By Audrey Werth/ tr news editor
TR students interested in filmmaking can submit a short film to the writing center’s film contest.
The contest, which begins Jan. 19, asks students to use phone cameras and peer voting to select winning films.
‘It’s not so much about the competitive nature of the contest but more about showcasing student creativity,” writing center coordinator Steven LeMons said.
Students can submit short films created with their phones to one of five categories: animation, education, entertainment, documentary or family.
Submitted films will be shown online so all students can vote on their favorites. The top three films from each category will be screened at a movie premiere hosted by the writing center.
“At the premiere, we would treat it like a red carpet affair,” LeMons said.
Students who enter a short film will need to submit a statement along with it.
“If we had a writing contest only, we would eliminate some people who wouldn’t think they were good writers,” he said. “There is so much talent within the student body and oftentimes students are unaware of how much talent they have.”
TR assistant director of library services Danelle Toups has planned the premiere with a red carpet photo opportunity, popcorn and other movie snacks and a Q&A session with each filmmaker after his/her film is shown.
“I’m basing the agenda for the evening on the Lone Star Film Festival that was just here recently,” she said. “I volunteered for that event.”
LeMons said he tries to provide more than just a writing center for students. He works to show students what they are capable of and how creative they can be.
“It’s all about what impact you can have on students,” LeMons said, “that ‘Aha!’ moment of ‘Wow, I didn’t know I could do that.’”
Computer science professor Tyson McMillan is happy to be a part of the planning process. He has helped to coordinate how the videos will be put online and how votes will be cast.
“That team,” he said, “has just done a wonderful job of planning this, and this hasn’t just been an overnight plan. They have been talking about the film contest for months.”
McMillan came up with a plan to use myTCC apps in Google Drive to upload the videos and allow students to vote on their favorites.
“Once an email is sent out, students will get a link, and they will have the opportunity to vote within the [myTCC] system,” McMillan said.
The writing center will accept film submissions Jan. 19-Feb. 19. Voting will begin around Feb. 24 and end mid-March. Videos can range from 90 seconds to four minutes in length.
