Access Sacramento welcomed more than 250 eager filmmakers to the Coloma Community Center last night for the Tenth Annual "Cast & Crew Call" event. Twelve short films were "pitched" to the large group, short video auditions of each participant were recorded by Access Sacramento staff, and sign-up sheets for each film invited all to "make a movie this summer".

The festive evening was kicked off by welcoming comments from Executive Director Ron Cooper and Lucy Steffens, Sacramento Film Commissioner. Youth and adult mentors visiting Sacramento from their community media center in Honolulu, Hawaii offered a welcoming chant and presented Cooper with gifts from their home state.

Each of the 12 filmmakers then presented their film ideas to the crowd and asked for their help. When completed and shown on the big Crest theater screen October 4, 2009, the 12 films will round out 100 completed films in the ten years of "PCS" filmmaking. Most of the past films are available for viewing at any time at www.AccessSacramento.org or on You Tube's Access Sacramento channel. 

There is still time to get involved. Go to the Access Sacramento web site, read the log lines for the 12 films, and contact the films you find most interesting via the e-mail addresses provided. Cast and crews are still being formed. "We build our community by working together, asking others for help, and sharing our stories with all our neighbors", said Cooper. "We had a great time and the real fun has just begun."

Photos by Kati Larson Garner