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Chicago Underground Film Festival

SPONSORSHIP 2000

Introduction

“It oftentimes takes as long as a decade for film festivals to become established with audiences and moviemakers alike, but in just six years, the Chicago Underground Film Festival has transformed itself from a hole-in-the-wall operation focusing almost exclusively on local product to the largest underground film fest in the country, with films and tapes being submitted from around the globe. The reasons, of course, are savvy programming and solid marketing.”
— John Petrakis, The Chicago Tribune

“What you get for your money is not just admission to the films but admission to a subculture”
– -Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Founded in 1994, The Chicago Underground Film Festival is a year-round organization dedicated to the work of film and videomakers with defiantly independent visions. Unlike many other “independent” film events our goal is not to imitate old guard, market-driven events such as Sundance. Instead we seek to create our own particular niche by promoting works that dissent radically in form, content and technique from both the tired conventions of Hollywood and the increasingly stagnant IndieWood mainstream. While our acclaimed annual international film and video festival remains our primary activity, CUFF has expanded to include a post-production grant and year-round screenings and events. In the next year we will introduce a screenplay competition and a touring “best of” program. The festival, held in August at the centrally located Village Art Theater, offers a complementary mix of independent features, shorts, documentaries and experimental films augmented by panels, workshops and nightly parties and concerts. With an exponential growth each year in both attendance and film submissions, the Chicago Underground Film Festival is an undeniable success.

History

“I’d like to think the work Chris Gore and I did at Film Threat helped inspire the lunatics behind CUFF but now they’re the ones inspiring meSnot just a great “underground” festival but a great film festival PERIOD.” — Dave Williams, Senior Editor American Cinematographer

(Former Editor Film Threat Video Guide)

The Chicago Underground Film Festival was founded in 1994 by Jay Bliznick, a Columbia College film student who was fed up with the exclusivity of the existing film festival circuit. He enlisted partner Bryan Wendorf to work with him and create a festival for the kind of films they wanted to see, primarily films that the established film festival circuit – Increasingly dominated by distributor product – refused to show. Their first three-day event was an undeniable success with both audiences and attending filmmakers, receiving much positive press coverage. As the festival enters its seventh year, attendance and press coverage continue to grow at an exponential rate, Making CUFF a major stop on the international festival circuit.

Marketing Advantages

National & International Exposure

The 1999 Chicago Underground Film Festival and our sponsors received unprecedented national and international media coverage. Our reputation is securely place for the 2000 festival. Our sponsors’ identities, their products and services share our industry and consumer exposure.

From the Alternative Press to the mainstream past media coverage includes:

  • New City
  • The Independant Film & Video Monthly
  • Film Threat
  • Film Threat Video Guide
  • Moviemaker
  • Filmmaker
  • The Chicago Reader
  • The Chicago Tribune
  • MSNBC-online
  • WBEZ (NPR)
  • WXRT Radio
  • WLUP Radio
  • Pulse
  • Rolling Stone online
  • Addicted To Noise
  • indieWIRE
  • IFC (Bravo)
  • Weekly Variety
  • American Cinematographer
  • Details
  • Movieline
  • Punk Planet
  • Pop Smear
  • Micro-Film
  • Raygun
  • Black Talent News
  • Fringecore (Netherlands)
  • Juxtapoz
  • Ten by Ten Magazine
  • Trash Times
  • XLR8R
  • Cashiers Du Cinemart
  • The New York Times
  • Windy City Times
  • Gab
  • Performink
  • Reflections (Russia)
  • Splatting Image (Germany)
  • Headpress (U.K.)
  • Lumpen Magazine
  • Supersphere.com
  • FilmZone
  • Shock Cinema
  • New York Independent Film Monitor
  • Screen Magazine

Premium Audience

“Probably the most transgressive thing left for a self-dubbed “underground” film festival to do is to simply persist until it evolves into a cultural mainstay on its home turf. CUFF has attained a delicate but promising balance of organizational responsibility and artistic license.”
— Ray Pride, Filmmaker Magazine

Not only does The Chicago Underground Film Festival reach the film world, it is considered a benchmark of Chicago9s cultural scene. 90% of our audience are between 24 and 44 years old. 80% are employed in the film industry offering our sponsors access to a cross section of the working population in a wide range of fields eg: technical, management, media, promotion, creative, fashion. The Chicago Underground Film Festival web site stats reported an astounding 31,000 hits per day during the 1999 festival week; over 50,000 monthly hits can be expected throughout the year.

Commercial and Artistic Success

“I had the best time of my life at this festival. Your lives are so much better than all those people who think they’re having a good time in Hollywood.”
–Penelope Spheeris, Director of Decline of Western Civilization, Part 3

Films, filmmakers and producers who have participated in The Chicago Underground Film Festival have received honors and offers as a direct result of their efforts at the festival.

This last year has seen national distribution for such past Chicago Underground Film Festival films as MEN CRY BULLETS (Fox Searchlight), PERFECT BLUE (Palm Pictures) and BETTER LIVING THROUGH CIRCUITRY (Seventh Arts) and THE ACID HOUSE (Zeitgeist). Other noteworthy CUFF films include SURRENDER DOROTHY (Slamdance and NYUFF winner, selected by Roger Ebert for the first Overlooked Film Festival), THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION PART 3 by Penelope Spheeris director of WAYNE’S WORLD and DRIVER 23 by Rolf Belgium selected for the 2000 Whitney Biennial.

A breeding ground for actors as well as directors, past Chicago Underground Film Festival films have featured performances by such up-and-comers as Jerri Ryan (STAR TREK: VOYAGER), Belinda McClory (THE MATRIX), Ewen Bremmer (TRAINSPOTTING), Mary Lynn Raajskul (THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW) and Amy Sedaris (STRANGERS WITH CANDY).

In 1998 CUFF launched the Chicago Underground Film Fund, a post-production grant program to aid independent filmmakers who share our maverick vision. 1999 grant recipient STRAIGHTMAN by Ben Berkowitz and Ben Redgrave was selected to attend the Berlin Film Market as part of IFP Independents Abroad program and will have its World Premiere at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival in April 2000.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES 2000

PRODUCING PARTNER SPONSOR – $35,000

  • Denotes sponsor as “Official Sponsor” of a particular item, i.e. Official Car or Official Airline.
  • Thirty second trailer shown with Chicago Underground Film Festival trailer. Sponsor provides trailer.
  • Chicago Underground Film Festival Award in sponsor’s name.
  • 1st tier position on Festival posters and flyers for all year-round screenings and events.
  • Banner display in theater lobby, Germania Place Hospitality Lounge and at Festival parties during festival week and during year round screenings and events.
  • Sponsorship of Opening Night Party and Awards.
  • Logo on Festival passes.
  • Program full-color back cover ad.
  • Logo prominently featured on Newcity festival guide insert.
  • Company exhibit booth for entire festival week, or host of two seminars featuring company’s products/services.
  • Company’s marketing brochures on display at Sponsorship table in Germania Place Hospitality Lounge during festival week.
  • Program listing.
  • Web site banner ad with hotlink in June, July & August.
  • Recognition on all Festival press releases.
  • 10 Festival passes.

PRESENTING SPONSOR – $15,000

  • Logo on Chicago Underground Film Festival trailer – full screen.
  • 2nd tier position on Chicago Underground Film Festival poster.
  • Chicago Underground Film Festival Award in sponsor’s name.
  • Banner display in main screening room and at Festival Official Parties during festival week.
  • Preferred placement for full-color ad.
  • Logo featured on Newcity festival guide insert.
  • Company exhibit booth for three days during festival week or sponsorship of festival party.
  • Company’s marketing brochure on display at Sponsorship table in Germania Place Hospitality Lounge during festival week.
  • Program listing.
  • Web site banner ad with hotlink in July & August.
  • Recognition on all Festival press releases and materials.
  • 8 Festival passes.

1999 Presenting Sponsor
Stolichnaya Vodka

PREMIERE SPONSOR – $10,000

  • Trailer logo – 1/2 split screen.
  • Company Banner displayed in Village Theater lobby and Germania Place Hospitality Lounge during festival week.
  • 3rd tier position on Festival poster.
  • Program full page B/W ad.
  • Logo featured on Newcity festival guide insert.
  • Company exhibit booth in hospitality lounge for 3 days during festival week.
  • Company’s marketing brochure on display on Sponsorship table in Germania Place Hospitality Lounge during festival week.
  • Program credit.
  • Web site logo/link.
  • 6 festival passes.

1999 Premiere Sponsors Camel Work-In-Progress Newcity

Filmmaker Magazine

BENEFACTOR – $5,000

  • Trailer logo – 1/3 split screen.
  • Company Banner displayed in Village Theater lobby or Germania Place Hospitality Lounge during festival week.
  • 4th tier position as 1 of 15 on Festival poster.
  • Program full page B/W ad.
  • Logo featured on Newcity festival guide insert.
  • Exhibit booth for two days during Festival Week.
  • Company’s marketing brochure on display at Sponsorship Table in Germania Place Hospitality Lounge during festival week.
  • Program credit.
  • Web site logo/link.
  • 6 festival passes.

1999 Benefactors Palm Pictures/Manga Entertainment

Digital Projection

PATRON SPONSOR – $2,500

  • Trailer logo – 1/3 split screen.
  • Program full page B/W ad.
  • Logo featured on Newcity festival guide insert.
  • Logo featured on Newcity festival guide insert.
  • Program credit.
  • Web site logo/link.
  • 4 festival passes.

1999 Patrons Studio Film & Tape Screen Actors Guild Ifilm.net Independent Film Channel

Film Craft Labs

ADVERTISING SPONSOR – $1,500

  • Program full page Black & White ad.
  • Trailer credit.
  • Website logo.
  • Program credit.

1999 Advertising Sponsor
Quimby’s Bookstore

PROGRAM ADVERTISING

  • Full page color ad – $1,000
  • Full page B/W ad – $550
  • Half page B/W ad – $ 350
  • 1/4 page B/W ad – $225
  • 1/8 Page $150

NEWCITY CUFF INSERT ADVERTISING

Advertising inquiries for the Newcity CUFF supplement should be sent to: Newcity Display Advertising Manager Stephanie Sack

stephanie@newcitynet.com

312/243-8786 ex. 33 Deadline: Wednesday, August 2nd

Streetdate: Thursday, August 10th

HOSPITALITY SPONSOR

Goods or services donated for festival operations. Sponsorship level determined by value of donation. Contact Sponsorship Coordinator for more information.

PANEL DISCUSSION SPONSOR – $6,000

Featured sponsorship of five days of festival panel discussions in Germania Place Hospitality Lounge.

  • Company logo featured on panels page of program.
  • Banner displayed during festival panels/discussions.
  • Verbal thanks to sponsor before each panel.
  • Table Presence on Welcome Day and during each panel.
  • Patron level benefits

MEDIA SPONSOR

Print, television, radio or internet advertising donation to festival. Sponsorship level and benefits determined by value of advertising properties. Contact Sponsorship Coordinator for more information.

AWARD SPONSOR – $1,000

  • Chicago Underground Film Festival Award in sponsor’s name.
  • Your company’s product or service given to winning filmmakers with award.
  • Recognition of company during awards ceremony.

AUDIENCE AWARD SPONSOR – $2,500

All Award Sponsorship benefits with addition of sponsor’s logo printed on audience award ballots, sponsor signage at voting kiosk and inclusion in Audience Award ad in Festival Program.

2001 CALL FOR ENTRIES SPONSOR – $2,000

  • Program full page B/W ad.
  • Trailer credit
  • Program credit
  • Website Logo.
  • Sponsors ad included on 2001 festival applications

2001 CHICAGO UNDERGROUND FILM FUND SPONSOR – $2,000

  • Program full page B/W ad.
  • Trailer credit
  • Program credit
  • Website Logo
  • Sponsors ad included on 2001 film fund applications

WEBSITE ADVERTISER

  • Banner Ad on Home Page July, August, September – $2,000/month (31,000 hits per day during festival week.) October thru June -$1,000/month
  • Banner Ad on Program Page July, August, September $1,500/month (31,000 hits per day during festival week.) October thru June – $ 800/month

EVENT SPONSORS

Opening Night Party, Awards Ceremony/Closing Night Party, Festival Concert, Bowling Party & More

  • $10,000 for Opening or Closing Night or Festival Concert
  • $5,000 – $2000 for all other events
  • Guest list for event.
  • Logo on party invitation.
  • “Hosted by” on invitation.
  • Logo on Chicago Underground Film Festival trailer – split screen.
  • 2nd tier position on Chicago Underground Film Festival poster.
  • Premiere banner placement at party.
  • Product placement at party.
  • Program full page B/W ad.
  • Company’s marketing brochure on display at Sponsorship Table in CUFF Hospitality Lounge .
  • Program listing.
  • Website banner ad with hotlink in July & August.
  • Recognition on all Chicago Underground Film Festival press releases.
  • 4 Festival passes.

CUFF 2000 DEADLINES

Festival – August 18-24

    CUFF Program

  • Street Date – August 1
  • Final Ad Deadline – July 14
  • Early Ad Deadline – June 30
    CUFF Sponsorship Deadline

  • Early Deadline – June 30
  • Final Deadline – July 7

SPONSORSHIP CONTACT

Steve Timble – Skyway Sponsorship Sales
Telephone: 773.486.4632
Fax: 773.486.9649
E-mail: Skyway@enteract.com

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