The Athena Cinema encourages students and local filmmakers to “drop their shorts” at the theater for a night of film screenings and fun.
The Athena Cinema, 20 S. Court St., is hosting its second Drop Your Shorts event — with the name stemming from filmmakers “dropping” their short films — on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. The admission is $5.
Drop Your Shorts is a screening event where students and local filmmakers can submit a video of 12 minutes or less and have a chance of it being shown on the big screen. The deadline for submission is Friday, and there is not a submission fee for people who submit a short film.
The Athena hosted the same event in the spring and decided to show local short films twice a year.
“People are creating work all the time, so it’s just a chance to get your work out there and get it seen,” Yang Miller, the technical director and audience experience coordinator at the Athena, said.
Most local filmmakers do not get an opportunity to see their work on the big screen or in front of a live audience, Miller said. Being able to watch the audience experience a film can provide insight to the filmmaker, Miller added.
“To be in the room and see how it plays, I think, is a great opportunity,” he said. “It really helps you fine tune some things.”
Yaphet Jackman, a student in his final year in the film school master's program, will be submitting a silent, black-and-white film about a man who faces off against a machine. Jackman said he has not submitted any of his work to a festival or screening such as Drop Your Shorts.
“It’s always a great pleasure to experience an audience ... interacting with your work,” Jackman, who has screened his films for the division of film in the past, said.
Jackman is already looking to submit more films in the future to Drop Your Shorts, he said.
“It’s really just the fun of it (and) to experience the other work that is being submitted,” Jackman said. “I always like to see what people are doing and the more I experience other people’s work, I think ... it helps me to shape my own voice.”
Steven Ross, director of the film division at Ohio University, said the exciting aspect of this event is seeing who is out making films in the Athens area.
“This is another way to expand their reach into the Ohio University community, but as well ... there are locals also engaged in filmmaking,” Ross said.
When the Athena conducted this event in the spring, every film submitted was screened, Miller said. He does not believe that will be the case this semester.
Drop Your Shorts is restricted to a two-hour time block. Miller said he might have to cut films as to not go over the time limit. He added that he is looking for films that have an established beginning, middle and end, as well as strong performances.
“I think shorter is better,” Miller said. “If you can get in, get a few laughs or make a point and then get out, is better than something that drags on for 11 minutes and nothing really happens.”
New to the event this year is the grand prize. The winner, which will be determined through votes from the audience, will have their film screen before a feature film at the Athena for a month, Miller said.
“We want to reward people who do great work,” he said.
Miller is looking forward to viewing all of the films and enjoying the event with filmmakers and patrons of the theater.
“I think it’s important to support local filmmakers,” Yang said. “It’s just a fun night at the theater.”
