National Park College (NPC) held its first Digital Media Arts Film Festival Thursday,
Feb. 1. The festival featured short films made by NPC students, ranging from one to
15 minutes in length.
About 50 people attended the event, which was sponsored by the Student Government
Association (SGA). SGA provided popcorn and drinks for the attendees. The films were
judged by a panel of experts from Henderson State University, the Inception to Projection
film program, and the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and Arts (ASMSA).
Jennifer Seward, Digital and Media Arts Faculty at NPC, said she organized the festival
to showcase the talent and creativity of her students.
"Last fall I taught Video Production for the first time. I had some very talented
students who made some wonderful films. I decided early on that I did not want these
to only be shown in class. So, a film festival showcasing these works seemed like
a fantastic way to share their work," Seward said.
The awards given out at the festival were Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Editor,
Best Actor and Audience Choice Award.
The judges for the festival were Paul Glover, Professor of Mass Media Communications
at Henderson State University, Scott McKinnon, Assistant Professor of Mass Media Communications
at Henderson State University, Taylor Drain, Director of Inception to Projection,
a film program for high school students, Dan Anderson, Instructor of Film and Design
at the Arkansas School for Math, Sciences and the Arts and Jasmin Gonzales, a former
NPC student and independent video producer and filmmaker.
Seward said the event was a success and received positive feedback from the audience
and the judges.
"The event went very well. Friends, family, faculty, staff, and members of the community
came to support our filmmakers. We also gave out a few awards. We plan to make this
an annual event. And I cannot wait to see what my students make next year," said Seward.
