Contact: Wesley Strackbein, San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, 210-340-5250 ext. 222

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Sept. 28 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Second Annual Christian Filmmakers Academy to be held in the Alamo City on October 16-18, 2006, has secured sponsorships for this year’s event from Panavision and Final Draft, industry leaders in precision camera systems and script-authoring software. Both sponsorships will offer film students who attend the 2006 Academy the opportunity to receive hands-on training on state-of-the art tools that have become the standard used by many major film studios.

“Panavision and Final Draft have set the standard for 35mm film equipment and script-writing software, and we are pleased to have them as sponsors of the Second Annual Christian Filmmakers Academy,” remarked Doug Phillips, president of Vision Forum Ministries and founder of the Academy.

“The Christian Filmmakers Academy is leading the charge in equipping aspiring Christian filmmakers with the nuts-and-bolts skills they will need to be successful in this critical arena of the arts,” continued Phillips. “We are endeavoring to give our students the best tools and the best training available -- all for the glory of Christ -- and having Panavision and Final Draft take part in the Academy helps us accomplish this goal.”

Panavision, the motion picture industry’s leading designer, manufacturer, and supplier of high-precision camera systems will be sending James Finn to the Academy to lecture on cinematography and the future of high-definition technologies. Finn will be bringing one of the famous Panavision cameras with lenses so that Academy students can learn about proper setup and handling of industry-standard 35mm film equipment.

Final Draft, the motion picture industry’s leading script-authoring software company, will assist Academy students in the craft of writing and reading the complex screenplay format. First Draft’s innovative software program is used by director Tom Hanks, among other industry leaders. Academy student who enter The Treatment Contest will be given the opportunity to win a personal license for Final Draft software.

“When it comes to the medium of film, our goal is not to curse the darkness, but to light a candle,” observed Phillips. “The Christian Filmmakers Academy is a candle-lighting endeavor which we hope will equip filmmakers to produce motion pictures that communicate the most noble biblical values with technical excellence and creative artistry, and which make sound business sense.”

Following the Second Annual Christian Filmmakers Academy, Vision Forum Ministries will host the Third Annual San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival on October 19-21 which features a $10,000 Jubilee Award for the top film submission. For more information on the Film Academy and Film Festival, visit www.independentchristianfilms.com.

To interview Doug Phillips about his vision for the Christian Filmmakers Academy and Film Festival, contact Wesley Strackbein by e-mail at wesley@visionforum.com or by phone at 210-340-5250, ext. 222.