This year will be our 10th official Moravian Academy Media Arts Film Festival! In order to commemorate all that we have created and accomplished, we are planning a special celebration in the Banko Cinemas at Steelstacks on Wednesday, April 15th, 2020 from 7:00-9:00 pm.

In addition to presenting a 10-year retrospective reel, we'd like to invite students from all three divisions to create and submit new film projects to be viewed at the event.

The deadline for new submissions is March 1st, 2020.

Ensure your film meets all of the listed regulations/permissions and submit to your divisional contact (Mrs. Woodruff at the Upper School and Mr. Brennan at the Middle School) by the deadline.

As we did in year 5, we'd like to offer a special challenge to incorporate the number 10 into your films. It doesn't have to be (although it certainly could be) an integral part of your film, but you should try working the number 10 somewhere into your film (e.g. a dime, ten-dollar bill, locker #10, a page number, date, time, jersey #10, road sign, etc.). Feel free to use the number 10 overtly or subtly in your film(s).

Tips for Making A Good Five-Minute Film:

1. Write a sample script with a streamlined plot and a minimum number of characters. You will run out of time and be unable to flesh out complex story arcs or large casts of characters.

2. Consider what locations, props, costumes and other basic production needs you have available or can easily obtain, writing your script with this in mind. A story set in a modern day American suburb will have greater verisimilitude than an 18th century Chinese epic.

3. Keep your pacing lively with sharp editing and a good mix of shots, even five-minute films can seem like an eternity with too slow of a tempo.

4. Don’t forget about the sound. Audio can make or break the audience’s experience of your film. Imagery is important, but inaudible dialogue or inattention to your audio mix can wreck an otherwise great film. A well-designed soundscape can greatly enhance even mediocre cinematography.

5. Look at other short films, such as those created for last year's film festival (seen in the reel below). You will get a sense of what works and what doesn’t.

If you have any questions or want to run ideas by someone, please contact Mrs. Woodruff or Mr. Brennan via email. 

Happy filmmaking!