Date: March 23, 2016
Contact: Holly Richards, 360-678-6084
This May, Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve will host amateur filmmakers from around the region for the FIND IT. SHOOT IT. SHARE IT. Ebey's Reserve 50 Hour FilmSlam.
The FilmSlam will begin with a kick-off at the Pacific Rim Institute in Coupeville on May 6, at 5:30 pm and finish on May 8, at 8:30 pm.
A FilmSlam is a fast paced film competition that requires teams of participants to shoot, edit, and produce a movie all within a few days.
The FilmSlam is a part of a yearlong celebration of the National Park Service’s Centennial in 2016, and the Reserve is celebrating with events every month from May to August.
The Centennial theme, Find Your Park, is an invitation for the public to engage with the places that inspire them.
“Whether for recreation, heritage or scenic beauty, Ebey’s Reserve is a special place that holds meaning for many people. This event is intended to give everyone, especially young people, an opportunity to find, and share, the story of their own connection with Ebey’s Reserve,” said Kristen Griffin, the Reserve Manager for Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve.
The FilmSlam will be followed by the FilmSlam Film Festival hosted by Friends of Ebey’s, a nonprofit group supporting programs that enhance the cultural and natural resources of the Reserve. The Film Festival will take place in Coupeville on June 11 at the Coupeville High School.
“Friends of Ebey’s is very excited to be featuring the finalists at the Ebey’s Reserve FilmSlam Film Festival on the big screen,” said Alix Roos, Executive Director of Friends of Ebey’s.
The Film Festival is a fundraising event that will help support the Reserve, but Roos said that it was even more important for young people to have the opportunity to learn about the Reserve.
According to Roos, a fifth generation resident of the Reserve, “this place is not a museum piece. It is a story of sustaining and preserving a community, not just a landscape, not only buildings - but a way of life.”
Established in 1978 and managed through a unique federal, state and local partnership, the Reserve covers 17,572 acres of central Whidbey Island, including Penn Cove, the town of Coupeville, three Washington State Parks, miles of trails and hundreds of historic structures.
The FilmSlam and Film Festival have the potential to become an annual event said Lynda Eccles, the director of the Coupeville Chamber of Commerce.
“As a Chamber, we could not be more pleased to have this type of event that focuses on our land and our history,” said Eccles. She hopes people take the time to really explore what make the Reserve special.
According to Eccles, “the Reserve gets into your system, especially places like The Ferry House which has this mystique all of its own.”
Teams looking to compete in the FilmSlam have until April 29 to submit their registration forms. Registration forms, rules, and the Filmmaker’s Camera Bag are all available online www.nps.gov/ebla/.
Advanced tickets and information on the Film Festival can be found at www.friendsofebeys.org.
FAST FACTS
- Registration Information: www.nps.gov/ebla
- Teams: Up to 6 people per team
- Final Films: 3 to 6 minutes long
- Registration Deadline: April 29, 2016
EVENT DATES
- FilmSlam Kick-off: Friday, May 6, 5:30 - 6:30 pm, Pacific Rim Institute
- FilmSlam Competition: Friday, May 6, 6:30 pm - Sunday, May 8, 8:30 pm
- Friends of Ebey's FilmSlam Film Festival: June 11, 2016, 5:30 pm, Coupeville High School
