ASU School of Theatre and Film Students Get National Spotlight with Short Film Offerings

Who
ASU film students need your votes to vault them to the top awards in a national student film competition.

Five films produced in the ASU Herberger Institute Film and Media Production Program (FMP) are receiving rave reviews in SeeFlik (www.SeeFlik.com), a national student festival that includes competitions for both audience choice and juried panels. The films are part of Film and Media Production’s new 15 Into 50 Film Festival initiative, which seeks to expose ASU student work to wider audiences.

What
The five ASU films have made it into two competitions within the SeeFlik Festival -- the juried track and the audience choice, where viewers choose their Top 20 Fan Favorites. “Our students are competing with filmmakers from the best schools in the country,” says Adam Collis, ASU visiting professor of film directing. “This is a great testament to the ASU FMP program and we urge you to go online and vote.” If they win, the students will receive an estimated $50,000 in prizes.

Each of the films were written, directed, produced, crewed and in some cases acted by students at the ASU School of Theatre and Film in the Herberger Institute. To view and vote for the films and their directors, go to www.seeflik.com . Voting ends Friday, Feb. 17. ASU entries are:

Top 20 Judges Picks
• Cadet - Ryan Steiner
• Good Injuns - Chris Meyers
• The Fixer - Nicolas Mihm
• Strings - Kimberly Aiello

Top 20 Fan Favorites
• Cadet - Ryan Steiner
• Good Injuns - Chris Meyers
• The Understudy - Hayley Kosan

The 15 Into 50 Film Festival initiative aspires to place at least 15 student films in 50 national level competitions each year, says F. Miguel Valenti, founder and director of the ASU Film and Media Production programs and Lincoln Professor of Ethics and the Arts.

Student Chris Meyers, director of the Civil War era psychological thriller Good Injuns, says:

"As an aspiring filmmaker, the 15 into 50 program has been a great motivator. Initially I was skeptical about applying to Seeflik, but the idea of getting the film exposure as well as promoting ASU film really sold me on the idea. It's been really encouraging to see ASU doing so well and it's only a matter of time until people start to take notice."

This year's annual student film festival and Student Capstone Screenings will feature the latest student work. The 7th Annual Film Festival is April 23-24 at the Harkins Valley Art, and the Capstone Screenings will be held April 26-27 on the ASU Tempe campus. The public is invited to attend both events.

Where
Online

When
SeeFlik Competition voting's runs through Friday, Feb. 17.

Cost
Free

Public Contact
School of Theatre and Film

The School of Theatre and Film in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University provides a comprehensive range of courses in performance and directing; design and production; new work development; theatre and performance studies; film; and theatre for youth. Its Theatre for Youth program is nationally ranked in the top three and the dramatic writing/playwriting program is ranked 15th among public institutions by U.S.News & World Report. To learn more about the School of Theatre and Film, visit theatrefilm.asu.edu.

Media Contact:
Laurie A. Trotta Valenti 
ASU Herberger Institute 
School of Theatre and Film
480.965.3381
laurie.trotta@asu.edu