BY TALI ISRAELI
Staff Writer
JACKSON — A pair of aspiring film directors will put on their second annual student film festival May 6. The event will take place from 6-9 p.m. in the auditorium of Jackson Memorial High School, Don Connor Boulevard. Admission will be $5.
Matt Rasmussen, 18, a Jackson Memorial High School student, and Joe Cicalese, 19, a Brookdale Community College student, got their start as directors when they met in a high school film class in 2003. The two made their first picture together and started brainstorming ways to get exposure for themselves and their films.
Soon enough Rasmussen and Cicalese came up with the idea to start a film festival that would feature independent films made by high school and college students from all over New Jersey. With help from their television communications teacher Tony Compitello and sponsors R.W. Vogel Trucking, Jackson, and Run for the Roses Construction, Jackson, they were able to put together the Central Jersey Student Film Festival last year.
The festival is an opportunity for young filmmakers to showcase their work and gain recognition for their films.
“There are more film festivals popping up all the time, ours just caters to young people because that’s what we are,” Rasmussen said.
Cicalese said the most important aspect of the festival is that it helps filmmakers gain confidence in their work and it gives them a chance to see their films on a big screen.
Jeff Heimbuch, 21, of Brick, submitted four comedies last year and will be submitting one piece this year that he worked on with his 12-year-old brother, Justinn, titled “Reflections of Your Inner Self.”
Heimbuch said having his work in the festival helped him secure an internship with the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission in Newark.
Rasmussen said the festival has given Cicalese and himself the opportunity to network with people in the film industry.
Cicalese said, “For us it’s just a really entertaining experience. It gives us the opportunity to see all these movies.”
Rasmussen and Cicalese said they received about 40 entries for last year’s festival and had an audience of between 200 and 300 people.
Cicalese said he and Rasmussen were shocked at the number of filmmakers there are in New Jersey. When they started the festival, he said, they were interested in filmmakers from Jackson. Word of mouth helped the idea expand throughout Ocean County, then to Monmouth County and eventually to the whole state, he said.
“It expanded pretty quickly for us,” Cicalese added.
Rasmussen and Cicalese said they are hoping for an even bigger turnout this year.
“A lot of people have come together to help us out,” Cicalese said.
In order to ensure that there will be more entries and a bigger audience this year, Rasmussen and Cicalese set up six concerts to promote the show and to raise money; they posted fliers at video stores, colleges and high schools; and they put out a press release.
“The more entries we get, the better quality films we get,” Cicalese said.
The requirements for a film to be entered in the Central Jersey Student Film Festival are as follows: the film had to have been made while the director was in high school or college; the film must be 25 minutes or less; there is a $15 fee for each entry; and Rasmussen and Cicalese request that the director speak after their film is shown for a question and answer session from the audience.
Plaques will be presented for Best In Show, Best Drama, Best Comedy, Best Editing, Best Director, Best Music Video and Best Acting Performance. Rasmussen and Cicalese have created an Audience Award this year which will be presented to the film that receives the most votes from the audience members.
Submissions for the Central Jersey Student Film Festival will be accepted until April 16. For more information visit the Web site www.CJFF05.com or call Matt Rasmussen at (908) 839-9051.