Rye filmmakers shine at Peter Gerretsen Film Awards
This Wednesday night, the top Continuing Eduction students of the Chang School have been nominated for the Peter Gerretsen Film Awards, to take place at the School of Image Arts in room 301, the Sound Stage.
James Warrack, academic co-ordinator of fim studies and the summer film School at the Chang School as well as a faculty member of the School of Image Arts, feels that the eighth year of the Awards show has a “creative crop of people.”
Peter Gerretsen held the same position as Warrack previously, but passed away two summers ago, losing his fight with Lung Cancer. Gerretsen was co-founder with his wife Patricia of Gerretsen Film Productions. They created films, were a huge part in local area pro-life groups and festivals, as well as winning over 30 awards of merit. He then taught cinema here at Ryerson.
“He felt the need to recognize student effort with creative abilities and skills developing through programs” said Warrack.
The Chang School’s Film programs are divided into three courses—Motion Picture Production I, II, and III.
The first course deals with the fundamental basics of film making with no electronics, or as Warrack calls it, “hardcore filmmaking.” These films last one to two minutes long.
The second course is to hone skills in order to make more extensive films. Students can team up or do individually. They use non synchronized sound, which forces students to be more creative and explore the placticity of media.
The third course can choose from fiction to non-fiction films. They are allowed to use dialogue, but Warrack has found that with this freedom, they want to do too much. Both second and third program films last five to eight minutes long.
Nominees are picked by course instructors from each course. Award categories include Best Achievement in all Motion Picture Productions, Screen Writing, Business, and Production Design and Scenography. Winners are selected from an outside judging panel.
The annual show is a great demonstration of Ryerson students’ creativity. “People are there because they want to be there,” said Warrack. “They tend to be fairly dedicated and that shows in the end. The awards reflect all that hard work and dedication to the art of film, improving skills and capabilities.”
Bruno Cocorocchio, 54, is nominated in Motion Picture Production I for his film Desperation. He describes his piece as, “A visual and atmospheric piece. Its objective is to convey a sense of desperation and mystery, much like a painting or a still photograph. The camera acts as the ‘private eye’ exploring, asking questions, attempting to decipher ‘the scene’ and analyzing all available clues. In the end, leaving the audience to decide for itself.”
Christina Rennich, 40, is also nominated in Motion Picture Production III. She says her film, Storm, “is very loosely based on a play by Cindy Lou Johnson called Brilliant Traces. In my film, a half-crazed woman in a torn wedding dress shows up unexpectedly at a reclusive young man’s log cabin during an Alaskan storm.
“She immediately collapses from exhaustion, and when she wakes up 24 hours later, they lock horns, and must find a way to deal with each other until the storm subsides. Eventually these two lost souls find in each other a kindred spirit.”
The Peter Gerretsen Film Awards starts at 6:30 p.m. and is open to the public.
Comments