Editor

The 2nd Annual Ruff Cutz Indie Film Conference will be presented in Boston, Massachusetts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday November 14, 15, 16, 2008. Ruff Cutz is pleased to announce that The Center for Digital Imaging Arts of Boston University will be hosting this year's event. A highly anticipated follow up to last year, Ruff Cutz is much more than a film festival. In fact, it's not really a film festival at all in the conventional sense. Ruff Cutz is a conference programmed with film screenings, vendor exhibits and presentations by industry professionals, workshops, and a variety of networking events. The highlight of the conference is the opportunity for filmmakers to present works-in-progress to an audience for critical feedback.

This is really a unique opportunity for filmmakers
What is a "rough cut"? Film festivals do not accept films for screening until the filmmaker has a final cut (a finished product) prepared. RUFF CUTZ allows filmmakers, amateur and professional, to present a "rough cut" version of their film for audience and professional reaction and feedback. The filmmaker then takes the suggestions, and hopefully contacts they have made, back home to finish their work with enlightenment.

This year's awards total nearly $10,000 in cash prizes, divided into four categories: Best Short, Best Feature, Audience Award, and Grand Jury Award. There will also be thousands of dollars worth of products, software, film equipment and services given away that will help filmmakers with their expenses and productions costs.

"This is really a unique opportunity for filmmakers", exudes Benti, a whirl of constant energy and the creator of Ruff Cutz. "Your parents and friends are always going to tell you your film is terrific. It's their job to boost your ego. This conference will boost your growth as a filmmaker with an honest, immediate reaction and comments."

"Showing a rough-cut of a film in the Ruff Cutz type of showcase does not break any film festival rules" assures Benti, who is also President and CEO of Image Icon Entertainment. He decided to create Ruff Cutz to allow filmmakers this special opportunity. The rough-cut versions of films presented at this conference can be premiered as finished films at other festivals anywhere in the world.

Due to the great success and growth of Ruff Cutz, this year Benti has appointed an official Conference Director, Ms. Toni-Ann Baker, a seasoned, award-winning filmmaker and producer, who provides the organizational structure that will give Ruff Cutz a firm foundation. "I am excited to be a part of the Ruff Cutz team and hope to contribute in ways that expand the conference offerings for years to come", says Baker.

Speakers already committed to the conference include: Eduardo Sanchez, co-creator of the phenomenal, "The Blair Witch Project"; Michael Corrente, film director/producer who is currently in pre-production for his long-awaited Buddy Cianci project, "The Prince of Providence"; Jon Raben, documentary filmmaker, whose "Italian-Americans on Federal Hill" was the sell-out, award-winning star when it screened at the Rhode Island International Film Festival; Robert Seigel, an entertainment attorney who is a partner in the law firm Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard LLP which specializes in film and theatre as well as television, publishing, art, new media and intellectual property matters; Patrick Smith, who has written, produced, animated, and directed five award winning films from 2000-2006; Thomas Ohanian, an accomplished strategist, designer, and inventor of digital media products and workflow solutions, and is an Academy Award® and a two-time Emmy® recipient.

A panel of officials from past and present local community film festivals, and prestigious international film festivals, will also be on hand to offer advice. Panels will also include critiques on how to increase the odds of getting your films onto the festival circuit.