Graphic Communications students fare well in Campus Movie Fest

For a school that doesn’t offer a filmmaking major, Clemson University students – most of them from the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business – accounted well for themselves in a last fall’s Campus Movie Fest competition.

Five of the Top 20 films selected to be premiered in November and two of the Top 20 films in October in the national collegiate film festival were produced by Clemson students, four of whom are majors in the business school’s Department of Graphic Communications.

Campus Movie Fest is the world’s largest student film festival. For 20 years, the organization has provided collegiate filmmakers the equipment, training, and support they need to make a five-minute movie in a week.  This year, because of the pandemic, students were given four movie-making weeks during the 2020-2021 school year in which they could produce their five-minute films. 

Erica Walker, assistant professor in the Department of Graphic Communications, lauded the accomplishments of the Clemson students, four of whom were in her GC3400 class, which focuses on video and photography.

“Clemson students are creative and talented, but they aren’t studying film production like many of their competitors at other universities,” said Walker who is the Clemson liaison for Campus Movie Fest. “To have that many students chosen to have their films premiered in the fall competition speaks to our students’ creative talents.”

Sarah Orie, a junior graphic communications major, received Jury Award and Campus Finalist citations for her “Media vs. Me” film submission in the Campus Movie Fest competition.

“My film focuses on promoting self confidence in discussing how social media has become toxic for young women my age,” the Bluffton, S.C., native said. “Unattainable beauty standards set by social media is something that I’ve struggled with, as do many other young women my age.”

Sarah credited Walker’s GC 3400 class, which included video production and post-production, for opening her eyes to a new skill set.

“Before taking Dr. Walker’s digital imaging class, I hadn’t worked in film at all, so a huge credit goes to her. My interest in filmmaking grew as a result of the class project. The graphic communications program at Clemson opens one’s eyes to so many different skill sets. The project and subsequent recognition from Campus Movie Fest provided me a new skill that I will be able to leverage in any future career searches.”

The four other Clemson finalists in the fall competition included:

Patrick O’Neill, https://campusmoviefest.com/movies/90885-momo

Abraham Kim,  https://campusmoviefest.com/movies/91372-safe

David Yeargin, https://campusmoviefest.com/movies/91446-dilemma–a-synopsis-of-the-internal-struggles-of-a-black-artist

Ashley Wilson, https://campusmoviefest.com/movies/90864-the-swing

Winners of the seasonal Campus Movie Fest competitions will advance to the TERMINUS Conference & Festival in Atlanta this summer where their films will be screened. The conference/festival is a three-day event for emerging creators in film and gaming to showcase their work and improve their skills.

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