Black/friday Music, Film Fest Spotlights Unsung Artists

MUSIC VIDEO SHOWCASE: African-American artists who don't fit into a typical musical category will be spotlighted at the second Black/Friday Music and Film Festival. The festival includes a music video/ film showcase, as well as musical performances.

Music video submissions are now being accepted for the festival, which takes place Oct. 5, 12, 19, and 26-28 at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles. Aug. 31 is the deadline for video and film submissions. The video/film showcase is newly added this year, and it will feature question-and-answer sessions with artists.

Music journalist Ernest Hardy (who has written for Rol-ling Stone and L.A. Weekly) is in charge of selecting the music videos to be showcased at the festival. He says, "We're in the middle of some amazing cultural shifts that Hollywood is just smart enough to acknowledge. I want to give those folks who are at ground zero in terms of artistic, racial, gender, and sexuality issues a place to have their work seen and honored."

Festival organizers say that the focus of the event will be on artists and work that are outside the mainstream or have nontraditional approaches to African-American music. Past participants in the festival include Macy Gray, Dakota Moon, and Koffee Brown.

More information on the festival and application forms can be found at the Web site blackfridayfest.com.

THIS & THAT: Emily Wittmann, former Island/Def Jam VP of video promotion, has been named head of video promotion at Edel America Records . . . Production company Bob Industries has appointed Emily Skinner to be a representative and has added directors Peter Care and Spencer Susser to its roster. Care was previously repped by Satellite Films, and Susser was previously with Black Dog Films . . . Geronimo Film Productions has named Damon Johnson a representative.

LOCAL SHOW SPOTLIGHT: This issue's spotlight is on the Chicago-based R&B/hip-hop program Groove Parlor.

TV affiliate: AT&T Cable in Chicago.

Time slots: 8-9 p.m. Fridays; 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. alternating Saturdays.

E-mail: groove_parlor @yahoo.com.

Key staffer: Paula J. Harris, executive producer.

Following are five videos played during the week that ended June 9:

DPG, "Coastin' " (DPG/Select-O-Hits).

Nicole, "I'm Looking" (Elektra).

Kardinal Offishall, "Bakardi Slang" (MCA).

Melvin Riley, "You Complete Me" (Bogart).

Cunnie Williams, "Life Goes On" (OmTown/Higher Octave/Virgin).