Students nationwide awarded at the Yellowhammer Film Festival
Student filmmakers got the chance to learn from their peers and industry professionals during this year’s YellowHammer Film Festival.
The festival, which started in 2021, is a free opportunity for high school and college filmmakers to showcase their work.
“It’s really an opportunity for students to learn about what’s going on in the industry and the way things work in the field -- to really learn about what their peers are up to because the entire exhibition is made of student films,” said Chris Stagl, the founder and co-director for the Yellowhammer Film Festival. Reanna Thompson, a recent Troy graduate, has participated in two films herself. This year she submitted a music video titled “Tonight You Are Mine.” It’s a result of a tedious filming and editing process.
“Writing out every single scene, deciding a millisecond to this millisecond in the music video, where we wanted this to start and this camera angle --it’s really like going through your script and/or music’s self and figuring out where you want everything to be and writing it out,” Thompson said.
Being part of the festival produces a multitude of opportunities for students interested in getting to their foot through the door.
“I think the biggest thing is recognition,” said Nathan Hobbs, a Troy graduate and co- director of the Yellower Hammer Film Festival. “If you’re doing well, you’re going to end up getting awards which turn into a Laurel Award, which are things you can share on your resume and portfolio.
“Honestly, things I have done for the YellowHammer Film Festival are part of the reason that helped get me the job that I have now.”
Students also learned from leading industry professionals who have real-world experience in film and animation like keynote speaker Darren Genet from "Vampire Diaries" and "CSI Miami," Ty Primosch from Netflix animation studios, Petr Cikhart, a cinematographer from The Amazing Race, and Karen Mathieson, an animator from the University of Central Florida.
“This is really an untapped resource we do at Troy University every year,” Stagl said. “I would truly like to encourage all the students – not just art and design students but all students – to come and be a part of the YellowHammer Film Festival.”
This year’s YellowHammer Film Festival was held in person at Troy University and was also available via Zoom.
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