Sisbro Studios wins Best Original Musical Score at International Wildlife Film Festival
Missoula, MT - May 13, 2011 - Last night during the closing ceremonies of the International Wildlife Film Festival (IWFF), an annual event that promotes awareness, knowledge and understanding of wildlife, habitat, people and nature through excellence in film, television, and other media, Sisbro Studios won the award for Best Original Music for their latest film First Snow in the Woods.
"We're truly honored to be recognized by such a prestigious group, especially when competing against the big networks like the BBC and Animal Planet," said an excited Laura Sams who, along with brother and co-director Robert Sams, accepted the award at the gala event. The movie was screened four times during the festival, to audiences of up to 800 school children each time.
Founded in 1977, IWFF is the premier venue for wildlife filmmaking and filmmakers. Often called the "Sundance" of the wildlife film genre, IWFF was the first film festival of its kind and has been supported throughout the years by organizations such as National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, the BBC, and many others involved in environmental filmmaking worldwide.
"The music was very clever, and we were impressed by how much they accomplished within their music budget," said Mike Salisbury, a final judge. First Snow in the Woods was also honored with a Merit Award for Cinematography, a Merit Award for Use of Humor, and was a Finalist for Best Children's Program.
"After watching the movie, the final judges agreed that Laura and Rob are a very talented duo," said Janet Rose, Executive Director of IWFF. This is the third film by Sisbro Studios to be featured at the festival. The Riddle in a Bottle won three major awards in 2009, including a Special Jury Award and Best Children's Program. Stranger in the Woods: The Movie, was one of four finalists in 2003.
First Snow in the Woods is a half-hour movie, based on the New York Times best-selling children's book by Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick. Set in the vivid fall season, the movie follows a worried scarecrow (who can't scare any crows) as he watched the animals prepare for an early snowfall. The movie begins with a lively song written by Laura Sams, showcasing a singing groundhog, chipmunk and pileated woodpecker, all voiced by Laura and Robert Sams.
"We spent two years capturing footage of animals in the brilliant colors of a Michigan fall, from white-tailed deer to mice to birds," said Rob Sams. "I'm really proud of how beautiful the footage looks, and it was really fun to hear 800 kids laughing as they watched the movie on the big screen."
First Snow in the Woods is available at bookstores nationwide, as well as online at www.sisbro.com.
About Sisbro Studios
Founded in 2001, Sisbro Studios creates award-winning high-quality movies, books, music and educational media that entertain and inspire children to learn about and explore the natural world. Sisbro Studios has been presented with over 40 international awards for its smart and entertaining product offering. Product families include: The Shark Riddle, First Snow in the Woods, The Riddle in a Bottle, Lost in the Woods: The Movie, Stranger in the Woods: The Movie and Bearly Alike for films, A Pirate's Quest for books, and Lost in the Woods: The Soundtrack, and Stranger in the Woods: The Soundtrack for music. For more information about Sisbro Studios, visit www.sisbro.com.
For information about the International Wildlife Film Festival, visit www.wildlifefilms.org.
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