Wright State University’s acclaimed Motion Pictures program will present its annual Big Lens Film Festival Thursday, April 22nd at 8pm at Dayton’s Dixie Twin Drive-In.
For the first time, in order to accommodate COVID-conscious viewing requirements, the Big Lens Film Festival will take place outdoor, with audience members viewing from the safety of their cars. Big Lens has become an annual tradition in the regional film community as a celebration of the graduating students being showcased.
This year’s films are the culmination of up to two years of preparation and production – all of it made more challenging by an abrupt halt to production, and then the added requirements of following industry standards for COVID-safe conditions for filming, editing and preparing these premieres. The chance to see these films on a very large screen at Dixie Twin will be a joyful culmination to these filmmakers’ four years as students in the Tom Hanks Center for Motion Pictures.
Festival Director, Instructor of Motion Pictures Jeremy Bolden says, “This year’s Big Lens will have films from 2020 graduates, as well as 2021 graduates. Almost everything you’ll see on the screen was either finished, or entirely created during the COVID-19 Pandemic. A large part of the filmmaking process is problem solving, and our students have and continued to put in a tremendous amount of work to create content and tell stories that are important to them.”
The Disaster Mitzvah
Department of Theatre, Dance and Motion Pictures Chair, Joe Deer, says, “The Big Lens Film Festival is always a great event. But, this year is special, seeing a group of students that have banded together to make films while much of their industry has had to go on hiatus. I have such admiration for them and for their gifted faculty and staff, who have gone so many extra miles to make this event possible. I don’t think any of these filmmakers will ever forget this festival.”
This year’s films include:
- Will I Make it Thru the Springtime, Music Video, Directed by Adam Clark
- 27 Pages of Notes, Documentary, Directed by Parker Bowling
- MAGGIE & SARAH, Short, Directed by Ella Price
- Meat*, Animation, Directed by Vincent Short
- Sick and Tired, Music Video, Directed by Adam Clark
- CANVAS, Documentary, Directed by Ryder Caldwell
- The Disaster Mitzvah*, Animation, Directed by Brandon Werwa
- DEON, Documentary, Directed by Danny Fain
- You May Feel, Animation, Directed by Joe Greenwell
- I’m Lonely Even Though I’m Not Alone, Music Video, Directed by Parker Bowling
- APOTHEOSIS, Short, Directed by Ella Price
- Gooey Goats*, Animation, Directed by Ben Young
* Denotes 2020 Graduate.
Graduates of the Department of Theatre, Dance and Motion Pictures who have participated in this festival have gone on to win Emmy and Academy Awards and to lead the film and television industry in Southwest Ohio and the nation.
The Festival screening will take place Thursday, April 22nd, with gates opening at 7:00pm. The showings will begin a sunset (approximately 8pm). A suggested cash/check donation of $10 per person can be made at the gate. Patrons are expected to follow COVID precautions while viewing films at the Dixie Twin Drive-In
This article originally appeared on BWW News Desk.
