Oswego State will be hosting its second 36-hour “Mixed Emotions” Film Festival on Feb. 24 through Feb. 26.
“We are advertising that the theme of family is very broad and encouraging teams to run with it as they see fit,” said Allain Daigle, festival coordinator for Oswego Film Club. Members of the Film Club think the portrayal of ‘family’ could go in a number of different directions.
“Whether people are really serious with family issues, or they turn them into family comedies, or even thrillers; it really could go anyway, which is what we love about this festival,” said Kelsey Titus, president of the Film Club. “Our Panic festival is restricted to the horror genre, but this is completely open to any. And it’s amazing to see how people take the theme differently.”
Teams will not only be writing and producing a film, but they will also be following specific guidelines and requirements for the competition, which they do not find out about until 9 p.m. Friday.
“All teams are emailed a list of requirements that they must include in their film at the kickoff of the festival such as a camera technique, a line of dialogue or a prop,” Daigle said. “This forces teams to be creative with mediating ideas they may have before the start of the festival with the creative requirements to which we lovingly submit them.”
Titus has experience with being an editor for a couple festivals. She said the best way to go about the stress of it all is to have a basic idea with the theme and then give certain roles to each team member.
“One director, one cinematographer, one editor, etc. At the beginning, you really need to figure out your time frame, as well. Make sure you’re giving your team enough time for production and post-production, and try, if possible, to give some leeway for mistakes,” Titus said.
The competition will have three faculty judges; Brad Riddell, Leigh Wilson and Jane Winslow will be judging the completed films. The registration money goes towards the first, second and third place prizes as well as audience choice, best cinematography, best performance and best editing prizes.
“You get to a point where it’s three in the morning, everyone else has gone to bed, and you’re sitting at your desk in the dark chugging Mountain Dew and getting a Zonie,” Titus said. “But seeing your work up on the screen, and knowing how quickly you put together a film, and witnessing the audiences’ reactions completely makes it all worth it.”
“Whether you are a Cinema and Screen Studies major or not, I think most people will be amazed at what the participants can and will do during the 36 hours of this festival,” said Public Relations Coordinator Kylie Genter. “Please come out to the screening on March 4th at 2 p.m. in the Campus Center Auditorium to support your fellow students and have an awesome time watching some fantastic short films.”
Registration for the festival is Feb. 23 and 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and costs $5 to register. There are an estimated 10-15 teams that will officially start competing in the festival on Friday, Feb. 24 at 9 p.m. to create a film that is up to seven minutes long.
