Art by Chance Ultra-Short Film Festival for Digital Screens
Gail Chiasson, North American Editor
The Art by Chance Ultra Short Film Festival is taking place everywhere or, at least, in more than 200 cities in 22 countries worldwide.
Hatice Çağlar
For this festival, there’s no need to buy a ticket or go to a movie theatre. Movies just pop into people’s lives on digital screen networks in subways, buses, airports, shopping malls, trains, sports centres, art galleries, medical offices, museums, cafes and bars. Internationally selected and themed creative short films catch you unexpectedly while traveling in the subway, waiting at the airport, shopping or just strolling around.
In fact, the Art by Chance Ultra Short Film Festival is believed to be one of the largest public art events ever, according to Hatice Çağlar, Istanbul, Turkey, co-founder and director of the event launched and growing annually since 2009.
“It was inspired by a moment of contemplation in an Istanbul metro station,” says Çağlar. “There was a need to beautify the screens. The screen I was looking at was so boring with all advertising and travel information. I thought public screens should house something more interesting, entertaining and inspiring for the public. Street art and public art inspire me a lot. I love art in urban spaces. You can participate free, you can receive art for free. It’s for everybody.
“I mentioned it to a friend who said, “I know someone who said exactly the same thing to me. You two should meet.” So I met with Yener Ozaydin and we became a team. I lead the project but he has been a big supporter since the beginning.”
Çağlar herself studied film in Turkey and UK. Prior to launching Art by Chance, she spent numerous years in publishing as editor, foreign rights coordinator and film and commercial producer. She owns a multi-disciplinary creative studio in Istanbul and also has art projects on everyday life and the culture of living together.
An accomplished jury selects films to be shown on the screens. For 2015 Art by Chance, the jury members were: Johanna Von Fischer, director of the British Independent Film Awards; Neset Dereli, interactive marketing and communication manager, Turkish Airlines; Nick Roddick, film journalist and course director, MA Film Curating, London Film School; Richard Raskin, co-founder of Multiplatform Storytelling and Production; and Ryan Harrington, vice-president of artist programs for the Tribeca Film Institute.
Every year, film selection takes place over one month. (In 2015, it will take place from January 15 to February 15.) There is usually a theme and film makers are asked to send their 30 sec. themed pieces. Past themes were: Journey, Time, Change, Home and this year, Discover.
Art by Chance has been elected as one of the coolest festivals by the Movie Maker Magazine
“We aim to balance the onslaught of commercial advertising in public spaces with art that inspires the public to reflect and create,” says Çağlar. “We believe public spaces should house something more interesting, entertaining and inspiring for the public.
“Digital screens more or less is the same. We thought it would be great if we put art in various places at the same time. We started with Turkey, UK, US, Germany and then it expanded. In not all countries but we have representatives in some countries such as Germany. First year entry number was 200 but it increased to between 600 and 700. And this year, there will be more because our sponsor, Turkish Airlines, will give one of the filmmakers a return flight ticket wherever they want to go that the airline flies.
“The Art by Chance Festival is hard to operate, so we don’t have local sponsors, we only have one global sponsor. Luckily, we have Turkish Airlines with us. It will also show films in-flight.
“In most countries, or in one city, there is only one network participating. We want to reach more digital signage network owners and convince them to open their screens to art. We’re lucky to have some networks like Adspace Networks which they tweet as ‘proud to support Art By Chance’ which makes us smile. BBC big screens were always with us. They separated and have single managed screens but still show our films.
“The same films chosen by the jury are shown everywhere. Given the diversity of the audience that will view the selections, Art by Chance does not recommend any use of complex dialogue texts within the films. If some dialogs are necessary, there has to be an English subtitle.
“Art by Chance is my dream project. The path was rough but worth it.”
For further information or to enter films, contact info@anbean.org
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