Showcasing all their dedication and hard work from last year, second-year MFA students in the Division of Film will be holding a First-Year Screening on Saturday at The Athena Cinema, 20 S. Court St.
“I just hope people are able to have a brief, good time and be engaged in the films that we made,” said Vince O’Connell, whose short film Milk Run is screening. “I would also hope that the quality of the films is strong enough that people will not be bumped out of enjoying the story and can be entertained by what’s on screen.”
There will be 11 short films showcased at 7 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free.
"Basically, if the audience experiences a spirit of emotional authenticity from my film, I’ll be thrilled,” said Sabrina Renkar, whose short film Sombre Dimanche — Gloomy Sunday — is playing.
These films will show the work that the students went through during their first-year film production “boot camp,” which is where students go through the process of learning and understanding how to make films.
“The conclusion that we have come to is that filmmaking takes a lot of practice, time and effort,” O’Connell said. “It’s about being diligent and confident in your craft.”
These students, including Wenting Deng, believe that these films showcase all the talent and hard work that went into making them and believe that as they continue as students they are continuing to develop greater talents and techniques.
“Anytime one undertakes a labor of love you learn more than you can ever fully express,” Renkar said. “Certainly, I learned about framing shots, working out producing problems, communicating with actors. But I think the greatest thing I learned from this experience was that a film will change drastically from conception to finish.”
In addition to this screening, there will also be a second-year screening on Nov. 9.
“The only way you can produce something that is truly your own is if you not only know your story, but you know yourself and what you are trying to say,” Renkar said. “You will get lost more times than one, but if you can hold on to your vision it’ll shine though no matter what.”
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