Do you know what it takes to make a movie? As quoted from numerous filmmakers who had their works shown at last year’s Roselle Park Short Film Festival, the answer is, “Just get a camera and shoot it!”
Submissions for this year’s film festival are now being accepted online. With the festival just a little over five months away, the time has come for “Lights! Camera! Action!” or, in this case, “Go! Shoot! Send It In!”
It could take one day to shoot it, one weekend to edit it, and about one minute to upload it as a submission for the Roselle Park Short Film Festival.
Films can last up to over 15 minutes but can be as short as under 60 seconds and can be a documentary, a traditional narrative, or experimental and can be live-action or animated. Got an idea? Get a camera, point it somewhere, finish it, and submit it to the Roselle Park Short Film Festival.
Last year’s festival showcased short films that were made with a full cast and crew of top-grade equipment to ones that were created on animation software to those shot with an iPhone and evena drone. The list of filmmakers ranged in age that spanned decades and hands-on experience that varied from first-time directors to seasoned professionals but they all had one thing in common – they finished their movie and sent it in.
Some filmmakers won awards that night, some continued to win at other festivals but all had their work shown on a big screen in front of an audience. Out of all things, having people – sometimes the filmmakers themselves for the very first time – seeing their creations on something other than a computer screen was an accomplishment in and of itself.
As part of the borough’s annual Roselle Park Arts Festival – a daylong outdoor festival of fine art in all its forms – the short film festival.
“Nowhere else can you walk in the middle of hometown ‘main street’ surrounded by professional artists, music and international foods of your choice while enjoying short film blocks taking place at two locations,” said festival representative Ryan Chatelain.
Categories at this year’s film festival are narrative shorts, documentary shorts, experimental shorts, animation, teenage filmmakers, children’s shorts, celebration of Latin America and celebration of India.
Special emphasis is placed on newcomers in the field of film and the teenage filmmaker looking for an arena in which to showcase his or her art.
The Roselle Park Shorts Film Festival was created from a desire of artists and volunteers from various professions looking to host a diversity of newcomers and professionals in the field of filmmaking so they may network and build their portfolio.
In short – pun intendned – just go for it. Shoot it and send it in.
To submit a short film, go to the Film Freeway website (link).
[Editor’s Note: I have assisted in previous Roselle Park Film Festival screenings.]