It’s not every day that students aspiring to make their own films are given all the necessary equipment and creative freedom to do so.
The Campus MovieFest will make its return to the UA this week, giving students the week of Oct. 2-8 to film their short movie projects. On Oct. 12, the top 16 films will be screened in Gallagher Theater in front of a student audience.
The festival is free to participants, said communication sophomore AJ Torre, arts director for the Wildcat Events Board, who helped bring the nationwide festival to the UA.
Torre helped organize last year’s Campus MovieFest and said she was surprised at how diverse the films were. Genres last year included comedy, horror and even films that focused on social justice.
The judging panel will consist of Students On Stage members, professors, Campus MovieFest crew and representatives from the Wildcat Events Board, Torre said. Film senior Alfred Gruber, public relations director for theater club Students On Stage, will be judging the films, which he said are meant to give students across campus the chance to experience the filmmaking process.
“Campus MovieFest allows anyone to display their creative talent,” Gruber said. “The event is open to anyone and everyone, and participants are given all the resources. There are limitless ideas for what the filmmakers can produce.”
Gruber said he is asking for the filmmakers to look deep into themselves and come up with a weird and unique idea — one that can be presented in a limited amount of time.
“You have to get to the point of your film in five minutes,” Gruber said. “You can’t be subtle.”
The panel will be accepting a variety of film topics, as long as they are covered in a way that is respectful and appropriate.
“If there’s something you want to bring attention to, then we are open to it,” he said.
Biology sophomore Dillon Driscoll said he plans to film a romantic-comedy adventure. Driscoll added that he signed up on a whim and developed an idea in four days.
“It will be a challenge organizing a crew, but I am looking forward to the laughs during filming,” Driscoll said.
The final screening of Campus MovieFest will have a red carpet theme, and awards will be given to the film crew that has support from the largest number of audience members, which is tallied as they arrive. Two members of Students On Stage, as well as a representative of Campus MovieFest, will host the event, Torre said.
Past winners have been featured at other film festivals, Torre said, adding that participating in a film festival like this one is a great way for aspiring filmmakers to get a foot in the door — even if they’ve never actually tried it before.
“There’s nothing to lose,” she said. “You might realize you love film.”
