As the second annual Campus MovieFest kicks into full swing at Seattle University, more widespread excitement can be seen regarding this year’s competition and films.
“I didn’t do it last year, but this year I signed up on the last day,” said sophomore Kris Oltman-Reid.
Campus MovieFest is the world’s largest student film festival with about 75,000 students participating across the globe this year.
Teams are given one week to write, cast, film, edit and produce five-minute films.
Each group is provided with an Apple laptop with iMovie and Final Cut Studio software, an AT&T mobile phone, a digital camcorder and accessories and technical support.
“The materials they provided were very good, and it really is a cool opportunity to create something new and unique,” said freshman Alex Tsway.
Each team can have up to 10 members help in the production of their film, but in order to be eligible for prizes, each group member must be associated with the university, either as students or staff members.
After the films are submitted, a panel of judges selected from Seattle U staff and students are brought together to view the films and pick the winners whose films will be featured at the finale Nov. 5.
Films can win awards for best picture, best drama, best comedy, a social justice category and a product placement category for best feature of an AT&T phone. Each film is judged on elements of content, technical excellence and overall quality.
Winners in these categories will go on to the CMF Western Regional Grand Finale in San Francisco, though not all made their films for competitive reasons.
“I have never made a movie before, but I got my friends together to film our favorite spots around the city,” Oltman-Reid said. “It’s fun because we just made it up as we went.”
Campus MovieFest was started by a group of students from Emory University in 2000.
“We thought this would be a cool thing to share with students,” said Dan Costa, co-founder of Campus MovieFest. “Everybody has a story to tell and this provides students with the opportunity to share theirs.”
Campus MovieFest is one of just a few outlets for creative students interested in filmmaking at Seattle U, and interest may also be growing with the first year of Seattle U’s film studies program.
“It is definitely our goal to build a partnership with the Film Studies Department,” Costa said.
Costa said offering one of those outlets is an important part of Campus MovieFest.
“The whole purpose is to give students the opportunity to express themselves and create something unique and powerful,” he said. “Something you’ve never seen before.”
Student film fest returns to Seattle University
Published: Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Updated: Wednesday, November 4, 2009
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