Author Stephenie Meyer and Lions Gate Entertainment announced this week that new "Twilight" short films will be developed and distributed exclusively on Facebook, in a preview of the planned endeavor which will also give a window of opportunity for female filmmakers to exhibit their craft.
The project, called "The Storytellers - New Creative Voices of The Twilight Saga," will debut next year, according to a report on The Hollywood Reporter.
At least five female filmmakers will be selected in a "multiphase contest", who will then spearhead the creation of the short films, The Hollywood Reporter added. These filmmakers will be chosen and mentored by star-studded and award-winning panelists, including Stephenie Meyer, Kristen Stewart, Academy Award winners, Kate Winslet and Octavia Spencer, "Frozen" writer Jennifer Lee, "Twilight" director Catherine Hardwicke, Emmy Award winner Julie Bowen, and Women In Film President Cathy Schulman.
Five winning shorts will be financed through production advances, and fans will help select a grand prize winning filmmaker who will receive a cash prize and career opportunities. The short film development and production process will involve extensive fan engagement on the Facebook and Tongal platforms.
Lions Gate announced in its press release statement that production advances will finance five winning short films, with fans helping judge and select the best short. The final winner will then receive a cash prize and opportunities for career advancement. Fans will be involved extensively in the development and production of the films by means of Facebook and Tongal crowdsourcing platform.
"The female voice is something that has become more and more important to me as I've worked in the film industry," said author Stephenie Meyer in the Lions Gate press release. "I'm honored to be working with Women In Film, Lionsgate, and Facebook on a project dedicated to giving more women a chance to be heard creatively."
Dan Rose, Facebook Vice President of Partnerships, said of the collaborative endeavor, "More people than ever before are creating, discovering and engaging with videos on Facebook. This collaboration with Stephenie Meyer, Lionsgate and Women In Film is a great opportunity to engage Twilight's massive global audience on Facebook through an innovative premium video program."
The "Twilight" Saga franchise has a massive audience and fan base, so the short film competition is sure to attract great attention and interest. The book series has sold over 120 million copies worldwide with at least 38 language translations globally. The five films based on the books, according to The New York Times, bagged $3.5 billion worldwide.
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