The Campus MovieFest is the world's largest student movie festival. It all started at one college, Emory University, and now has expanded to include hundreds of universities like the Colleges of Fenway.
What do you do?
It's all really easy and simple. All you need is an idea. It can be about whatever you want and you get a week to shoot and edit it the way you want. If you don't have the equipment, don't worry, they got it all covered. They will provide the camera, the laptop, the microphones, etc., just so you can make your dreams come true. The main rule is that it has to be five minutes or less, besides that, you can let your imagination run wild.
Afterwards, the Campus MovieFest holds a Finale and showcases the top 16 films and presents different awards such as best actor, best actress, and the audience award. It's a fun night where all your hard work pays off and you can even play dress up with your friends so you can strut your stuff down a red carpet.
Why did I participate?
MCPHS University is a college that primarily focuses on health sciences and provides little to no opportunities for creative outlets. That said, obviously it is a nice break from organic chemistry and biology. Sure, it is just as stressful, but I found it to be relieving having the opportunity getting to do something else for once. Even better, I was able to meet students from different schools around the Fenway area which is an amazing plus.
How was my experience?
This year is the College of Fenway's second year participating in the Campus MovieFest and of course, with my deep interest in film, decided to participate once again. Compared to last year, I was more experienced and determined to do well this year. Instead of making it up as I went, I had an idea this time.
Let me just tell you that a week is not long. Imagine shooting and editing everything within 3 days. Unfortunately, even though I had an idea, it was definitely harder to film this year because all my friends have different schedules and we tend to goof off when we are all together. The length of the bloopers surpass the length of the actual movie. It was a hectic couple of days, but it was all worth it when we saw our film on the big screen.
The most heart-pounding moment for me was the Finale. Seeing my film on the screen provided a sense of satisfaction and acceptance. It feels surreal when your film was chosen and deemed good enough to be shown.
I admit I held higher standards for myself because it was my second year participating, but this fallback only makes me want to do better next year. Another reason I would want to participate is because of Wey, the promotions manager. Wey the Bae makes everything cool.
