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Serling video fest entrants find inspiration in classic films When he first entered the competition four years ago to see how his work stacked up against others, he entered a film about the family dog. It was quite basic, he says. Storytelling was absent. This year, D'Abbracci and his friends, who he has always made films with, set their goals on the cinematography category in this year's competition. "I went out and got these stylistic shots and put them together with the music and that took a lot more editing than the last one," says D'Abbracci. And although D'Abbracci first believed a plot was missing from his movie, he now understands that people are interpreting the film in different ways and discovering their own idea of meaning. "I've always wanted to be a filmmaker. That was my childhood dream," D'Abbracci says. "So the fact I actually won a contest for what I want to be ... it was a big deal to me." When AJ D'Abbracci began filming "Winter," he did not set out to intentionally reference a film great. Once the project was completed, however, D'Abbracci realized it was shot in a style similar to that of Akira Kurosawa, a prominent Japanese film director. "Most of his movies are known for his design and how they're set up," says D'Abbracci, a junior at Binghamton High School. The design and setup of D'Abbracci's own film gave him the win for Best Cinematography in the 13th annual Rod Serling Video Festival, a film competition that allows students to create, film and edit their entries. Gary Ingraham, festival judge and documentary producer/director for Cornell University's Educational Television Center, says the cinematography category was a close race this year. But in D'Abbracci's film, "There was one shot in particular -- a low-angle tracking shot that looked through a fence or a bridge railing -- that really stood out to most of us," Ingraham says. Each year, the judges of the festival can usually spot a certain theme in storytelling. In 1995, "Pulp Fiction" had just come out and, according to Lawrence Kassan, founder and director of the festival, he saw more than one film with a student being stuffed in a trunk with ketchup. Since then, zombies and even penguins have taken their turn in the spotlight. This year however, saw a much more sophisticated, subtle nod to film greats. References to famous characters, scenes and even directors shone through in the final products. "I think that proves these students are really watching movies and borrowing the best ideas from the best filmmakers," Ingraham says. Festival background The first Rod Serling Video Festival, sponsored by the Rod Serling School of Fine Arts at the Binghamton High School, debuted in 1995 "as a means to promote the use of video arts technology and creativity in area schools." The festival is named after the Binghamton resident who went on to hold the record for most Emmy Awards, including several for his series, "The Twilight Zone." Not only did Serling influence the growth of TV, but he continues to influence young filmmakers as well. "Not only do I want to promote this creative use of video technology but I want to continue the legacy of Rod Serling," says Kassan, adding that the first year, the festival only accepted entries from Broome County. Today, entries not only come in from all over New York, judges also see national entries as well. In the last 13 years, the number of entries has steadily risen. This year, for example, more than 150 films were submitted. Organizers have said they are concerned how they will process the increasing entries if the hundreds eventually become thousands, but Kassan says the issue will be dealt with when that time comes. "I think students are realizing that it is fun and a career possibility," Kassan says. "Media is becoming more important in the world." Tell me a story Storytelling is always the main aspect of a high quality film, and it's what the Rod Serling Video Festival judges look for in entries. "The storyboard has to guide the project," Kassan says. "Let the technology and special effects enhance it, but it shouldn't drive it." Ingraham said that in the past, entries tended to feature style over substance. "As we were bombarded by images, storytelling got lost in the mix," says Ingraham, adding that he has seen a definite movement toward stronger storytelling since the festival started. One example of this change is D'Abbracci's own entries. When he first entered the competition four years ago to see how his work stacked up against others, he entered a film about the family dog. It was quite basic, he says. Storytelling was absent. This year, D'Abbracci and his friends, who he has always made films with, set their goals on the cinematography category in this year's competition. "I went out and got these stylistic shots and put them together with the music and that took a lot more editing than the last one," says D'Abbracci. And although D'Abbracci first believed a plot was missing from his movie, he now understands that people are interpreting the film in different ways and discovering their own idea of meaning. "I've always wanted to be a filmmaker. That was my childhood dream," D'Abbracci says. "So the fact I actually won a contest for what I want to be ... it was a big deal to me." |