"I Am" from Tom Shadyac takes Grand Prize at 2nd New Media Film Festival SF Bay Area

Seasoned newscaster, consumer editor, and 20+ year investigative reporter Tom Vacar of KTVU-Fox-Channel 2, an Ohio native and alum of Cleveland State, moderated the first panel discussion (New Media: The Who, What, Why and How?) that included other Cleveland, Ohio panelists Traci Nickerson (Greenhouse Studios-Burbank, CA) and Academy of Art University teacher, prolific screenplay writer, and esteemed book author James Dalessandro .  Vacar offered some valuable insights and threw out some hardball questions to panel members Randy Bellous- Board Member and 11-time award-winning producer, as well as to Mary Crosse, Business Director of New York's Lucky Branded Entertainment, who also directs The Viral Connection, the largest curator database of branded viral videos on the web. 

Other notable panels included a discussion on "Social Media, Alternative Distribution, and 3D" and featured nVidia's Senior Business Development Manager Jon Barad and GoDigital Media Group's CEO Logan Mulvey discussing its social media monetization program.

Sacramento's Back2One Talent captured the Red Carpet Interviews while Portrait/Event/Photobook Photographer Steven Underhill captured the 47 New Media Filmmakers from around the world, 10 New Media Panelists, 2 Journalists that were part of the programming as well as the dignitaries, film lovers and community (brought together by Whole Foods) that enjoyed the Free International Art Exhibit, Free Art on Wall Exhibit and Free New Media Marketing table sponsored by Popchips. Famed Japanese artist Remo Camerota and LA artist Dakota Bertrand donated one of a kind prints to the International Art Exhibit and the proceeds of a raffle drawing will go to The Madrone Project (a non-profit for sustainable living).

Judging by Pixar, ILM (Industrial Light & Magic) and other Industry Leaders.

Grand Prize Award went to documentary "I Am" from filmmaker Tom Shadyac. The film asks two central questions: (1) What's wrong with the world ?, and (2) What can we do about it ? "I Am"  can be seen New Year's Day 2012 on OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network).

Category winners include:

Web series:  "Gigi"- from US Dir. Ty Clancey

Animation:  San Francisco Premiere of "A Love Story ... In Milk" from British Director Danann Breathnach

Music Video: World Premiere of "Sesko" from US Dir. Carlos Florez

LGBT:   World Premiere of "Friends and Benefits," from Australian Director Chris Kam

Documentary: "I Am" from US Dir. Tom Shadyac

3D: "Ocean Voyagers" submitted by Passmore Labs

Shot On Red:  San Francisco Premiere "Meditations-Supper" from US Dir. Jonathan Ade

SRC-Socially Responsible Content: "Attraction"  UK, Japan, France Dir. Anrick Bregman & Koji Morimoto 

Trailer: "The Power of You - For Big Sisters of RI" US Dir. Adam Jones

Apps: World Premiere "Treasure Kai"  Australian Dir. Karen Robertson

Feature: Morgan Spurlock's "POM Wonderful Presents The Greatest Movie Ever Sold"

Art on Wall: North American Premiere "Bring Me Up" from Japan Dir. Miki Tanaka 

Short: San Francisco Premiere "Three Fifty" from US Dir Maurice Chauvet 

Special Certificates of Merit went to:

"Hollywood Tal"-Great Production Value

"Rascal", the World's Ugliest Dog- Best Dressed Talent