Barbershop: The Next Cut film director, Malcolm D. Lee, to mentor finalists
PR Newswire
OAK BROOK, Ill., Feb. 15, 2016
OAK BROOK, Ill., Feb. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ – Back for its second year, McDonald’s USA and the American Black Film Festival
invite emerging filmmakers to enter McDonald’s “My Community” Video
Competition. Filmmakers are challenged to create one 90-second video
that illustrates McDonald’s 365Black mantra, “Deeply Rooted in Your
Community.” Aspiring filmmakers nationwide are encouraged to enter their
best, original submissions by 11:59 p.m. EDT April 15, 2016, for their chance to win the grand prize. Three finalists will be selected to attend the 20th annual American Black Film Festival in Miami, June 15 - 19 and have an exclusive opportunity to be mentored by critically-acclaimed film director Malcolm D. Lee (The Best Man; The Best Man Holiday; Barbershop: The Next Cut), who will provide finalists with invaluable film industry tips and advice.
The submissions will be judged by a panel of industry experts and the
top three short videos will premiere at the highly-anticipated 20th
anniversary festival. Submissions will be critiqued on creativity,
implementation of concept and quality. One finalist will take home the
grand prize — a film equipment package valued at $2,500 and an opportunity to have their video featured on prominent websites, including McDonald’s 365Black.com and other media entities. More information about the competition can be found at www.abff.com.
“We are proud to partner with McDonald’s on bringing this opportunity
to emerging content creators. Without a doubt, this competition is a
catalyst for introducing undiscovered talent to the industry-at-large,”
said Jeff Friday, ABFF founder and CEO.
“I look forward to returning as mentor to the finalists in the McDonald’s ‘My Community’ Video Competition,” said Malcolm D. Lee.
“There is so much great talent out there in the film industry and it’s
always inspiring to connect with them and hopefully do my part to
support the next generation of great filmmakers.”
Furthering their relationship with filmmakers, McDonald’s is also working with writer/director/producer Reginald Hudlin (House Party; Boomerang), who will star in an All Day Breakfast commercial airing this month.
McDonald’s 365Black mantra, Deeply Rooted in Your Community, will
inspire what the brand does in 2016, extending to this video
competition. By focusing on 'my community’, the campaign provides an
opportunity to showcase various communities and allow consumers to
celebrate the communities that they are part of. Not confined to just
the neighborhood in which they live, 'my community’ includes shared
passions, hobbies, interests, churches and social organizations.
“This partnership with ABFF allows us to affect meaningful and
impactful change in the communities we serve and be a catalyst in
cultivating stories from African American communities nationwide through
these aspiring filmmakers,” said Marty Gillis,
Chairman, McDonald’s African American Consumer Marketing Committee. “We
are looking forward to the creativity that will come out of this
competition and hope that it sparks inspiration and excitement in the
film industry.”
Last year’s winner, Richard T. Fields, won the competition with his short video “Puppy Love.”
The 'My Community’ Video Competition and ABFF’s vision to promote
diversity in the film and television industry align with McDonald’s
365Black platform — an initiative that celebrates the pride, heritage
and achievements of African-Americans year round. McDonald’s encourages
those interested in the competition to follow @365Black on Twitter and join the conversation using #365BlackFilm. To learn more about the 365Black initiative, visit www.365Black.com.
To learn more about the American Black Film Festival and the 'My Community’ Video Competition, visit www.abff.com. Follow @ABFF on Twitter and @AmericanBlackFilmFestival on Instagram and join the conversation using #ABFF20.
About McDonald’s
McDonald’s USA, LLC, serves a
variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to more than 27
million customers every day. Nearly 90 percent of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S.
restaurants are independently owned and operated by businessmen and
women. Customers can now log online for free at approximately 11,500
participating Wi-Fi enabled McDonald’s U.S. restaurants. For more
information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook www.facebook.com/mcdonalds. To learn more about the 365Black initiative, visit www.365Black.com and follow @365Black on Twitter.
About The American Black Film Festival
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is a four-day event
dedicated to showcasing quality film and television content by and about
people of African descent. Annually held during the month of June, the
ABFF is committed to the belief that Black artists and content creators
deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts. ABFF
founder Jeff Friday, conceived the
festival in 1997 as a vehicle to promote diversity in the motion picture
industry. Today, the festival is widely recognized for showcasing
established and new Black talent, both in front of and behind the
camera, and is regarded as one of the leading film festivals in the
world. The ABFF is produced by Film Life, Inc. and Black Enterprise.
McDonald’s and 365Black are trademarks of McDonald’s Corporation and its affiliates.
© 2016 McDonald’s