On Thursday, May 1, Wright State University's motion pictures program will host its 36th annual Big Lens Student Showcase. The film festival will premiere the best works from WSU’s film students.
About the festival
The film festival, held at The Neon in downtown Dayton, will be a collection of WSU's juniors, seniors and recently graduated students’ projects.
All the films that will be chosen for this showcase are run through two sets of judging. The first set is by faculty members, and the second is by film industry professionals who are not connected with WSU, ensuring unbiased decisions. The students will also receive comments from the judges on their submissions, whether their film is chosen or not.
There is a diverse number of films that will be shown.
What will be shown
The film festival will screen a diverse range of student projects including documentaries, experimental films and narrative pieces. Amy Faust, a full-time instructor at the Tom Hanks Center for Motion Pictures, is excited for what will be shown.
“You’ll see some things you’ve never seen before,” Faust said.
Barry Kingston, a recent WSU graduate, was a part of the motion pictures program for three and a half years. This year, Kingston submitted a psychological drama titled "Baby Blues" to the festival judges.
"When infertility issues start to distort her reality, Carry, a stay-at-home wife, finds solace in her failing garden," Kingston describes.
The film took four months to be brought to life, including screenwriting, filming, editing and collaborating. If chosen, the film will explore several aspects of motherhood.
"I am not a mother myself, but many women in my life are. I wanted to say out loud some of the hard things they’ve silently endured," Kingston explained.
Why you should attend the Big Lens Showcase
The film festival is a perfect way to show support for WSU’s motion pictures program and the hard work they do throughout the year.
“Much of the work that they do is off hours, and not done in the classroom,” Faust stated, “They shoot on Sundays. They shoot in the middle of the night. They’re up editing until three in the morning.”
The showcase is a great event for the students and faculty who are a part of the motion pictures program, but also anyone interested in the art of filmmaking.
"Filmmakers, families, friends, professors and strangers alike watching films together in a movie theater is what filmmaking is all about," Kingston said.
By coming to the festival, you are not only supporting the local artists on what they have already created but helping them create in the future. Selena Burks-Rentschler, a professor of motion pictures, explained this.
“It’s important to allow the students to have the access to audiences. You know when the laughs are supposed to hit or when it's supposed to be serious," Burks-Rentschler said.
Audience reactions are essential for filmmakers to continue to grow in their field.
"Films are nothing without an audience, so if you thought about not coming…it’d be a lot cooler if you did," Kingston said.
On May 1, the doors will open at 7 p.m. and the screening will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be bought at the door. There will be a reception at the end with food, drinks and a Q&A with the filmmakers, giving the audience a perfect opportunity to ask the filmmakers questions.
Sponsor the event!
If any local businesses are interested in purchasing an ad to be displayed on the program for the Big Lens Student Showcase, you can contact Amy Faust at amy.faust@wright.edu. The contribution will help support the motion pictures program while also bringing attention to the business.
