Winston-Salem has invaded Beaufort! 

Well, their student filmmakers have, that is. Among the impressive amount of student submissions at this year's BIFF, it is noticeable that the majority of them boast the alma mater credit of "The University of North Carolina School of the Arts." Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, NCSA  has produced a flock of new filmmakers who have migrated back to Beaufort in search of new audiences for new films.  Kate Miller, Coordinator of Film Festivals and Internships for the NCSA School of Filmmaking, proudly revealed to me that their students have made a strong showing at the BIFF over the years, and hold the record for walking away with the most Student awards for three years running. 

The crop of films from NCSA are nothing if not diverse and engaging: a stop motion animated critique on big media (Fully Poseable by Austin Taylor), a young woman's existential tango with the universe (Gravity by Megan Glass), a touching exploration of memory and maturity (A Moment by Raven Bradley), a richly woven, wild west melodrama (The Road Home by Scott Freije), and an OCD coming of age tale with Hitchcockian undertones (Digby by Bobby Crain). All of the films are equal parts humorous, touching, quirky, accessible, with strong and well intended stories. From a technical standpoint, the films display industry-level cinematography and production design, and impressive execution and direction despite modest student budgets. 

I also spoke with Julie Freeman of the the North Carolina Piedmont Triad Film Commission, who stressed the importance of exposure for student filmmakers (and one would argue all indie filmmakers) to seek out and compete in as many regional festivals as possible. 

Oh, and did I mention they are all from North Carolina?

As a Tar Heel (and alumnus of the NCSA Summer Session in Filmmaking, 1997), I try my best not to be biased about NCSA's presence at the BIFF. However, I can't help but be impressed.

However, as a graduate student at the Savannah College of Art and Design and an academic adviser to Filmmaking students, I am more than inspired to encourage SCAD student filmmakers, sound designers, and writers to submit work to next year's BIFF (and beyond). Their talent is evident and should also be shared with regional audiences.

I would like to encourage all regional art schools with film programs to submit work to the Beaufort International Film Festival. 

SCAD, and other regional film schools, should give NCSA a bit of healthy competition.

And if I know my North Carolinians, they will welcome the challenge. 

- Duncan Pittman (North Carolina native, Tar Heel graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, NCSA Film Alumni, SCAD Cinema Studies Graduate Student, and most of all a loyal SCAD representative)