Paragon City Film Festival

2004 Film Contest

(Presentation taken from the City of Heroes Collector's DVD Edition installer program.)

In September 2004, we invited the City of Heroes community to participate in our first ever Paragon City Film Festival! Using game footage, animation, live action or whatever they could dream up, our players showed us the game through the eyes of their hero or team. We were taken on flights of daring; showed spectacular battles, heroic rescues and zany antics. Our filmmakers exhibited impressive editing skills and created exciting stories and visuals that made this contest both a joy and a challenge to judge.

Film entries were judged in two categories: Best Action and Best Comedy, with both winners receiving a Sony DVD Handycam Camcorder as their just reward. In addition, they were granted inclusion into this Special DVD edition of City of Heroes and secured a featured 'guest appearance' for their in-game hero in a future issue of the City of Heroes Monthly Comic Book.

In the end, two entries stood out not only for their cinematic excellence, but their ability to embody the heart and soul of the game. Here are the winners of the 1st Annual Paragon City Film Festival:

For Best Action Film - The Liberty League in "The Doom of Doctor Death"

Created by Mike D'Anna

Slickly edited, with a colorful, fast-paced comic book style, "The Liberty League..." keeps you on the edge of your seat. It's a fictional trailer to a City of Heroes movie we'd all love to see.

For Best Comedy Film - "Sometimes the Hero"

Created by Brian Shapiro

In a creative and humorous mixture of live action and game footage, Brian Shapiro, a dentist from PA, perfectly captures the spirit of what City of Heroes means to the everyday working person. Funny, inspiring, and ultimately touching, Sometimes the Hero is a superb ode to the game.

Congratulations to Mide D'Anna and Brian Shapiro for their amazing creations!

2005 Film Contest

(Recovered from the Internet archive.)

Best Overall

Freedom Phalanx Episode 1: Freak and Ye Shall Find
Bruce Zeus Simeoni

Join the Freedom Phalanx on an adventure that's sure to amaze and delight. You've never seen City of Heroes quite like this!

Best Action

Evangel
Michael Orner

Featuring exceptional editing and excellent use of music, this action-packed video introduces you to Evangel. Kidnapped and transformed into a weapon by an evil corporation, Evangel turns against his masters and becomes a hero.

Best Action Runner-up

Astoria Edit
Melvin Laural

An exciting montage of music and incredible action scenes, this video features some of the best effects the game has to offer.

Best Live Action

The Powers Within
Lawrence Wong

Unrequited office love with a twist. The lowly company mail clerk has a super secret…but so does the target of his affections. A live action video that’s both engaging and provocative.

Best Live Action Runner-up

Missy K: Heroes Do Come True
Oliver J. Tan

When frustrated gamer Ollie threatens to quit City of Heroes, his hero Missy K comes to life and shows him what it means to be a real hero. A charming look at the thin line that sometimes separates real life from fantasy.

Best Animated

A New Threat
Eric Young

An amazingly creative recreation of City of Heroes’ game play. See this video and marvel at the attention to detail and the amount of time and effort that obviously went into its making.

Best Animated Runner-up

Omu's Revenge
Pete Mitchell

Pete Mitchell's animated work is uniquely his own. And he returns with a brilliant sequel to last year's honorable mention entry, The Justice Avengers. Funny and insightful, his portrayal of a hero team strikes a chord that will be familiar to anyone who has ever grouped in City of Heroes.

Best Comedy

Your Superpowers and You
Richard H. Moon

Remember those high school health films that you dozed through? Well, this isn’t one of them. Not exactly. And you sure won’t fall asleep watching it. For all of you heroes out there just approaching super-powered puberty, this is your film. Who said educational films can’t be funny?

Best Comedy Runner-up

Cease and Desist
Ryan Anderson

We seem to live in very litigious times. Can it get any worse? Yes it can. Watch this hilarious spoof and be glad it’s not about your City of Heroes character. Or maybe it is?