Lights, camera, Altoona: Local art community prepares first film festival
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Grab some popcorn because local filmmakers will have the chance to showcase their short films at the first Altoona Reel Film Festival Saturday, Sept. 20.
Starting at 9 a.m., participants can watch short film screenings and engage in workshops throughout the day at the Penn State Altoona Misciagna Family Arts Center.
Festival coordinator Jay Shaffer plans on showing 15 to 20 short films at the event to give both "brand new filmmakers and seasoned filmmakers" a chance to showcase their stories "on the big screen."
Film festival director Kathrine Muller and Shaffer teamed up a year ago -- along with help from ArtsAltoona Administrative Director Catherine Newman and Southern Alleghenies Museum of Arts Museum Site Director Scott Riner -- to create an event celebrating digital art in Altoona, Muller said.
The local arts community is bringing the community together "while shining a light on local talent," Newman said.
Interested individuals had three months to create and submit their videos to FilmFreeway, an online platform for screenplay contests. The entry portal closed Aug. 20.
There are multiple categories for different types of films including drama, comedy, action/adventure, thriller/horror, experimental and documentary.
Student categories are open as well such as student short narrative and student short documentary.
Muller said the team wanted to host the festival at Penn State Altoona to motivate interested students to attend the event.
"We are celebrating students who will one day be in the professional world," Shaffer said.
The festival was not limited to student filmmakers, Muller said, but they are trying to encourage a student presence.
The team received a few movie submissions from Canada and California as well as from Blair County, according to Shaffer.
In total, 26 short films "across a wide variety of genres" have been submitted,
Shaffer said.
Nearing the end of the festival, 10 awards will be given to the best films in their respective categories.
There are about 12 judges who will grade each film based on certain criteria, said Newman.
One judge is professional filmmaker Spencer Folmar, who is well-known throughout the media world, Muller said. He is also the keynote speaker for the event, and he will be presenting a "Don't wait. Create!" workshop at the festival.
"Workshops are not seen across all festivals," Shaffer said, but it will give filmmakers and audience members a chance to connect during the festival.
Two other one-hour workshops at the event include, "The Moving Image: The Evolution of Film," and "Film as Your Major and Profession."
These workshops will also give participants "hands-on experience" with professionals and filmmakers, Riner said.
After the workshops, Riner hopes at least "one person comes up to (a filmmaker) and says, 'you need to keep doing this.'"
Because this festival is more localized than others, Shaffer said young creators will have "the platform and location to learn from each other."
"We want them to feel confident in their work and the work they do down the road," he said.
Blair County also produces unique stories about coal miners and people dreaming about recognition in their field, Riner said, which is different from "what is happening in the rest of the country."
"We are all in it for the same message of celebrating and honoring independent storytellers alike, and they can do it right in their hometown," Shaffer said.
Although it is the local arts community's first year hosting a film festival, Shaffer believed that since the festival is local, they will have a big turnout.
"There are a lot of creatives that can start right here in Altoona and make a lasting impact in the future," Shaffer said.
If you go
What: Altoona Reel Film Festival
When: 9 a.m. Sept. 20
Where: Penn State Altoona
Misciagna Family Arts Center
Tickets: $15 for general admission, $10 for senior citizens and free for students. Pre-sold tickets only; visit https://artsaltoona.org/up-comingevents