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What’s the first thing you think of when someone mentions webcam or cell phone videos? Yeah, me too. But apparently there’s a lot more being done with cell phones, webcams, and other non-traditional video cameras than just… that.

Like actual little movies and experimental shorts (that you could show to your mother). There’s also throwaway videos meant only for you, for a friend, as a lark… that just may make a complete stranger smile.

But say you’re a fan of the format and want to meet others with the same fetish interests… where can you go to find other like-minded people hoping to celebrate this new video frontier? Enter The Disposable Film Festival running March 4th-7th in San Francisco. Check out their trailer and official synopsis below.

Trailer:

Synopsis:

The Disposable Film Festival was created in 2007 to celebrate the artistic potential of disposable video: short films made on non-professional devices such as one-time use video cameras, cell phones, point and shoot cameras, webcams, computer screen capture software, and other readily available video capture devices. With people everywhere gaining access to these devices, we felt the time was right to draw attention to the creative potential of this new mode of filmmaking. Far beyond its initial roles for video blogging and documentation, the DFF offers a forum to display how disposable media can be used for creative purposes. The DFF hosts screenings, competitions, and other events to showcase the best work within the disposable genre.

In recent years a new kind of film has emerged: The Disposable Film. It has been made possible by new media (webcams, point and shoot digital cameras, cell phones, screen capture software, and one time use digital video cameras) and the rise of online distribution (YouTube, Google, MySpace, etc.). These films are often made quickly, casually, and sometimes even unintentionally. Everyone has become a Disposable Filmmaker: directors of Saturday night cell phone videos, actors under the eyes of security cameras, and narrators before their webcams. Let’s face it – we live in an age of disposable film. Now it’s time to do something creative with it.

The Disposable Film Festival returns home to San Francisco for the premiere of the 2010 Program March 4 – March 7 for its third year, following an incredible year in 2009 of touring and screening in Paris, London, Brussels, New York, Beijing and beyond. The 2010 program features the very best of over 1000 entries from around the world, highlighting how ubiquitous the use of casual media in film making is today. The program will feature a competitive shorts program, featured filmmaker profiles, Q&A’s, an educational workshop, and multimedia after parties.

The schedule will kick off on Thursday, March 4 at 8:00 PM with the competitive shorts program, screening at the iconic Roxie Theatre in the Mission District (3117 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103). Artist Spotlight screenings followed by Q&A’s with filmmakers will be held throughout the weekend, along with an educational filmmaking workshop, to be led by Vimeo Community Director Blake Whitman on Sunday March 7. Parties are open to the public and for filmmakers, VIPs.”

If you like what you see at this year’s festival and are intrigued enough to give it a try yourself… they’re already taking submissions for 2011. Check out The Disposable Film Festival site for more information.