ChrisAtNKU

Today marked the conclusion of this year’s College Movie Festival. Our annual celebration/competition of student moviemaking in the Greater Cincinnati area once again featured some very good films from the six participating schools.

As nice as it was to see all the films on the very big screen at the Pierce Point Cinema, I was once again blown away by the quality of work by my students in Electronic Media and Broadcasting at NKU. My students made six movies for the event this year…and five of those were in discussion for the top spot. What makes me happiest is their mix of technical accomplishment in support of story. Every year some very good movies are made for the CMF, and every year the EMB students approach their work with dedication and focus.

While we were not the ultimate winner for Judge’s Choice this year (congratulations to Counterpunch from Cincinnati State for “An Exhibit”) I am once again reminded that my students are award-winners. They are preparing themselves for careers in the media, but also are proving themselves as quality human beings. Seeing them approach and congratulate fellow filmmakers from other schools, talking about their projects, sharing stories - this is why we do the CMF. And that makes me feel like a winner, too,

Flying always makes me a bit nervous. The whole idea of being miles up in the air goes against my usual controlling nature, and the idea that a few hours later you step out of the tube and are on the other side of the country is unnatural. But it makes weeks like what is ahead of me possible.

In many ways this week is like a fight. I am on my way to the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation Faculty Seminar. I guess this a pretty big deal - I know it’s a cool deal. Each year they select twenty faculty for this session. This is the first time I applied to participate, and I’m honored to be included.

So I’m going to spend this coming week with some producers, directors, show runners and more. I’ll be able to share what we’re doing in NKU EMB but also hope to forge relationships that can lead to internships, creative partnerships and ultimately jobs for our grads. All these things can happen without going to LA. But this hopefully makes it happen quicker.

I’ll keep folks updated. It should be fun.

The first one has already passed, but I just heard about a film series happening at Cincinnati State. The next film - TONIGHT! - is “Cincinnati’s Abandoned Subway” by NKU grads Paige Malott and Leland Schuler.

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All films are shown in the ATLC auditorium and are free and open to the public. Parking is available in the Cincinnati State campus garages. For more information, contact Marcha Hunley 569-1732.

Three Films, Three Directors: Exploring the Role of the Documentary in our Democracy.

We present three films that examine crucial issues of today, and consider the importance of the documentary film as a method of informing citizen debate on these topics

May 17th – A Crack in the Pavement  7 pm.ATLC auditorium  on campus.

by  Andrea Torrice,Cincinnati resident and award-winning documentary filmmaker

The film focuses on Elmwood Place and Madeira, representative first suburbs that were once the embodiment of the American dream, now struggling to maintain viability and quality of life due to a vicious cycle of financial problems.  It explores complex challenges facing America’s first suburbs, communities that were built after World War II.

The film will be followed by a panel of documentary film makers to discuss the function and importance of their medium in our culture.

May 10^th  - Cincinnati’s Abandoned Subway   7 pm ATLC auditorium on campus.

byPaige E. Malott and Leland Schuler 

The film explores the creation of the subway, why it failed, and how the unfinished rapid transit loop impacts the present-day metropolis.  The ongoing debate over public transportation encourages citizens to look to their past to understand how the lack of the subway affects them today, and challenges us to think creatively about the future transportation needs of our community.

The film will be followed by a discussion with the producer.

May 3^rd- -Runaway Train  and  The Making of Runaway Train.  7 pm ATLC auditorium on campus.

by  Melissa Godoy and Mercy Franciscan at West Park DaySTAE

Godoy worked with to the Mercy system produce a short film about a group of soldiers, dancing girls, two con artists and one mysterious spy taking a train trip to California. The cast of the film are dementia patients. Godoy also  produced a short documentary about the making of the movie. The film grew out improvisational activities that are a part of DaySTAE’s  mission to improve residents’ lives, and to counter the misconceptions the public holds about Alzheimer’s disease.

The film will be followed by a discussion with the director.