Birmingham Millage Documentary Receives Nod for Michigan Film Award

Many of the film nominated for the third annual Michigan Film Awards — to be held this weekend at the Palladium 12 — were made for a cause.

Not many of those causes, however, hit this close to home.

The film Birmingham Public Schools Millage Renewal from the Birmingham-based Volk Video Services has been nominated for a Michigan Film Award in the short documentary category.

The award show will cap off the second annual , held this Thursday through Saturday at the and .

The film is produced by 25-year Birmingham resident and owner of Volk Video Services Steven Volk. Volk created the film for the parent group, Friends of Birmingham Public Schools, which .

Volk produced the film in mid-August 2011 with the intent of helping the district pass what he considered a crucial millage.

" faced a major challenge to get the voters to renew an important millage that had a huge impact on the district budget," Volk said, noting he had to finish the film in a rush.

"We scripted, shot and edited the film in less than two weeks so it could be shown at all the schools in the district on opening and curriculum night," he said.

Volk collaborated with photographer Rod Arroyo, owner of the Birmingham-based City Photos and Books, and Kelly Sweeney, the CEO of , on the film so as to include plenty of statistics and photographs of Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Beverly Hills and various other corners of the school district.

"The opening scene with the creaking of the swing sets, in both black and white and color, then later with the swings stopping as the voiceover suggested what might happen should the vote not pass — (they) were great metaphors for what the campaign was all about," Volk said. "(It was about) the future, our children's education and the community."

In the end, the millage passed with 85 percent of Birmingham voters voting yes.

Volk said he initially wasn't sure if he should submit the film to a festival, but friends, family and neighbors encouraged him to submit. A short while later, Volk received word that he had been accepted to the Uptown Film Festival and was up for a nomination.

Birmingham Public Schools Millage Renewal is nominated alongside four other films in the short documentary category: 14 Days with Alzheimer's, Strong from Detroit, New York Accent and Time Dances On.

All four short films will be screened at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Birmingham 8. Tickets to the program are $10 a piece.

The Uptown Film Festival seeks to honor and spotlight Michigan filmmakers as well as films made partly or entirely in Michigan. The weekend opens with the Michigan Filmmakers Reception at 7 p.m. Thursday followed by the world premiere of Brothers on the Line at the Birmingham 8.

The Michigan Film Awards will take place at 9:30 p.m. Saturday at the Palladium 12. For a list of last year's winners, check out .

Stick with Patch all weekend long for more coverage of the 2012 Uptown Film Festival.