The COVID-19 global pandemic may still have our attention, and as a result, schools are closed and many business activities are curtailed; but that cannot and will not stifle the creativity of the human spirit. Global audiences have responded to the forced separation and idleness with incredible bursts of pride, ingenuity, creativity, and generosity.

Often, the indestructible and indefatigable human spirit shows its power and creativity when faced with adversity, and people all over the globe have provided numerous examples. Academy of Art University students in the School of Motion Pictures & Television stepped up to meet the challenges posed by the coronavirus and its resulting disruptions by taking the annual NXT UP Film Festival online.


Showcasing Student Creativity

The NXT UP 2020 Film Festival features the latest productions from students pursuing degrees in Academy of Art University’s School of Motion Pictures & Television. Students in the latter stages of degree programs focusing on cinematography, directing, editing, producing, production design, and screenwriting showcase their work, and the top picks are featured in this yearly film festival.

Anyone can visit the NXT UP 2020 Film Festival webpage and view the films, and participants click a link to login and vote for their favorites in six categories:

  • Best Picture Over 12 Minutes
  • Best Picture Under 12 Minutes
  • Best Actress in a Comedy
  • Best Actor in a Comedy
  • Best Actress in a Drama
  • Best Actor in a Drama

The live event streamed on Friday May 1, 2020, on a dedicated Zoom channel, and participants could login and watch the films and commentary from student contributors, as well as chat live with event participants. The showcased films are still viewable on the Festival webpage.

Academy of Art University Student Film Notables

There are 38 film creations involved in the Film Festival, of numerous genres and topics. Those interested are encouraged to view them and choose your own favorites. A few random choices are highlighted below.

No Country for Old Men

No Country for Old Men is 5:41 in length and features a single set and two male actors engaged in a strange dialogue. Shots rotate to show each actor in a simple front view as they speak, and there is little actual movement in the film. What begins as a simple transaction in a store evolves into a dark and somewhat foreboding encounter. Both actors play their parts well, one as the simple and kind store clerk who becomes increasingly troubled, the other as the soft-spoken, yet menacing patron. Viewers will feel empathy for the store clerk and be relieved when the patron finally leaves the store after wringing a considerable amount of tension from the encounter.

Confessions

Confessions is a tense encounter between a father and his daughter who are obviously in a troubled relationship. The daughter produces a gun and coerces her father into confessing his abuse and subsequent drugging of his wife, the girl’s mother. Thinking that she has no leverage against him and is too timid to actually use the gun, he evolves from fear into a gleeful confession of how and why he acted as he did against his wife, until she takes her own life in a drug overdose. However, his confession is caught and broadcast live on a video surreptitiously arranged by his daughter, forcing his own self-inflicted demise.

Up In The Air

Though barely over three minutes, the three-way encounter in Up in the Air literally leaves the viewer “up in the air” wondering what just happened. A confrontational male in the company meets with a female superior and a new female employee allegedly hired to be over him, and of whom he does not approve. To test her, he challenges her to fire him in an ad-hoc test scenario. He proceeds to jump from criticism of her methods to questioning her knowledge and leaves her flustered, all while the boss looks on with interest. The short film closes as he leaves and the new female employee faces the boss, and facial expressions make it evident that no one knows who (if anyone) just got fired.

Fruitville Station

Fruitville Station provides a brief glimpse into what is obviously a complicated relationship between a married couple, during a visit in prison. The scene begins relaxed, with the only indicator of incarceration being the presence of jail bars in the opening shot. Viewers are taken inside the bars to watch the interaction between a husband and wife as they lightly discuss events surrounding their daughter, before devolving into a relational divide. With only four months left on his sentence, the husband is told he will not receive any more visits. And yet, his wife’s words indicate that he is welcome to return home when he is released. This one snapshot lasting less than four minutes leaves viewers curious about what comes next, as well as what has transpired to generate the present circumstances.

Plots, shots, settings, lighting, actors and more contribute to complex stories that challenge viewers to discover what is going on and what is really being portrayed on screen. A superb level of creativity is evident in every film, and voters will likely have difficulty choosing the best from each category. For more information, and to watch the films, visit the NXT UP 2020 Film Festival website.

About Academy of Art University

Academy of Art University is one of the largest private art and design schools in the US. It features dozens of majors across a wide array of disciplines and creative fields and gives their students opportunities to work hands on with real world experiences.