Four students, one from each major region of the world, have been named first-place winners in the 2009 edition of the annual Kodak Film School Competition. The winners are: Chris Freilich from the American Film Institute in the U.S.; Hatuey Viveros from Centro de Capacitacion Cinematografica in Mexico; Andrzej Krol from the Fachhochschule Dortmund in Germany; and Liu Yizeng from Beijing Film Academy in China.
Now in its 10th year, the annual competition recognizes the creativity and talent of student cinematographers in the collaborative process of visual storytelling.
John Bailey, ASC, a world-recognized cinematographer with more than 70 credits of his own, judged the regional entries. “John’s diversity of experience and interest in nurturing the next generation of filmmakers adds immeasurably to the quality of this competition,” said Wendy Elms, Worldwide Education Segment manager for Kodak’s Entertainment Imaging Division. “All students who enter benefit from John’s insights and his understanding of the possibilities of film.”
The student filmmakers tackled a diverse range of subject matter. Freilich’s Half Kenneth tells the story of a young man and his brother who escape a war relocation camp in 1945. Viveros’ La Cancion de los Ninos Muertos recalls a summer spent amid depression and alcohol in an old hut on the beach. Birthday, from Krol, takes a father back to his son’s fifth birthday party in flashes of memory. The Accident by Yizeng tells the story of two people’s destinies who cross because of a car accident.
The winners receive a trip to the 2010 Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival in France, where they will have the opportunity to screen their film in the Kodak Short Film Showcase. The filmmakers also can participate in networking sessions and other activities which are part of the festival.
“Young filmmakers need to have their work seen by judges of the caliber of John Bailey–and by their peers,” said Elms. “By providing the opportunity for that, we hope to encourage the next generation of cinematographers to pursue their passion to tell stories on film. This is one of many ways that Kodak supports students and film schools around the world.”
The Kodak Film School Competition is open to students and recent graduates in Asia, Latin America, Canada and the U.S., as well as Europe and the Middle East. Participants must first compete at a national level. Those who move on to the finalist pool are then judged for the top four spots in this annual competition. All entries must be produced on film by a student crew.
Ron Cicero and Bo Clancey Launch Production House 34North
Executive producers Ron Cicero and Bo Clancey have teamed to launch 34North. The shop opens with a roster which includes accomplished directors Jan Wentz, Ben Nakamura Whitehouse, David Edwards and Mario Feil, as well as such up-and-coming filmmakers as Glenn Stewart and Chris Fowles. Nakamura Whitehouse, Edwards, Feil and Fowles come over from CoMPANY Films, the production company for which Cicero served as an EP for the past nearly five years. Director Wentz had most recently been with production house Skunk while Stewart now gains his first U.S. representation. EP Clancey was freelance producing prior to the formation of 34North. He and Cicero have known each other for some 25 years, recently reconnecting on a job directed by Fowles. Cicero said that he and Clancey “want to keep a highly focused roster where talent management can be one on one--where we all share in the directors’ success together.” Clancey also brings an agency pedigree to the new venture. “I started at Campbell Ewald in accounts, no less,” said Clancey. “I saw firsthand how much work agencies put in before we even see a script. You have to respect that investment. These agency experiences really shaped my approach to production--it’s about empathy, listening between the lines, and ultimately making the process seamless.” 34North represents a meeting point--both literally and creatively. Named after the latitude of Malibu, Calif., where the idea for the company was born, it also embraces the power of storytelling. “34North118West was the first GPS-enabled narrative,” Cicero explained. “That blend of art and technology, to captivate an audience, mirrors what we do here--create compelling work, with talented people, harnessing state-of-the-art... Read More