Lights. Camera. Help. is coming to South Carolina

In partnership with The Greater Park Circle Film Society, Lights. Camera. Help., a national nonprofit organization, is holding a local event at the Olde North Charleston Picture House on September 25, 2010 at 7 p.m. to celebrate cause-driven films. Tickets are available online for a $10 donation and day of at the event.

Lights. Camera. Help. is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to encouraging other nonprofit and cause-driven organizations to use film and video to tell their stories.

“Lights. Camera. Help. is the world’s first film festival for nonprofit and cause focused films,” said David J. Neff, director of Lights. Camera. Help. “Our mission of outreach to nonprofits and filmmakers across the U.S. is accomplished by amazing events such as this one in Charleston. We are honored to be a part of such a great film community.”

Lights. Camera. Help. Presents: Charleston will feature jury prize winners from this year’s recently held Lights. Camera. Help. Film Festival, which focused exclusively on nonprofit and cause-driven films. Winning films that will be shown include:

·         GIRLS OF DARAJA, submitted by the Daraja Academy and director Barbara Rick, which won best short film for its portrayal of the Daraja Academy’s work to improve education opportunities for girls in Kenya.

·         ECOVIVA: AN INTRODUCTION, directed by Spencer Stoner, which won best PSA, promotes nonprofit EcoViva’s efforts to help community organizations in El Salvador.

·         INCLUDING SAMUEL, submitted by the Institute on Disability and filmmaker Dan Habib, which documents one family’s efforts to include a child with cerebral palsy in every facet of their lives.

The second half of the event, presented by Unimedia, will focus on locally-produced cause-driven films and a presentation from a nonprofit leader behind the cause.

Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to attend and see how film and video can help further their missions. Individuals interested in filmmaking, film appreciation, or local nonprofits and causes are encouraged to show their support.

The event is sponsored by Unimedia, a local visual communications firm that provides turn-key creative solutions for medium to larger businesses and organizations; Blackbaud TV, an online video portal from Blackbaud where nonprofit professionals can learn, interact, and share stories about how they make the world a better place; and Coastal Community Foundation, a public grant making foundation fostering philanthropy for the lasting good of the community.