Students see short movies on big screen

By: RUSTY BAILEY

Posted: 2/1/08

With the advent of YouTube, everyone is a filmmaker nowadays, assuming one has access to the equipment.

Thanks to Campus Movie Fest, students everywhere are getting the opportunity to become directors.

Campus Movie Fest, a contest that challenges students to create a five-minute film in a week, provides all the necessary gear, which includes an Apple laptop with iMovie and Final Cut editing software, a digital video camcorder, microphone, tripod, tapes and - for the first time this year - an AT&T videophone.

CAMPUS MOVIE FEST FINALE

When: 7 tonight
Where: Classic Center
Price: $1
More Information:
www.campusmoviefest.com

David Roemer, a co-founder of CMF, said it was silly idea he and his three friends had seven years ago at Emory.

"We were just wondering what would happen if we gave all our fellow students a chance to make their own movies," he said. "We were blown away. We had about 1,500 students that made movies that first year."

And that was just the beginning.

"This is going to be our biggest year yet. We're running about 40 events including New York, Los Angeles and the Cannes Film Festival in France."

This year's winners from Atlanta will be showing in-flight on Virgin America in April.

In addition to best picture, best comedy and best drama, two new categories have been added to this year's repertoire.

"Best Use of Mobile" is awarded to the team that uses the videophone in the most creative way, and the Elfenworks Social Justice Category is for films that highlight domestic poverty.

The top 16 shown at the Classic Center are chosen by a panel of students and staff at the University.

"The University Union helps select a broad group of people to help out with that," Roemer said.

Eric Slauson, the cinematic arts coordinator at University Union, oversaw the judging process, which included of two faculty members and 10 students. Slauson said the judging wasn't easy either.

"Not only do you have to judge how good a movie is, you also have to judge how good it is in its category," he said.

Each movie was judged on five aspects: content, aesthetics, technical excellence, story design and overall quality.

Conner Taylor, member of team "Stubble on Stubble" that won the Univ. Best Picture award last year, said he spent "every waking hour" working on movies for this year's CMF.

"I really like the week-long format though. I think it's a good time limit. It just kind of evens the playing ground a little bit."

Last year the Campus Movie Fest Finale screening brought 1,700 people to the Classic Center.

"It was an awesome night of students going crazy seeing themselves and their friends on the big screen," Roemer said.

A record 142 teams signed up at the University this year. Because no one knows if his or her movie will be in the top 16 until finale night, the number of attendees may be even higher this year.

"It's come a long way since that first event at Emory, but we think there's a long way to go, too," Roemer said.