Four minutes isn’t a lot of time but it’s enough for some of the capital region’s best and brightest young film talents to tell their tales and get some critical feedback from others in the industry.
And make a few bucks at it too.
The Metro Cinema is set to host its seventh annual Metro Shorts program tomorrow evening. The adjudicated short film event offers an unprecedented opportunity for new directors to gain all kinds of experience after they turn off the cameras and call it a wrap.
“You get up on stage and say, ‘Hey, everybody. This is my short film and this is what it’s about.’ The audience and our judges watch it and then, at the end of the viewing, the judges critique the film,” said Trent Wilkie, organizer with multimedia sketch troupe Mostly Water Theatre, the host of the event.
“You get to see your work on the big screen but you also get feedback, which is critical, meaning ‘necessary.’ They’ll go through the entirety of the film. How was the sound? The lighting? How was the script itself? They’ll break it down … and let them know what they can work on but also what worked. It’s not a roast. Everybody wants to see the filmmaker succeed and that’s the important thing.”
Apart from that, they all benefit from the collective wisdom of those in attendance.
“You throw it up on YouTube and people may sometimes be rude about it but you never get that necessary feedback if you want to continue as a filmmaker. Sometimes placating somebody and saying that they’re the best is the worst thing to say to a filmmaker.”
Wilkie himself was a past participant for three years. While he never took home the big prize, he still holds dear the insights from the viewers at the screenings.
“I still recall back to some of the information that we got from the judges and I still hear some of what the judges are saying to the people to this day and I apply it to my work.”
Past winners have included Bellerose grad Riley Beach, who went on to work for Kenny vs. Spenny, the Channel Frederator Network, Comedy Central's Atom.TV, Just for Laughs and BiteTV, as well as Tiny Plastic Men.
“A lot of our finale winners have gone on to success. There’s been a couple that have their own television shows. There’s some that have done work internationally.”
Wilkie said Metro Shorts gives young filmmakers the chance to screen their work properly: in a theatre. They also get paid for it. Every filmmaker chosen for the finale gets $50 with the overall winner taking home an extra $100. But money can’t buy the valuable kind of constructive criticism that you get from this program, he added.
“For somebody who wants to continue their career you need to know what you need to work on. Metro Shorts is a great place for that.”
The screenings take place tomorrow evening starting at 7 p.m. Metro Cinema is located at 8712 109 Street in Edmonton. Call 780-425-9212 or visit www.metrocinema.org for more information.
