I'm pleased to announce that the films for the first Studentfilms.com short film contest are online!

There were 16 films submitted and I'm very excited about the turnout for the contest. It has been great watching all of the films for everyone's interpretation of the theme of "a road". There are films from thrillers, to documentaries, to comedies, and even a music video.

To view the films go to Browse: Contest Films or click here.

The process of selecting a winner is this:

1. Each filmmaker who submitted a film to the contest after viewing all of the films will e-mail me a list of their top 3 films. (obviously not including their own)

Their first pick is worth 30 points, second is worth 20 points, and third is worth 10 points. The film with the most points wins the contest.

It might be best to keep your top 3 choices secret, although this isn't a rule per se.

2. Each filmmaker should also send me a choice for:

Best Directing
Best Cinematography
Best Screenplay
Best Acting
Best Editing
Best Score

These selections will have nothing to do with the grand prize, but each film that wins a category will get a certificate.

3. Only filmmakers who submitted films to the site may vote for their favorite film for the contest prize. Anyone may submit a review, although the review system on the site has nothing to do with how the winner for the contest is chosen.

4. In addition to choosing the top three, and their picks for the best in each category, each filmmaker who submitted a film to the site must review each film in the contest giving comments in all of the categories.

5. The deadline to get e-mail me your picks is a month from today: August 17th, 2005.

Enough with all the technical stuff. Here are the films!

The Banana Road by Perry Kroll
New York University - Tisch School of the Arts

For a gorilla, breakfast just isn't right witout bananas.

The Crazy Old Guy by Mark Carter
Purdue University

After almost a week of abuse, the neighborhood crazy old man strikes back.

Dark Turn by Blake Rustmann
Plano West Senior High School

Two guys driving home from a late night party quickly realize that getting lost in rural north Texas has deadly consequences....

Drifting Swordsman by Aaron Goatley
The Art Institute Online (Pittsburg)

Once a loyal servant, a masterful swordsman wanders the land seeking refuge...accused of murder, a price on his head, the swordman finds himself hunted.

Driven to Distraction by Holly Smith
Dakota State University

A brief glimpse of the relationship of advertising on America's distracted youth.

Road Awakening by Kenneth James Adams
Oberlin College

A man awakens from a paralyzing dream finding himself pit against a GMC Dually.

Road Signs by Vincent Manzerolle
University of Windsor (Western Ontario)

Two individuals discuss racism in society using road signs as examples.

The Road to the Presidency by Brandon Mastromartino
Notre Dame High School

Watch as Brandon Mastromartino travels the road from an every day student, to the president of student council.

Roadtrip Nowhere by Trevor Lawler
Lakewood High School

Three teens prepare and leave for a road-trip to Miami Beach but are constantly delayed by miniscule obstructions. Will they ever get to Miami?

Spring Heeled Jack by Harris Porter
Auburn University

A young couple, destined for the big dance, venture down a foreboding road and happen upon the legendary figure Spring Heeled Jack.

Stakeout on Cranberry by Mark Denega
Monroe-Woodbury High School

Two men stakeout a notorious Pop-Tart dealer.

Thou Art That by Buddy Allen Thomas
Academy of Art College, San Francisco

The inner journey of a man suffering from multiple personality disorder, finds that he must change to defeat himself.

Unsilent Passings by Clark Grieve
Capilano College

After spending the afternoon skateboarding, Michael and Jeffrey take a the short walk, as they have a hundred times before, along the highway to get some nachos. This is the first five minutes of a current feature in production.

Where Am I Going? by Charlotte Woolley
The Sandon School

A lost traveller finds herself on a road. With no close signs of life, she questions the meaning of her life.

Wolfsnare Road by Ryan Scobey
Virginia Commonwealth University

There is something under Wolfsnare Road.

You Know How I Roll by Albert Kahn
The College of New Jersey

A music video written for the song of the same name, which was written and recorded by the band, Tomorrow Today.

Enjoy!

-Chris
Studentfilms.com

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Studentfilms.com,

Hey thanks for putting up the films Chris! I worked with Brandon Mastromartino on "The Road To Presidency". May the best man/woman win! Good luck to all.

Kegan

Woohoo!

Sadly, I can't watch them right now, cause the site is crashing again

Argh! I hate that error! It should be working now.

The site's been getting that error alot recently.

-Chris
Studentfilms.com

Awesome! What causes the error? Any idea?

If we knew exactly what caused it, it would have been fixed ages ago.

-Chris
Studentfilms.com

Hey titanium . . . that movie was awesome . . .

I just wanted to say thanks, Chris, for hosting this competition. I've watched a couple of the films already (they're good!), and I hope to have viewed all of them by this weekend.

Also, I'd like to applaud the novelty of this competition. Mandating an element as simple as the inclusion of a road is really what caught my interest and cemented my decision to submit. My film crew and I used to do little creative exercises similar to this, naming an object or an abstract (traffic cone, graverobbing, etc.) and then building a film around that one element. I think it helped our cooperation and our process tremendously, and I'm really glad to see something like that again.

Anyway, thanks again. I can't wait to see all the films!

Harris
Dam Dirty Apes!

Making a film based on the idea of a "A Road" was my first assignment ever in a film class way back when I was in High School. This was when a film course in high school was a huge novelty.

It certainly was alot of fun. I think I probably still have it somewhere - it was shot on VHS - all in order as there was no way to edit it really back then.

-Chris
Studentfilms.com

quote:

Originally posted by Harris:
I just wanted to say thanks, Chris, for hosting this competition. I've watched a couple of the films already (they're good!), and I hope to have viewed all of them by this weekend.

Also, I'd like to applaud the novelty of this competition. Mandating an element as simple as the inclusion of a road is really what caught my interest and cemented my decision to submit. My film crew and I used to do little creative exercises similar to this, naming an object or an abstract (traffic cone, graverobbing, etc.) and then building a film around that one element. I think it helped our cooperation and our process tremendously, and I'm really glad to see something like that again.

Anyway, thanks again. I can't wait to see all the films!

Harris
Dam Dirty Apes!

Nicely said Harris -- I would also like to thank Chris for holding this competition. I'm sure a lot of work was put into this and I look forward to seeing future contests on studentfilms!

I guess I'll get back to watching the submitted films now =)

There is now a page where one can view the contest films on the main site.

To view the films go to Browse: Contest Films or click here.

Enjoy!

-Chris
Studentfilms.com