Event honors student filmmakers

As student filmmakers lined up at the front doors of the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, they discussed whose films would be shown.

No one knew which of the short films submitted would be featured or which would win awards.

An annual event, Campus MovieFest presents five-minute short films created by aspiring IU student filmmakers.

It provides students interested in the entertainment industry a chance to experiment, whether they want to learn about the business of making a movie or participating in the actual filming.

The event started at 7:30 p.m. and was free of charge.

Campus Movie Fest is a nation-wide college competition. According to its website, it began in 2001 and is the world’s largest student film festival.

The Top 16 films were shown, and then winners were announced.

“Happy To Be” won Best Picture, “Born Again” won Best Drama, “The Rebound!” won Best Comedy and Best Soundtrack and “A Helping Hand” won Best Story.

Door prizes included a Harry Potter movie box set, an Alfred Hitchcock movie box set, and a Google Chromecast.

IU sophomore Emelie Flower, director of submitted movie “RX,” said creators of winning films sometimes get to present their movies in Hollywood.

“Tonight they will show the top 16 films,” Flower said, “Nobody knows what the top 16 are.”

Josh Burkholder, lead actor of “RX,” said the movie he acted in was about a group of friends who are dealing a new drug. The drug shows the characters how they will die.

Flower said “RX” was partially inspired by real-life experiences with friends.

“It is a trip that shows you how you die,” Burkholder said. “Two characters actually kill themselves from taking the drug.”

Sixteen featured projects, selected from the works of dozens of local student filmmakers, were presented at the Buskirk-Chumley.

The Business Careers in Entertainment Club organized the event. The club at IU is a chapter of the national nonprofit organization Business Careers in Entertainment
Association.

Founded in 2002, BCEC is dedicated to providing its members with worthwhile opportunities in the entertainment industry by providing them with practical experiences and resources, according to its website.

The organization works with both the business and entertainment aspects of the entertainment industry.

“It has definitely been beneficial,” Flower said, “I have met new actors and actresses I want to work with.”

Flower said a film she was involved with last year took her to Los Angeles after winning Best Drama and Best Actress.

Films that win the Best Picture, Best Comedy, and Best Drama will be selected to move on to CMF Hollywood in June 2014 to compete nationally for $20,000 in cash prizes, professional gigs, and industry
exposure.

Representatives from companies such as Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network, Time Inc. and Atlantic Records are included in the experience.

“It is definitely good for networking,” Flower said. “And finding out who is good at directing and who is good at cinematography.”

Flower said Campus MovieFest is funded entirely by student organizations.

“They give us a camera, a laptop,” said Burkholder. “Campus MovieFest does a really good job of making sure we are given what we need.”