GCSU’s Bobcat Media Productions, BMP, hosted their annual Bobcat Film Festival on March 7, in the Black Box Theatre, located behind the Barnes and Noble Bookstore. The festival gave high school and college filmmakers a chance to show or debut their work and win prizes.
“It’s really a great way to unite us and just bring a lot of joy and attention back into the film community,” said Halle Bergstrom, vice president of BMP and a junior management and rhetoric double major.
The Film Festival began in 2018. This year’s festival commemorates the eighth annual hosted at GCSU with the Bobcat Media Productions.
“We do this every year as a way for high schools and other colleges around Georgia to see some really up-in-coming films, directors, artisans and stars around the community,” Bergstrom said.
Filmmakers interested in submitting in the festival were required to submit a short film of any genre of their choosing.
The festival started at noon and welcomed any of the short film submissions’ filmmakers, stars or contributing companies to join in the premiere of the gathered films. The event offered participants to take pictures, refreshments of soda and water, as well as pizza during a brief intermission.
Short films were premiered in two categories, the high school submissions and the college submissions. Each category premiered eight to 10 short films consisting of a storyline of all genres, acting styles and directorial aesthetics.
Participating high schools included Jasper County High School, Savannah Arts Academy, Forsyth Central High School, etc.
College filmmakers consisted of students from schools throughout Georgia like Kennesaw State University, The University of Georgia, West Georgia University, etc.
Participating high school or filmmakers had the opportunity to win cash prizes. Awards included Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Directing, Best Screenplay, Fan Favorite Film and Best Overall for high school film and then for the college films.
Winners of the Best High School and Best College film received $150, which went to Savannah Arts Academy for their short “North Side High” and to Maxwell Mihalis for his film “The Gateway Process.” The final award of the fest was the fan favorite film, voted on by the attendees of the festival, which went to the film “Low Country Fishing” by Savannah Arts Academy, winning $75.
Once the awards were distributed, attendees of the festival had the opportunity to participate in a workshop led by Austin Koch, a GCSU lecturer for the communication department, who discussed the making of Indie films/short films.
The festival presents high school students interested in filmmaking or the film industry a glance into where that could lead them in the future. Where for college filmmakers, it gives them more uplift within the small community of college filmmaking in Georgia.
“It’s definitely beneficial to see other types of films, that’s what I’m very excited to see,” said Makinley Stephenson, a sophomore mass communications major and practicum student for BMP. “It’ll be good opportunities to see not necessarily as a competition but maybe for other filmmakers to learn from others.”
Kayla Pulliam, a high school junior at Jasper County High School and participant in multiple films presented in the past, expressed how small film festivals like GCSU’s helped her realize she wants to major in film when she gets to college.
“I like Georgia College a lot so I do like coming here and being able to see the whole campus and stuff and the wide variety of films y’all offer,” Pulliam said.
The annual film festival benefits any participating filmmakers, as well as Bobcat Media Productions themselves.
Bergstrom detailed that the event helps unite filmmakers but also supports the club and gets their name out to others throughout Georgia.
“We have a tough time kind of outreaching, especially when it comes to majors like film,” Bergstrom said. “So, being able to have this event is really great, especially for those high schoolers to allow them to see the campus and get a feel for what goes around here.”