Canon U.S.A. and Ron Howard Launch “Project Imaginat10n” Film Festival on Yahoo Showcasing Ten Films Inspired by User Submitted Photographs

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Canon U.S.A. and Ron Howard Launch “Project Imaginat10n” Film Festival on Yahoo Showcasing Ten Films Inspired by User Submitted Photographs

“A Ron Howard Presentation” Features Ten Short Films Directed by Jamie Foxx, Eva Longoria, Georgina Chapman, James Murphy, Biz Stone and the Five Winning Consumer Directors of the Canon Project Imaginat10n Film Contest

October 24, 2013 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

MELVILLE, N.Y.--(Business Wire)--Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, and two-time Academy Award® winner Ron Howard, officially launched the “Project Imaginat10n” Film Festival, which kicked off with the global premiere of ten short films at Lincoln Center in New York City on October 24, 2013. Following the premiere, screenings will be held in Los Angeles, CA hosted by Bryce Dallas Howard, the first graduating director of Canon’s Project Imagin8ion as well as in Brooklyn, NY hosted by James Murphy, a celebrity director for Project Imaginat10n. Yahoo Screen will continue celebrating the Film Festival from October 25, 2013 through the end of the year where consumers can view each of the 10 films.

    “In an effort to continue our collaboration with the community, we are pleased to take the concept of a film festival to a new level, asking consumers to watch the films side-by-side online.”

Proving Ron Howard’s words “we’re all creative,” five innovative celebrities took to the director’s chair – Jamie Foxx (Academy Award® winner), Eva Longoria (Golden Globe nominated and SAG Award winning actress), Georgina Chapman (designer and co-founder of Marchesa), James Murphy (founder of LCD SOUNDSYSTEM) and Biz Stone (co-founder of Twitter). The project launched with a photo contest, inviting the masses to interpret 10 storytelling themes through photography. After receiving thousands of submissions, 91 winning photos were announced. Then, the directors each chose nine photos, one from each theme, to inspire their films. A 10th photo in the Discovery theme, selected by Ron Howard, was utilized in all films to create a common thread.

Canon gave consumers of all skill levels an opportunity to showcase their creativity and storytelling abilities by undertaking the same creative exercise—selecting photos from the same pool as the celebrity directors to inspire short films. With hundreds of user generated films submitted, Ron Howard and Bryce Dallas Howard selected five winning films.

“I am so proud to be part of this creative journey with Canon, the impetus to ten inspiring, brave and audacious films that are a testament to the power of the imagination,” said Ron Howard.

“From inviting the masses to submit photographs to shape the creative direction of a film to then challenging consumers to direct their own short films, Project Imaginat10n has been a user generated project from start to finish,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. “In an effort to continue our collaboration with the community, we are pleased to take the concept of a film festival to a new level, asking consumers to watch the films side-by-side online.”

“A Ron Howard Presentation” consists of 10 films including:

    Jamie Foxx, Celebrity Director - “…And She Was My Eve”
    Eva Longoria, Celebrity Director - “Out of the Blue”
    Georgina Chapman, Celebrity Director - “A Dream of Flying”
    James Murphy, Celebrity Director - “Little Duck”
    Biz Stone, Celebrity Director - “Evermore”
    Arrius Sorbonne, Winning Director - “Dominus”
    Jared Nelson, Winning Director - “Chucked”
    Julian Higgins, Winning Director - “Here and Now”
    Kalman Apple, Winning Director - “A Day in the Country”
    Ronnie Allman, Winning Director - “Filter”

To take part in Canon’s Project Imaginat10n, the first film festival inspired by user-submitted photographs, consumers can visit: http://screen.yahoo.com.

Freestyle Picture Company produced the five celebrity director films as well as Bryce Dallas Howard’s short film when you find me as part of Canon’s Project Imagin8ion. Francesca Silvestri and Kevin Chinoy of Freestyle have a track record of shepherding first time directors.

Grey New York, Canon’s agency partner for over thirty years, developed the creative and digital elements of the multi-phase campaign. Grey Activation and Public Relations managed the talent partnerships as well as the promotional, event and public relations efforts.

For the latest news and announcements related to Project Imaginat10n follow @CanonUSAImaging on Twitter and join the conversation with #CanonPI10.