Filmmakers will take over the Cal State Long Beach campus for the next week for the annual Campus MovieFest.
Students from more than 50 colleges and universities nationwide will participate in this year’s contest, which launches today, for a chance to win up to $20,000 in cash grants, a 12-month subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud or to see their film on the big screen in Hollywood, said Chris Dumas, promotions manager for CMF.
According to Dumas, participants will have a week to create a five-minute-long film, including movie credits, and will be provided with essential filmmaking equipment rentals, such as Apple laptops pre-loaded with Adobe tools and Panasonic HD camcorders.
Training and support will also be available to students “so that anyone has a chance to make their own five-minute movie,” Dumas said.
At the end of the week, the short films will be screened in the University Student Union on Nov. 1, according to Keya R. Allen, program manager for the USU and Associated Student Inc. commissions.
“The top film from our campus is submitted against all the other locations where CMF is making films, and if selected, they go to Hollywood,” Allen said.
Allen said the event, which is free and open to all majors, is a great opportunity for students.
“They get to use state-of-the-art equipment, work with professional editors and complete a body of work that they can keep forever,” Allen said.
Geno Mehalik, a graduate program assistant for ASI, said CMF motivates students from all departments to utilize the competition as a creative outlet and experiment in the world of filmmaking,
“We encourage all students to get involved,” Mehalik said. “[It’s a] great way to unleash creativity on campus.”
According to Mehalik, around 70 CSULB students participated in CMF last year and one CSULB student went on to Hollywood as a finalist in the Best Story category.
Participants unable to finish film projects on time are still encouraged to submit incomplete films for the opportunity to win awards in various categories, Mehalik said.
Sign-ups for the competition will be held until 5 p.m. today at the USU Southwest Terrace. Final submissions and film equipment will be collected on Oct. 29 from 2 to 6 p.m.