My friend Matt Went is here at Sundance, although not with our Eckerd College program. He is part of a program called Real Ideas Studios. This program puts a group of aspiring student filmmakers together for the ten days of the festival, and each group produces a final film in one week to be screened at Slamdance on the last day of the fest. There were eight groups, and after the screening I think its safe to say they all put a tremendous amount of effort into their films. Each film was a documentary about various topics in or around Park City, and all were intriguing. Having spent quite a few days in Park City now, I recognized many aspects in their films, or had experienced some of the things their documentaries were about. 

The Real Idea Studios program is open to any filmmaker, or aspiring filmmaker, to compete for best documentary. The program seeks to redefine “real world experience” as a global collaborative and cultural immersion within mentoring creative arts programs. They also have an emerging filmmaker program at Cannes Film Festival. Contact Info: info@realideasstudios.org

Click here to watch them! (more…)

A few thoughts from some of the students who came to the festival in 2006 and 2008:

On why to go:

• “Sundance is not just about watching movies, traveling, or going on a vacation, but it’s about sharing an accomplishment.  It’s about sharing your love of movies with other people.  But most of all it’s about respecting the dreams that so many have worked so hard to pursue, produce, and accomplish, and that is why I am attending the festival.” (Emily Behrens, ‘08)
• “What draws me to watch an independent film is the fact that the film will touch me on some daringly real level….I watch independent films because there is a sense of truth that validates the lives we lead.” (Sharon Oegerle, ‘08)
• “Overall I am just hoping to see original and well made films that tell a great story while keeping me attracted to it without boring me.  And even if I don’t like any of the films I see I will still enjoy seeing how well these young film makers have done and to see what stories they have to tell.” (Bill Griswold, ‘08) (more…)