Creative Spirit goes green

The third annual effort to introduce Native filmmakers to Hollywood and vice versa is underway. Creative Spirit is once again seeking scripts for its short-film competition.

Call for Short Scripts from Native American Screenwriters for 3rd
Annual Script-to-Screen ShootoutThis year, Creative Spirit is going green. "We're looking for stories about the environment and ecological concerns," says James Lujan, director of InterTribal Entertainment. "Because of the cultural and spiritual relationship that American Indian tribes have with the planet, we feel that Native American storytellers and filmmakers have valuable contributions to make to the global discussion on the issues that affect and threaten the eco-system."

But before you think Creative Spirit is getting too politically correct, think again. The competition is also seeking scripts that fall under the category of what can best be described as grindhouse. "Think B-movie," says Lujan. "We want scripts that reflect the sensibility of the low-budget genre films of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. These were movies, probably best epitomized by the Roger Corman factory, that didn't cost much to make but made a lot of money because they were fun, thrilling and had the air of forbidden fruit. I think one of the reasons that Native American filmmakers haven't had mainstream commercial success is that they still haven't figured out the formula for making the kinds of movies that mass audiences want to see. I think that learning from the success of the B-movie is a good place to start."

The Creative Spirit judges will choose a winning script in each category, the writers will be brought to Los Angeles September 20-28, 2008, and will participate in the making of the film with other Native filmmakers and industry professionals for three days of shooting, three days of editing and a world premiere screening in Hollywood the evening of Sept. 27.

Submission deadline is June 17, 2008.Comment:  You can see trailers and clips from the first four Creative Spirit films below.