Ohio Short Film & Video Showcase Youth Division 2009

Lots of teens are making movies at home and at school and showing their projects on blogs and YouTube. Here's a chance to see what some of these young media artists have been up to--in a theatrical setting. You can also participate in selecting the winner of our first-ever "Audience Choice" award.

Works shorter than 10 minutes in length by artists ages 18 or younger are featured in the Youth Showcase. A three-person jury selected the works to be screened from all those submitted and awarded three cash prizes and an honorable mention. The jurors were Amy Delahanty, a visual artist who lives and works in Columbus; Jennifer Lange, the Wexner Center’s associate curator of media arts; and Kendall Loftus, a visual artist and a senior at Dublin Coffman High School.

Stick around after screening for a reception honoring all the Showcase artists starting at about 5:30 PM and for the evening screening (works by artists 19+) at 7 PM.

Congratulations to our jury-selected prize winners: Mark Emch of Gahanna for Every Day Is the Same (first prize), Prentiss Haney of Dayton for Life Stepped In (second prize), Gus Dieker of Upper Arlington for Layer of Dust (third prize), and Zach Hurliman of Perry for No Smoke Rap (honorable mention). Freedom of Thought by Ashley Nicol Knotts of St. Paris was selected the "Audience Choice" award winner at the screening on Saturday, May 9.

Congratulations also to the finalists for the public service announcement (PSA) commission from Cardinal Health: Mark Emsh, Prentiss Haney, Ashley Nicol Knotts, Emily Messick, and Truman Hatch. These finalists will receive a $1,000 stipend from Cardinal Health (and ongoing technical support from the Wexner Center) for participating in a preliminary strategy session and creating a 15-second spot. (Once those spots are completed, one of the artists will be selected for an additional $2500 prize and may have their piece broadcast nationally.) Special thanks to Dianne Radigan and Jessica Lineberger at Cardinal Health Foundation.

This year's Youth Showcase was organized by Jean Pitman, the Wexner Center's educator for youth programs, with assistance and cooperation from Graduate Associate Michele Fuchs, Director of Education Shelly Casto, and Art & Tech Studio Editor Mike Olenick.

The Wexner Center and Jean Pitman extend special thanks to the anonymous donor who has provided a FlipMinosHC digital video camera with accessories as the "Audience Choice" award. We appreciate this individual's encouragement of young artists' interest in film, video, and photography. Thanks also to our fantastic MC, Dan Gerdeman of Hilliard Davidson High School’s art department.

Attending this event? Let your friends know and RSVP on Facebook.

Keep reading for more on individual films. SCREENING SCHEDULE
Descriptions provided by the artists.
Previews of work are available in linked titles.

Voicemail, 2009
5 mins., 48 secs.
Colin McDonald, age 18, Dublin
Dublin Coffman High School

A well-known journalist gets a mysterious phone message while on the job in Moscow. Everything the caller tells her somehow comes true; if she doesn’t follow the directions, terrorists will blow up the American Embassy. But the real question is: who is the person leaving the voicemails? This short film was conceived, shot, and edited for a seven-day video competition.

Wonder Bull!, 2009
34 secs.
Alexander Reynolds, age 16, Dayton
Stivers School for the Arts

A seeming normal bull is sleeping in the fields until he hears a cry for help. Wonderbull takes action! This is the first piece the artist created for an animation class.

Bad Habit, 2009
2 mins., 53 secs.
Josh Brown, age 17, Hilliard
Hilliard Davidson High School

This video was created for a class project to make a public service announcement on the effects of smoking.

THIRD PRIZE
Layer of Dust, 2009
1 min., 16 secs.
Gus Dieker, age 16, Columbus
Upper Arlington High School

In a dark, animated universe, a dying man has a vision of sorrow, lost love, and regret before his worldly life ends. But does the pain ever stop?

Shut In, 2008
9 mins., 59 secs.
Adam Glassman, age 17, Dublin
The Wellington School

This is the story of Richard and Edna, a young, married couple. When Richard finds a new fascination with his master bedroom, he delves deeper and deeper into his obsession. Edna tries to hold the marriage together, but will it be possible with her husband’s descent into madness?

Life in Rhythm, 2009
53 secs.
Sarah Hale, age 17, Hilliard
Hilliard Davidson High School

This repetition video was part of a “Big Idea” project. The assignment was to create four pieces based on a central theme. This series focuses on the idea that you can find beauty in life even in everyday, ordinary things. What could be more ordinary than a toaster?

Arizona Lily and the Valuable Candy Treasure, 2008
3 mins., 40 secs.
Olivia Smith, age 8, Westerville
Hanby Arts Magnet School

Arizona Lily and her sidekick, Ginger, attempt to escape the evil plans of Dr. Mean and Sissyfuss. The film was originally entered in the PTA Reflections Contest.

juxt a pose, 2009
2 mins., 10 secs.
Truman Hatch, age 17, Columbus
Columbus Alternative High School

This film was made for an art class. It is based on the juxtaposition of heroin and lemonade and includes references to historical art practices including still life and watercolor traditions and the pop art of Andy Warhol.

DRAWING 3 Animation, 2009
1 min., 36 secs.
DRAW 3 Animation Class, Hillard
Hilliard Davidson High School

Hand-drawn, stop-frame animation. A series of cause and effect animations transformed into one another by a class of twenty students.

Granny, 2008
3 mins., 35 secs.
Sarah Sutphin, age 17, Dayton
Stivers School for the Arts

The story of a boy, his grandmother, and a girlfriend who’s too good to be true—told with the music of Cat Stevens. The was the artist’s first major project in a film/video class.

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD (selected at the screening)
Freedom of Thought, 2009
2 mins., 55 secs.
Ashley Nicol Knotts, age 18, St. Paris
Bowling Green State University

Inspired by My Morning Jacket’s song “Gideon,” this video is an allegorical piece about suppression of thought through fear and social pressure. The plot is open to the viewer’s interpretation of the main character’s voyage, as it merges with images and bits of lyrics from the song.

FIRST PRIZE
Every Day Is the Same, 2008
9 mins., 59 secs.
Mark Emch, age 17, Gahanna
Gahanna Lincoln High School

This boy is tired of struggling through every day of his life in exactly the same way. For better or for worse, he is going to make a change.

SECOND PRIZE
Life Stepped In, 2009
3 mins., 20 secs.
Prentiss Haney, age 16, Dayton
Stivers School for the Arts

This video explores mental stability by pressuring the mind to make decisions, take control, and answer the phone. Who’s calling?

Nightmare, 2009
31 secs.
Andrew Deas, age 17, Hilliard
Hilliard Davidson High School

Flash animation. This piece was created for a school project to make a video about a dream.

Freaky Switch, 2008
5 mins.
Kati Keenan, age 17, Dublin
Dublin Coffman High School

A conceited girl, Kati, learns a lesson from two wizards, Gyenolyn and Phillipe. She switches places with a nerd and her life is forever changed.

When a Snail Attacks, 2009
1 min., 10 secs.
Veronica Easly, age 16, Dayton
Stivers School for the Arts

In a world far away, life on another planet thrives. A creature mows his lawn on a seemingly normal day—unaware of what is about to happen next. This project was the artist’s first film for an animation class.

What Goes On, 2009
1 mins., 50 secs.
Emily Messick, age 15, Upper Arlington
Upper Arlington High School

This stop-motion video was created from all still images for entrance into the Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition. It is meant to be a short, fun video that incorporates some cool effects.

Do Not Open, 2008
1 min., 16 sec.
Rachel Bodien, age 17, Upper Arlington
Upper Arlington High School

Stop-motion video.

Contact, 2008
5 mins.
Matthew Giacalone, age 17, Dublin
Dublin Coffman High School

A boy’s cell phone breaks. When he finds a new one on the ground, he receives a call that transports him to a different universe! He searches for a way out. Finally, he faces the one man who can take him back to his original universe: himself.

HONORABLE MENTION
No Smoke Rap, 2009
1 min., 28 sec.
Zach Hurliman, 17, Perry
Perry High School

This video is a antismoking rap in which the lyrics and beat are original creations of the participants. All of the facts are true and presented in ways in which people will easily remember the dangers of smoking.