Multimedia News Release - Step Ahead Filmmaker Competition Underway

Multimedia News Release - Step Ahead Filmmaker Competition Underway

Three Filmmakers on Track as they Travel Cross-Country in Audi A3s

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- A star-studded party at SKYBAR in West Hollywood on May 3 celebrated the rising talents of three promising filmmakers and the all-new Audi A3 -- the versatile ride that will transport the group and their crews to destinations across the U.S. during the next three weeks as they uncover emerging societal trends. From May 4-25, Shawn Ku, Jonathan Levine, and Kristina Robbins-Higgins will compete as part of Step Ahead with Audi A3: Personal Journeys with AFI FEST Filmmakers. They will create 15-minute short films based on the trends they discover in the hope of winning the grand prize -- a 2006 A3 and $10,000.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/audi/21796

Of 60 eligible filmmakers whose films were screened in competition at AFI FEST 2004 -- one of the most influential film festivals in North America -- Shawn Ku (36, Pretty Dead Girl), Jonathan Levine (28, Shards), and Kristina Robbins-Higgins (37, Wet Fur) were selected from the program applicants to embark on this unique adventure and to turn their creative ideas of "what's next" ... be it people, places or things into an actual film.

Listed as one of Fade In Magazine's "Top 100 People in Hollywood to Watch," New York-native Shawn Ku is busy developing his musical short, Pretty Dead Girl, into a Broadway stage play. The film made during his graduate studies at USC made an impact at Sundance and was also screened at AFI FEST 2004. Ku plans to trace "The Mobile Class" during the Step Ahead program and demonstrate how current technology allows individuals to awake in Los Angeles, lunch in San Francisco, conduct business remotely in Austin and Miami before wrapping things up with a flight to New York.

A graduate of the American Film Institute Conservatory, Jonathan Levine plans to "Click Ahead" and learn if the power of Internet dating can help him discover love on the road. This New York-native and Brown graduate believes that the car can increase his hip quotient, while ladies in Los Angeles, Austin, Washington, D.C., Boston and New York will guide him in revealing the emerging trends in their areas.

A recent mother herself, Kristina Robbins-Higgins intends to showcase "HUPPIES" (Hip Urban Parents) as they handle the challenges of daily life while still embracing active lifestyles even with new family additions. A graduate of AFI's Directing Workshop for Women, this L.A.-based writer and director whose narrative shorts have screened at festivals across the U.S. will concentrate on family situations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, Boston, and New York.

Audi inherently believes that it's "greater to lead than follow," and to complement the all-new A3's advanced technology, Ku, Levine, and Robbins- Higgins will use an array of state-of-the-art equipment including Sony High Definition Video camcorders and accessories, Apple Power Mac G5 and PowerBook G4 computers with Final Cut Express editing software, and Bose headphones and audio monitors to create their films. The filmmakers will retain the equipment used during the edit process.

Step Ahead concludes on May 25 in New York with a wrap party at Audi Park Avenue where the filmmakers will share tales from the road in individual pod environments true to their creative treatments. The competition's next phase starts almost immediately as the filmmakers begin the edit process with final films due by June 17.

All the while, Ku, Levine, and Robbins-Higgins will upload blogs to keep the public informed of their experiences. In addition, individuals are encouraged to visit http://www.audiusa.com/A3 to view behind-the-scenes footage of the journey and filmmaking process. The final films will be available online from July 5 - August 5 for public viewing. Site visitors will be encouraged to vote for their favorite film with a contest winner earning a trip to AFI FEST 2005 presented by Audi in Los Angeles this November.

A panel of talented actors including Oscar-nominated James Cromwell (The Longest Yard, I, Robot), Independent Spirit Award winner Emily Mortimer (The Pink Panther, Lovely & Amazing), Joshua Jackson (A Life in the Theatre, Aurora Borealis), as well as representatives from Audi and AFI FEST will select the top film. The announcement will be made on August 10 during a special event in Los Angeles.

"We are proud to continue our affiliation with AFI FEST and the filmmaking community with the Step Ahead competition," said Stephen Berkov, Audi's director of marketing. "We see these filmmakers as bringing an uncanny ability to see 'what's next' around them and illustrate emerging lifestyle trends. We think the A3 is an ideal lens for them on this journey as this is the first time Audi will offer this car in North America. The A3 represents the creation of a new category and meets the desires of today's forward thinking consumers."

"At AFI FEST, we're always looking for ways to provide our filmmakers with opportunities to gather new experiences and gain exposure, whether through the festival's Kodak CONNECT program, our recent alliance with the AFM, or through this unique Audi program," states Christian Gaines, Festival Director, AFI FEST. "The Step Ahead program offers these three lucky filmmakers and their teams an incredible amount of freedom to explore, experiment, experience and ultimately express themselves in a way that's creative, inventive and fun. We look forward to seeing the resulting films."

Complete program details about Step Ahead with Audi A3: Personal Journeys with AFI FEST Filmmakers can be found at http://www.audiusa.com/A3 . It's more than what's new, it's what's next.

About Audi

Audi of America is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and markets performance-oriented European luxury vehicles: the A3, A4, A6, A8, and TT. For more information about additional Audi-related events and corporate news, visit http://www.audiusa.com/ .

About AFI FEST

The American Film Institute is a national institute providing leadership in screen education and the recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television and digital media. Now in its 19th year, AFI FEST presented by Audi -- the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival -- is the longest-running film festival in Los Angeles and one of the most influential film festivals in North America. Additional information about AFI is available at http://www.afi.com/ .

Video: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/audi/21796
Source: Audi of America

CONTACT: Audi Contacts: Holly Rocheleau, +1-248-591-5170,
holly.rocheleau@mvpcollaborative.com , for Audi of America; or Jennifer Cortez
of Audi of America, +1-248-754-4729, jennifer.cortez@audi.com ; AFI Contact:
Alison Deknatel, +1-323-856-7896, adeknatel@AFI.com

Web site: http://www.audiusa.com/A3
http://www.audiusa.com/
http://www.afi.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: PHOTOS/ART AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

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