Thomas Andrews says he got interested in filmmaking when a teacher at West Mesa High School gave him a camera and told him to go make a movie.
Andrews, a media arts major, is the director of the Southwest Film Center and has made about 15 short films since then. Still, his experience with Paul Grabowsky, teacher of West Mesa's video art program, has inspired Andrews, along with Assistant Director Dave Herman, to put together this year's Student Film Festival.
Herman said he's contacted every high school and college in the state in an effort to get a broad base of student participation and give a lot of people a forum to express themselves.
"We're trying to motivate young filmmakers to keep going and to create work," Herman said. "Also, it's exciting because we have the opportunity to give them a venue of a big screen."
Andrews said the festival is a way to encourage high school students to make films and realize there is a community for them in the University.
"A lot of people don't realize that they can do something with it," Andrews said.
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The deadline for entries is April 15, and films must be under 20 minutes because Andrews and Herman said they are trying to make sure a lot of films will get shown at the festival.
The festival will take place April 29 through May 2, and all screenings are free. Submissions can also be screened as soon as they're entered after the regularly scheduled Southwest Film Center movies.
Herman said it was important to him that the judges view the films right along with the audience at the festival to ensure that they're getting a fresh and unbiased look at the material. Herman and Andrews will choose which films get into the festival.
So far the judges include camera operator Steve Banister; editing instructor Tom Dellaira from Loyola Marymount University; media arts Professor Bryan Konefsky; Sarah Biondi, the marketing manager from the New Mexico film office; and Louis Leray, commercial director and former Southwest Film Center director.
The judges will be giving contestants feedback after their film is screened, and rooms will be available for the filmmakers to discuss their work with each other, Herman said.
Andrews is intending to show a film he is working on right now, but added he will not be part of the competition because he said it wasn't really fair.
Filmmakers can submit work in the following categories: narrative, experimental, documentary and music video. So far, music videos may only be set to original music. Andrews said he's talking to a lawyer about the rules regarding copyright infringement because people have expressed interest in entering the music video category using popular songs.
Ultimately, though, Herman said the student film festival is about creating community among aspiring filmmakers.
"We want to be a bridge between Hollywood conventions and amateur filmmaking," he said. "There's a lot of film festivals out there. We can offer the same thing to New Mexico, so we can have some solidarity in the state and come together and say 'let's get this done.'"
What: Southwest Film Center Short Film Festival
When: Submissions are due April 15
Where: Submission forms available on-line
Price: $10 per submission
Ticket Info: swfc.unm.edu, 277-5608
