Starting Feb. 14, University of Tampa filmmakers will race to get their equipment for the up-and-coming 8th annual Campus MovieFest.
Campus MovieFest is the world’s largest student film festival that allows students, faculty and staff members to create five minute short films of any genre and topic in one week. This year CMF has partnered with The Elfenworks Foundation to present a special category for the filmmakers, called The Elfenworks Social Justice, if interested. Films in this category would be ones relating to inequalities and injustices in the U.S., and those which look at how fear or hope might be contributing to these issues.
Once a participant has decided on a subject, it’s time to get the equipment. When the filmmakers go to get their supplied equipment, they will receive an Apple laptop or iPad with the latest versions of iLife and/or Final Cut Pro, a Panasonic HD camera and support, all completely free, in order to create their films to the best of their ability. Student Productions is proud to bring this event back to the school and says that registration for this event will begin Feb. 2 through Feb. 15 online at http://www.campusmoviefest.com. This is where you can create a profile, register your team and for equipment.
William Sandoval, Film Chair and Student Productions Chair, said he “encourages everyone who wants to be involved to do it, not just for the awesome prizes but for the experience of a lifetime.” Non-film majors are welcome for the festival.
Following online registration, SP is holding an information session on Wednesday, Feb. 8 in the Grand Salon at 7 p.m.
Events and consequent information will kick off in the Vaughn Lobby on Feb. 14 from noon to 5 p.m.
Once the week is up for the filmmakers, they are required to turn in their equipment and completed film on Feb. 20 in order for judging to begin. The judging will take place the following, by a group of faculty, staff and students.
The judges will vote to narrow the films down to the top 16. Those films will show at the CMF finale on Thursday, Feb. 23 at the red carpet premiere, which will be in the Vaughn Center courtyard. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m.
DJ Dayve, a Student Productions member, will be MC for the red carpet. There will be free catered food by Sodexo. Prizes for those in attendance include an iPod Nano and Kindle Fire, and all these prizes are attainable through the SP raffle they will be holding.
The greatest prizes, however, are reserved for the filmmakers. The filmmakers who win in the categories of Best Comedy, Best Drama and Best Picture, all get a trip to Hollywood in June to showcase their films.
Filmmakers in the Elfenworks Social Justice category have the chance to win $20,000 in cash grants and the opportunity to have their films screened around the world. The winner of Best Picture receives the chance to also show their work at the Cannes Film Festival, which is held in France in May.
Previous winners are big supporters of the event. Senior Jose Reyes is very happy to be part of that group. Last year he and his team won first place in Best Comedy for his film La Salchicha. Reyes also won Final Cut Pro editing software, an iPod Nano and a trophy, which he claims he sleeps next to.
Reyes wanted to comment, “Don’t let Campus MovieFest slip by because you may be scared that you don’t know what to do or how to do it. You’ll find a way. Hey, you never know, you may discover you want to be the next Steven Spielberg! Sign up! Sign up!”
Another winner from the previous year holds the same idealistic nature towards Campus MovieFest. Kaneesha Heath has been participating since her freshman year, and is very excited to continue in 2012. “To me, CMF is a chance for the school to see what film majors are all about,” she said. “The only people who attend our showcases are other film students, [but] for CMF we get a real audience, where other people see our stories, what we are capable of. That to me is an amazing gift, an audience of true peers.”
So come one come all to the Campus MovieFest, whether you sign up to make a movie, or just want to watch the works of the next Martin Scorsese.
Seannon Nichols can be reached at snichols12392@yahoo.com.