Carson City plans short film competition

For local filmmakers, Carson City will be hosting the 4th annual City Wide Short Film competition at the end of the month.

The competition is to showcase five to seven minute long films created by filmmakers from all over the country.

Contestants will be given a prop, sound effect and line of dialogue that must be included in the film and will then have one week to turn in the film for judging. The organizers will hand out the prompts on April 27 at noon at the Brewery Arts Center and the films must be turned in by May 4 at noon.

“This makes the competition a level playing ground,” said Public Relations organizer Scott Young. “This way you have to create a script around (the props) and so does everyone else.”

The filmmakers have one week to write, cast, shoot and edit their movies and Young said everyone takes the competition seriously.

“It is a fun process,” Young said. “Some people take a day off of work to participate.”

The community is invited to view the films during the City Wide Short Film screenings on May 7 at the Brewery Arts Center Performance Hall. Films made by those 16 and under will be shown and judged at 3:30 p.m. and the over 16 year old category films will be shown and judged at 6:30.

“The challenge to make a 5-7 minute movie in a week is an obtainable challenge,” Young said. “It is not difficult and it doesn’t’ matter what level of film you are, you can do it.”

This is the fourth year the competition has been held, and Young said the reception is always positive. When the competition first started, it was limited to just Carson City residents for the first two years, but has grown and the organizers receive submissions from people in other states.

“(This competition is neat because) at the end you have a finished film and say ‘I have a movie’ and as a filmmaker that is the most important thing,” Young said.

To participate in the competition, registration is $15 and can be completed at milacheese.dog or can be completed in person up to a half hour before the prompts are given. Films are due back by noon on May 4 to the Brewery Arts Center with a usable file in .mav or .mp4 format. There’s also no limit to the number of people who can be registered on a team for a film.

For more information, visit the Wired Wednesday Digital Artists Facebook page, or contact Scott Young at 775-412-8883 or Darla Bayer at 775-830-7939.