Student filmmaking competition gets underway

By DAILY SOUND STAFF — Feb. 3, 2010

Local student filmmakers and screenwriters paired up with film industry professionals yesterday during the kickoff of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s annual 10-10-10 Student Filmmaking Competition.

The competition, which spans 10 days of the festival, features 10 writers selected from 28 submissions from local high school and college students of their best screenplay, stage play or short story.

The five best scripts in the high school and collegiate categories were chosen, and the finalists were paired off with industry mentors before submitting a final draft on January 28.

Yesterday, the 10 screenplays were matched up with student filmmakers selected from a pool of 57 local students. The filmmakers will direct a 10-minute film during the 10 days of the festival, and the shorts will be screened and judged based both on filmmaking and screenwriting.

A judging panel will select winners from the high school and collegiate level, and the winning films will be shown during closing night festivities at the Arlington Theatre on February 14.

The filmmaking finalists are Erik Choquette, SBHS; Taylor Fisher, SMHS; Jorge Flores, SMHS; Samuel Foley, SBHS; Paul Leutheuser, SMHS; Matt Holwick, Brooks Institute; Josh Sexton, SBCC; Ali Sommer, SBCC; Chris Thompson, SBCC; and Jasmin Toutounchi, UCSB.

The screenwriting finalists are Stephen Amspoker, SMHS; Erik Choquette, SBHS; Dylan Douglas, SMHS; Katie Elster, SMHS; Frances Rozhko, SMHS; Koriayn Christensen, UCSB; Ramsey Feaver, Brooks Institute; Cora Hirashiki, UCSB; Peter Manthei, Westmont College; and Brittany Sandler, SBCC.

The 10 student-created films will be shown on February 14 at 1 p.m. at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St. More information on the film festival is available at www.sbfilmfestival.org.

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SBFilmFestival's Gift to Young Adults : 2/3/2010

What a remarkable opportunity for these students to be offered such a life experience so young. Congratulations to all the finalist. Fantastic Job Roger Durling, for including a category to entice the aspiring writer and filmmaker. We will add the Lobero Theatre Sunday show to the list. Great for Daily Sound to introduce this 10-10-10 to your readers.

Film Festival movie goer

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