9/3/08 The Milano Film Festival has selected "Fridays at the Farm" for the EXPO Special Section – a select group of films introducing the theme for the 2015 Milan Expo. The theme for Expo 2015 is: Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life. In case you're wondering, Expo – once called World's Fair – is the the third largest event in the world in terms of economic and cultural impact, after the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games.
9/2/08 The Eco-Film Forum in Philadelphia will screen "Seeds of Spring" as part of Green Fest Philly, held next weekend. This year, 20,000 people are expected at the area's largest environmental event. The event features vegetarian food, sneaker recycling, live music & entertainment, kids activities, bicycle valet, yoga, local produce, organic pastry contest, composting and recycling, and, of course, great films! The festival is this Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008, 11am-6pm at 2nd & South Streets in beautiful Philadelphia, PA.
8/28/08 The Far North Conservation Film Festival has accepted "Fridays at the Farm" and will screen it this November in our nation's 49th state. Hello Fairbanks!
7/25/08 The trailer for "Where Watermelons Grow" was screened to rave reviews at a fund-raiser for our friends at Greener Partners. Check it out –click on the Watermelons tab in the left column.
7/1/08 Coyopa will be filming a trailer for "Watermelons" in Philadelphia in mid-July. More information about the film, the trailer, and the project to follow.
6/12/08 Be sure to check out Netflix for your copy of "Invisible Mountains" and "Fridays at the Farm" delivered right to your door!
6/2/08 Coyopa is now on YouTube! Come visit our channel!
5/15/08 "Fridays at the Farm" has been accepted by Netflix. Keep an eye out for it soon!
4/28/08 Here's the link to the Spanish voice over for "Fridays at the Farm". Enjoy!
4/14/08 "Fridays at the Farm" has been accepted as a finalist for the Slow Food on Film Festival to be held in Bologna Italy this May. The whole Hoffmann clan will be attending this international event! Ciao, baby!
4/1/2008 "Fridays at the Farm" has made its Australian premiere recently at the Byron Bay Film Festival where it was nominated for the Best Environmental Film Award.
3/18/08 "Fridays at the Farm" is on heavy rotation on the Sundance Channel for the next several weeks. Happy spring!
3/2/08 Interested in filmmaking? I am teaching a practical film workshop revealing the time-lapse techniques that I have perfected on "Fridays at the Farm", "Prayer for Philadelphia", and other recent films. Using digital photos from a still camera, you can learn how to manipulate the images to tell your own story. The workshop is taking place at Scribe Video Center in Philadelphia on April 1 from 6:30-9PM. I hope to see you there!
2/5/08 "Fridays at the Farm" (or should we say, "Los Viernes en la Granja") has been translated to Spanish! We have partnered with the Mendoza Group to transcreate "Fridays at the Farm". A number of film festivals in Spanish-speaking countries have requested the film, and when I met Mia Mendoza at a Fair Trade Committee meeting in Media, it seemed like a great fit. It's a bit surreal hearing my "voice" in another language, but I actually like it better!
1/07/08 Coyopa Productions has received a generous grant from the Lenfest Foundation for pre-production planning on our new fulldome film. "Where Watermelons Grow" (working title) is a twenty-five minute children's film intended for worldwide distribution through planetariums in science centers. This fictional film centers around an abandoned lot in a poor city neighborhood that is transformed into a garden through an accidental encounter and the hard work of a ten-year old boy. Time-lapse sequences of the watermelons growing from seed to mature plant will be woven into the narrative story line, giving viewers a glimpse into the secret life of plants. The Lenfest Foundation grant is a major step towards our goal of filming in 2008!
12/2/07 "Prayer for Philadelphia" played to a crowd of over 500 committed Philadelphians as part of the Citizens Convention on December 2nd. This event was put together by the Philadelphia Inquirer's Great Expectations team with the goal of creating a Citizens Agenda. The response to the film was incredible. Newly elected Mayor Michael Nutter gave me a hearty handshake and pronounced "great film" before giving an inspiring keynote address. It was truly an honor to screen for such a receptive audience that is working hard to fulfill the hopes expressed in our film. Click here to watch it.
11/1/07 "Fridays at the Farm" was selected for Ironweed Film Club's November 2007 release. Much like a book of the month club, Ironweed delivers a DVD in the mail to its members on a monthly basis. "Fridays" was chosen as the short to accompany Deborah Koons Garcia's feature length film "The Future of Food". The more positive nature of "Fridays" pairs nicely with the more grim outlook of "The Future of Food", and together seem like a perfect match.
10/29/07 “Prayer for Philadelphia” wins the Grand Prize in the “Great Expectations 2007 Hopes and Fears Film Competition!!! To view the film and the other finalists, click here
10/22/07 “Prayer for Philadelphia” is a finalist in the Hopes and Fears Film Competition as part of the Great Expectations Project. Winners will be announced following a private screening Saturday, October 27, 2007.
9/15/07 “Fridays at the Farm” wins Best Documentary at the Sapparo ShortsFest in Sapporo, Japan.
9/05/07 “Media, PA” wins 2nd place in the Ikea hometown make-over contest. Click here to learn more.
8/3/07 So we made it into the top ten on this Ikea make-over contest, and now the voting counts. Many thanks to Pete Tramo with help on the music (that's me on the harp:), Jon Shearburn with the edit, and Drew Arata from Earth and State for convincing me to go for it in the first place.
Here's the link to see our film "Media, PA-Everybody's Hometown" and vote:
http://ikea.shycast.com/contest/1
The final prize is determined by 30% public voting, 70% Ikea judges. You only get one vote. I hope it's for Media!!! Let's make it to the top three!
7/27/07 Fridays DVD Release Party!
We are going to have a great time Friday, July 27 in Media, PA celebrating the d release of “Fridays at the Farm”. The party starts at 8PM in the Plumstead Mall next to Seven Stones Café, and the outdoor screening will begin once darkness falls. “Fridays” musicians Pete Tramo and Tim Mercer will play a short set, and there will be some tasty local treats to taste as well. We will also preview our newest short film “Media, PA” , which I guarantee will make you laugh. Or at least smile. J
7/24/07 - Fridays on Sundance!
Fridays at the Farm premieres Tuesday, July 24 nationwide on the Sundance Channel’s program “The Green” at 10:30PM. It is also screening Friday, July 27 at 1:30 & 11:30 AM and Sunday, July 29 at 4:30PM. If you don’t have the Sundance Channel-don’t fret, you can always order a DVD…
7/23/07 - Fridays DVD’s have arrived!
The DVDs have arrived and they look gorgeous. I am so excited to share the film and all of the related “extras” that we created exclusively for this DVD release. These short films go well beyond “Fridays” to give a broader picture of Red Hill Farm and the many cool things happening there. I was inspired by farmers Amy Johnson and Chris McNichol to make the film, and the incredible response it received encouraged me to push forward with the DVD. Many thanks to those folks who have already placed pre-orders- you will be receiving your copies shortly.
7/22/07 “Seeds of Spring” wins at Domefest!
We created a fulldome short film for this year’s Domefest in Albuquerque, NM, which is the one and only film festival of its kind in the world. Fulldome films are projected on planetarium domes, and the effect is a completely immersive 180 degree visual experience. In my opinion, it is the most exciting medium on the planet, and truly takes filmmaking to the next level. I traveled out to “Duke City” this past weekend to experience the festival, and was pleasantly surprised to receive a “Domie” for the best use of live-action. The trip further inspired me to pursue my dream of creating a full length children’s show (25 minutes) about farming for fulldome equipped science centers around the world.
6/6/2007- "Fridays" wins best short film in Seoul at the GFFIS! My trip to Korea was amazing- I met so many great folks doing excellent work, and return feeling truly inspired. Telluride was incredible as well- who knew they planted a Swiss mountain village in Colorado? I am planning on posting a slideshow video of my journeys in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
5/18/2007 - RPH travels to Korea for the Green Film Festival in Seoul http://www.gffis.org with "Fridays at the Farm" ! From there, he flys to Telluride, CO to screen at Mountainfilm http://mountainfilm.org , where he is meeting up with Pete Tramo (the composer of "Fridays"). Wish us luck!