ActionFest 2012 Announces a Stellar Jury Selection for the 30 Seconds of Action Contest

April 2, 2012 - PRLog -- ActionFest has announced its first wave of films for the festival’s return to the beautiful Carolina Cinema in Asheville, NC this April 12th - 15th and is now proud to announce the start of the 2012 30 Seconds of Action Contest. In order to round out the event, ActionFest has chosen a group of  action film experts to act as the contest jury for the weekend.

When it comes to selecting the best films of this year’s fest, ActionFest knew they had to assemble a jury who knows action cinema inside and out, and the final kick-ass jury selections for ActionFest 2012 include: Eric Vespe – “Quint” of the popular website Ain't It Cool News, Mitch Davis  – General Director of Montreal's legendary Fantasia Film Festival, Borys Kit – film writer for The Hollywood Reporter and founder of Heat Vision, and Dan Guando –  Senior Vice President of Acquisitions at The Weinstein Company. The 2012 jury also features local Asheville business owner and movie expert Marc McCloud, Owner of Orbit DVD and co-owner of TV Eye Video Emporium and local 105.9 The Mountain DJ Sadie.

Back by popular demand, ActionFest hosts the annual 30 Seconds of Action Challenge where film makers, stunt teams, martial art schools, and all aficionados of action in between, professional or otherwise, showcase their talent by writing, choreographing, and shooting thirty seconds of head-busting action. Three submissions will be selected and shown before screenings at ActionFest. Each finalist will receive two VIP badges for this year’s festival. The ActionFest 2012 Jury will review the finalists, and award one filmmaker a grand prize! Details coming soon! For more information visit www.actionfest.com/competitions/30sec-challenge/

ActionFest will also honor legendary stuntman Mickey Gilbert (Ben Hur, The Wild Bunch) with the Lifetime Achievement Award and pioneer in women's MMA and Haywire star Gina Carano with the Chick Norris (Best Female Action Star) Award, and J.J. Perry (Warrior, Haywire) with the ActionFest Fight Choreographer of the Year Award. All-Access Badges ($100), which are good for admission to all ActionFest films and events including parties, panels, awards show and entry to the VIP Lounge, are still available at  www.actionfest.com. Single tickets (General tickets $8, Student/Senior $6, Military $7) will be on sale once the full line-up and schedule are announced the week of March 26th, 2012.

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Sarah Benoit, owner of Creative Original and Director of SEO and Content Development at JB Media Group, LLC, teaches social media and online marketing classes in Asheville and throughout WNC.She is a SEO and social media marketing expert.