DeKalb Entertainment Commission will showcase the burgeoning filmmaking talent of DeKalb County high school students at the sixth annual DeKalb Student Film Festival. The event will be held on Tuesday, March 26, at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center located at 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur, Georgia 30034. The DeKalb Student Film Festival will showcase 17 completed works by students across McNair, Lakeside, Southwest DeKalb, DeKalb School of the Arts, Chamblee, Arabia Mountain, Tucker, Miller Grove, Dunwoody, and DeKalb Technology-South High Schools. Each film is up to three minutes long and is required to use the prompt line, “I Didn’t See That Coming” along with a deck of playing cards as a prop, and the character name “Kai Miller”.
The competition is part of the county’s efforts to create a strong ecosystem and pipeline for the next generation of film industry talent. In partnership with DeKalb County School District & Re:Imagine Atlanta, the DeKalb Student Film Festival provides opportunities to DeKalb-based students enrolled in the film production Career Pathway Program to gain valuable experience writing, filming, and editing projects.
A special red-carpet area will be staged for students to enter the center, allowing for live shots, interviews, and pictures from 5:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The auditorium will open at 6:30 p.m. In addition to walking the red carpet, students and guests will have access to a social media lounge to record and snap pictures and complimentary popcorn. The event is free and open to the public.
Films will be judged into one of two categories: Novice and Advanced. Winners will be announced that evening in the following categories: Best Overall, Best Editing, Best Acting, Best Sound Design, Best Wardrobe/Makeup, Best in Show, and Audience Choice.
“Creating a strong ecosystem and pipeline for the next generation of film industry talent is a primary focus for the DeKalb Entertainment Commission,” said Shelbia Jackson, Director of DeKalb Entertainment Commission. “Film and entertainment are key industries in DeKalb County and our commission is proactively helping prepare the next Ava DuVernay or Ryan Coogler. We’re planting seeds through hands-on instruction and skills development. We’re proud to be a part of their journey to becoming filmmakers from DeKalb.”
As part of preparing students for careers in the entertainment industry, DeKalb County educators will travel with 20 students to attend the Student Television Network (STN) National Convention in Long Beach, California, before the Festival. Students will participate in four days of film workshops and speaker sessions with industry leaders.
“The amount of exposure we provide students along with opportunities to expand their knowledge base is something we pride ourselves on at DeKalb County School District,” said Thomas McFerrin, Career, Technology, Agriculture Education (CTAE) Coordinator. “Our goal is to ensure students are either workforce-ready after high school, ready to pursue a trade through a technical school or attend a four-year college. We’re passionate about our work and want every student to be successful.”
The generous financial support of Assembly Studios and Shadowbox Studios, both production facilities located in DeKalb County, helped ensure the students could attend the conference and are sponsors of the Festival. WABE Atlanta will serve as the Community Media Partner.
“The DeKalb Student Film Festival aligns perfectly with our mission to inform, inspire, reflect, and empower. Much like our programs and stories focus on amplifying diverse voices in the community, it is our sincere pleasure to partner with DeKalb Entertainment Commission and the inspiring student filmmakers of DeKalb County” said Alison Hashimoto, SVP of Video, WABE.
