Film festival seeks student productions

By:Lacey Korevec
Princeton High School junior Sam Venanzi, along with his brother, Robert, and a number of his friends, worked day and night last year making "Dead
Reckoning," an amateur film about teens in Cranbury trying to survive a zombie attack.
    "It was a comedy," Sam said. "We just sort of threw fake blood on people and had them walk around as zombies. But it was fun to do. And then again, what zombie movies are well made?"
    Well made or not, teens in Cranbury are writing, directing and editing their own films. That’s why the Cranbury Arts Council is accepting submissions to be shown at its second annual Student Film Festival, to be held at the Gourgaud Gallery in Town Hall April 29 from 1 to 4 p.m.
    Arts Council member Lisa Walsh said the festival gives students interested in filmmaking a much-needed outlet to express themselves and showcase their art.
    "It’s a really nice creative outlet for them," Ms. Walsh said. "For kids who maybe don’t make art in any other way, to be making film is a nice outlet for them."
Last year, about 11 films were shown at the festival and approximately 45 students showed up to the event to view their peers’ films. Ms. Walsh said the Arts Council is hoping for just as many submissions and viewers this year.
    "There’s hours and hours worth of work on each of these films and it’s a nice opportunity for people to see what they’re spending their time on. I also think it’s fun for them to see the films that other people are making," she said.
    Sam said he and Robert value the opportunity to see the films made by other community members as much as the chance to show off their own works at the festival.
    "It’s always fun to see other people’s films because a lot of work goes into all the films that are made," he said. "You can tell that everyone enjoys making films and it’s just fun to see what other people are working on and other people’s sense of humor and what they like to make in a film. And some of them get really creative, so it’s very fun to watch."
    Everyone who attended the film festival last year was very supportive, Sam said.
    "It’s not a very competitive film festival," he said. "It’s just somewhere to submit a bunch of movies that you made with friends."
    Sam and Robert have been working for months on a new film, tentatively titled "Dungeon Master," which they plan to submit for this year’s event. Sam said it’s centered around a group of friends who play a board game once a month and one month everybody but one friend decides to stop playing the game.
"So it’s about a friend trying to get his friends to play the game again," he said. "But it’s going to be a very interesting movie and I hope that everyone likes it."
    But Sam and Robert, who are both looking to attend film schools after graduation, said they have a strict rule when they work on films with their friends.
    "We can’t spend over $100 on a film because none of us have that money."
    Ms. Walsh said community members should come out to the event, whether they worked on any of the films of not, just to see what the students have come up with.
    "I think they’ll be surprised by what’s actually being created and the special effects that are being used and even how much role playing they do," she said. "I mean, they’re really in character in these films, kids who you wouldn’t expect would be doing this sort of thing. And there’s some amazing costumes too."
    The festival is open to students in grades six through 12, and is not limited to Cranbury residents.
    "(Last year) we had students from Cranbury School, from Princeton High School, from Peddie School," she said. "So, we’re hoping to have films again from students all over."
    Films can be submitted until April 23, Ms. Walsh said.
    "Anyone who has a film they want to submit can stop in the gallery located in Town Hall and there’s a box in the (Gourgaud) gallery for drop-offs," she said. "Forms are available in the gallery that should be filled out."
    No more than four films may be submitted per entry and all submissions must be in DVD format.
    For more information contact Ms. Walsh at (609) 395-8567.
    Trailer for some of the films that will be shown at the festival can be viewed at www.rockinthebury.com.