La Costa film Festival & Mandalay Sports Media to Host THE REEL PITCH Session This Fall

By: Jun. 30, 2015
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CARLSBAD, CA (June 30, 2015) - The La Costa Film Festival (LCFF), in partnership with Mandalay Sports Media (MSM), today introduced an exciting new addition into the lineup of its flagship weekend event: The Reel Pitch, a session that will put ten promising storytellers in a room with seasoned producers and executives hungry for new material.

The ten finalists will be selected by an independent panel of judges from an initial pool of applicants. Those finalists subsequently are invited to be a part of LCFF's newest festival offering, The Reel Pitch.

For 'The Reel Pitch', LCFF and MSM will be recruiting a top-flight selection of judges who will be drawn from the ranks of the industry's most experienced studio and network executives and producers.

The best pitch, as determined by The Reel Pitch judges, will win its storyteller the opportunity to refine her/his pitch under the guidance of one of the judges, and ultimately, the opportunity to deliver that pitch to one of MSM's studio partners and make a sale.

"We are thrilled to make The Reel Pitch a key part of our 2015 festival offerings," said Michael and Ruby Callihan of LCFF. "It's one thing to screen new work from exciting young filmmakers, but there's an entirely different PRIDE we take in literally helping to germinate creative ideas on a foundational level like this. By the time The Reel Pitch wraps, every finalist and every audience member is going to walk out of the room with fresh ideas of how to pitch, what to pitch, and to whom."

Registration for The Reel Pitch opened today. To enter, filmmakers are invited to deliver an initial 5-minute pitch via Film Freeway (www.filmfreeway.com). The submission period closes on July 31, followed by the first round of judging. Finalists will be alerted no later than August 17, allowing for plenty of time to make arrangements to deliver their pitch live at The Reel Pitch on September 12. All finalists receive complimentary registration for the La Costa Film Festival, held this year at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad.

"As the LCFF continues to grow," said Mandalay Sports Media co-chair Mike Tollin, "we wanted to use our reach to cultivate the next generation of filmmakers, giving new and distinct voices a platform that they ordinarily may not have. While the contest will go a long way to support the winning pitch, it's going to have a profound impact for all involved, providing them with the unique opportunity to receive immediate feedback on their idea and take the next steps to have their concepts heard and sold."

The La Costa Film Festival opens Thursday, September 10.

ABOUT THE LA COSTA FILM FESTIVAL (LCFF) - The La Costa Film Festival in Carlsbad beckons you to explore this idyllic coastal area known for its gorgeous beaches, exquisite local cuisine, and nearly year round perfect weather. The La Costa Film Festival combines the excitement, glamour, and experience of Hollywood with a setting that makes you feel like you've arrived at a destination vacation. Whether you're a movie buff, filmmaker, or one who enjoys a great party, the La Costa Film Festival has something special for everyone.

About Mandalay Sports Media - Launched in 2012 by Peter Guber and Mike Tollin, MSM is a diversified sports content and media company that creates high-quality, sports-themed programming for all platforms and creates, acquires and invests in businesses and assets across the sports content and media landscape. Since its founding, MSM has produced and is producing content for ESPN, Showtime, E! Channel, ABC, CBS, FOX, The NFL, Xbox Entertainment Studios, Turner Sports, Yahoo, VICE, AOL, among others, with numerous projects in development with major television, digital, feature film and sports entities. Learn more at www.mandalaysportsmedia.com.



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