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2017 Operations

Best Film Ever Made: This is the working title of Wes Wilgrubs' film. A Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to make the film was started on July 6 and will be open until August 5.

Tranquilo Way: Robert Cortez has completed post-production of Visitors Only, for which the Foundation is an Executive Producer. Visitors Only won a Gold Rami for Suspense/Thriller at the 2017 Houston International Independent Film Festival. It will be submitted to additional film festivals in 2017 and 2018. (Read the team's comments regarding impact of the Foundation grants.)


Geraldo Olivo (left) with Kelli Ham (plays Dolores)


Robert Cortez (left) with Jose Gonzalez (plays Patrick)


trailer

2017 Houston Independent School District Scholarships

The Foundation awarded five $500 scholarships for college tuition or continuing education in the performing arts to HISD seniors graduating in 2017. The winners were:

The scholarship winners were recognized at an awards luncheon on 24 Jun 2017 at Brio Tuscan Grill at Houston City Centre.

From left, Maria Carillo, Bethany Vaughn, Don Bartusiak, Beverly Lalka, Hailey Lewis, and Jackson Burnham. Not pictured, Clinton Walker.

Foundation 2017 Scholars with their families; Board members and friends from left: Debbie Porter, Chris Lalka, Beverly Lalka, Don Bartusiak, Anna Fader, Steve Bartusiak.

2016 Operations

In October, the Foundation made an Executive Producer-level grant of $2500 to Tranquilo Way (Geraldo Olivo and Robert Cortez) to finance their short film, Visitors Only, that is being made in Houston this Fall. Visitors Only will be submitted to multiple film festivals in 2017.

We were also pleased to arrange for two Houston area high school filmmakers, Wes Wilgrubs and Chase Juszczak, to be part of the Visitors Only crew. We discovered Wes and Chase after seeing their brilliant short film, Elephant Boy, in the 2016 Houston 48 Hour Film Project. Wes and Chase are planning to make a new short film in 2017 for entry in national film festivals. The Foundation is assisting Wes and Chase with developmental experiences for casting and marketing of their films and with financial support for their project.

In January, we issued a follow-up grant of $500 to Gin & Tonic Films (Gin Yu and Alex Hall), 2015 grantees, to support production costs for their short film Four or More that was successfully financed via Kickstarter. (Read the team's comments regarding impact of the Foundation grants.)


From left, Alex Hall and Gin Yu

2015 Operations

In August 2015, the Foundation started operations by awarding its first block of grants and producing its first fundraising benefit event, Skye Fest 2015, held in conjunction with the 2015 Houston 48 Hour Film Project (48HFP).

The Foundation awarded three grants of $500 each to 48HFP teams for the purpose of supporting production costs. Grant selection was competitive on the basis of artistic merit, need, and alignment with the charitable purpose of the Foundation. The three recipients and an honorable mention were as follows:

All grant recipient selections and distribution of funds were handled solely by the Skye McCole Bartusiak Foundation independently of and without input from the Houston 48 Hour Film Project or 48HFP, Inc.

In November 2015, the Foundation issued its second grant block, awarding one $500 grant to More Than Four Productions (Daniel Kleinpeter) to support production costs for their entry in the Four Points Film Project.

This grant recipient selection and distribution of funds were handled solely by the Skye McCole Bartusiak Foundation independently of and without input from 48HFP, Inc.