Film festival aims to draw out local talent
The USU film club will hold its first Logan Film Festival, a screening of films on varied subjects from participants around the world, April 20-21. The festival, which has previously been branded the Fringe Film Festival, has gone through drastic changes this year in its format and requirements for entrants.
“It used to be that you shot a movie around our requirements,” said Jesse Budd, a senior majoring in international business and vice president of the film club. “There were things your movies had to include, like a red boot and a sneeze. But last year, members of the film club wanted to screen films they had already made. We wanted to create an event for this that was more in the vein of a real film festival.”
Last year, Budd, along with film club President Tyler Woodbury, debuted their own film festival called Reel to Reel. With the encouragement of Alan Hashimoto, the graphic design professor and faculty adviser to the film club, along with a sponsorship of from the Caine College of the Arts, Reel to Reel combined with the Fringe Festival to create the first annual Logan Film Festival.
“There really aren’t any rules,” Budd said. “We are open to films over every length and on any subject.”
Hashimoto said the festival is no longer being promoted as a contest, even though there are cash prizes available. Instead it is a film awards event with recognition for excellence in each category.
“The festival is more of a celebration of filmmakers’ independent vision and artistic expression,” Hashimoto said.
Budd said the film club is also working to promote the contest internationally. It has received entries from China, Spain and Thailand. The films include subjects ranging from life through the eyes of a Chinese first grader to breaking a world record for teeter tottering at USU, he said.
“We didn’t really expect so many international entries,” Woodbury said. “We’ve mostly been focusing our advertising in Logan, but when you put something online it opens it up to the whole world.”
Budd said festival organizers are hoping to attract more local entries, especially from students.
“Logan is such a thriving, artistic community,” Budd said. “There’s so much art enthusiasm and diversity. We want to be able to showcase that at the Festival.”
Budd said he hopes the event will not only support local and international filmmakers but also draw commerce to downtown Logan, where the festival will be held and a variety of local sponsoring businesses are located, he said.
This year, the Logan Film Festival is open to films of all lengths and subjects. Categories include feature narrative, student short, short narrative, feature documentary and short documentary. There is also an “other” category, which Budd said is to include projects such as music videos and animation.
Though the initial deadline for submissions has passed, films will be accepted until April 7, via the film festival’s website, he said.
Hashimoto said the festival will be a two-day event and will include three venues – the Dansante Building, The Lyric Theater and The Logan Art House. The $8 admission fee allows patrons into any of the venues, both nights of the festival.
Cash prizes will be awarded the second night in each of the categories, as well as the audience choice award and a “best of fest” award, Budd said.
In conjunction with the Logan Film Festival, there will be other events featuring graphic design, photography, interior design and landscape architecture. The events are collectively titled The Logan Design and Film Festival.
“How often has a community media event happened in this valley that offers both an outlet and a platform for creative expression to students, local citizens and outside visitors alike?” Hashimoto asked. “This is a chance for all of us to be active participants in making and appreciating what individuals can create when given the chance to express who they are and what stories they want to tell.”
“We want it to be a celebration of film,” Woodbury said. “If you’ve made something and you want to see it on the big screen, this is a great opportunity.”
– m.van911@aggiemail.usu.edu