35 students awarded at first red-carpet film festival

Huntington University’s Digital Media Arts Department awarded 35 students at its first Forester Film Festival, featuring the best of the best in student-produced film, animation and fusion media.

The festival took place Friday, May 8, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Zurcher Auditorium located in the Merillat Centre for the Arts. It was a black-tie event, and there was a red carpet and special awards presented following the screening of the top student films for the year. Judges consisted of HU alumni, independent filmmakers and seasoned professionals from around the country.

“Our Forester Film festival went off without any major hiccups and was a real rewarding night for our department to see so many friends, family and people from the community come out to celebrate our student's achievements in great storytelling,” said Dr. Lance Clark, professor of digital media arts film & communication. “I have heard so many positive comments after the event and everyone seemed to have a great time walking the red carpet and seeing our short films. I am already looking forward to next year and how we can build on it by expanding it to include area high school categories.”

Awards include:

• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Animation Freshmen Project:  “Clay Lip Sync” by Staci Vander Naald
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Freshmen Film:  77 by Producer & Writer: Jonathon Kane, Director: Jonathon Kane & Joel Livengood, Certificates to: Josh Bellis, Josh Rosebourgh, Steven Turk, Ben Crane
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Sophomore Storyboarding:  “Pith” by Josiah Clements
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Sophomore Drawn Animation:  “Poke” by Karli Melder
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Sophomore 3D Project:  “Nicole” by Alex Kane
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Sophomore 2D Computer Animation:  “Explosion” by Karli Melder
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Sophomore Motion Graphics:  “Deli” by Sean Fitzpatrick
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Sophomore Film:  “This is Time” by Mason Bowen, Adam Konger, Emerald Leong and Nicole Wethington
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Documentary or Non-Fictional Film:  “Del” by Sam Doughty
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Junior Film:  “Dragon from the Deep” by Rebecca Beanblossom and Marissa Pruett
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Junior 3D Project:  “HU Logo” by Kayla Mitchell
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Junior Inspirational Design Project:  “Anthology” by Kayla Mitchell
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Junior Concept Art:  “Eothes” by Tori March
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Junior Film:  “Standardized” by Producer: Eric Luce and Evan Matteson, Writer: Jonathon Kane, Director: Rachel Hunter, Certificate: Ryan Burson, Josh Rosebrough, Panthelys Theodoracopoulos, Matt Burris
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Senior Film:  “Elemental” by Bridget Muntzing
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Senior Film:  “Brother” by Producer: Luke Myers, Director & Writer: Mathis Glover, Certificates: Director of Photography: Tim Bajema, Daniel Beaver, Editor: Nathan Corder, Sound Design: Rachel Larson
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Screenplay in Jr/Sr Film:  “Brother” by Mathis Glover
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Cinematography in Jr/Sr Film:  “Flowers of the Fall” by Nathan Corder
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Editing in Jr/Sr Film:  “Go Outside” by Eric Luce
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Sound Design in Jr/Sr Film:  “Flowers of the Fall” by Eric Luce
• Forester Film Award for Outstanding Visual or Special Effects in Jr/Sr Film:  “Seeds” 
• Forester Film Award for Best in Show Animation - $250 + Award:  “Anthology” by Kayla Mitchell
• Forester Film Award for Best in Show Film or Documentary - $250 + Award:  “Brother” by Producer: Luke Myers, Director & Writer: Mathis Glover

“The film festival was a really enjoyable night of celebrating all of the great work that the film and animation departments pumped out this year,” said Mathis Glover, winner of Best in Show Film or Documentary. “It was fantastic to finally be watching a lot of these projects with an audience. It was a very rewarding experience to hear the laughs, the applause, and also feel the silence. My senior film, Brother, was received well and it was great to revisit the film with the crew and an audience after finishing it last semester. Our crew for Brother was fantastic and while I watched the film that night, I couldn't have felt more honored to have worked with them in bringing this story to the screen.”

“There were so many amazing projects shown at the festival, a great view into the talent that will be coming out of the university, and I was really honored to be recognized among them,” said Kayla Mitchell, winner of Best in Show Animation.