Campus MovieFest, World’s Largest Student Film Festival, Kicks Off 2012-2013 School Tour

March 12, 2013

Festival coming to St. John’s University with incredible prizes, great exposure, and exciting new opportunities

(Campus MovieFest (CMF), the world’s largest student film festival, is coming to St. John’s University as part of its 12th annual world tour. Students who participate in CMF will receive everything they need to make a five-minute movie in a week – a laptop loaded with movie-making software including Adobe Creative Suite 6, a Panasonic HD video camera, training, and support – all for free.

“Every year we’re blown away by the amazing movies students can create in one week. We’re thrilled to launch this year’s search for the top student filmmakers around the world, “ said Dan Costa, Co-Founder of Campus MovieFest. “Ever since we started CMF as students in 2001, we’ve been honored to help discover exceptional talent and bring unforgettable experiences to students, and this year is sure to be the best yet.”

Participating students experience an unforgettable opportunity to express themselves, learn about filmmaking, and of course, have a lot of fun with the chance to win great prizes including $30,000 cash, 12-month memberships to Adobe Creative Cloud, Hollywood pitch meetings, and more. In addition, top CMF films gain huge exposure opportunities and are showcased in-flight on Virgin America and at the Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner.

“My experience at Campus MovieFest this past year has been insightful and thrilling,” says Nicholas Sailer, creator of 2011-12 Best Picture Winner The Strong One. “When I first entered Campus MovieFest three years ago, I could only dream about where I am now. It has taken me on a journey that has proved invaluable. Campus MovieFest provides support, encouragement, enthusiasm, and a creative environment for filmmakers all over the world to share their vision.”

Moviemaking launches at St. John’s on Wednesday, March 13. Students then have one week to film and edit their movies about anything they can imagine. Categories include Best Picture, Best Drama and Best Comedy, as well as the CMF Elfenworks Social Justice Category, an opportunity to create a short movie or song about social justice for a chance to win up to $20,000 in cash grants. 

Movies are turned in on Tuesday, March 19 and then judged by a panel of St. John’s students, staff, and faculty. On Saturday, April 13, the top short movies will be shown at a red carpet finale at the Little Theater at 7pm. Top winners from St. John’s advance to CMF Hollywood in June 2013.

St. John’s winners are also invited to join the CMF Distinguished Filmmakers Network, a program that provides top students with opportunities ranging from paid content production to unforgettable experiences within the film industry.

During the 2011-2012 World Tour, over 75,000 students participated in Campus MovieFest, with over 250 films advancing to CMF Hollywood this past June. Young filmmakers from around the world attended filmmaking panels, workshops, screenings of their films at Universal Studios, and a glamorous award ceremony, with special guests including Wally Pfister (The Dark Knight Rises), Jack McBrayer (30 Rock), Jon Landau (Avatar), and many more.

For more information about Campus MovieFest, to sign-up to participate, or to see the best CMF movies, visit http://www.campusmoviefest.com.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • World's largest student film festival returns to STJ thanks to Student Engagement and the Mass Communications Department
  • Participating students will receive everything they need – laptops, Panasonic HD camcorders, and training – all for free.
  • CMF provided laptops come preloaded with Adobe Creative Suite 6 including Premiere, Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, and more.
  • CMF Hollywood celebrates the best movies from the 2012-2013 Tour – including the top STJ movies.
  • Win great prizes, exposure opportunities, Hollywood pitch meetings, and more. In addition, top films are showcased in-flight on Virgin America and at the Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner.

IMPORTANT DATES

  • CMF LAUNCH – Wednesday, March 13
  • CMF COLLECTION – Tuesday, March 19
  • CMF FINALE – Saturday, April 13 – Little Theater

About CMF

CMF began over a decade ago when four students at Emory University provided fellow students with everything they needed to make movies in one week. Since then, more than 500,000 students have received all the necessary technology and training to tell their stories for free thanks to corporate partners and schools. Past winners have walked away with over $2 million in prizes and seen their films on the big screens at CMF events nationwide, at Cannes, at major Hollywood studios including Paramount, Warner Bros, and Universal, and on millions of smaller screens – including mobile devices, in-flight on Virgin America, and online.

For media inquiries, please contact Elizabeth Reilly, Director of Media Relations at St. John’s, by calling (718) 990-5789, or by e-mail to reillye@stjohns.edu.