Q&A with Filmmakers at 2019 Fall Film Showcase
The annual Film at Mason Fall Film Showcase ran from December 5-7, 2019, and showcased student work created during the fall semester. The featured works included fiction films by advanced directing students, intermediate level documentaries, collaborative productions made with community groups, beginning level video productions, senior thesis films, and staged readings of senior thesis screenplays. The showcase was free and open to the public.
Local business and Film at Mason community partner, DC-Camera presented a new scholarship during the showcase – The DC-Camera Award for Distinction in Cinematography. The scholarship gifted equipment rentals from DC-Camera to one cinematography student for the purpose of shooting their senior film. This year’s DC-Camera scholarship was awarded to Malcom Villanueva. Villanueva is currently using the equipment in his role as Director of Photography on Dennis Kramer’s Senior film, A Helping Paw. The film explores how service dogs help veterans who experience debilitating injuries thrive in civilian life. Villanueva explains, “The camera that we are using for A Helping Paw is a Sony Fs7 paired with a variety of lenses (85mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm). The DC-Camera gear has greatly improved the visual quality of filming our subjects and service dogs.”
Hans Charles, Film at Mason Assistant Professor of Cinematography, recognizes the impact of the DC-Camera Award for Distinction in Cinematography. “One, it shows the investment that a local camera vendor is willing to make in local, homegrown filmmakers. In order for this region to take its place as a serious destination for filmmakers and their productions, long term investments must be made by education institutions, vendors, and governments. DC-Camera is stepping forward in making a solid commitment to this end. The opportunity to be able to go into a rental house and pick gear not based on budget, but on a production's actual needs, can make or break a film visually. This scholarship allows Villanueva to focus on the needs of the film as he sees fit, and it has broadened the scope of what he thought possible for his project. We will be able to see the difference with the finished film,” says Charles.
Villanueva adds, “I find it inspiring that DC-Camera gives opportunities to independent filmmakers to use the same gear as major Hollywood films. This helps us grow and learn as creators.”
Additionally, Pitch Awards recipients Dennis Kramer, Sungtaek Lim, Christopher Malone, and Mickey Wood received scholarship money to put towards their films. Pitch Awards are juried by Film at Mason Advisory Board Members whose generous donations to the program allow for these annual scholarships.
Fall Film Showcase winners are as follows.
FILM AT MASON 2019 FALL FILM SHOWCASE AWARD WINNERS
JURY AWARDS
Best of Fest: Trasnochado directed by Reinaldo Arzola
Best Drama: Trasnochado directed by Reinaldo Arzola
Stories That Matter (Best Documentary): Mi Tierra Querida directed by Nicole Clavel
Best Comedy: The Supervillain Handbook directed by Graham Russell
TECHNICAL JURY AWARDS
Best VFX: John Coughlin for The Supervillain Handbook
Best Producing: Tyson Nader for Clementine
Best Editing: Sara Wolfey for Trasnochado
Best Cinematography: Cory Mason for Trasnochado
Sound Design: Jacob Morgan and Raquel Murray for Their Offering
Best Production Design: Luciana Ducceschi for Their Offering
Best Short Screenplay: Matthew Vargas and Bryan Peña for Clementine
AUDIENCE FAVORITE
Audience Award: Trasnochado directed by Reinaldo Arzola
PITCH AWARDS for Senior Thesis films
Best Pitch Presentation: Christopher Malone
Best Digital Pitch: Mickey Wood
Best Pitch Story: Sungtaek Lim
Joy Hughes Best Documentary Pitch: Dennis Kramer
CAPSTONE AWARDS
Distinction in Screenwriting: Elisabeth Angeley
Distinction in Editing: Adriana Lopez
THE DC-CAMERA AWARD FOR DISTINCTION IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
Malcom Villanueva