WKU's 14th Annual Film And Video Festival Begins April 7

March 31, 2008

Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University’s School of Journalism and Broadcasting will sponsor its 14th annual Western Film and Video Festival (WFVF) on April 7-10.

The four-day event will include screenings of works by recognized filmmakers as well as an opportunity to view the projects of up-and-coming film artists in the annual awards competition.

“Our film screening choices this year are some of the best we’ve ever offered,” said Cory Lash, WFVF director. “We look forward to bringing these accomplished filmmakers to our campus to learn from their experiences in the industry.”

All seminars and screenings are scheduled in Mass Media and Technology Hall and are free to students and the public.

The festival kicks off at 7 p.m. Monday (April 7) with a world premiere screening of “Thesis Film.” Introduced by the film’s writer, director and producer, WKU Assistant Professor Ron Demarse, this documentary follows 12 film students as they learn the fundamentals of filmmaking and apply those techniques to their own movies. The film will have a second screening at 9:30 p.m., which will include the director’s commentary track.

Emmy Award-winning producer and director David Earnhardt will visit the university Tuesday (April 8) to share his 30 years of television and video experience.  Attendees will have the opportunity to watch his much-anticipated documentary, “Uncounted,” which uncovers fraud in the 2004 election, showing how it led to even greater fraud in 2006, and the potential to affect the outcome of this year’s presidential election. The film will screen at 7 p.m. followed by a question-and-answer session with Earnhardt.

On Wednesday (April 9) Ken Cravens, a freelance writer, producer, director and editor from Los Angeles, will visit campus to discuss his experience in the industry in a 3 p.m. seminar.  Cravens has edited numerous independent projects, some of which have won Indy awards.  He has also edited commercials for Spike TV and directed music videos airing on MTV.

At 7 p.m. Wednesday, the festival will feature screenings of short films reflecting the work of independent and student filmmakers.

At 3:30 p.m. Thursday (April 10), Bently Tittle and Theresa Carpenter-Beames will discuss their trials and tribulations in the film industry. Tittle, a writer and director from Los Angeles, has worked for MTV, Viacom, the Disney Channel, FOX Television, CMT and VH-1. He has also directed a number of commercials, music videos, industrial projects, television and interactive series’ and has won a Cable Act Award, Addy Award and ICE TV’s “Best New Video” Award.               

Beames, a writer, producer and director, comes to Bowling Green from Louisville to discuss her expertise in developing and delivering communications tools. She has worked with clients such as the PGA of America, National Association of Basketball Coaches, Papa John’s Pizza, the Red Cross, ABC Sports, Churchill Downs, Maker’s Mark, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, and the Ford Motor Company.

The festival will conclude on Thursday with a short film screening of the finalists in the film competition and the presentation of awards at 7 p.m.

More information about the festival is available online at www.wku.edu/film.
               
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Cory Lash at (270) 745-5890.