SAN MARCOS- Palomar College Film Club presents the inaugural Film Fest, where short student-created films are going to be showcased.
From noon to 3 p.m. on Friday, May 26, 2023, in room MD-157 on the Palomar San Marcos Campus, the Palomar College Film Festival takes place. The organizers are accepting films from current students as well as alumni who have graduated in the last three years. The films will be juried and awards given.
Film club co-president Patrick Shartzer spoke via Zoom about how they had screenings of films produced by the students in his Cinema 125 class. He was also interested in the films of the other classes. “It would be cool if we could exhibit all of these in one kind of place,” he said. The call entry is ongoing, and the club has gotten excited responses from students and alumni, he said. They have also been in talks with cinema professors.
There will be awards and an audience vote. “And then we are also planning a jury vote which will consist of the Board of the Film Club,” Shartzer said.
Professor Scott Richison is teaching Cinema 125 this semester. “Patrick did a good job in getting the word out early… it’s a goal for the students to be able to showcase their work while also demonstrating what they have learned,” he said. His area of expertise is not theory but “hands-on production.” He talks about the difficulty and complexity of creating the films. There are writing, lighting, editing, and casting actors, as well as the associated skills.
“You should feel pretty vulnerable and exposed if you are out there showing it to others,” he said. “But that’s what filmmaking is about, you know, represents not only your hard work but ideas you have.” Richison explains that the festival is being juried, “It’s really going to drive a lot of our students towards better outcomes in terms of their craft.” And including alumni, or “more seasoned filmmakers,” is building a culture where “this will serve as extra motivation to be their best selves in terms of being young filmmakers.”
Film Club co-presidents, Patrick Shartzer and Amber Sosa, also showcase interesting and offbeat films for the club that members and interested parties can view. Faculty advisor for the club, Professor John McMurria, notes that they have had more than 13 screenings of films that are very diverse and connect to Palomar College’s monthly themes like Black history month and Women’s history month. They also produce zines that give backgrounds to the films. “They’ve just been doing a really amazing job at curating these weekly meetings and screenings and having discussions,” McMurria said.
Shartzer said they primarily do online screenings because they are easier. “Not everyone can attend the in-person screenings,” because of scheduling conflicts. The club meets on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. People can watch the films on their own. “Our chat is always open,” he said. “So if you see it on another day you can come back to us and leave your thoughts.” Check out their Instagram and Discord.
