BA Student Documentaries Vie in Campus Film Competition
Documentary films produced by two current Media & Communication concentration BA students, Rebecca Anglin and Jeremy Runnels, took top honors in last week’s class competition for the COM-322 Documentary Filmmaking course, taught by BA Program Chair Guy Smith, MA.
Ten student-produced films were screened on Wed., March 13 in AUSB’s Community Hall. A judging panel of experienced media professionals – Matt Schuster, Executive Director, TVSB; Dominique Blocker, Executive Assistant/Membership Coordinator, TVSB; and Lillian Seldeen, BA Faculty, AUSB – evaluated each for messaging, story, creativity, execution, and overall effectiveness.
Anglin’s first-place documentary, “From Way Up Here,” explores the connection between open space and the historic cattle ranches of Santa Barbara County, and the importance of preserving both. The runner-up film by Runnels, “Open for Business,” chronicles the economic challenges facing the development of a new restaurant in downtown Santa Barbara.
The Documentary Filmmaking class engages students in using simple media tools to create short documentaries that address social justice issues. Students learn hands-on about all stages of filmmaking, from pitching and treatment to script and storyboard development to rough assembly and final cut editing. In the process, the class viewed and discussed documentaries at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, met with practicing filmmakers, and participated in production and editing workshops at the TV Santa Barbara station facilities.