Students get big screen shot at film festival
<p>ASU student filmmakers who dream of seeing their creations on the big screen once again have their shot, as the ASU Herberger College School of Theatre and Film plays host to its second annual student short film festival and competition. The event will take place from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., April 30, at the Harkins Valley Art Theatre in downtown Tempe.</p><separator></separator><p>One dozen short films that explore all facets of student interest will be featured, from animation to live action, and narrative to documentary.</p><separator></separator><p>Another feature of the evening is the Under-Five-Minute Film Competition, sponsored by the ASU Student Filmmakers Association (AFA). A $500 cash prize will be presented by the AFA to a winner chosen by the audience. Rounding out the event is a non-competitive showcase of the breadth of energy found in today's talented student filmmakers.</p><separator></separator><p>“Filmmaking is exploding in Arizona,” says F. Miguel Valenti, an assistant director of film in the School of Theatre and Film and the program's architect. “ASU's new film and media production program is designed to train talented filmmakers so they are well-equipped to make their mark in the industry, here and elsewhere.”</p><separator></separator><p>ASU's program is the first in the nation to incorporate the ethical considerations of the artistic endeavor of filmmaking, he says.</p><separator></separator><p>“We're teaching students not just how to pick up the camera,” Valenti says. “We are encouraging them to think about why they should become filmmakers.”</p><separator></separator><p>Tickets are $7 and available in advance through the Herberger College box office in the Nelson Fine Arts Center on the Tempe campus, or by calling (480) 965-6447. Tickets also can be bought at the theater door the night of the event.</p><separator></separator><p>For more information, contact Miguel Valenti at (480) 965-2655 or f.valenti@asu.edu.</p>