Campus MovieFest and Panasonic Announce the First National 3D Student Film Festival

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Nov. 4, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Campus MovieFest (CMF), the world's largest student film festival, and Panasonic have announced the launch of CMF 3D, Powered by Panasonic. The announcement was made at the Blu-Con 2010 conference in Beverly Hills by Shiro Kitajima, President of Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company, Jon Landau, Academy Award®-winning producer and CMF advisor, and David Roemer, Co-founder and CEO of Ideas United, which runs Campus MovieFest.

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Campus MovieFest is the only event of its kind, giving hundreds of thousands of students across the world everything they need to create original short movies all for free. This year, CMF will tour more than 60 colleges and universities. During the events, over 75,000 students are equipped for a week with Panasonic HD cameras, Apple laptops, and all the training and support they need. Students see their movies on the big screen at red carpet finales on each campus, leading up to the CMF International Grand Finale in Hollywood in June 2011.

For the first time, CMF's top student filmmakers will now get hands-on access to the latest Panasonic 3D camcorders, including the Panasonic HDC-SDT750, during their filmmaking experiences. Students will be selected from the CMF Distinguished Filmmakers Network, comprised of award-winning students at CMF events nationwide who earn special opportunities and exposure. Students will focus on various themes for their movies, including a sports theme that will be showcased at Arnold Schwarzenegger's Sports Film Festival in March.

"We started Campus MovieFest as students ten years ago, and now 350,000 student participants later, we're celebrating the best CMF year yet by offering unforgettable movie-making opportunities for students everywhere," said David Roemer, Co-founder and CEO of Ideas United. "We're honored to launch CMF 3D, partnering with the worldwide leaders in 3D at Panasonic to empower our students to get their hands on the latest 3D innovations. We're also especially grateful for Jon's support as he continues to educate the next generation and revolutionize the industry, most recently having inspired our students to push nearly every boundary with AVATAR."

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In June 2011, CMF will highlight the best movies – both made using Panasonic HD and 3D camcorders – from the 2010-2011 World Tour at its International Grand Finale, which will feature workshops, guest presenters, industry luminaries, and a gala awards ceremony. Students will receive Panasonic 3D prize packages for the best uses of 3D in their storytelling.

"Panasonic is proud to continue our relationship with Campus MovieFest, now with the launch of CMF 3D," said Shiro Kitajima, President of Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company.  "We are committed to engaging the next generation of filmmakers so they're prepared to deliver outstanding 3D content, and we can't wait to showcase the results on our 3D VIERA HDTVs."

Panasonic Corporation has been a leader in the creation of end-to-end standards and technologies to enable consumers to experience immersive Full HD 3D TV. For more than 15 years, Panasonic has maintained an R&D facility, Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory, in the Los Angeles area for the development of entertainment-related technologies and ongoing liaison with major studios for the development of the 3D Blu-ray Disc format.

For more information on Panasonic's Full HD 3D technology, visit www.panasonic.com/3D.  For more information about CMF and to see the top movies, visit www.campusmoviefest.com.

About Campus MovieFest

Campus MovieFest (CMF), the world's largest student film festival and a premier outlet for the next generation of movie lovers, began ten years ago when four students at Emory University provided fellow students with everything they needed — including Panasonic camcorders and Apple laptops — to make movies in one week. Since then, more than 350,000 students have told their stories on the big screen, receiving all the necessary technology and training for free thanks to participating schools and corporate partners. Past winners have walked away with more than $2 million in prizes and seen their films at CMF events nationwide, at Cannes, at Paramount Studios, and on millions of smaller screens – including AT&T mobile devices, in-flight on Virgin America, and online.

About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company

Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company (PCEC), a market and technology leader in High Definition and 3D TV, is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC) and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations.  Panasonic is pledged to practice prudent, sustainable use of the earth's natural resources and protect our environment through the company's Eco Ideas programs.  Information about Panasonic products is available at www.panasonic.com. Additional company information for journalists is available at www.panasonic.com/pressroom. 

SOURCE Panasonic