72-Hour Filmmaking Contest Ends with Free Viewing Party

Sunday night, the community is welcome to a free viewing of all the newly made short-film submissions — where a triumphant film will be awarded — and also to rejoice in the creativity of our town.

By Jordan Buckley, exclusive to Corridor News 

San Martians have their cameras out this weekend!

Over a dozen teams — of filmmakers, editors, and actors — from across town gathered Thursday to answer the San Marcos Cinema Club’s challenge: create a short film in 72 hours fulfilling 5 surprise requirements for a chance to win $50 and a screening of their short at the Lost River Film Fest, San Marcos’ first citywide film festival, Nov. 2-5, 2017.

On Sunday night, the community is welcome to a free viewing of all the newly made short-film submissions — where a triumphant film will be awarded — and also to rejoice in the creativity of our town.

In terms of the five surprise requirements issued at the commencement of the contest, each film must contain: a train; an out-of-towner; a scene in which a character admiringly touches a local building constructed in the 1800s; & a line of dialogue containing the words “Lost” & “River” in a single sentence. Each team also drew a film genre from a hat, which their cinematic creation must embrace for full points.

According to Cinema Club’s rules — which pay homage to San Marcos’s zip code — no film can be longer than 6 minutes, 66 seconds.

Submissions will be screened Sunday, May 21, at 8 pm at The Good Stuff Community Store where a panel of judges — comprised of City Councilman and film professor Ed Mihalkanin, Chris Perez of Captiva Entertainment, and Diann McCabe, academic director of Texas State’s Honors College — will score each film, choosing the top three winners based on creative fulfillment of the prompts.

Exquisite deejay Natalia Glenn, of the Black Spaceship on KTSW 89.9 FM, will furnish tunes for the special film-viewing gathering, and Middleton Brewery has generously donated a keg of beer. 

Attendees are encouraged to bring fold-out chairs and perhaps a bit of money to shop at The Good Stuff Community Store, the popular new venue, at 173 LBJ Drive, comprised of diverse handmade goods — from craft foods to art to jewelry — from a few dozen local artisans.

Filmmaker entrants in the 72-hour race include: Zac Witte, Greg Williams, Kimberly Tucker, Carmen Fritz, Kayla Jane Mosley, Faylita Hicks, Raquel Garcia, Larry Mock, Malachi Muncy, Delano Taylor, Shane Ramirez, David Lane, Michael Rivera, Beth Koch, Samantha Thompson, and Andrea Torres.