Computers come standard with built-in video-editing programs. Your TV streams YouTube. The age of video is now, and Santa Fe is giving you the tools to get on to the set.
In the Spring 2009 semester at Santa Fe College, two new classes are being planned that will introduce aspiring filmmakers to the technical aspects of film production as well as provide a background on the film industry and its history.
The classes will blur the line between the Digital Media and Fine Arts programs. The final goal is to create the ability to do “real film production through the college,” said Graphic Design Professor Marc Shahboz. There are already courses taught on some of the more technical aspects, but Shahboz, who is the mainspring behind this new push, wants to create a more comprehensive program.
Shahboz got a big shot of inspiration at the recent Sunscreen Film Festival in St. Petersburg. He met with industry players from films like X-Men, Wolverine and Napoleon Dynamite. While there, he talked to producers and production specialists, and is working on bringing several of them to SF to speak. Shahboz believes that listening to their experiences can create a “hey, I can do that!” moment for students. This sudden realization can give students the confidence to pursue their own filmmaking goals.
The idea of film production on campus is not new. In the past, SF has been involved in films such as the documentary film, Dance of My Heart, about the late SF artist-in-residence, Alberto Alonso. Students in the Digital Media program have already had a taste of short filmmaking working with Shahboz on several music videos for professional bands. These films have gathered thousands of hits on YouTube and showings at film festivals around the country.
48 Hour film competition slated for April
In April 2011, Digital Media will sponsor a 48-hour film competition. Five-person teams will have 48 hours go from idea to finished product and deliver a 3- to 5-minute film for judging. Teams will be given a prop, a line of dialogue, and a topic; they must supply their own creative inspiration.
The filmmaking program now has its own website at http://www.sfcollege.edu/film/ where updates and more information will be posted at they become available.
For more information, contact Marc Shahboz, 395-5347 or marc.shahboz@sfcollege.edu.
~ This press release was written by David Hackett, Communication Specialist, College Relations
CONTACT:
- Professor Marc Shahboz, 352-395-5347 or marc.shahboz@sfcollege.edu
- Julie Garrett, media relations coordinator, for help facilitating your story, 352-395-5430 or 352-870-2924 (cell) or julie.garrett@sfcollege.edu