48 HOURS FROM SCRIPT TO SCREEN
STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS TO TOWNGATE

WHEELING, W.Va (September 3, 2009)- - Oglebay Institute’s Towngate Theatre and Cinema will once again host the 48 Student Film Festival at 8 p.m. Saturday, September 19.

Produced by Visions Production House (the VPH), this fast-paced movie-making contest challenges teams of student filmmakers to write, shoot and edit a ten-minute film in just 48 hours. The finished works premier on the big screen at Towngate for an audience and a judging panel. Prizes are awarded to the top three films.

The public is invited to view the films and talk with the filmmakers. College students who present their school ID at the box office will be admitted to the festival free of charge.

Several filmmaking teams are scheduled to participate. Here’s how it works. Teams draw a random topic. Some include a broad plot and a genre. Others may include just a description of a main character or a prop to incorporate into their films. The teams then hit the ground running, putting their imaginations, creativity and energy to the ultimate test.

Lance Becker, co-owner of the VPH and the driving force behind the festival, said teams must juggle how to interpret the topic and how to tell a visually compelling story along with the technical aspects of filming- all while the clock is ticking!

“The 48 Student Film Student Festival is a win-win for budding filmmakers and the viewing audience,” he said. “Filmmakers engage in a exciting, creative challenge and learn firsthand how a live audience interprets their work. Viewers are entertained and get a rare opportunity to talk with filmmakers about the creative process.”

Filmmaking teams will draw their topics at 6 p.m. September 17 and must deliver their short films by 6 p.m. September 19. Films will be shown at 8 p.m. on the Towngate big screen. Prior to each screening, teams will introduce their film and briefly discuss their experiences making it. The winning team will conduct a question and answer session with the audience.

Towngate Theatre is located at 2118 Market St. in Wheeling’s historic Center Market district and parking is either curbside or in the nearby Center Market garage. General admission is $10. Members of Oglebay Institute receive a discount. College students with a school ID are admitted free. Call 304.242.7700 for more information. Tickets are available at the door only, so arrive early for best seats.

This program is made possible through the generous support of the members of the Institute as well as with financial assistance from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the WV Commission on the Arts.