Earlier in the year, many aspiring filmmakers submitted entries to the Comcast/IFC Independent Film Competition. All but six entries were voted off the island and are now vying for the top slot.

You might wonder what the top prize is. Is it one million dollars? Maybe the winner will receive her own talk show. Could it be a picture deal with a major film studio? No, it isn’t any of these. Top prize holds no direct monetary value. The top prize is exposure. That may not sound like much to the lay person, but to a filmmaker, exposure is highly coveted.

Filmmaking isn’t an easy job. You can’t get a degree in it and walk into a studio and expect your movie to get made. Heck, you’d be lucky to be able to get job as a Production Assistant. (For those of you not familiar with what the Production Assistant, better known as a P.A., does, let me tell you. Some P.A. jobs can be very challenging and require a mastery of organizational skills and the ability to do ten things at once for twenty different departments. More often, however, P.A. is a glorified title for the gopher/coffee maker.)

It can take a filmmaker half a lifetime to become successful. It requires a mix of talent, sacrifice, determination and the ability to grow and adapt to not only professional criticism but also changing audience tastes. But all this means nothing without the proper exposure. Exposure means you have a chance to show your talent in hopes of getting someone to perhaps give you some money to further show your talent.

Starting this Saturday, July 22, 2006, through Saturday, August 26, 2006, you can view the six finalists in various places. You may log onto www.medialab.ifc.com. You can watch them on your beloved television set through Comcast ON DEMAND. Or you can leave your house – gasp! – and venture out into the world – double gasp! – and view the films at Campus Martius Park For all the details, log onto www.comcastfilmseries.com.

Film is a wonderfully visual way to tell a story and connect with your fellow homo sapiens. Check out these finalists. One of them could very well be the next Quentin Tarantino, Peter Jackson or Wes Craven.

I will be checking out the finalists myself and will report who is my favorite and why. And maybe next year, someone else can report why my film (or maybe yours!) is her favorite.