On June 24 at The Electric Theater, summer blockbusters, independent cinema, and community filmmaking will collide during the 2017 Summer Movie Edition of the Guerilla Shorts Showcase. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the adventure will begin at 6. A fun-filled evening of cinematic entertainment, and for only $6 ($3 for children 11 and under).
Presented by the Film and Media Alliance of Southern Utah, the centerpiece of this event will consist of a collection of 21 short films created by talented and dedicated local storytellers. The filmmaking teams behind these wonderfully entertaining (and in some cases, bold) shorts assembled their projects in a limited amount of time using any resources available to them. These diverse six-minute short films were put together in conjunction with The Guerilla Filmmaking Challenge, a southern Utah-based storytelling platform that’s been encouraging a creative spark in local filmmakers of all ages and all skill sets for the better part of 12 years.
During this showcase, attendees will have an opportunity to experience these mini-movie creations in a theatrical setting alongside the individuals who brought them to fruition. But the fun and excitement don’t stop there. There’s plenty of cinematic goodness awaiting you throughout the evening. This schedule is subject to change.
6 p.m.: Guerilla Shorts Showcase
Back in May, several filmmaking teams were each given a theme inspired by an upcoming summer movie. The challenge was for each team to put together a six-minute short film utilizing their given theme. This particular challenge attracted a record-breaking 24 teams. Twenty-one of these passionate teams were able to complete their films.
You will not only have the opportunity to see these creative efforts on the big screen. You’ll also have an opportunity to get in on the action by voting for your favorite entry. And there are plenty of amazing efforts to choose from. In fact, a few of these projects are among the very best short films to ever come out of the Guerilla Filmmaking Challenge. The Guerilla Shorts Showcase film line-up order is as follows:
—Adam Mast, theme: “Bake Me a Cake as Fast as You Can.”
—Shaun Labrecque, theme: “Child’s Play.”
—Rebekah Jackson, theme: “In His Prime.”
—Brandon Tippetts and Lonie Black, theme: “Thanks For Swinging By.”
—Christian Navarrete, theme: “More Fun Than A Barrel Full of Monkeys.”
—Aaron Eames, theme: “Walk the Plank.”
—Ned Cordery, theme: “Culture Clash.”
—Liz Baxter, theme: “The Future of Justice.”
—Isaac Cooper, theme: “Sibling Rivalry.”
—Mike Wiest, theme: “You’re Being Paranoid.”
—Sheldon Demke and Hollie Reina, theme: “Out of This World.”
—Katie Maxwell, theme: “Put on a Happy Face.”
—Dean Jones, theme: “You Hit Like a Girl.”
—Kipp Howard, theme: “There’s No Need to Riot.”
—Jungi Lee, theme: “The Man in Black.”
—Caleb Hatton, theme: “The Meaning of Existence.”
—Dan Bringhurst, theme: “We’re Family.”
—Derek Solberg and Tyler Wynn, theme: “Run!”
—Peter Goodge and Sandi Catten, theme: “Making a Pit Stop.”
—John Pugh, theme: “By Land, Sea, and Air.”
—Dan Fowlks, theme: “Filmmaking For Life.”
8:30 p.m.: Local Filmmaker Spotlight
There’s plenty of filmmaking talent here in St. George, and a lot of that talent remains untapped because there really isn’t a venue for these individuals to showcase their work. With the Local Filmmaker Spotlight, the goal is to give these filmmakers an environment where they can share their work, converse with like-minded individuals, and grow as storytellers. This particular event will spotlight two short films.
“Tie Break” directed by Mike Crockett (5 minutes)
What happens when two pros with guns can’t settle their differences? The answer to that question is as shocking as it is unpredictable. This actioneer from writer and director Mike Crockett stars Dan Fowlks and Tysen Bang.
“It’s Lonely Down Here” directed by Kreigh Carter (14 minutes)
In this quirky, whimsical tale from writers Kreigh Carter and Sam Perez, a little girl’s search for someone who cares for and understands her reaches far beyond the limits of this planet. Ultimately, this unique individual finds companionship in a very unconventional place. “It’s Lonely Down Here” stars Danielle Wolverton, Ctormy Thomas, Ellee Anderson, and Lilly Mae Stover.
9 p.m.: A conversation with Rocco DeVillers
Rocco DeVillers has always been interested in films and the art of storytelling. But he’s not only a gifted storyteller, he’s also extremely accessible and quite the movie geek at heart. Early in his career, he was known for his ingenuity, passion, and crafty nature. Those attributes led him to create a handful of amusing short films while serving a mission, and they would also serve him well on “Pure Race,” his first feature film. Of course, all of his previous experience would ultimately lead to the rousing youthful adventure, “The Flyboys,” a wonderful movie inspired by DeVilliers’ love of everything from ’80s films to aviation.
DeVilliers has plenty of projects in the pipeline, and during this special conversation, this outstanding filmmaker will tell you all about them. With any luck, he’ll also dish on secrets of the trade, so if you have questions about filmmaking in general, he’s definitely the guy to ask.
9:45 p.m.: The Guerilla Awards
While these events have always been about support and filmmakers challenging themselves and learning from their experiences, programmers also recognize that a little competition is healthy for the soul. Therefore, awards will be handed out to the strongest Guerilla Shorts of the bunch. The outcome will be decided by a panel of prestigious judges including filmmaker Rocco DeVilliers, Georgefest co-founder Melynda Thorpe, The Space Between legend Kelly Thomas, and the great Paul Ford of “No Filter” fame. There will also be an Audience Choice Award decided upon by you, the fearless attendee.
Programmers also promise a couple of surprises throughout the evening.
The Guerilla Shorts Showcase prides itself on the encouraging and nurturing of local talent. Come on out and lend your support to a dedicated and passionate storytelling community. Who knows? By the time the event is over, you may even get bit by the bug and decide to make a movie yourself!
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