With so many of Michigan’s local, independent filmmakers’ sweat and toil to bring their films to life, they deserve a fancy, red-carpet awards ceremony to celebrate their creations.
The Sixth Annual Eclipse Awards do just that, taking place this year on May 18. The awards show was founded by WKTV with the intention of giving recognition to talented local filmmakers, and that remains the focal point to this day.
“The Eclipse Awards is really geared toward the local homegrown filmmakers — people who are not necessarily studio-affiliated,” said Tom Norton, general manager for WKTV. “It’s fine if they are, but the purpose of the awards is to focus on the local content creators and the local resources they engage in, the local community that they hire.”
In the short time it’s been around, the Eclipse Awards has managed to recognize all kinds of filmmakers throughout Michigan and the number of locals submitting work has steadily increased.
“Last (year) was our largest year, with 100 entries, which is significant,” Norton said. “We are on target to match that or do better this year.”
This year, Los Angeles’ very own Fairway Film Alliance and Rogue Arts has agreed to offer “first look” rights to the winners in the narrative feature and documentary categories. This, in effect, brings the filmmakers one step closer to enviable industry connections and a potential distribution deal, which fits in with WKTV’s goal for the awards.
“It’s all about getting word out to these content creators that there’s this engine out there to give them recognition for their self-imposed slavery to their ideas,” Norton said.
If you’re a filmmaker in Michigan and want to get in on this sweet deal, visit theeclipseaward.com for more info on submission guidelines. Do it soon though; entries can only be submitted until 5 p.m. on March 27.
City Flats Hotel, 83 Monroe St. NW, Grand Rapids
Thursday, May 18, 7 p.m.
