International Infertility Film Festival

IIFF4 Awards Ceremony

2008-04-06T19:40:00.000-07:00

Since we had a small field this time, I decided to award both JJ and Sarah a prize each. So congratulations to our winners! At both their requests, prizes have been donated to Calliope's FET fund.

From Calliope:

THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!!
I can not explain how much this means to me.
I am so so honored. I am just overwhelmed by how generous and loving our community is.

Much gratitude,
Cali

If you like, you can make your own donation to Calliope, or take part in the fund-raising auction.

Finding Out, Letting Know, Realising - IIFF4

2008-03-28T03:27:00.000-07:00

Somebody's Mom

"After five years, six IFVs, and 30 pounds, I don’t have to tell a lot of people that we’re infertile. This song is about how infertility makes me feel like an outsider, that what I look like isn’t who I am, and who I am isn’t who I am going to be." There's very little I can add about this music video by Sarah Motes Ashley and Somebody's Band except to say watch it! And thanks to Sarah for sharing with us the experience of not yet being somebody's mum. There's plenty more on the song and video - as well as space to leave a comment - here.

Realizing

JJ's full entry is here. "Over the span of time that Mook and I have known each other, we have come to realize many special things about each other, our relationship, and our hopes & dreams. We realize (without a doubt) that our biggest hope and dream is: to become parents."

Letting Know

This one's from me. A lot of people like to keep their infertility a secret, but if you're feeling strong enough, it's worth letting others know - just in case one of them comes to understand.

Since we had such a small field this time, I don't have a poll. But you can still leave a comment to let us know what you think!

Stars

2008-02-18T00:15:00.000-08:00

Stars is a film made by Robert Stillman for his wife after the loss of their son, who was stillborn at eight months. If you're reading this before Tuesday, February 19th, 2008, go over to rate it and add it to your favourites so it can be entered into the Rumschpringe very short film contest. Otherwise, just click to view a very sweet film.

*I almost forgot - any prizes won by the Stillmans will be donated to Ephrata's Neonatal Infant Care Unit.

Thanks anon, for finding the video for us again on youtube.

IIFF4 - Finding Out, Letting Know, Realising

2008-02-17T17:27:00.001-08:00

It's that time of year again! Well, actually, I've decided to try slightly different timing this year. We'll have two festivals in 2008, about six months apart, with the first screening on - eek! - 29th of March and the second on the 27th of September.

The theme for the fourth IIFF, to be screened from Saturday, 29th of March, will be Finding Out, Letting Know, Realising. With every stage of infertility comes a new piece of information. Sometimes it's your doctor giving you the good or bad news. Sometimes it's you revealing yourself to a friend, a counsellor, the world, or your child. Sometimes it's just your subconscious finally getting the idea through that you need help, or that you've made it to the other side. These are the moments of insight that punctuate each person's story, and in March we want to hear about one or more of them, and how they've affected you, or those around you.

So get busy! Check the FAQ or email me at infertilefantasies at gmail dot com if you have questions. You have until the end of March tp get your entry ready! There will be three awards - the Jury Prize, the Audience Choice, and the Lucky Dip - as per usual, and each winner will be given the option of either a prize in the mail or, if that freaks you out, an equivalent donation to a charity of your choice.

Also, a quick head's up for the fifth festival, to be screened from the 27th of September: the theme will be Centuries and Decades, Years and Months, Days, Hours and Moments. More about that closer to the time.

Third IIFF Awards Ceremony

2007-12-07T17:29:00.000-08:00

The main reason it's been so easy to put off having this awards ceremony is this: when the entries first came in, our Grand Jury immediately decided on a winner, and then our audience picked the same winner. What can I say? We all have great taste. However, since this entrant also received a prize in the last festival, it did create a bit of a quandry for me about how many prizes I could give them before having to rename this whole thing "The VeeMax Film Festival". After much ~~procrastination~~ deliberation, and in the light of the third festival's small - no, select - pool of entrants, I have decided to drop the Jury Prize for this time around.

Nevertheless, the Audience Choice Award was clearly won by Vee and Max for their wonderful work The Recipe. It was not only beautifully drawn and directed, it was a brilliant interpretation of the theme.

Secondly, our Lucky Dip Prize has been awarded to Jen for Baby Can You Hear Me? Her story clearly touched many hearts.

Thanks to the rest of our participants, who also did a brilliant job. I will be in contact with the winners by email about their prizes. If you are a winner, and you don't get an email over the next few days, please let me know.

Third International Infertility Film Festival - Halloween Special

2007-11-02T06:25:00.000-07:00

Vee and Max have outdone themselves again, displaying some beautiful artwork and a very appropriate story in The Recipe.

Mel and Josh bring us Uterinus's Law - a film about the scariest part of infertility: the feeling that everything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

And from Amy comes In Memoriam - a tale of hope and loss, telling the story of her first IVF and a miscarriage.

Baby Can You Hear Me? is Jen's story of secondary infertility and the baby who seems so real, yet so far away.

Finally, my entry is The Infertilimonster - a suspenseful film about the most frightening beastie of all...

This was a difficult theme. Don't forget to leave a comment for our participants (either here or on their site) and vote in the Audience Choice Poll below!

Halloween Special - Date Change - 3rd November 2007

2007-09-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

For those who have to know why, you can read my litany of excuses on my blog (pregnancy mentioned), but the long and the short of it is this: the third IIFF - our Halloween Special - will be delayed by a week until the third of November 2007. Mark it in your diaries - and looking forward to seeing some extra-special entries this time around!

IVF Shoot 'Em Up

2007-09-23T17:53:00.000-07:00

It's wilder than the wild, wild west, and... sharp... and pointy. And stuff. It's IVF Shoot 'Em Up - the most comprehensive collection of injection videos made by ART patients that I know of on the whole of the world wide web!

Since the videos are from patients like you rather than medical professionals, and protocols are very individual, you must verify all advice, instructions and dosages with your clinic before going ahead with your medication. That said, if you're heading into your first cycle, it might give you a boost of confidence to see others doing the big, scary needle thing - and surviving - before it comes your turn. Click on over and check it out. And put a button on your blog!

Roll out the red carpet...

2007-08-11T05:04:00.000-07:00

It's Awards Night at the International Infertility Film Festival. One 250ml bottle of Love (kindly donated by the Alchemy Cordial Company) will be winging its way to each of our three winners - and if you missed out this time, you can try again at the third festival - our Halloween Special - screening from October 27th 2007.

But on with the prizes! The Audience Choice Award was well and truly won by Scott and Michele P for Seasons - and well-deserved it was, too. It was great to see their happy ending, even if it did come after so much heartache and pain. Well done Scott and Michele! Love is coming your way - although your entry seems to imply it's already there!

We drew the Lucky Dip Prize next, mainly to narrow down the difficult choice ahead, and if Mr Bea has the envelope... yes, the Lucky Dip winner, hand-drawn by Mr Bea out of a hat prepared by Bea herself, is Vee and Max's Spring! Congratulations Max and Vee, and what a beautiful and heartwrenching entry you gave us.

The Jury Prize was decided, after an awful lot of deliberation, by Mr Bea, who was asked to assess the entries based on interpretation of the theme, originality, technique, and overall impact. I excluded those who had already won a prize - well, I had to try and make it a little easier on the poor guy - and he put his film buff hat on and sat down.

I have to say, he paused and replayed some of those entries several times each over the last couple of weeks, and right up until the last minute he was still struggling to choose from his shortlist of four. He wants me to point out the several things which kept him oscillating back and forth - one packed a full show into a short timeframe, and a couple of others were full of beautiful pictures and great song choices, with nice editing to keep everything flowing along. But he couldn't go past the psychedelia and original lyrics of Mother Earth's Flower Shop, by Mel and Josh - the original Stirrup Queen and Sperm Palace Jester! Congratulations to you both. And much (well, 250ml of) Love.

Really, I want to congratulate all the entrants. You all deserve a prize, which is why I hope you'll join us again for the third International Infertility Film Festival - our Halloween Special - screening from October 27th, 2007. Click the link for details!

"Halloween Special" - 27th October - Third IIFF

2007-07-28T21:58:00.000-07:00

Wicked witches, hocus pocus, nightmarish horrors, tricks and treats... and then there's all the customs of Halloween as well. What better theme for our final IIFF of 2007, to be screened on October 27th? **Date Change - Now November 3rd**

The prizes will come again from the Alchemy Cordial Company, but in keeping with the Halloween party spirit I'll send you a Blender Bender - alcohol to be added at your own discretion. There'll be a People's Choice Award, a Jury Award, and a Lucky Dip Prize - so don't be afraid to try your hand because you really could win!

The Jury Prize will be awarded based on interpretation of the theme, originality, technique, and overall impact. You can stretch the theme as far as you'd like - you can talk about fear, the "wizardry" of ART, blood and gore, or simply what holidays like these mean to an infertile person.

Need more information? Try the FAQ, check out previous entries, and the How To label - and if you're still puzzled, by all means email me at infertilefantasies at gmail dot com.

Second International Infertility Film Festival - Seasons

2007-07-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Midnight! Welcome to the Second International Infertility Film Festival, based around the theme "Seasons". Our entrants have all put a great effort in, so I hope you enjoy the show. The Awards Ceremony will be held here on the 11th of August - giving you two weeks to vote for the People's Choice Award and otherwise put your two cents' worth in at the bottom of this post. Alchemy Cordial Company has generously donated three bottles of Love for our winners! But first, the entries:

KarenO brings us Season Of Hope - a beautiful film about hope, based on an inspirational poem by Miradied.

Spring Clean is my based-on-a-true-story video about loss, grief, and trying again. And scrubbing the kitchen floor with a toothbrush.

Jen gives us a beautiful insight into the strength of a relationship through the toughest days, in Infertility Journey - When The Rain Comes.

Karaoke Diva has an entry called Seasons of Love, to the song (from "Rent") by the same name. How do you measure a year in the life of an infertility patient?

Vee (and Max) have given us Spring - a beautiful song about pregnancy and loss, with gorgeous artwork to match.

Seasons of Hope and Despair is Pamela's collage of the emotions of infertility - the anticipation of a new treatment and the devastation of a failure.

Stirrup Queen and emerging songstress Melissa has a two-part entry. Mother Earth's Flower Shop is a song which helps explain alternative methods of family-building to young children. The same audience can gain an insight into loss through What The Gardner Knows. Bring tissues.

Seaons of Infertility is Z's entry in which she gives us a glimpse into the oh-so-involved process, before making her triumphant proclamation at the end.

Jenna gives us the R-rated version of a date with Dildocam - for over eighteens only - in Me and DC (check the sidebar). Then, in I Remember, she tells us of the best and worst days of her life.

For snappy music and great scenery, check out Jules' Nothing Will Stop Us. It's great to hear some toe-tapping confidence.

And there's a happy ending to Scott and Michele P's story of infertility, IVF, loss, and later successful pregnancy of identical twins in Seasons.

Like the show? Then Help Promote The Festival - on your websites, message boards, wherever!

And don't forget to vote for your favourite below. (I'd like to remind you that a vote for my film is a vote for environmental preservation and thriftiness, as I won't have to post one of the bottles of Love, but that wouldn't be fair, would it?)

...make sure your entry is ready

2007-07-21T02:51:00.000-07:00

Last minute IIFF checklist!

Finished and uploaded your film?

Created a blog post with your film embedded in it and/or written a short blurb next to your film where you uploaded it (eg youtube)?

Tagged your film IInfertilityFF?

Provided a link back to this site next to your film - both in your blog post and on youtube/etc?

Emailed me at infertilefantasies at gmail dot com telling me where your entry is?

Bought popcorn?

Contrary to what Paul McCartney would have you believe, you can not only buy Love, but also ship it

2007-07-01T22:16:00.001-07:00

I've decided to make things more interesting this time around by offering prizes. Other festivals are giving away things with a broad range of appeal and convenient, international delivery to the online community, such as internet shopping vouchers. I mean, who wouldn't like an internet shopping voucher? And how simple and economical would that be to arrange?

Then again, simplicity has never been my strong point, and besides, what prize could be more rewarding than Love? Love, in this case, being a rose-petal-and-lime-flavoured, all-natural, gourmet cordial syrup produced in my hometown. Mr Bea and I like to call it "Love Juice" and then snigger a little bit, because we can be immature like that.

So! I will be offering three small (250ml) bottles of Love as prizes for "Seasons" - the Second International Infertility Film Festival - based around the following guidelines:

The winners must be prepared to give me their postal addresses. I will not misuse these. In fact, I have trouble keeping track of addresses at the best of times, for misuse or otherwise. You can still enter the festival even if you don't want to give me your address! I just won't be able to send you a prize. Also, I will only ask for your address if I need to use it - you don't need to send it to me all willy-nilly unless you feel really confident.
One will be a People's Choice Award, decided by audience poll.
One will be a Lucky Dip Prize, decided by pulling names out of hats.
I will award the other prize according to a set of guidelines I am yet to establish (suggestions welcome).

With only twenty-six days to go, I hope you'll all be a little extra-inspired by Love.

Multiple Mom Movie Madness

2007-06-05T14:08:00.000-07:00

This doesn't exactly cover infertility, but there's a bit of a crossover crowd. Multiple Mum Movie Madness has drummed up a whole stack of entries "about the joys/hassles/magic/challenges of being the mother (or father) of multiple babies (or toddlers, or school age children or…)". And if you hurry, you can give your opinion on who deserves the amazon voucher prize. What? You're still here?

...make a hand-drawn cartoon short

2007-05-10T05:20:00.000-07:00

You've all seen Mel and Josh's sterling effort, My Aunt Jane Knows More Than My RE, and hopefully also my Untitled Accoustic Country Blues Song. Maybe you're asking, "But how did they do it?" Elementary, my dear Watson.

There are various programs you can use to help you out with animation - GIMP has a tool called GAP with its free software - but for simplicity and lack of frustration you can't beat the basics. First, hand-draw your frames. Scan them. Put them together into a movie using the editor of your choice. It's that simple.

You can create a sense of movement by drawing the key frames in the sequence of action. For example, if you draw someone with their arm drawn back ready to throw, then immediately post-throw, you'll give a pretty good sensation of the movement that's gone on without having to draw a gazillion pictures. Also check out how Mel and Josh have used the same pictures repetitively to get their character to play the piano and so forth in My Aunt Jane.

Image editing programs will allow you to add "props" and/or colours to your hand-drawn cartoon, should you so desire. And don't forget - if your next picture doesn't vary a lot from your previous one, you don't have to redraw the whole thing. Scan your copy, then take your eraser and change the bits which need changing. I know, it sounds obvious now, but I got a real buzz when I suddenly realised I could do this.

**Newsflash! Vee has found Pencil - a free, open source animation program. She warns that, as with most things open source, it's a bit buggy, but it looks like it might be worth a go! Thanks, Vee!**

More questions? Got expertise you want to share? Leave a comment.

"Seasons" - 28th July 2007 - Second IIFF

2007-04-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last week or so mulling carefully over all the suggested themes, asking myself which is the most inclusive and diverse, has the most poetic ring, presents the widest range of creative interpretations. Finally, this morning, I gave up and put them all into a hat, and out came "Seasons" - your theme for the Second International Infertility Film Festival, due to screen online from Saturday, July 28th, 2007 (suggested by Mel).

From the earliest days of our existance, seasons have had deep practical implications for life on Earth. They mark the passage of time, they mould our lives into patterns, they give rise to rituals and symbolism. Our language and culture is peppered with references - we talk about seasons of change, the springtime of love, the winter of our discontent. For everything, as the song goes, there is a season; a time for every purpose under heaven. Even in our modern world we respond to the heat and long days of summer, and the falling of the leaves as it ends.

It makes sense to use these powerful associations to explain the world of infertility. Remember to interpret the theme as literally or creatively as you like. Make us laugh, cry, pause, think. And have your post ready to go on the 28th of July, 2007.

**Where possible, please tag your film IInfertilityFF after uploading, and include this site's address in your notes, as well as a link from your blog post.

Got a question? Try the FAQ first. Still have a question? Email me. Suddenly thought of a good theme for future festivals? Let me know. If you thought of one this time but it wasn't chosen, it's still in the hat for the next one.

Festival Number Two - Call for Themes

2007-04-05T04:02:00.000-07:00

Due to popularity, it's been decided that we should hold the International Infertility Film Festival three to four times a year. The date is yet to be decided, but I envisage it being around July. Here's the catch - I'm going to start setting themes. Everyone will be welcome to contribute, and to interpret the theme as literally or creatively as they desire. I'm looking for a theme which is cryptic enough to encompass all aspects and stages of infertility, such as "Seasons" or "Earth, Air, Fire and Water"... just to throw out a couple of quick examples.

Your opinion is required! Suggestions for themes can be posted in the comments or emailed to infertilefantasies at gmail dot com.

First International Infertility Film Festival - Our Long-Awaited Entries

2007-03-29T21:37:00.000-07:00

The entries for the First International Infertility Film Festival, in no particular order...

Mel and Josh will make you laugh with a cartoon character you're sure to recognise. Go on over to watch "My Aunt Jane Knows More Than My RE".

Zinnia brings us "Our Story" - a tale of loss and hope, untold gain, and a journey not yet completed.

Max and Vee (the same ones who came up with our logo) have some fantastic imagery in their entry "If We Scream". It's a snappy piece which packs a lot in about the transition from innocence and excitement into the frightening rollercoaster world of infertility.

Jules brings us "I'm Here Without You Baby" - a sad song, filled with longing - and "There's A Light At The End Of The Tunnel" - a more upbeat piece which conveys the spirit of hope. Family and friends will find information and advice mixed in with both of these, too.

For those who need a dash of encouragement, Dramalish shows us her joy at finally becoming a parent. Her film contains heartfelt words of inspiration for those who need something to hang onto.

Serenity introduces us to her ghost child in "The Rocking Chair" - a piece of furniture that sits waiting in the room which will one day be a nursery.

If you think fun should be educational, Watson has the perfect set of entries. Her three videos go through the process of mixing IVF medications. As she says in her film, she's not a professional - but she did make it successfully to embryo transfer.

Some say the worst of infertility treatment comes with "The Horrors Of A Two Week Wait". Miss Chris gives us her video diary from her wait in November.

DI Dad, Eric, has always had many thought-provoking things to say about donor conception. In "My World" he gives us not only his, but many points of view on donor conception. His second entry, "My Fears", is a candid expression of the concerns he faces as a dad to children conceived through donor insemination, and how those concerns have evolved over time.

Over at the Technostork site you can view the trailer for this feature-length documentary which follows several infertile couples through their IVF journey.

Teamwinks gives us her biography of infertility so far in "Finding Hope". It's a brave film about smiling through the heartache and moving forward despite the setbacks.

"Nor Will I Ever Let You Go" is the name of the tribute Karaoke Diva has put together for her little Bean, lost before birth, who will never be forgotten.

No less heartfelt is the entry by Anna who tells us her story of infertility followed by loss, which asks infertility's constant question: "Where do we go from here?"

For my part, I've prepared two entries. The first is "Untitled Accoustic Country Blues Song" - a melancholy music video about how an infertile woman in the depths of her grief relates to the fertile community around her. The second is "Taxi Ride" - a slideshow of photos provided by bloggers around the world - from Europe and America to Australia, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. I'm glad you're on my side.

Finally, the entry which kicked it all off. "A Seasonal Reminder" was posted by myself back in mid-December - but is good advice for family and friends at any time of year.

About The Festival

2007-01-14T00:14:00.000-08:00

The International Infertility Film Festival invites short film and video submissions from anyone who has anything to say about infertility or pregnancy loss - whatever stage you're at and whatever path you're taking. We encourage work from all types of film makers, including amateurs and even first-timers (the term is "raw talent") so don't be afraid to give it a go. You can submit anonymously or... nonymously, or pseudonymously if you so desire, and if you have an online presence we can link there, too. There is no requirement to make up words as I just have.

The Third International Infertility Film Festival will screen from Saturday, October 27th, 2007, and the theme is "Halloween Special". More information here.

Please also read the FAQ.

Imagining Ourselves

2007-01-11T06:49:00.000-08:00

This week an email landed in my inbox, through which I learned about the International Museum of Women, and their online exhibit, Imagining Ourselves.

"From March to May 2007, the focus of the exhibit will be on Motherhood and the challenges that this generation faces. We want to reach out to young women to amplify their voices, talk about issues they face and focus on the issue from different perspectives-- but really looking at personal stories. We would like to explore their views on maternal health, pregnancy, parenting, single motherhood, adoption, relationships, work and family and much more. The project will feature popular content and compelling art depicting the experiences of mothers globally. Simultaneously, we aim to raise awareness of maternal health issues, and the half million women who die every year in or around childbirth simply for lack of access to good healthcare. We also want to explore the subject of fertility and infertility."

Infertility is part of the experience of motherhood for many women, and it's an experience that deserves representation in this forum. The team are calling for submissions now. Exhibits include literary submissions, visual art, music, spoken word, recorded audio accounts, films and animations. Go, look around, get a feel, contribute if you can, pass the details on. The deadline is February 1st.

...make a really really simple short in under an hour

2007-01-02T01:51:00.000-08:00

I think it actually took me about 30-40 minutes, including working out how to use Movie Maker. I could have added a soundtrack as well, but that would have taken another ten to twenty minutes or so.

More questions? Got expertise you want to share? Leave a comment.

Help promote the festival

2006-12-22T19:56:00.000-08:00

The bigger the better - we need an audience as well as participants. So link here from your blog! Spread the word on your favourite message board! Send an email out to your support group list, or organiser! Put a mention in your next newsletter! Talk about it with your mum!

To make your cut and paste a joy, here's the About link, ready to go:
http://infertilityfilmfestival.blogspot.com/2007/01/about-festival.html

And here's some html to cut and paste a clickable logo into your sidebar, blog post, or email:

{a href="http://infertilityfilmfestival.blogspot.com/"}
{img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga2gYgTC7AanvEVzrhuhqLWJ9DgFjm6E1Lb_lUUc-bWPSAxtq7DygaEFhyYjSezqRTBtdSbXLTwhL_PEvLAZ4airvA41OtDHEeiz2EYVX_Ofa4erNdt8sKJGbJ27-v1G0GiVohpHTqENmF/s320/IIFF-LOGO-small.JPG"}
{/a}

Replace {} with <> to make it work. The above code will give you a small logo with a link back to the official site. You can also use the following code to get a larger version for a post:

{a href="http://infertilityfilmfestival.blogspot.com/"}
{img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitMXzeBdBqwILDE4uoPqYpA7TjTZ5UvkYCQ_QTQ_OU1nSF-zp8YnF2i5vgqGxD2svj1H0S4lXHFyQid-WZwW-uKtCcv6L_zEp8EoPplFLI4YYFcIo5KlekIGhVgsZ8rB1kTfLHipcctTRS/s320/IIFF-LOGO-big.jpg"}
{/a}

A big thanks to Max and Vee for the logo.

...get help or share expertise

2006-12-20T21:58:00.000-08:00

Do you have a technical question? Expertise you want to share? Leave a comment here, or email me at infertilefantasies at gmail dot com.

I'll answer questions if I can, or post your write-up so you can share your film-making knowledge.

Copyright

2006-12-20T21:00:00.000-08:00

The work of participants is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 License. Please contact individual film makers if you want to use their work in any other way.

We ask all contributors to take copyright laws into account when making their films. Film content remains the responsibility of the film maker.

International Infertility Film Festival FAQ

2006-12-20T06:51:00.000-08:00

When is it?
Who can enter?
What sort of film should I make?
Is there a time limit to how long a film can be?
Can I make a film about any stage of infertility?
Can I submit more than one entry?
Are there prizes and awards and stuff?
It sounds hard, is it?
Can I get some tech support around here?
Where can I find some free software to get started then?
Ok, so I've finished my film, I should upload it somewhere, huh?
What if I'm having trouble uploading?
I've finished and I've uploaded my entry. Now what?
And just what do you think you're going to do with my entry?
But my blog is password protected/I don't have a blog!
How can I tell everyone about this like I so dearly want to?
Do you have any tips on how to create an animated film using a computer game like the one you did?
What do I do if you didn't answer my question already?
What if I have a really great suggestion?

Q. When is it?
A. Previous festivals screened in March, July and October 2007, and you can view the entries here.

In 2008 we will hold two festivals - one on Saturday, the 29th of March, and the other on Saturday, 27th of September. The March festival theme is Finding Out, Letting Know, Realising, and the September theme will be Centuries and Decades, Years and Months, Days, Hours and Moments.

Q. Who can enter?
A. Anyone can enter! Only trolls are excluded. I'd love for you to let me know you are working on a project so I can put your name on the list! (Although you won't be excluded if you forget to do this.)

Q. What sort of film should I make?
A. The festival is for short films on the subject of infertility and/or pregnancy loss. "Film" is being defined rather loosely to include really anything audio-visual, from home videos, to machinima, to slideshow formats.

Q. Is there a time limit to how long a film can be?
A. I'm not going to set a specific time limit, but bear in mind that the longer your film, the harder it will be to view over the internet. For practical purposes, I suggest all films should be under four or five minutes. I'd also suggest that it's actually quite difficult to make a watchable film longer than this, and that most people will do best within the 1-3 minute range. Also feel free to submit a twenty-second short if you want!

Q. Can I make a film about any stage of infertility?
A. Yes, of course. Pre-treatment, post-treatment, no treatment pursued, whatever path you chose or are choosing to follow, and whatever outcome you found or are working towards. Much like the real movies, I'll be sure to give content warnings where appropriate.

Q. Can I submit more than one entry?
A. You can submit as many as you like.

Q. Are there prizes and awards and stuff?<
A. Yes!

For each festival, we try to award three prizes. One is the Audience Choice Award, decided by online poll. Then there's the Lucky Dip Prize, which is literally your name out of a hat, so there's no reason to be afraid your film won't win, because this could go to anyone! Thirdly, there's the Jury Prize, which is awarded based on interpretation of the theme, originality, technique, and overall impact.

Your prize - it's nothing big, by the way - will either come in the mail or, if that freaks you out, you can nominate a charity to receive an equivalent donation.

For more info, you can see how previous awards' ceremonies went.

Q. It sounds hard, is it?
A. No. Or rather, it doesn't have to be. If you are able to blog, you are able to make a short. And shit, if you can deal with infertility you can do just about anything.

The idea is you can spend a lot or a little time on the project, and you can use state-of-the-art software, or freebies you downloaded off the internet. If you need help, email me at infertilefantasies at gmail dot com and I'll try. Also check out the How To... label.

Some suggestions:

a simple music video, where you set a slideshow or home video to a meaningful song

a slideshow of photos, drawings or artwork with a voiceover

a computer-game-generated animation, either moving or still, perhaps set to music or a voiceover

a CGI-enhanced claymation short with a heartwrenching yet witty script and an adorable dog character (or maybe that's been done...)

Q. Can I get some tech support around here?
A. Try the How To... label. I can't promise to solve your problem, but I can try.

Q. Where can I find some free software to get started then?
A. Here are the Top 7 Free Video Editing Software Products according to some guy on the internet. Windows Movie Maker can easily make you a tidy little video (and I guess iMovie can do the same or perhaps even better, but it's only free if you bought it with your Mac). ZS4 is a great free tool from t@b for those wanting to get really into things, and if I figure out how to use it properly I'll let you know.

You might also want to dig out your picture editing tools. Gimp is a nice free one - better than paint, cheaper than photoshop.

Finally, for audio, I've found HiQ to be a very simple recording program (I basically use the "go" and "stop" button) and it has a distinct advantage over other free programs in that it doesn't cut you off after X amount of time.

Songs or voiceovers can make simple soundtracks, but if you want to get serious and edit or mix sound (and if your video editing program won't do it) - Audacity is from sourceforge, always a good bet, and Wavepad seems to be popular, but I haven't used either myself. These guys can tell you more.

Confused? Email me at infertilefantasies at gmail dot com, or check the How To... label.

Q. Ok, so I've finished my film, I should upload it somewhere, huh?
A. Yes you should. Once you have a finished product, you're ready to upload. I don't care where you do this, but I couldn't go past Youtube. Youtube will walk you through the whole process, and at the end it'll give you an url, and a little piece of cut-and-paste html so you can embed your film in your blog. Take a copy of both of these. If you could tag your film with the label IInfertilityFF that would be good, too. Please include the address of this site in your film's notes.

Q. What if I'm having trouble uploading?
A. Email me at infertilefantasies at gmail dot com. There's more than one way to skin a cat. (This site in no way condones the skinning of cats.)

Q. I've finished and I've uploaded my entry. Now what?
A. Where possible, tag or label your film with IInfertilityFF, and include the festival site's URL in the notes for your film.

Prepare a post for your own blog about your masterpiece, and send me the URL. You don't have to add any notes or commentary, but it'd be great if you could write a little something about your work. Make sure you include a link back to the festival site in your post. Now wait til we're due to screen, and hit "publish"!

Q. And just what do you think you're going to do with my entry?
A. On the day of screening, I'm going to publish a post listing all the entrants, their blogs, and links to their work. The idea is people will come to watch, comment, discuss, and share your film around.

Q. But my blog is password protected/I don't have a blog!
A. That's ok - there are other options.

1. I can link directly to your entry on eg Youtube and you'll still get some space there to say a few words. Make sure you include a link back to this site with your film and, where possible, tag your film IInfertilityFF.

2. Take a minute or two to open a blog just to display your film. It won't take long, but you can make it look pretty.

Either way, your blog/personal life can remain private, although your entry will, of course, be public.

Q. How can I tell everyone about this like I so dearly want to?
A. I'm glad you asked, because the bigger the better - we need an audience as well as participants. So link here from your blog! Spread the word on your favourite message board! Send an email out to your support group list, or organiser! Put a mention in your next newsletter! Talk about it with your mum!

Here's some html to cut and paste into your sidebar:

{a href="http://infertilityfilmfestival.blogspot.com/"}
{img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga2gYgTC7AanvEVzrhuhqLWJ9DgFjm6E1Lb_lUUc-bWPSAxtq7DygaEFhyYjSezqRTBtdSbXLTwhL_PEvLAZ4airvA41OtDHEeiz2EYVX_Ofa4erNdt8sKJGbJ27-v1G0GiVohpHTqENmF/s320/IIFF-LOGO-small.JPG"}
{/a}

Replace {} with <> to make it work. The above code will give you the smaller logo with a link back to this FAQ. You can also use the following code to get a larger version for a post:

{a href="http://infertilityfilmfestival.blogspot.com/"}
{img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitMXzeBdBqwILDE4uoPqYpA7TjTZ5UvkYCQ_QTQ_OU1nSF-zp8YnF2i5vgqGxD2svj1H0S4lXHFyQid-WZwW-uKtCcv6L_zEp8EoPplFLI4YYFcIo5KlekIGhVgsZ8rB1kTfLHipcctTRS/s320/IIFF-LOGO-big.jpg"}
{/a}

A big thanks to Max and Vee for the logo.

Q. Do you have any tips on how to create an animated film using a computer game like the one you did?
A. Sure I do! I wrote about it here. If you have any more questions, email me or leave a comment. Also check out the How To... label.

Q. What do I do if you didn't answer my question already?
A. Leave a comment. I'll update this post with more questions as they arise. For technical questions check the How To... label.

Q. What if I have a really great suggestion?
A. Leave a comment, or send an email. Sometimes I ask for specific suggestions, such as for themes - check the Suggestion Box Label.