Was supposed to be 2010)
PHP online film festival which would add storage, bandwidth, and custom flash encoding support, and would no longer be dependent upon externally streamed embedded video files. It would also build upon the features of the 3rd Generation site. Films would be submitted by the filmmakers, and would then added with the approval of Tampa Bay Film. Likewise, once online, the films would only be removed with the approval of Tampa Bay Film and/ or the express written request from the copyright holder.

5th Generation Online Film Festival
2014 (Was supposed to be 2011)
A PHP and Flash online film festival built upon the foundation established with the 4th Generation online film festival. The revolutionary online film festival will be a “virtual film festival”, with features which would make it direct competition with film festival events. Details of this virtual film festival are classified, but it has already been designed and formatted.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Online Film Festival On Standby

Effective immediately, and I know that this is stating the obvious since we have not had any major updates in a long time, the online film festival and the other Tampa Bay Film sites are on hold. This is expected to last until July 2011 (you can read the latest post on the Tampa Film Blog, the one for March 6, 2011, for more).
Although I have at least one large site code update scheduled sometime in the next few weeks, and there will be films added, I won’t have time to do a lot of updates, and neither will our web team.
I will be replacing the spotlight film on the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival with the latest Chris Woods short indie film, White Lie, today, but that’s pretty much it.
Rest assured that later this year we have a lot planned for the online film festival. We will be going through all of the films, refreshing code from Revver to more stable sources (Yes, Revver is being flaky, again!), will be rotating all of our featured thumbnail films, will be adding a ton of new films, and will be adding new features which will help bridge the current online film festival with the upcoming next generation online film festival (which is coming in 2012, I beleive). More will be done with the online film festival this year than in 2009 and 2010 combined (which is way overdue, in my opinion. I’m not happy with my neglect of the online film festival, although, to be fair, I have a lot going on right now). Ironically, scheduled improvements and technological advancements developed for the online film festival are now being applied to several new web sites now under construction ,before they are applied here on the online film festival!
Regarding the online film festival, despite the lack of updates, we’ve been very happy with the performance of the festival and the traffic here. On every film that we’ve researched, the top online search engine results for those films have been here on the online film festival, demonstrating to the filmmakers that this online film festival is the top marketing and promotional platform for their films in the world! Also, the online film festival continues to have more visitors and more screenings than all Florida film festivals combined, and this easily makes it more effective than all of the Tampa film festivals! With the additions which are coming, the online film festival will be more popular than ever in the coming months.
Regarding additions, I’m about to authorize more films to be made available on the online film festival. For logistic reasons, we’ve purposely kept the amount of films available here to just above 100. At last count, which was around April 19, 2010 (almost a year ago), we had around 87 films available. With Revver being unreliable, I estimate that the number is much lower now; around 50. Revver embedded films made up a large percentage of our online films, as in the early days of the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival, the majority of independent films which could be found online were available there. Of course, this is why the issues with Revver have become a large problem for us. Fortunately, most films available on Revver are now available on other sources such as Youtube, and I’m compiling those alternate embed codes to replace the Revver embeds soon. Also, to our advantage, most filmmakers today are smarter, and have made many of their short films available online. Compared to the shortage of films available online in the past, online film are plentiful today. This means that we no longer have a shortage of indie films to add to our online film festival. So, sometime this summer, we’ll replace the Revver films, and will be adding a lot more new films. I’m doubling our cap of 100 films, and intend to be up to 200, and maybe as many as 250 films, available online by this fall (I dare not go much beyond that for logistical reasons; the current situation where we have to go back and replace existing Revver film embed files an example of this limitation. The next generation of the online film festival, which will be user maintainable, will not have any limits, and thousands upon thousands of films will be added over a short period of time). Films which cannot be replaced will be added to our upcoming graveyard channel, which will maintain their search results, and, perhaps, inspire the filmmakers to make them available again when the top search engine results for their films are here on the online film festival, where they will not play until they make the films available again (and note that we do not want our regular site visitors clicking on films which will not play, so the films in our graveyard channel will not be listed in our main playlists, or be in our main film navigation menus. We will maintain their visibility, however, by making them accessible in other parts of the site). So, although it’s slow here at the moment, we’ll get a lot done here later this year.
Regardless, however, the online film festival is still proving to be popular.
Please be patient. The best is coming.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Online Film Festival Scheduled For January 2011 Update

We held off on the update last month because of all of the work that had to be to the Tampa Film Blog. We just finished yesterday, and because that blog had hundreds of pages of content, enough for a book, it was a very difficult job. This online film festival blog, my other blogs, and some blogs within other web sites now have to be organized.
Another reason that we held off was that Revver started working again. This, of course, is more of a stop gap for us, because it has been decided to quit using the site, and we will be phasing out all Revver embedded videos in Q1 2011.
We will be adding a lot of new indie films to the online film festival in the coming weeks, althoug do not expect more than 16 films. The reason is that we will be moving all of our music videos to our twin Tampa Music Festival site, and that site will need at least 32 videos to become operational. Building and launching that new site, which will be identical to this online film festival in design, primarily for navigation continuity, will take some time, and that time will take away from the time that we will have to work on the online film festival.
Also, all eight of the Tampa Bay Film sites are now getting tune ups under the hood for 2011. This is also taking time.

Friday, December 3, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Work On Online Film Festival Scheduled For Weekend Of December 18-19, 2010.

Well, it’s scheduled. You know how it goes. With 6 out of 14 of the indie films on our featured film thumbnail array still down, we have quite a lot of work to do on the online film festival in December. You could call it work which is well overdue (but probably not soon enough to prevent a so-so score when the online film festival is reviewed for 2010 on Tampa Bay Film; the outage and lack of new films will be mentioned in the review).
Most of those films were hosted on Revver. At this time, it can be accurately assumed that Revver is down and out. This means that we will be losing quite a few films, unless we can track down alternatives. One of the films that no longer works, Nature’s Way, which was hosted on Google video, was evidently taken down by the filmmakers (and why, we don’t know, as it did them no harm to leave it up, and it was a nice little film. We just wish that they had notified us that it was coming down, especially after they asked us to add it in the beginning).
The good news is that this is no longer 2008 or 2009. Most indie filmmakers have woken up, and now have their short films available online. They understand that people have to be able to see their work for them to get anywhere. Although we have not added any films in over a year, and throughout 2010. This has changed, as there are now lots of films online to use. We now have tons of films to choose from, and the quality of our playlist will improve substantially as the old films are rotated out.
Not that those old films will be removed from the online film festival, however. The filmmakers will not be getting off that easy. We will remove them from the main playlist, and from being featured, but they will remain on this site, regardless of if the video feeds work or not. We will be adding an indie film Graveyard channel, and we will ensure that those old film files are searchable by the search engines so that the online film festival will continue to be the top search engine result for anyone looking for those films. This will remind filmmakers that the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival is the premier marketing and promotional platform for their films, and that they only hurt themselves when they removed their films without warning. As you can tell, when our viewers are inconvenienced when films don’t play on the main indie film channels, we don’t like that, as it undermines the integrity of the online film festival. The Revver issue, however, which has nothing do to with the filmmakers, has really messed up our playlist, and our online film festival has never been in worse shape because of this. This will be rectified.
Although we will be adding new films, and we have plenty to choose from, there will not be a lot added this year (look for a lot more to be added in 2011). The reason for this is that our web team will be busy putting together our sister site, the Tampa Music Festival online music video / concert festival. The music video channel here on the online film festival will lead there, and although it is not a Tampa Bay Film site, or a part of Tampa Bay Film, it will be a interconnected with this online film festival. Additionally, because it will also be used as an extension of this online film festival relevant to music videos, and it will utilize the same Super Raptor Class web site layout and design, the right hand menu on that new site may maintain continuity with this one, and lead to the Tampa Bay Film sites (and, if it does not, it will link to DJ Frontier and Eventi properties).
Also, keep in mind that the current online film festival is balanced for around 100 films. This will change with the upcoming generations of this online film festival which will come online in the next few years. An upcoming database-driven version will be entirely user maintained, with flexible playlists. That advanced online film festival will have thousands, upon thousands, of films. For this existing static HTML online film festival, however, it is not cost-effective to have much more than 100 films (you try keeping up and maintaining over 100 films on a site). This will change in the future.
Thus, expect a complete code refresh sometime this weekend, which will add some upgrades. Our featured film thumbnail array, for example, will be changed, and completely redone (visibly, it will look exactly the same, however. The change is in the file names, the code, and how it is maintained). We will be adding an upgrade which will enable us to do effective parallel directories for featured films, and to swap them out and rotate them without refreshing the code for the entire online film festival. This means a lot more variety, a lot more frequently, and people will have new films to look forward to at a glance. It will also make maintenance easier for us, and will remove the risk of adding films to a featured part of the site.
As we go through all of the films, and restore the integrity of our playlist, expect us to have a “new” official count on the number of films. It will be under 100, for sure, but rest assured that we will restore the number of films lost in the next few months. Our best days are ahead.

Thursday, November 18, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Featured Film Section To Be Added. Online Film Festival To Be Updated Soon.

With 6 out of 14 films on our thumbnail array down, mostly due to issues with Revver (and one with a filmmaker yanking their film off of Google videos), this is almost half of our featured films found at the top thumbnail array. This said, we are simply tired of having to refresh the entire site whenever we have to replace one of the featured films, and, effective immediately, at least until future generations of the online film festival bring a long term solution, we have a good short term solution. A really good one, and it will make adjustments as easy as adjusting our film playlists and film selection channels.
The featured film thumbnail array will be routed to a feature film directory, which will have a copy of the html file from the source playlist directory, but with content adjusted so as to mot create a duplicate content issue, and the films in this directory will be organized by a sequential numbering system for file names, which match up with the new contextual thumbnail images which will be added to the thumbnail array. Films selected for feature film status will have their thumbnail duplicated and renamed, instantly populating on the thumbnail array.
This means that we can remove, or change, a featured film on the thumbnail array by simply changing a single web page file and the matching pair of thumbnail graphics. We can change the thumbnail array every day, easily, if desired, too.
The films in the featured film directory would be cross linked to the films in the general playlist directory, which would in turn be linked directly to the alternate general playlist counterparts filed there. This will give it a parallel structure which will actually enhance search engine performance, as well as make updating the thumbnail array something which could be done in a few minutes; it’s the best of both worlds.
Additionally, we will be adding two more channels to the online film festival. We will be adding an indie film dumpster channel for low scoring indie films, and an indie film graveyard channel for indie films which no longer play. The graveyard channel will be heavily indexed from the every part of the online film festival, which will help to maintain the top search engine results for those films on our online film festival. Hopefully, this will inspire filmmakers to restore their films to the online film festival.
We will be doing this upgrade, and overhaul, this weekend, and the film festival should be restored completely later this month. This will be a complete site refresh of all directory files, will add some enhancements, and will overhaul the thumbnail array to the new format. Although we will be auditing all of the films for a new official count, and will try to replace dead films with new source code from alternate sources, we expect to lose some films. We will be adding films, too, but our total film count is expected to be hit. Hopefully, we’ll have time to add more films and bring the total close to 100, or more, films, before the end of the year.
We will be launching a sister site to the online film festival, Tampa Music Festival, which will play music videos, before the end of the year. This new online film festival will utilize out current technology, web site class design layout format, and will share our thumbnail format (both sites will share thumbnail graphics). It will also replace our music video channel, and both sites will be highly interlinked. The new online film festival at TampaMusicFestival.Com will not be a Tampa Bay Film site, although it will highly interlink with this one, being permanently attached.

Saturday, November 6, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Aware Of Issues With Revver And Other Films

As most of you know, the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival is entirely dependent upon streaming video from films hosted on a variety of web sites. This makes us vulnerable to technical issues on other sites, as well as so-called filmmakers removing their films without warning.
For just over two years now, the online film festival has been a highly successful, stand-alone web site, and it has proven itself to be the most effective marketing and promotion platform for indie films in Tampa Bay and Florida. Although we are dependent upon videos hosted at other sources, the online film festival has experienced minimal problems, and high reliability. It’s worked well. Until now.
Although technically the least reliable, in our experience, Revver was tolerated because filmmakers who uploaded their films there were less likely to take them down, because they would get paid to leave them up, unlike places like Youtube, where films would be pulled without warning. Well, now, Revver has been down for at least a few days. This is becoming untenable, and we are now looking at our options.
If Revver continues to be down in the next few days, we will try to replace the affected films with sources from other services. If those alternate sources cannot be located, we will pull the films from our playlist, although they will not be removed from the site entirely. The dead films will added to a new directory so that search engine placement can be maintained.
Filmmakers who are neglectful about the promotion and the marketing of their films, and filmmakers who pull their films without warning, will find that this online film festival will continue to be the top search engine result for any inquiries made into their films. It will not be our issue if the film does not play, as it is their responsibility to ensure that it is available for people to be able to see.
On another note, we are long overdue for the addition of new films, anyway. Fortunately, the online indie film situation has improved greatly in the last three years. Many filmmakers are now smart enough to make their short films available online, and we no longer have a shortage of good indie films available.
This means that we are no longer at the mercy of so-called filmmakers. The leverage is now in our camp, and it is a buyers market, per se.
The bottom line: If you are smart, you will allow our online film festival to play your film. If not, you won’t, and we don’t care what you do at that point, although, if you add a film and later pull it without going through appropriate protocol, your unplayable film will still remain here, and the top search result for your film will be one which will not play. If you want to handicap your ability to compete with other filmmakers for exposure, that’s certainly one way to do it. We promote and help real filmmakers, however, so that’s it.
Expect at least 20 films to be added to our graveyard channel, as they will be unplayable. Also expect the addition of at least 40 films later this month (we’ll have to pull web work from other sites to do it, but the integrity of the online film festival will be maintained, as this site is very important to us and out long term agenda, especially for the future of Tampa independent film). Offset, that’s a difference of at least 20 new films, although there will probably be more than that, once some of the issues with dead films are resolved.
Although this is a great short term solution, it is just that. Short term. We are working on the next generation online film festival, which will be here at the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival, and it will overwrite the existing online film festival when it goes online. The old format will still be supported, with the existing playlist maintained for at least a year after it goes online, but the new online film festival will have a number of improvements. These improvements will revolutionize the online film festival, and make it a worldwide leader in the promotion of independent films.
Right now, we have a balance of around 100 films or so available online. It would not be cost effective to have much more than that, as it would require too much upkeep. The new site would have unlimited films, with thousands upon thousands of films available here, eventually. How?
Allow us to elaborate.

1. User Maintenance and Accounts
The next online film festival will be PHP based, and will use well-organized databases. Filmmakers will be able to add user accounts, which will be cross-populated to our Tampa Film Community and professional networking site. Users would be able to directly submit and upload their films, and would add their film information. To ensure the integrity of our films and our playlist, each film submission would be approved. The approved films would then be added automatically to the playlist, with rating enabled, and properly categorized. Once added, it will take additional approval from us to remove the film, as filmmakers would be unable to take their film down without warning. Additionally, the rating system for our showcase channel would change to a scoring system instead of a percentage, AND each filmmaker would also be scored, as well. Removed films will be pulled from the showcase channel, their score will be reduced to zero, and they will be added to our graveyard channel to maintain search engine position. Overall, the score of the filmmaker, which would be more relevant on our other sites, would also be penalized (if they were unable to provide a reasonable explanation to why they are pulling their film). This will ensure reliability and accountability.

2. Custom, Dedicated Flash Film Player
We will not longer be dependent upon other hosting sources for our films. We’re also sick and tired of all of the pop-up ads showing up on films, and that will be addressed. Films will be hosted on a dedicated Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival server, and utilize a Tampa Bay Film-branded flash player. Additionally, this will enable us to automatically play one film after another, as well as customize film orders as far as playback. Users will be able to go to the online film festival, and play films non-stop if they wish, and even play films which cater to their tastes and interests as specified by their user profile and the film categories which they frequent.

3. New Organization and Film Rating System
Which brings us to the way that films will be organized and rated. Films will be organized in the database by a variety of criteria. This will enable the film festival to customize playlists, as well as smart film viewing marathons of constant viewing (when one film ends, another begins). Additionally, much like a video game, each film will now have scores with no upper limits. Users will be able to add, or subtract, from film scores by rating them, and those scores would directly influence the playlist rankings in our showcase channel. Each film will also have a dedicated commentary feedback channel on our Tampa Film Community web site, a user review forum on our Tampa Film Review web site, as well as links to official Tampa Bay Film reviews of the film on the Tampa Film Review web site.

This is something to consider, and we hope that it gives everyone something to think about. For now, we have to go over our current playlist, and begin the process of looking for films to add. Please, if a film does not play, just go to the next one. Most of the films on the online film festival still play, and that’s good enough for now.

Sunday, October 3, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Adjustments, Tweaks, Restorations, And A Mistake

To those who wrote us overnight and complained about the music video on the front page of the online film festival, it was my mistake. I never intended to post a video which was trashy, wild, and quite stripperish. The open-mouthed frenching between the club girls was a little too much, too.
Ahem.... Although I respect the rights of people who choose to be into their own gender (and, I believe, it is a choice, and a learned behavior which may serve as compensation for insecurity, unless you want to think about nature, natural selection, and nature terminating some genetic defect because predispositions do not lend to reproduction), I do not accept such tactless depictions of alternative lifestyles as “trendy”, or “hot”. Sure, people who are into alternative choices have a right to live their lives the way that they like, without discrimination or harassment, but I’m not into the propaganda and those who are into that lifestyle cramming their beliefs down my throat. Respect needs to be mutual in order for it to work. Alternative lifestyles being constantly portrayed as being trendy is a little too far, but what makes it particularly obnoxious is that the people who push this agenda are not tactful, and they are not classy. Where is your dignity? Where is your self respect? Where in the hell is your respect for the rights of others? I can understand being angry, but it’s over. Get over it, and make your lifestyle more credible by laying off the propaganda and the lack of tact.
If people who were into the opposite sex where to behave like the alternative lifestyles people do in public, then we’d be called perverts, and rightfully so. Does this make the way that you act, which violates the rights of people who are not into what you do, right? Hell, no!
Case in point: A certain film festival in the Tampa Bay area which seems to only play alternative lifestyles propaganda films. Also, drop the over-the-top circus act on the red carpet.... It’s a film festival, and not some weird drag show. Balance out your playlist, and play films that some of us can actually relate to, and maybe then I’ll respond to your emails. Maybe then, Tampa Bay Film will cover your film festival.
I’d like to keep the online film festival at least PG. Judging from the emails complaining, I surmise that most of you feel the same way.
What happened is that I saw a few minutes of the video, the music had a great hook to it, and I did not watch the entire video before adding it (I was short on time last night). After uploading and testing the video, I noticed what was going on in the video, and didn’t have time to change it until today. A new music video is now playing.
I also made some adjustments to the online film festival, and was able to restore the Z3D5 indie film, too.
I’ll be doing another refresh of the online film festival shortly, and will be adding a lot of new films, as well as redo our thumnail array for our featured film selections.

Monday, August 23, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Frontier Pop Indie Film, Blog Content, And Updates

Tomorrow’s issue of the fantastically awesome Frontier Pop, which will be the 6th issue, will be Tampa indie film-centric; the first of many such issues. Did you know that one of the missions of the just-over one month old Frontier Pop is to market and push Tampa Bay Film, this online film festival, and the other Tampa Bay Film sites?
This is why I can use Frontier Pop site time on the Tampa Bay Film sites. The updates are a part of the new issue.
Which reminds me.... there has been a lot activity on the Tampa Bay Film sites the past few days.
Tampa Bay Film, the Tampa Film Festivals site, this online film festival, and the Tampa Film Blog have all seen updates (that’s half of the sites!). I’ll be using some of my Frontier Pop time tonight to organize the library of congress that I have on the Tampa Film Blog, and soon, I will organize the content on the blog here on the online film festival.
Regarding the online film festival, I have a large update scheduled, with new indie films to be added, in October 2010.
Later this year, all of the Tampa Bay Film sites will resume regular updates, as 2011 will be a busy year for Tampa Bay Film, as well as this Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival. With at least two Tampa Bay Film underground film festivals beginning this year, a series of larger, more conventional film festivals next year, and the start of my short indie being made in a few months, the Tampa Bay Film sites will be very much needed.
Although I will make all of my short indie films available here on my online film festival, as this is the best marketing and promotional platform for indie film in Florida, as well as the most effective Tampa film festival, timing is everything. Some of my short films will be held back for debuts at my film festival events, and it may be late 2011 before they are all available here. Take Reverence, for example. I want to debut it at the Reverence Film Festival next fall, and then will make it available here on the online film festival within 24 hours.
I have a lot of work to do. My equipment and cash flow issues will be resolved in the next few weeks, so next year will be a great year to invest in Tampa indie film!

Sunday, August 8, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Tampa Online Film Festival Updated. Layout Centered.

Finally centered the design layout of the online film festival to ensure continuity with all of the other Tampa Bay Film sites. It took all night to refresh and adjust all eight sites. Since the code had to be refresh, anyway, the Z3D5 thumbnail has finally been removed from the main thumbnail array of the online film festival. Despite the work, however, we still have not had the chance to add the indie film dumpster channel, or the graveyard channel. I’ll have to take a night and go over all of the films, adjust the channels, adjust the navigation links, and then refresh the film festival code, again, to ensure that all the film playlists are up to spec.
Soon, very soon.

Friday, July 30, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Online Film Festival Adjustments Coming

It’s been eight weeks, and everything is going well with the online film festival (not counting Z3D5 being down; google is still showing that film on the online film festival as the number one result, so the filmmakers, and filmmakers who pull their films off without warning, need to note this). Although I’m busy with some other web sites, rest assured that a site refresh, and an update, is on the way. This has been our slow summer, and truth be told, the rest of 2010 will be slow for all of the Tampa Bay Film sites. I will be focusing on my photography and design business, which is the key to everything else.
If everything goes according to plan, 2011 will be the time that we will be kicking the Tampa Bay Film sites into overdrive. That’s coming, too, and in the coming years, the network of all eight Tampa Bay Film sites will become very busy.
On a related note, anyone notice the launch of my new Frontier Pop site? Frontier Pop is my new online Tampa pop culture and entertainment publication, and it also serves as a marketing site for all of my sites. It will be a highly-pushed brand at all of my events and film festivals. It will also be used to heavily market Tampa Bay Film, the Tampa Bay Film sites, as well as this online film festival. Frontier Pop is really cool, and it’s going to take time to link to it from all of my sites. It will be time well spent.
At any rate, there will be some changes here, and the site content will be refreshed. Z3D5 will be removed from the main thumbnail array and the general playlist menus, BUT will NOT be removed from the online film festival. Why? I intend to maintain the search engine results for that film, and for other films which are removed without warning. We will be adding a graveyard channel of lost films, and the remaining content will be indexed, and will be maintained on the online film festival. The only way to get those lost films removed would be to specifically contact us, and ask; the point being that I, at the very least, want the filmmaker to realize that they are making a mistake, as this online film festival is a superb marketing and promotional platform for indie film.
Well, it should be. I designed it to be the ultimate marketing and promotional platform for my indie films, which will come along soon. What’s good for me is certainly good for everyone else.
So, we will be adding a indie film graveyard channel. We will also be adding an indie film dumpster channel (I know at least one recent Tampa indie film which would be perfect for that channel), too, where our lowest rated indie films would be highlighted. I realize that there is a bit of an irony with an indie film dumpster channel being added after making the statement that the online film festival is a top marketing and promotional platform, but, hey, if someone makes a bad film, and it scores low, it needs to be noted, too. I, for one, have fun watching bad indie films.
We’ll also be making adjustments to the online film festival menu on the left. At the moment, I have no plans on adding or removing any menu buttons, just rearranging some. The placement of the “About Us” button is really bugging me.
On a side note, I need to organize the posts here on the OFF Blog. There is too much information here, and it needs to be organized and archived (a lesson that the Tampa Film Blog has taught me well. It’s true that content is king, but only if it is organized well. Otherwise, it’s ineffective).
Oh, and the “Services” sections on all of the Tampa Bay Film sites need to be launched, too. That’s another priority.
And, with that, I’m off to work on other sites. Enjoy the movies, and more will be added soon!

Sunday, May 30, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Slow Summer For Tampa Bay Film

As you can already see, things are already slow here on the online film festival (I still haven't removed Z3D5 from the main thumbnail array, as that will require a full site code refresh on the server, and that takes time), as well as for all of my Tampa Bay Film sites, including the the Tampa Film Blog. It's good, however, because we have plenty of time to sit back and take a breath. The heavy work isn't due to start until 2011. Right now, I'm very busy with my photography marketing and my modeling resource sites. You see, my indie film ambitions require money and equipment, and the way to doing all of that is straight through a business which has always been there for me, and which has been lucrative; my photography business. My initial indie films will be a long term investment (although not even close to how long my usual long term investments have been, historically. Instead of a decade, it will be more like two or three years before I begin seeing a return), much like it was when I first started out as a photographer, and had to build my portfolio. So, I'm busy, and it will take all that I can do just to keep the sites all up and running. I am planning, though, on updating the Tampa Bay Film sites from time to time, and may do a large update here on the online film festival in either late summer, or the fall, of 2010. That update will include a new "graveyard" channel, where I maintain links to all of the films which have been taken down on the hosting server end without warning; this will maintain the top result for that film on the search engines, and when that top result for a film comes back to the online film festival and a "film" which does not play, it should make the filmmakers think twice about pulling films without warning, as this online film festival is the best platform for their indie film. It will be a reminder, if you will. Of course, visitors, upon seeing that the film does not work, will poke around the site, and find a lot of films which do play.... And the rest will be history. God, I'm devious.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Streaming Video Capture To Be Added This Week

Effective this week (We are still evaluating software), we will have the capability to capture streaming video and audio files from flash media. We will be archiving some film selections, and backing them up. With filmmakers unable to email us large MPEG attachments, they have the option of either sending us a link to where we can download an MPEG file of their film, or an URL where it is streaming (YouTube, etc), where the film can be captured and archived. Once we have the file, we will then add it to the online film festival (we will also be adding DMCA information and other support content, since we will begin directly handling the copyrighted property of other parties. This is a lot different than simply embedding videos, legally).

An exception for this rule would be with filmmakers who demonstrate that they are actively using the Internet to market their careers with stable, updated YouTube profiles and web sites. Additionally, some filmmakers may use streaming services such as Revver to make money from showing their short films and films. That's fine, and in those cases, we may be open to simply embedding those videos on our online film festival, like in the good old days.

We will never demand exclusivity with either the online film festival, or any other Tampa Bay Film film festival. We encourage the filmmakers to promote their films anyway that they see fit, and it is their right, because they own their films. This said, we are doing them a favor by allowing their films to play on the online film festival; many filmmakers are discovering that this online film festival works better than any other option out there (even if they have their films on YouTube, and play them on their web sites), and the proof is in their stats, and in search engine results when they do a search for their films (providing their film is playing on our online film festival, of course).

A word of warning, however, and this will be stressed a lot on Tampa Bay Film in the coming months and years, as we educate filmmakers on using the Internet to promote their careers and market their films. Don't be fooled. Avoid online film festivals and movie site which promise pay for play, and which demand either exclusivity or making their viewers download and utilize proprietary viewing software to view films. Not only will this limit your exposure, and make you dependent upon them, but many of these schemes use their software as Trojan Horses for malware, scareware, virus downloaders, keyloggers, and other scams. Do not allow con artists to use your films as bait in order to take advantage of your target audience.

This online film festival is free, and we are taking these measure to maintain the viewing integrity of our online film festival. We do not make a dime off of filmmakers, or from showing their films. We do this to promote filmmaking, and because we love indie film. In the future, we may make money from the online film festival, and our other film festivals, BUT, when this happens, we will never do it at the expense of filmmakers, or their audience. For now, however, it is free, and will remain free for the foreseeable future. This is one of the exceptions where a free service is actually effective, and well worth the time, and the effort, to get involved. A good example? When I make short films for my filmmaking portfolio, all of them will be made available here, free of charge, on the online film festival, and will remain here as long as the online film festival is up and running. I will also be selling higher quality, extended versions of these films from my Dream Nine Studios (read my Dream Nine Studios News for details) web site, and will use the free versions to market those. Think, filmmakers! This is a good thing, and we are here to help!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

New Submission Rules Adopted Today to Maintain Playlist Integrity

I have come up with a solution to the unstable nature of relying extensively on embedded video profiles of the filmmakers who submit to the online film festival. This will still utilize embedded files, but the submission process will now be much like it will be with the next-generation online film festival, just minus the database and the Tampa Bay Film branded flash templates. Effective immediately, filmmakers who submit films to the online film festival are required to email MPEG video files of their films (and we will be upgrading the instructions, help, and support files for these new protocols. It's also time to add our terms of use section). This is necessary to maintain the integrity of the playlist of the online film festival. Exceptions may be granted on a case by case basis, such as with those filmmakers who use sites like Revver to host their films (history has demonstrated that Revver users and smart filmmakers who invest in stable, growing youtube accounts, and who make their short films available online, are usually reliable, and in these cases, we may make an exception), making them money with viewings, but will not be the normal protocol (Revver videos pay with ads, and can be embedded into other sites; the filmmaker gets to have their cake and eat it if they want to make money with people watching their short films. For me, I could care less, as my short films will be primarily used for marketing). It will be much harder to land a spotlight film showing at the main page of the online film festival, or to be placed in the marquee thumbnail array above, if you do not submit a video file.
If you are a filmmaker who uses short films to promote your career, and as marketing tools, you are hereby required to email us a video file of your film submission, regardless of wether or not it is hosted on youtube, or anywhere else.
At this time, I do not make a dime from the online film festival, despite its success. Also, when I do start making money from this film festival, and my others, I will never do so at the expense of filmmakers. I am not out to steal films, or to make money with your film. I'm here to help. The Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival was created to be the primary marketing and promotional platform for my indie films, and this is the main reason why I put so much work into it. I make the online film festival available to indie filmmakers as a way to support independent filmmaking, and so that filmmakers can enjoy the same advantages that I do.
Also, note that I do not make filmmakers show their films on the online film festival, or any of my film festivals events, exclusively; they are free to show their films as a much as they would like to, as the films are theirs. I will also not use indie films as bait to trick people into downloading proprietary viewing software which can infect the viewers computer with malware, scareware, trojan horses, redialers, key loggers, downloaders, or any number of illegal, malicious downloads. I wouldn’t want that done to me, and I certainly would not do it to anyone else.
Films are safest when they are streamed directly through a browser plug in. Downloads of films, especially programs which are required to “view” the film files, are simply too risky, if not outright dangerous!
I want to stop spending so much time editing content on the online film festival when filmmaker delete support files. I want to break the 100 film barrier, too, and make it cost-effective, as far as time considerations go, to support a lot of films. I am sick and tired of having to do emergency edits on my film festival files because of irresponsible filmmakers who delete their films without warning, and leave this online film festival with a gaping hole that must be closed. Sure, I still expect films to be removed, but at least this way, the playlist will be much more stable. It is simply rude when a film becomes unplayable without warning, and the goal is to discourage this from happening.
Regarding removing films, we will consider removing films with a written request. If removed, we will delete the embedded video file so that the film can no longer be seen, as well as reroute navigation links and menu links. The web page for the film itself, however, will stay, and we will add information addressing the circumstances regarding the removal (removed without warning, or removed by request, on xxxxx date, for examples). The “dead” film pages of content will be accessable from a new channel, which will be added soon, a lost films, or film graveyard, channel. Why will it be done this way? Because I don’t want to give search engines removed pages. Additionally, on th subject of search engines, filmmakers may be pleased to discover, if they check, that their films show up at the top of the search engines, on this online film festival. By maintaining a “dead” web page which the film was originally at, the top search placement can be maintained. It is up to the filmmaker if they wish to re-add their film, and take advantage of the best promotional platform for indie film; if we were to remove the web page file, then they would have no incentive to come back and repost their work (I like to demonstrate that the online film festival works).
At this time, there is no disputing that the online film festival is pulling in some great traffic. At any given moment, many people are watching films on the online film festival. There is no better platform to show your film in Tampa Bay, or in Florida.
Oh, and the next-generation online film festival will require a file to be uploaded to our online film festival with every submission, no exceptions made, as we will utilize our own custom flash player template. At least with the current solution, we can be a little more flexible.

Monday, April 19, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Down To 87 Films. Z3D5 Removed From Hosting Site Without Warning

Damn. Come on, guys, this is getting tiring. How does this happen? Do you wake up one day, and say "I need to take down my film from the video site, because it's been up too long", or something along those lines, while you forget that it is also playing on the online film festival? Do you even care that, once you remove that video, that it will cease to play here, too, and that people who are looking for your films, your target audience, are not able to see them? One of my favorite films playing on the online film festival, Z3D5, which was submitted by a filmmaker in Australia on March 29, 2009, has been removed from its hosting site without warning. I need to get in contact with the filmmaker and find out what is going on, as he was really cool when we discussed his film. What happened? I'm telling you this much: the next generation of the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival will require filmmakers to upload their films to OUR server, and we will use OUR Tampa Bay Film-branded flash template. I'm already looking into server space for the next version; flash and PHP databasing are in the process of being adapted for my next generation web sites. This new requirement will make this film drop-off crap a thing of the past, as the filmmaker will have to, in writing, request a removal. THIS IS NOT FAIR TO MY ONLINE FILM FESTIVAL, OR MY VIEWERS!
My attorney and I will be adopting a new terms of use for the next-generation online film festival, which is needed especially because, unlike a film festival event, the online film festival does not have a set schedule or set length of time for featuring films. We will also be working on increasing communication with the filmmakers, so they know what is going on with their film on the online film festival, as well as increase the education of filmmakers using Tampa Bay Film. The next generation online film festival will be easier to maintain, for sure, because I will be able to adjust the playlist in seconds by changing set variables in a PHP database; the previous / next navigation links will even change to the new playlist! The featured film thumbnails will also be generated from a database, and that can be changed out, instantly, by adjusting a set of variables, instead of spending a ton of time and effort refreshing the entire online film festival on the server. With Z3D5, it's going to be at least this weekend before I can remove it from the featured film thumbnail array above, because I will have to completely refresh the entire online film festival on the server to do so.
Speaking of the submission process, I am going to be a lot more selective from now on regarding if I add a film or not, especially if it becomes a featured film up on the thumbnail array. If I think that the filmmaker is a high risk for removing the film, I may elect to simply skip adding their film. Hell, I'm doing them more of a favor playing their film than they are by submitting it. If they flake and remove their film, I have to take the time to fix the playlist and code adjustments, and with my schedule, it greatly annoys me, which is obvious to those who read this OFF blog. I am very serious about the integrity of the playlist on the online film festival, and work hard to make sure as many films play as possible, at all times (if I didn't do this, the online film festival would become a frustrating viewing experience, as more and more films become unplayable, and the viewers have to click around a lot more to see films). Fortunately, we have a lot of viewers, and they let me know if something is wrong with a film; they care, too. A few of them were not happy when Pop and The Quiet Place went down, recently. This issue has been resolved.
All things considered, these issues are minor, and, on average, most of the films on the online film festival last an average of a year and half before there is an issue. The online film festival, even in its current static HTML version, has been a tremendous success, and is the top platform for promoting indie films in Florida. Our viewing numbers, and virtual attendance, are much higher than all of the Florida film festivals combined. There isn't a single Tampa film festival which can touch us.
Sigh..... I will have to dock some points from my review of the 2009 Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival, which I am currently writing. The embedded film format continues to be the most prominent Achilles heel for the online film festival!
Filmmakers need to realize that they really do get a lot of exposure here, and this is a benefit to them. I encourage them to check their stats, and check search engines, for proof. Consider these stats for "Spaventare", and these numbers were from when the film was on the regular playlist (I just moved it to the front page as a "Spotlight film".

A
Apr 12, 2010 First referral from YouTube search - da spaventare horror 3
B
Mar 30, 2010 Other / Viral 11
C
Jan 27, 2010 First referral from - www.facebook.com 3
D
Dec 22, 2009 First view from a mobile device 3
E
Dec 08, 2009 First referral from - www.tampaonl 13
F
Dec 07, 2009 First embedded on - www.tampaonlinefilmfestival.com 62
http://www.tampaonlinefilmfestival.com/tampafilms/tampafilms
http://www.tampaonlinefilmfestival.com/index.html
G
Dec 07, 2009 First view on a channel page 5
H
Dec 07, 2009 First referral from YouTube - /user/cjwoods 4
I
Nov 18, 2009 Other / Viral 18
J
Nov 09, 2009 First referral from YouTube - /my_videos 8 .

Check the search on google for the Spaventare Film, too. Spaventare recently screened at the Gasparilla International Film Festival here in Tampa, and it didn't get as much of an audience there as it has here on the online film festival!
Two more things. I will be referencing full reviews of indie films here on Tampa Film Review, a Tampa Bay Film site, and the links will be from the film profile. Also, I have new regarding my rumored "National/ International" online film festival. Well, one of the missions of Tampa Bay Film is to make Tampa indie film a leader in the indie film industry. Although Tampa is a geographical location, and Tampa Bay Film is a geographical marketing brand, we want to make "Tampa" synonymous with innovative indie films. Effective immediately, the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival will be our one, and only, online film festival, and it just won;t be for Tampa, but worldwide independent films. That national/ international online film festival will be this Tampa online film festival! Will it be good for filmmakers outside of the Tampa Bay market? Consider this example: Z3D5 is an indie film submitted from Australia; check out the google results for the Z3D5 film.
This is sad! Ugh. I'm really cross with some filmmakers right now, and they should be cross with themselves for what they do. Why can't they realize that they handicap themselves, and their marketing / promotional efforts, when they pull films? I may have to take some measures to help save them from themselves...... Stay tuned.

Saturday, April 17, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Pop Film is Back Up

I should have checked the other Icon film on Myspace, too. It had the same issues that The Quiet Place had. Pop has had its code refreshed, bringing it back online. The other Icon films, however, are on Youtube, so they are still running (thank you to our viewers for bringing these issues to our attention. We endeavor to correct these glitches as soon as they are reported, which keeps our online film festival up and running smoothly).

Saturday, April 11, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

The Quiet Place Film Is Back Up

It seems that Icon Film Studios adjusted their video files on Myspace, which broke the old embed links. The Quiet Place code has been refreshed, and it is no back up. This sort of problem won't occur anymore once we begin hosting the film files on our own server, and provide our own flash codec for the films. This upgrade is due with the next version of the online film festival, which will also be built on a dynamic PHP database, unlike this static fixed html site; something to look forward to. Rumor has it, too, that our web team is developing a database driven, proprietary flash formatted international online film festival, which will be interlinked with this Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival, in whatever format that future generations of this site exist in.

Friday, April 9, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

The Quiet Place Film Is Down

I think that it has to do with the film being hosted on Myspace video. I'll check it again in the morning, and if it doesn't come back up, I will have to look into other options to keep it up. I suspect that it is a Myspace server issue, though, so I will give it time.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

New Films Are Coming

It's been a while. Our web team is working on other things, however, and will come back to the online film festival soon. We've been watching films, and are prepping playlists now. We will be adding a selection of new films, soon, perhaps as soon as May. We will also be going over all the films, and the navigation interface, to ensure that the online film festival is running perfectly. It's important to keep up with things.

Today, however, I removed the film "Mother's Will" from the playlist, as the filmmaker has it set for "private", and it cannot be viewed here. That's really smart! Filmmakers who make it hard for people to see their work will find that their filmmaking careers are handicapped by their poor judgment, in my opinion. Some people just don't have a clue. Perhaps, when I make my series of short films, I should keep them a secret so I cannot use them to build buzz, or use them to attract investors. Sounds like a good business plan to me! Anyway, my short films will debut at my Tampa film festival events first, and then be made immediately available on this online film festival; although I will be selling my short films, they will still be available for free viewing online, and I have found a way to make this work well. I'll release more details on how this will work, soon, in an expanded format, on Tampa Bay Film (I already announced how I will make this work on the March 13, 2010 news update on my Dream Nine Studios web site; Dream Nine Studios is my Tampa indie film production company). At any rate, if it will work for me, it will work for you. What's the point of making indie films if you make it hard for your target audience to see them?

I also just rotated Spaventare, which, in my opinion, is the best short film ever made in Tampa indie film history (I may be listed in the credits, but I only did still photography on the set, and referred the actress to the film..... I had nothing to do with the making of the film itself). Chris Woods should like the added exposure, especially since most of the views of his films are here on the online film festival to the front of the spotlight films on the online film festival. Nerd and online hatemonger (in my opinion) John Miller - who is barely worth mentioning, and I am only doing so because of what he posted - posted on an obsolete hate site message board that Spaventare could be seen on that hate site's video section (which no one can find, and no one watches), as well as at the Gasparilla International Film Festival (I think that the Spaventare screening at GIFF, which was not promoted too well, had like ten people in attendance; I wish that Chris Woods had not been sick, so that he could have attended the GIFF screening and been disappointed with the turnout first-hand), and refused to acknowledge that this online film festival was the best viewing platform for Spaventare. Most people who look it up watch it here; I told Chris Woods to check his stats, and for further proof, go ahead and google it (Spaventare film). By far, most of the viewings for Spaventare are here on the online film festival. That's great journalism, there, Johnny! What an idiot! In related notes, I've been checking the titles of a lot of the films showing here on the online film festival lately, and they all come back to this site at search result #1 on all of the search engines. Gee, I guess that my claims are checking out, after all!.

Filmmakers, are you sure that you don't want your films to be seen? it's been proven that the number one film festival in Tampa, and the best marketing platform for indie films, if this online film festival. Give me a hard time, and I simply won't be inclined to help you again, and in the coming years (if not now, or a few months from now), you will be kicking yourself for burning a bridge to the best thing to happen to Tampa indie film. I'm here to help, really, but I will not tolerate people wasting my time. Don't be another Mother's Will. The Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival is the top Tampa film festival, with more of an audience than all of the Florida film festivals combined; it is the best promotional platform for indie film Tampa Bay, as will as in the rest of Florida.

Friday, February 19, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Online Film Festival Blog Adjusted

As is the case with all of my other 99,999 blogs online, content was backed up and edited today. The blogs have been refreshed, removing a good 40% of my blog content which is online. I will continue to blog, but my material will be checked by my PR people before it is published. Such measure are now needed due to my increasing professional profile in the community, and because, although my opinions have not changed, I tend to state the obvious. These new editing standards are now in place to support my upcoming online television series and other media projects; everything published will be done so in a calculated, and careful, way. From now on, I am not at liberty to share everything online, and my public interactions will be more guarded. Additionally, I will no longer post on message boards, as I simply do not have the time.

In other news, all is well here on the online film festival, and it will be updated with more films added soon. I'm really busy elsewhere at the moment. Hopefully, we'll have some updates here by Spring 2010.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Spotlight Film Down

The spotlight film “Hey Sweetie” on the main index was “unavailable” today, and I’m not sure if it is a server problem at their hosting site or if the independent filmmaker yanked the film and didn’t bother to tell us. We can’t have that, so I moved another spotlight film into that slot and put the unavailable film on standby. I’ll check back later this week, and if it’s available, I may consider rotating it back.
If the filmmaker pulled it, thank you for having the courtesy not to tell us. Yes, I’m being sarcastic, as I’m annoyed by the rudeness and inconsideration if that it turns out to be the case. Fortunately, I do take the time to monitor the online film festival. That’s not the only problem film on the online film festival right now. A Tampa indie film, Mother’s Will, has been moved to a “private” viewing status, and it is unviewable at the moment. That film will be pulled as soon as I get the chance (not a priority right now because it is really low on the playlist).
Respect this online film festival; that’s all I ask. It is the top Tampa film festival, and the most effective. Give us problems now, and I can assure you, the favor will be returned in the future, when you need us (this goes for all of my film festival properties, too, and not just the online film festival. My list of people who I am blacklisting is growing, and although it may not seem like a big deal right now, it will in the future. You need us far more that we need you, and this will become more obvious as time goes on). I just wish some filmmakers understood how to conduct their careers as professionals; some of them don’t seem to know what they are doing.
It doesn’t really matter, though. I built this online film festival to promote and market my indie films, and I allow other filmmakers to benefit from it as a professional courtesy. I’m doing you a favor. I also know what I am doing, and will take full advantage of what I’ve built here. If other filmmakers are not smart enough to get exposure and be able to fairly compete with what I’ll be offering, I don’t care. It’s more their loss than it is mine.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Testing Playlist

With the Tampa Bay Film sites now firmly on phase 2 standby (few updates for at least six months, and all film projects / film festival projects on indefinite hold), not a whole lot is going on here. I'm testing the film playlist today to make sure everything is up. So far, so good.

Monday, December 7, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Online Film Festival Adjustments

This evening, I changed the background of the online film festival to a dark blue and the background of Tampa Bay Film to a bright blue (it was almost a background color swap between the two sites, but not quite). I also rerouted the Spaventare short film embedded files to another Youtube account (this version is better), and did some other adjustments.

A day or two after Christmas, I have to update all of the site backgrounds to a new 2010 format, so I can always make other color adjustments. Let me know if watching films on the online film festival is better with the "lights turned down". I'll monitor your feedback until then.

Friday, December 4, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Online Film Festival Design Tweak?

I'm thinking about making the background of the Online Film Festival (OFF) a dark, deep blue, and maybe lightening up the blue background on Tampa Bay Film. The current background may be too bright for a film festival. I might need to turn down the "lights". I admit, watching television programs on Hulu got me thinking about this. They have a cool flash interface where the background darkens. I won't get that fancy, although you can expect a lot of flash work from me in the near future, but the background could be darker. I'll probably do this in the next few days, and the official screen grab for the 2009 Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival Review on Tampa Film Review may use it. At the end of the month, I'll make the 2010 OFF background with the same color (Can't have a 2009 review with a 2010 background on the image, now, can I? This said, the application of the new Super Raptor dual menu format is a dramatic change from last year's look.).

Sunday, November 29, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Down To 88 Films. 100 Tears TOS Removal?

What in the hell is this? A Tampa filmmaker puts up a trailer for their film, and then later has it removed for terms of use (TOS) violations, causing it to cease playing on the online film festival as a result? Weird.

Make no mistake: I made these sites to market my films and my indie film agenda, although, in professional fairness, I allow "competitors" to enjoy the same advantages that I've set up for myself. If they want to yank their films off of Youtube so they can't be seen on the online film festival, so be it. It's their loss. I'm smart enough to know that this online film festival is an excellent promotional platform for indie films, and it should be, because I designed it that way. My numbers, too, support this position. The online film festival is the most effective, and popular, Tampa film festival. Remove your films at your own peril. You will you miss out on a lot of exposure. Another thing: I am all about supporting creative filmmaking and filmmaking which, in my opinion, advances Tampa indie film and indie filmmaking in general. If a film is poor, it won't be shown at any of my film festival events; I respect my audience and their time, and will not burden them with the boredom of being forced to view poor films. At least here, on the online film festival, I allow everything to be shown, since the viewers can vote with a click of their mouse and skip the film if they think that it sucks, or they simply are not into it. There are films on here that I certainly do not like, but they are being promoted on here. I have films on here which I do not agree with, but I allow them to be seen. I even have films on here with opposing viewpoints, as this online film festival is open to everyone and all films. Take advantage of this online film festival, as it will be one of the easiest ways for a filmmaker to get their foot in the door with my film festivals and Tampa Bay Film. If enough of the audience here likes your film, I may be open to consider accepting it in one of my film festival events.

Ahem. I hate it when they do this. Time to remove another "film" from the menu, and then go back and finish working on the Tampa Bay Film sites.

Oh, and we changed the "Films" button on the inter-site navigation menu (right side) to "Watch Films" on all of the Tampa Bay Film sites this weekend (some of you have already noticed the change). As you know, that particular button leads here, to the online film festival!

Monday, November 23, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Down To 89 Films. Where Are The New Films?

We lost yet another film.

So, where are the films? Unlike the situation back in 2007 when most online films consisted of trailers, and the fact that it was difficult to run an online film festival with trailers, filmmakers out there are getting the message and publishing much more of their short films online in an effort to get exposure. We no longer have any shortage of online films to choose from, and because of the popularity, and the superb search engine performance of the online film festival, we are receiving a lot of submissions to this online film festival by the filmmakers. As a matter of fact, we have evidence that filmmakers are now uploading their films to video sites like Youtube specifically to submit them to this online film festival (for starters, they submit them to us, following all of our instructions, on the same day that they upload them to the video site). Of course, and another cool side benefit of the filmmakers getting in touch with us is that they are generally open to discussing their film in detail; The filmmakers behind Z3D3 (Australia) and The Dirty Bomb Diaries (California) have had great discussions about their films with me via email. It's been very cool, and will get a lot cooler as time goes on, and this film festival continues to evolve, and improve.

Some of you may be wondering why a Tampa online film festival is running films from all over the world. Well, to be honest, there isn't a lot going on here in Tampa right now (although I saw a couple of cool films with Ann at the USF Film Festival Saturday night before she and I left for dinner). The rule is that we emphasis Tampa films, and if they are available, we put them at the head of the submissions. Naturally, however, because the Tampa film scene isn't that great right now, and there really isn't much of a Tampa film community to be proud of, there is a shortage of good Tampa indie films worth showing here (we'll play the crap films, too, as the viewers vote with a click of the mouse, and can opt to watch something else if they wish). Basically, there aren't a lot of Tampa films, period. The rule is that we can show good indie films from anywhere in the world to fill our playlist, and this is especially true if the production of those films are possible here in the Tampa Bay area; they serve to inspire Tampa filmmakers on what is possible. Everyone wins this way. The same rules apply to my upcoming film festivals, such as the Tampa Film Showcase. If we were to limit those film festivals to Tampa films only, we wouldn't have much of a film festival, would we? The Tampa Film Review learned this less on late, and, in my opinion, it was a case of too-little, too-late. They started showing films from everywhere to strengthen their programming (whether this was a result of the organizers reacting to my reviews of the TFR is a subject of much debate, but I'd like to think that I had something to do with it. The organizers freaked out once my reviews of their film festival were published; They became really pissed off at me, and seemed to put more effort into fixing shortcomings which, ultimately, were never fixed).

Anyway, I have a long que of films that need to be added, and probably won't be added until sometime in December, now, as I'm tied up coding and readying the other Tampa Bay Film sites. I have a really busy week this week, too. For now, I'm cleaning the studio. Lates.

Thursday, November 12, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Down To 90 Films. Where Do You Watch Us?

Sigh..... I was chilling on my studio couch last night watching films on this online film festival, more comfortable than I could be at any film festival event (get your mind out of the gutter. I was fully clothed and it was "G" rated... I was just resting with my head on a pillow, as I had not been feeling well, occasionally clicking a film to watch it with a mouse on my coffee table), and watched for over an hour. The online film festival is a good time killer, for sure! Anyway, I noticed that lovely Gamespot took down my cool Street Fighter 4 video, so I will have to remove that as soon as possible. Gamespot, you suck! How are the mainstream public going to accept video games as mainstream entertainment when you remove videos so we cannot promote video games to them? I'm not adding any more videos from that site. Thus, we are down to 90 films on the online film festival. On we go. I'll have to add another 20 films or so later this month.

Which gives me an idea. Where do you watch films on the online film festival? Is it on your couch? In your home office? On your iPhone (I really don't have a clue if the online film festival is compatible, as I don't have an iPhone, or an iPod Touch, to test it, and it is not my problem, although if your supposedly "smart phone" is really Internet capable, then the online film festival should work with it by default. I do know that the Wii's Opera "browser" does not work with the online film festival, which sucks when I want to show my friends films on a huge home theater)? On your PSP (Don't say "yes". I've already tested it, and it does not work- this was a trick question)? In the car? At the bar? On a date? Where, oh where, do you watch the online film festival? This, of course, is going to become a cool marketing campaign of some sort eventually. In 2010, we will be pushing the online film festival at every event and gathering where we can, as Tampa Bay Film crews will be out and about. Yes, marketing material is coming, and we are investing a lot of time and money into that material. The online film festival, and Tampa Bay Film, will be heavily promoted, especially when the online film festival is the perfect marketing platform for my portfolio of indie films, which are due online toward the end of 2010.

I can't help it. It's that I have something really, really cool here with this online film festival, and I know it. More and more people are realizing it, too, and word is spreading. It's hard not to get excited about what's here now, and the potential it has, especially when you are me, and have full knowledge of exactly what is coming.

For now, I have to work on the Tampa Bay Film sites. Site directory refreshes are coming on Sunday night!

Sunday, November 8, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Down To 91 Films

It's lame when people remove videos from wherever they are posted. A music video was just removed for Terms Of Use violations on Youtube, and it's on my main thumbnail array. I see you, Praga Khan video. Fortunately, a site code refresh is imminent, anyway, with a menu adjustment, so it won't be a problem removing the film and making adjustments. I'm going to have to start auditing all the films every month to make sure that they play. I do watch a lot of films on here, though, and I do get a lot of feedback from viewers, so it's no biggie keeping on top of things and making sure that all of the films work. This is, after all, the most effective Tampa film festival, and we have more virtual "attendance" now than all of the film festivals in Florida, combined! This is easy to understand with the film festival running online 24/7, and accessible from anywhere there is an Internet connection. In other words, everywhere and all the time.

Annoying. That is all.

Friday, November 6, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Menu Tweak Coming

The online film festival directories will be refreshed by the end of the weekend, with adjustments to the main menu on the left, and some of the code. This should be the final adjustment on the left menu, swapping positions on the Instructions button and the About Us Button. Some sites, such as the Tampa Film Blog, will see at least half of the left-side menu re-arranged. Fortunately, out of all eight of the Tampa Bay Film sites, this online film festival is the one which is up to spec, and little has to be done with it right now.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Music Videos!

I've been adding a lot of cool music videos lately. I have a ton in que to be added later this month. Some of your have emailed us with questions about the type of music videos being featured here on the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival. A lot of you love them, and say that we have good taste in music. Well, I've been selecting the videos, and the preference for music showcased here on the online film festival reflect my own tastes. It comes from my DJ background. I love techno and dance music. I love classical music. I have great tastes in music, and in art. I know what it good, and I know what isn't. This said, I have no desire to post any country music videos. I can tolerate all music but country; country music does not agree with me, and it puts me in a bad mood (I'm also not into coffee, smoking, fake people, or slow people). If anyone out there has a great country music video to add to the online film festival, we'll add it, but personally, I won't be watching it, other than initially screening it before adding the video (and listening to a lot of cool music afterwards to forget the experience of being tortured with it). I will never, ever, however, select any country music videos to be added here. In my opinion, country music sucks, and I want nothing to do with it.

In the 1990's, when I was DJ'ing a number of underground programs, I made a mistake. I took requests, and made compromises. As artists, we should be open to new forms of expression, but if we know something, and it's not us, we should never be forced to work with it. I did a country release, which wasn't me. I also went ahead and took "requests" from people and modified my programming to accommodate those requests. The people who made the requests did not have a clue about what cool music was (they followed what others told them was cool), and as a result, those programs were not as good as they could of been.

Now, I'm not saying that it's cool to be close minded, to make assumptions, and to be judgmental. I also am not saying that it is alright to discriminate. I am saying that you need to figure out what you are into, and what you are not, and to stay true to who you are, and what you are into. There is a difference.

I'm into cool things and talented people. My selections for this site will reflect my tastes.

Thursday, October 29, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Issues With Certain Embedded Players

We just don't update the online film festival and ignore it. Not at all. We also sit back, chill out, and watch indie films on it, just like everyone else does. Lately, however, we've noticed that a certain type of player on here takes several tries, most of the time, to actually play. We are talking about the Revver flash player, and films hosted on Revver.

We are scheduled to add more films in a couple of weeks, by mid November. We have the original 12 archived films left over from the last update, which we did not get the chance to add, and another 2 selected yesterday, which should bring our total to 106 films. We plan on adding at least another ten, too, which should raise us to 116 indie films. Since we will have a lot of films to choose from, we will be refreshing all of the online film festival directories, again, and will be changing a lot of the thumbnails in the thumbnail array above, which are our featured films. It's safe to say that, due to ongoing issues with getting Revver hosted films to play, that those films, regardless of how good that they are, will be removed from the thumbnail array, while remaining available as selectable films in the online film festival channels. I'm sick of Revver files failing to load, and so are others. I don't want newcomers to the online film festival to get discouraged because they can't seem to get some films to play. Thus, problem films will be shuffled to the back, and we will not add more episodes on series such as Lonelygirl until we can locate the episodes on Youtube, or some other video hosting network.

We will be working on our own flash player in early 2010, and it should be available with upcoming generations of the online film festival. We will also be obtaining a large hosting account specifically to host large files, such as MPEG and MP3 files. Some of my films, for example, will be so controversial, that I suspect that they would have a hard time staying up on Youtube (Reverence would probably get flagged off of Youtube, since I've seen other films get removed. Vampire Killers episode 2 had a bloody, intense torture and death scene in it, which wasn't anywhere near as severe as what Reverence will have, and it was flagged off). We're going to need these improvements, just to support what is coming.

Youtube or onsite hosting: regardless of how a film is hosted, I've figured out some really clever, and cool, ways to add features. All my films playing on here will have a running commentary option, and this is available even if the film is hosted on Youtube. How can I add DVD-type features? I can't say, but I will say that the technology is already there. I merely figured out a way to engineer it, and it's not as difficult to do as you might think. I only know that I've never seen an indie film playing online with a running commentary option, and mine would be the first.

Ah. A few more notes. Tampa Bay Film will be launching a message board for Tampa indie filmmakers in 2010. It will be a part of the Tampa Bay Film Tampa Film Community site, and future generations of the online film festival will create a thread on it for a film once the film is added. Viewers can then discuss the film on the message board thread, which will also link back to the film on the online film festival.

Now, should I make the background for the 2010 online film festival darker? We shall see.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Online Film Festival Menus Finalized

The menu format for the new Super Raptor class format, which is now utilized by this online film festival, has been finalized. The site has, again, been refreshed, and the menu options have changed! Look carefully before clicking! Menu buttons leading to Tampa Bay Film other Tampa Bay Film sites which were on the left are now on the right. Click on LEFT side buttons to navigate to the main sections of this web site. Click on RIGHT side buttons to visit other Tampa Bay Film sites. This format will be shared among all of the Tampa Bay Film sites, so it should get super-easy and intuitive over time if you are already used to the old navigation. If you are new to our sites, it should be simple to use.

Saturday, October 3, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

The Great Menu Shuffle Continues.....

Oiye........ The Super Raptor Class site format for the Tampa Bay Film sites was finalized this morning, just after we refreshed the web site. Expect the menu options to be changed yet again. For longtime visitors of Tampa Bay Film, expect initial confusion as menu buttons to the online film festival and other Tampa Bay Film sites go to the right, instead of the left menu. Why wasn't it formatted correctly to begin with? The way that the Tampa Bay Film menu was set up. With two annex sites, it wasn't as confusing in the early days. Now, with eight Tampa Bay Film sites, it is. The menu array on the right will stay consistent among all eight sites, even though the button designs will be different for every site. This will allow easy, intuitive navigation between the different sites and throughout the sections on each web site, without accidentally jumping to another site and trying to figure out which is which. The way that it is right now, you have to watch what you click, and it is a little confusing. Want to stay on the site and navigate among its section, stick to the left. Want to jump to another Tampa Bay Film site, go to the right. Simple (don't try it now.... it's still mixed up).

Oh, yes, and it was decided today that we were going to start reviewing films on the online film festival. The reviews will be on the Tampa Film Review Tampa Bay Film site, and will link back to the film here on the online film festival. We will also be linking to the relevant reviews here on the site.

Ciao. We have a long work day ahead of us. We have to redo the menus on the Tampa Film Blog, this online film festival, and upgrade the Tampa Bay Film site to a Super Raptor. That's going to be a lot of work.

Saturday, October 3, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Online Film Festival Upgraded. Up To 92 Films!

The Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival was upgraded from a Raptor Class web site to a new Super Raptor Class site this morning, following the upgrade done to the Tampa Film Blog. The online film festival now has double the main menu options, with new sections added. We also added another 17 indie films to the online film festival, raising us to 92 films available. The new films are part of a series, however, with stand-alone episodes, so don't go looking for additional thumbnails. An additional 12 indie films are ready to be added, with support files already uploaded, but they will not be added to the online film festival until the next update. The online film festival is now ready for the challenges of 2010!

Saturday, September 19, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Up To 75 Films.

I added 5 new films. I would have added over 20 more from the archives and redone the thumbnail array, but I am tired, and I ran out of time. I need sleep. I also managed to fix a glitch with one of the thumbnails in the array.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Online Film Festival Directories Refreshed.

We refreshed the online film festival directories, making adjustments to the template content and replacing the offline film on the main film thumbnail bar above with the Joe Redner trailer. We also removed the Google ad code and replaced the ads with the ones on currently on Tampa Bay Film (a temporary measure until the next code update). Expect another refresh, a large one, by next month as we complete adding the films from our archives and add a ton of new indie films to the online film festival. We have to get ready to be reviewed in a few months. We're hoping to have a special event of the Tampa Bay Film Review (which would be the second underground film festival gathering after its debut, which is now set for November 2009) in December 2009, or January 2010, to review this online film festival. The review will be from a group of professional entertainers, models, actors, and other Tampa indie film professionals, as well as a few other invited guests. The 2009 review of the the online film festival, and all reviews of Tampa film festivals by Tampa Bay Film henceforth, will be published on Tampa Film Review, which will soon look a lot like Tampa Bay Film.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

International Online Film Festival Project In The Works.

As of today, it is official. I am working on an on International online film festival which will utilize PHP Databasing, and our own flash format for the films. The new online film festival will have a 4th generation online film festival backbone, but will be expanded to a 5th generation online film festival (a revolutionary format which can completely compete with any film festival event), eventually. I'm thinking about naming it the Chris Woods Online Film Festival? Does it have a good ring to it? Actually, the name is pending.

In other news, this online film festival is in need of a site code refresh (as is Tampa Bay Film, the Tampa Film Blog, the Tampa Film Showcase, Tampa Bay Modeling, and some other affiliated sites. Looks like I will be using a lot of bandwidth soon). The online film festival lost its Google ads, and that's why is has an unbalanced look with the right side of the screen empty. I'll probably just stick my own ads on there, which are currently on Tampa Bay Film. Actually, all the Tampa Bay Film sites are going to have to look the same, with main menus which are compatible with each other (this is already being done with Tampa Bay Film, the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival, and the Tampa Film Showcase). All eight of the Tampa Bay Film sites are going to have to have design continuity between them. Tampa Bay Film, the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival, Tampa Film Showcase, Tampa Film Blog, Tampa Film Review, Tampa Film Festivals, Tampa Film Community, and Tampa Film Conference will all share the same Raptor Class design shortly. Visitors will be able to navigate freely between the sites, and other than some minor design adjustments and title changes, it will all seem like the same web site. In essence, all eight of the Tampa Bay Film sites will be one huge meta-site.

All of the other Tampa Bay Film film festival properties may also receive their own domain names, which would be another four domain names, raising the number of Tampa indie film-relevant sites to twelve! The four other sites would have their own designs, however, and would not be highly interlinked with Tampa Bay Film like the other seven web sites will be. I'm still not so sure about that, though, as currently the plan is to market all of the Tampa film festival properties, including this online film festival and the international online film festival, on Tampa Film Festivals (logistically easier, and it makes more sense). The Tampa Film Showcase and the online film festivals, in that case, would be the only ones which have their own stand-alone web sites (besides the design similarities and the interlinked navigation with Tampa Bay Film). This would leave us at eight web sites, where we now stand.

My indie film projects will probably have their own film sections on my Dream Nine Studios web site. I could also opt to launch another web site for them. Time will tell.

Monday, September 14, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Now Down to 71 Online Films, And I Am Glad That We Lost This One.

The film that we lost now is the placeholder film that I put up in place of the last film that we lost, ironically. I suppose that they did not like me ragging on their film on this popular online film festival. Jerks. My opinion stands, however. I really don't want to see any more cliched vampire films with lesbians and priests.

Saturday, August 15, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Down to 72 Online Films.

Nice. Now we've dropped down to 72 films, available, also due to some terms of use foolishness. The film series in question, Vampire Killers, is also one on the main thumbnail array, which requires a site code refresh to remove. In this case, the terms of use violation does not seem to come from the copyright holder, but rather some easily offended people on YouTube. Vampire Killers was always somewhat of a puzzle to get entirely online, since YouTube viewers kept banning the second episode, and it was not available for embedding. I saw that second episode, and it was really good..... I don't see why people were banning it. At any rate, since the first episode, which has now been removed, is one of my feature films, my viewers will just have to deal with it until I get the time to refresh the directories of the online film festival, and it will be September before I will have time to get to that. I need to do a massive update for the fall, anyway, so this will work out. I'll spend some time looking for another 20 to 30 indie films to add, as well as re-add the archived films. This should give me enough material to replace at least 75% of the thumbnail array, and get the online film festival is shape for our official 2009 review on Tampa Bay Film, which will be the focus of a Tampa Bay Film Review underground film festival gathering scheduled for later this year. I'm aware of the missing film, and I'll work on a patch until I get the chance to do that code update. Thx........ Hmmmm.... I have an idea. Done. Issue fixed, for now.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Oh, Come On Now.... Really?

We're down to 73 films, and have lost one due to some terms of use silliness. The Star Trek New Voyages episode has been pulled from YouTube due to infringement, and as a result it went dead on the online film festival. I think that what happened is stupid. It's a fan series- the people who made it don't have the rights to the series, but rather the episode. Also, it is available free on the Internet for download, and it is much harder to watch in that format! Wouldn't you want a film series that you didn't own the right to sell, but was a showcase for your filmmaking, to be watched as much as possible? These people who want their work seen, but yet make these stupid moves to limit how it is seen, only hurt themselves. They also annoy me, because I am in the middle of some things right now and don't have time to remove a film which should have never been pulled to begin with. Hopefully, I will be in the position to educate filmmakers on marketing and promotion soon. Those people certainly need to be educated.

I could rip the episode and restore it on YouTube, but I won't. I wouldn't do that to any filmmaker (I'd like to make The Pledge available, too, and I have that capability, but it's up to the filmmaker to either make it available or to give me permission to do so - I will not infringe upon their rights). I may strongly disagree with what they did, but I will respect the rights that they have. I will, however, protest.

The Star Trek people can count on me withdrawing my support for what they are doing. They don't deserve it. Listen up, filmmakers; don't ever alienate those who could support and help promote your work. Oh, well, at least Wynkoop got to see it in the brief time that it was playing on the online film festival; he wrote me that he loved it.

I'll finish the Lonelygirl and the archive additions as soon as I can get to it. I'm really busy. Hopefully, we'll break the 100 film barrier in September. A year from now, we could have thousands of films. Check the Tampa Film Blog for more.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

4th Generation Online Film Festival Is Now The 5th.

I had to do some redefining today. I've stated that the 4th generation online film festival would be a huge leap over what the upcoming 3rd will be, but I had to move that generation up one because the 3rd will be in two phases; both phases different enough to warrant the addition of another generation.

Usually, I plan things well enough that I don't have to do this. This time, it's different.

Right now, we have a solid platform with this 2nd generation online film festival. It works quite well, and I'm happy with it. The issue, however, is that, despite pulling embed codes from other sites, the set-up and and formatting can take up to 30 minutes per film. This said, I have added 14 films in one night before, but those took all night.

The 3rd generation online film festival will use this 2nd generation online film festival as a foundation, and will add PHP databasing functions to the online film festival. This will allow filmmakers to submit their films, and their embed codes, to the online film festival to be added, and they will do most of the prep work. Additionally, the navigation menu will adapt to new films when they are added to the playlist, which is great because right now we have to manually reset them. The 3rd generation online film festival will have a gate keeping function, too, which will keep spammers from abusing the system and people trying to add content which are not films. All additions will have to be approved before the system will add the submission to the playlist. This approval process will take less than a minute in most cases. The databasing functions will also allow many of the online film festival processes, such as voting films in the showcase, to be automated.

I've said that the 3rd generation online film festival will go online early in 2010. Well, the PHP work has been going well, and we may be able to get it online late this year! When the 3rd generation online film festival goes online, expect the film festival playlist to explode in size, from a hundred-odd films, to thousands. That is when it will go mainstream, and since it will have the same directories, etc, you can find it right here. The existing online film festival was designed for generational expansion in mind.

The 3rd generation format will be applied to the Tampa Music Festival, which it will launch with soon.

The 4th generation online film festival (standards that used to be counted as phase 2 of the 3rd generation), which should be online sometime in 2010, will add storage, bandwidth, and custom flash encoding support. The online film festival will no longer depend upon flash files stored on other sites, such as Youtube. Obviously, legal reasons among them, this generational model will largely depend upon user submissions. Keep in mind, too, that, we have no desire to create another Youtube. We want a section of indie films on the online film festival, and do not want people adding random videos that will clutter our playlist. Youtube, it can be argued, is useless as an online film festival because it is very hard to find films on there among all the other videos cluttering up the site. The online film festival will stay indie film (and music video, etc) relevant, and we will be working hard to keep it that way with an approval process.

So, what is the mysterious 5th generation online film festival? It will be revolutionary, and will be a lot different than what even the 4th generation online film festival will be. It will be a flash and a PHP based site, with some rather interesting features. More than just an online film festival, the 5th generation will be a "virtual film festival" hosted online. It will be so revolutionary, in fact, that we are now planning a national "virtual film festival" using 5th generation standards for launch in 2011. This national virtual film festival will work with this one, as well as other film festival properties.

There is a LOT more, too, but nothing that I can disclose right now. I can't even hint about some of the things that are being worked on, and planned. Great things are coming. The many facets of a revolution will change everything. The indie film industry, just like the modeling industry and the entertainment industry, will be transformed.

Which reminds me. I have to finish up some work on the online film festival, but not before I update some other blogs.

Sunday, July 26, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

6 Films Added. 23 Archived Films Added. Indie Film Channels Updated.

I'm almost caught up. I added another 6 films to the online film festival, bringing the official film count to 74 films. 23 episodes of the Lonelygirl15 series was added from archive, too, bringing the total indie film count to 97 films available on the online film festival. In the coming week, I also have to add another 22 indie films from archive, which will take us to a total of 119 indie films available.

Right now, we're at an official total of 97 films playing on the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival, which is good. We are getting there. The 23 un-archived Lonelygirl15 episodes are programmed to play in sequence, so don't go looking for 23 new thumbnails in the main film festival channel. There is one thumbnail, and one line leading to the episodes. It won't be like that for the additional 22 films which will be added from archive in the next week. Each of them has a thumbnail, and their own line.

I also updated the online film festival channels, including the scores on our showcase channel. Effective immediately, the film scoring system is active, and out online film festival showcase contest begins. The indie film showcase channel shows the best indie films available on the online film festival. It is a prime channel, and is so important that it can be selected from the main menu.

One of the six films that were added today particularly impressed me, as it was a Tampa indie film, and one of the best short films that I have ever seen. I am adding it to the showcase channel by default. The film was made last week for the 48 hour film project, of all things, and it was written by Paul Guzzo, of all people, and directed by his brother Pete Guzzo. The film is The Perpetual life: Kyle Cooper, produced by Brian Bourkee. Paul demonstrates superb writing in the short film, and his brother Pete also shows excellent skill as a director. Although these guys aren't really event planners, and put on mediocre film festivals with serious flaws, they are great filmmakers, and do top-notch work. Other notable highlights of the film include excellent acting by the actors, and amazing camera work by DP Erik Curtis, Camera Operator Wes Pratt, and Assistant Camera Joe Boylan. The use of a high-end RED HD camera, which few Tampa filmmakers have access to, created some high quality footage. The fact that the film was done in two days made it particularly impressive. Well done, guys. With more films like this, the Tampa filmmaking scene is well on its way to becoming respectable.

Once the other archived films are added, I will be looking around for some great films to add, including some more films from last weekends 48 hour film project. I'd also like to add more episodes of Vampire Killers, although Youtube banned the second episode (I watched it and found nothing wrong with it- there are some nerds on Youtube who freak out over torture and death scenes), so that will be tricky. Although I am not too fond of the contest, it is a good source of indie films, and some of them are decent. I have one film that was submitted last week, too, which cannot be added because we can't find embed codes, so I have to get back to the filmmaker and get them to make an embedded version so we can add it.

Once we have at least 120 films available, which should be next month, I will be redoing the highlight thumbnails at the top of the site pages, and will be refreshing the entire directory code of the online film festival. This code and thumbnail refresh is needed for the fall season, as well as the upcoming review, which will be published on Tampa Bay Film. I'll have a group of entertainment industry professionals review this online film festival much like we will be doing with our upcoming Tampa Bay Film Review underground film festival series. All that I have to do is to get a group together, and hook up a computer to a home theater system.

Expect the addition of lots of cool music videos, too, which will be a perfect springboard for the Tampa Music Festival site. My work has only just begun.

CORRECTION: Strike that last film count. I was only able to get one of the archived Lonelygirl15 episodes online (it was tougher porting than I thought), so I'm 22 short for tonight. I ran out of time. We currently have 74 films online, and I'll get the rest of those films up as soon as I get the chance later this week. I have 45 minutes left to wrap this up, but I'm done with everything else, and it was done right!

Friday, July 24, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Online Film Festival File Directory Diagnostics

I did a refresh of the archives a while ago, and corrupted the files through a CSS field error. I had to transplant archive files from the old online film festival to refresh the archives for porting to the active film festival. After the transplant, I had to do a film count and a diagnostic. The current online film festival was not effected, although the diagnostic found an error in one of the links, which I fixed. That was only the beginning of my dilemma.

Officially, we have 66 indie films online. The diagnostic counted 70. Obtaining an accurate count has proven to be a challenge, simply because many films are cut up into parts, or episodes. There are also an annoying number of trailers, which technically are not films. Thus, I have to nail down the definitions before accurate numbers can be conveyed.

I'm known for not taking shortcuts, so those numbers will be conservative. If a film is cut up into parts, or episodes, which make up an entire film, all those parts will be counted as a single film (Star Trek, which is cut up into 7 parts, and Dirty Bomb Diaries, which is cut up into 16 episodes which make up a single feature, for examples). If it is a series, with each episode a self-contained film, regardless of length, each episode would be counted as a separate film (Lonelygirl15, which needs to be ported from archives, as an example). Additionally, trailers, regardless of how annoying, will be treated as a film. Expositional plot arc will be the key. Now the the definitions are defined, I will also say that there will be unique situations which we'll have to make a determination with.

Now, I will run another diagnostic, and when done, I will give the new official tally of the number of indie film selections available on our online film festival................

Done. There were 66 indie films with two more added (the Praga Khan Supermodel music video and the 7 part Star Trek episode). Officially, there are now 68 films playing in our online film festival. There are several more films (5) that need to be added in the next week, and when we port the Lonelygirl15 episodes from archive, that will be an additional 23 films. It's safe to say that we will have at least 100 films available by the end of July 2009, and I'm not even counting the massive updates scheduled for August. By September 2009, the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival should have at least 150 films, an increase of 50% in the August updates.

Alright. I counted 22 archived films that need to be added, too, so add that to the estimate. I'll have to set up files for each of those films, and then add them to the menu with placeholder thumbnails that look like this:

LOL.... Just kidding. The placeholder thumbnails, which I just now found, look like this:

Until the archives were slated to be added, we haven't needed to use the placeholder thumbnails, as we watch all films before we add them, and compile the screen grabs as we go. Currently, many films in the archives do not have screen grab files, and they will all have to be watched to obtain them. This takes time. As you should be made aware of, the format guidelines of this newest second generation, stand-alone Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival site (this current one) state that every film selection requires an image thumbnail created from a screen grab. This makes the menus nicer, and more compelling. The original online film festival, which was a part of the old Tampa Bay Film site, used text-only menus, with a few thumbnails at the top of the site. I could add films to the old online film festival in 5 minutes. Lately, with all the thumbnail work and such added, it takes me at least 15 to 20 minutes to add a film to the current online film festival, not including the time spent watching the film to see what it's about and to capture frames for the screen grabs (add double to triple time of the TRT of the film to account for that, too). On average, it can take up to 30 minutes of work to add a single film! That's a far cry from the initial online film festival, but let me tell you that the extra work is worth it. The quality of this online film festival is the result, and you are all welcome!

I will admit to one thing, however. I went through our current library, and many of the films suck, or are trailers barely worth keeping. This will change. We will be adding lot of great films soon, as I have no wish to turn this into an online Tampa Film Review which shows crappy films which bore the audience. Sure, there will be some crap (I need to add our indie film dumpster channel for our viewers to watch bad films and make fun of them), but I'm more interested in adding good films.

Now that I've disclosed that, I am looking forward to the third generation online film festival due next year, which will be built on these existing directories, and will use this current online film festival as a foundation. The film addition process will be automated, and our workload will be reduced. It shouldn't take us any longer than the time to watch a film before it is approved for addition, as the people who submit their films will supply the information, embed codes, and the image file.

So, 150 films by September is a lot? For this format, it is. I'm aiming for 250 by the end of 2009. When the third generation film festival goes online (which will be fully backwards compatible with this existing second generation online film festival, expect a ton of films to be added. Our online film library will explode in 2010, and could have thousands of films playing by the end of next year, around the time that our Tampa Film Showcase monthly film festival and professional networking event series is scheduled to debut in the Tampa Bay market. It's going to be cool!

For now, I have to adjust some of the files on this site, and prepare to add more films. Also, expect a full site code refresh sometime next month. You'll know when it happens because the thumbnails will change, and some links will also change. I'll also report it here on the online film festival blog, as well as over on the Tampa Film Blog.

Ciao for now.

Thursday, July 23, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Star Trek New Voyages: World Enough And Time Added. More To Come.

I am annoyed. I spent so much time writing my Tampa Film Blog post last night, I ran out of time. I managed to add the seven part Star Trek New Voyages episode (Hey..... Two of my friends were in this!), and will have to add the rest tomorrow. I have a shoot tomorrow morning, so the new content will be updated around noon. At least the Tampa Film Blog post is pretty good..... especially the parts about my underground film festivals and my pride about this online film festival. Ciao.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

..... Tomorrow Again. Also, The Tampa Music Festival To Be Like The Online Film Festival.

So much for tomorrow, as of July 11. Although the films were coded and ready to be added, I became busy and wasn't able to add them due to a swamped schedule. I was delayed for a couple of weeks. Although I am still finishing up contracts and am shooting a lot this week, I will make time to complete the latest additions late tonight. They should (will) be up tomorrow morning, and the new Star Trek episode will be on the main page. This has to be completed because I am beginning to have some overlap with the updates. I have more films and music videos being indexed for addition now.

Speaking of music videos, my new Tampa Music Festival site, which is currently on standby, will be designed much like this online film festival. Featuring music videos, the site will also have embedded MP3 files, programs, steaming content, and downloads. The layout and design will be like this site, and I hope to have it fully operational this fall. Think of it as a second online film festival, but for music!

Check out the Tampa Film Blog in the next few days for a decision regarding my manic buildup of Tampa-relevant domain names, too. Enough is enough... You should see my bills every month. The upkeep of all those web sites is turning into a full time job, too, even with measures in place to support the work.

Friday, July 10, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

One Film Added. Three More Tomorrow.

My paperwork, which was only supposed to last a couple of weeks, has stretched into a couple of months. I'm almost done, and then I can resume regular site updates. Running businesses takes a lot of time. We have four more set films to be added, and one of those is a one hour feature Star Trek film in seven parts. I added one of them today, temporarily featured on the main page, and plan on adding the others tomorrow.

Oh, and we are adding a ton of new films this summer. We will also be adding the archived films back to the main indexes, and allow them to be selected. We won't be ready for the next generation of the online film festival this fall (that is now scheduled for early 2010), but we will have lots of cool films for our visitors to check out and enjoy!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Two Films Down. More Films Coming This Summer.

We discarded two films from our online film festival today. We are now down to 64 active films.

We will be adding more films to the online film festival shortly, as well as reactivate some films from our archives. Since we are now receiving plenty of film entries, we will be adjusting our policy on adding films and contact filmmakers before adding films, much like Independent Modeling will be doing with the modeling job board. That job board, too, will benefit the next version of the online film festival. It will soon have PHP databasing, our web team will learn from it, and that technology will be integrated in the next version of our online film festival (I want the 3rd generation online film festival, which will be compatible with this 2nd generation online film festival foundation, to be online by this fall, in preparation for our first Tampa film festival events next year). The databasing will enhance our online film festival and will exponentially increase our lead.

Sunday, March 29, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Five Films Added To The Online Film Festival And New Spotlight Feature Added

We added five more films to the online film festival today, raising the total number of films playing to 66. A good amount of time was spent tweaking our new spotlight feature and working on Tampa Bay Film and the Tampa Film Blog, too. As soon as we get the chance to get some screen grabs for the thumbnails, we will be adding more films from our archives. We are also reviewing new films to be added in the next week or two. The Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival will have over 100 films online in April, 2009, and at that time we will do a code refresh on the online film festival to change out the thumbnails at the top. Our goal is to have at least 250 films online by the end of the year. The film submissions are currently increasing, and we are now receiving film submissions from all over the world.

In May, 2009, we will be adding some new channels and other features, too, but we can't say what those features will be, yet. At the end of summer, we will be adding a ton of new things to the online film festival, too.

Our web development team is currently experimenting with flash and with PHP databasing. In 2010, the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival will be overhauled with some new technology, launching the third generation of our online film festival. This new online film festival, which will exist here, will have automated submission processes and the ability for filmmakers to edit their submission content (Please note that we do not want to become another Youtube, where it is hard to find indie films in the clutter. We are an online film festival, and, yes, there is a difference. At this time, we merely use sites such as Youtube as hosting for our film festival, and nothing more. What we are working on will be better than Youtube, and relevant to indie film and indie filmmakers). The film festival will be generated from a database, and eventually, we will host film submissions on our server, and our online film festival will not be dependent upon third-party hosting such as Youtube. We will also add several new features, such as our online film festival message board! Another feature will add a film-relevant subject thread to the message board when a film is added, and the film content will link to that thread for visitors to discuss the film. The automated features will add to our film library exponentially; in 2009, we expect to be up to 250 indie films playing on our online film festival. By the end of 2010, we expect there to be thousands of films playing here in twice as many channel categories, with online film festival "attendance" at least 100 times what it is now. There will be additional features added to our online film festival at the end of 2010, but these features are currently top secret, and cannot be revealed yet.

The new film spotlight feature is for our main index on the online film festival. We have replaced the "films added" text menus with a spotlight film. The spotlight film is a film that we want to showcase on the online film festival, and we select the film. The film selection for the spotlight film is independent of the Showcase channel or our normal online film festival indie film competition.

We have a virtual attendance report, too. Currently, the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival is always open, 24/7. We have visitors constantly watching films on our online film festival, and at any given time there are many people in "attendance". Our attendance numbers, and the exposure for the indie films playing on our online film festival, exceeds the combined attendance and market exposure numbers of all of the Tampa film festival events combined, and by a wide margin which continues to grow! We are now the top Tampa film festival.

Friday, March 13, 2009 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

Selecting Films And Additions For The Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival

After a three month working-vacation planning for some additions to the online film festival this year, we are finally watching films and selecting them for addition in the next few days. We are also finishing adding our archived indie films to the active online film festival. There are some cool indie films on the way, a site index refresh as we adjust some links and our main thumbnail array, and some entirely new sections to be added. One such section will be our online film workshop, which teaches aspiring filmmakers how to make films at no cost to them. Tampa film workshops? Tampa film schools? Forget them. They are not worth it. We will offer the only film school that you will ever need, and it's going to be free!

Friday, December 19, 2008 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

More Films Added To The Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival

We added five more films (making 61 now online), added four more online film festival channels, and enhanced the channel system (each film listing now has a channel link linking to its main genre channel/s). Among those channels were ones named in honor of Tampa filmmakers, showcasing their films. Tampa filmmakers Chris Woods and Rick Danford are the first to receive their own channels. As a joke (we hope), it was suggested that we name a film channel after a certain Tampa filmmaker who despises Tampa Bay Film, and we briefly considered naming our indie film "dumpster" channel after him, where all the worst films in our online film festivals will be, since he made a film festival audience suffer through the years with his lack of programming and film festivals full of awful indie films. Either that, or he actually liked promoting terrible, amateur indie films. Don't worry, however, because we won't be naming anything after him; we are not inspired to honor him with anything, even naming a worst-films channel after him.

We will be adding more films shortly, as well as finishing porting the films in archive over to the active online film festival. This should give us a library of well over one hundred films very soon.

Thursday, December 18, 2008 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

More Films Added To The Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival

We added six more films to our online film festival, including the first for our upcoming Interviews channel. We had fifty films online, and the new additions make fifty-six films total. We have at least thirty more indie films in archive waiting for screen grab images and porting to our current format. We also have a lot of content to add to the existing film selections on our online film festival, and this will take time.

The Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival will be adding many new features shortly. We will be adding a interviews channel, which was already mentioned, and other channels such as a filmmaking tutorial channel, which should help undermine those indie film workshop scams that we've been hearing about. We are also working on a film reviews database, and all of the films on our online film festival will be reviewed. This will be enhanced by our new Tampa Film Review resource (please do not confuse this with the The Tampa Film Review film festival, which is reportedly ending next month. They are not affiliated in any way, and the similarities in title are purely coincidental), which also ties into other reviews, such as Tampa film festival reviews.

We have over thirty archived indie films to add and another fifty new indie films to upload, which includes over twenty episodes of a twisted, adult comedy series. Since we will be working on converting film archives and adding more content to support the films already on our online film festival, the new films won't be added for a few weeks. Expect them to be added early in 2009. We also need to celebrate the entire Chris Woods film library, and will be adding some of his films at that time. We have been receiving a lot of film submissions over the past two months, and that is a great thing! Keep them coming, indie filmmakers!

For now, I have to do some work on the main Tampa Bay Film web site, and finish writing the Tampa film festival review for Horror & Hotties. I wish our audience happy holidays, and I am proud knowing that there are more than enough films now playing to keep everyone busy watching.

Sunday, November 30, 2008 - Tampa Online Film Festival Blog Post By Director C. A. Passinault

New Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival Blog In The Works

This is not the Tampa Film Blog, which is an other blog covering Tampa indie film. This is the official Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival Blog, covering the Tampa indie films now showing on our online film festival, indie films playing on our online film festival, indie film additions, online film festival additions and updates, and our picks for indie films that you have to see. We will also post opinions, news, and links to other Tampa film resources such as reviews and interviews. At the moment, November 30, 2008, we are adding another 15 indie films to our online film festival, so this section is not quite online yet - We don't have time to work on it, and barely had time to create a new main menu button for this section and write the copy. When it does come online, we will post retro-active blog entries from earlier updates. Stay tuned!!

UPDATED 08/18/11

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© Copyright 2006 - 2011 Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival. All rights reserved. Presented as-is, with no guarantees expressed or implied. Informational use only. Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival, Tampa Bay Film, the Tampa Film Showcase monthly Tampa film festival and networking event, our affiliates, our sponsors, our contributors, and our advertisers are not legally liable for the content on this web site, and use of any content waives us from liability. Anyone using the content on this site or attempting anything described on this site assumes all legal and civil liability. Please be familiar with with your local laws before using this site. Information on the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival site is not to be taken as legal advice or advice which may be covered under any licensed or regulated profession. Opinions expressed on this web site are those of the individual contributor and may not be shared by other contributors, models, photographers, or businesses who may be involved with this web site or our online community. The Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival is a free, no-obligation professional independent film and talent resource and film festival web site operated from Tampa, Florida, by a team of professional freelance and agency-represented talent. For more, please read our Disclaimer.

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Web Site Design by Tampa Advertising Agency Eos MediaArts. Main Tampa photography by Aurora PhotoArts. Tampa Bay events by Eventi Events. Our Tampa Film Showcase monthly Tampa film festival and networking event series by Eventi Stage, a Passinault.Com company.

Tampa Online Film Festival designed, coded, and maintained by webmaster C. A. Passinault.

Hosted on the Tampa advertising agency Eos MediaArts server account as of 10/10/08.

Tampa Online Film Festival fully interlinked with Tampa Bay Film for symbiotic navigation on 10/10/08.

Raptor 3.0 Upgrade applied 09/27/08

Super Raptor Upgrade applied 10/03/09

Super Raptor Menu Finalized for Tampa Bay Film Site Network 10/06/09

TAMPA BAY FILM ONLINE FILM FESTIVAL SITE INDEX UPDATE HISTORY

04/28/11 - Upgraded online film festival. Added Indie Film Graveyard and Indie Film Dumpster channels. Maintenance of film playlist completed. New films added. Featured film thumbnail array upgraded, and routed to new featured film directory.

04/18/11 - Removed links to old Eventi Events and Eos MediaArts marketing sites, as new sites are in development. Eventi Stage site is also in the works. Preparing for April 2011 upgrade to the online film festival.

01/04/11 - Updated online film festival site code for 2011. Another large refresh in planned, soon, to upgrade the featured film thumbnail array and add new films.

08/08/10 - Centered site design layout for the continuity of intersite Tampa Bay Film site network navigation. Replaced Z3D5 film thumbnail. Adjusted main site manu (to the left), and moved the "About Us" button near the top.

Tampa Online Film Festival site template and site directories refreshed on 11/12/09. Chris Woods power!

The Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival is designed to be interlinked with both Tampa Bay Film and the Tampa Film Showcase web sites. All sites are cross-linked and optimized to fully support each other. You can toggle between any of the web sites in one click from each web site's main menu for maximum convenience. The Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival web site is the official online film festival of Tampa Bay Film, The Tampa Film Showcase Monthly Film Festival and Networking Event, and the Tampa Film Showcase film festival.

Tampa Bay Film is a massive meta site consisting of eight main web sites, and hundreds of support resources. The eight main Tampa Bay Film sites are Tampa Bay Film (as the primary site, and the site from which all the others can be accessed from), Tampa Online Film Festival (the site that you are now on), Tampa Film Showcase, Tampa Film Blog, Tampa Film Review (not to be confused with The Tampa Film Review monthly film festival, which no longer exists), Tampa Film Festivals (a marketing and operating site for all the Tampa film festival properties of Tampa Bay Film and Tampa event planning company Eventi Events. Tampa Film Festivals will also cover other Tampa film festivals, referencing Tampa film festival reviews on Tampa Film Review), Tampa Film Community, and Tampa Film Conference. In the near future, all of the eight main Tampa Bay Film sites will share the same general layout and design, and will be highly interconnected so that visitors can easily move between the sites, as if it were a single, huge site!

The Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival is affiliated with, endorses, and fully supports the Tampa Bay Film web site, The Tampa Film Showcase Monthly Film Festival and Networking Event, Tampa stage production company Eventi Stage (a Passinault Entertainment Group company), Tampa event planning company Eventi Events (a Passinault Entertainment Group company), Tampa indie film production, video game development, and music label company Dream Nine Studios (a Passinault Entertainment Group company), Tampa advertising agency Eos MediaArts (a Passinault Industries LLC company), Tampa photography and design services company Aurora PhotoArts Tampa Photography and Design (a Passinault Industries LLC company), Tampa Casting (a Passinault Industries LLC company), and our sister sites. Our sister web sites include, but are not limited to, Tampa Bay Modeling, Tampa Bay Acting, Florida Modeling Career, and Tampa Talent Scams. Due to potential conflict, our complete affiliation list is available upon request from approved parties and potential business partners.

© Copyright 2006-2011 Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival. All rights reserved