STEPHENVILLE, NL – If it’s been ages since you went to a drive-in movie, or if you’ve never been, then students of College of the North Atlantic’s (CNA) Digital Filmmaking program have a treat in store for you.
On Monday, October 5 at 7 p.m., the program’s students at Bay St. George campus will host a drive-in theatre experience at the Stephenville Dome as part of their major film festival/intersession screening project.
Andrew Pike, a Digital Filmmaking program student at Bay St. George campus in Stephenville.
The COVID-19 pandemic meant that for the first time in the history of the program, first- and second-year students couldn’t hold their annual end-of-year film festival. In fact, campus closures and the switch to remote learning also impacted their video recording and editing during intersession. As a result, they postponed the intersession production until students returned to campus in September.
Showing them publicly at the drive-in will be a bittersweet moment for the students, as both events will be combined into one major production and will showcase their creative talents and skillset to the public.
“This year, the students wanted to do something different and innovative given that we are in a pandemic environment,” said Peter Buckle, one of CNA’s Digital Filmmaking instructors. “They wanted to evoke the spirit of the 1960s with a drive-in, outdoors experience, and we know it will be a night to remember for them and anyone who attends.”
Throughout the evening, the audience will see several short films, including the intersession project entitled:
How Far I'll Go, with a behind-the-scenes look
Randy Burt, Robert Hicks and Jay Lee while shooting How Far I’ll Go, one of the films to be featured during the Digital Filmmaking students’ end-of-year drive-in film festival taking place Monday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. at the Stephenville Dome. The films are also being webcasted to the program’s Facebook page.
at the making of it, as well as the second-year students’ final films that incorporate several genres, such as sci-fi, superhero, adventure, horror, and thriller.
In addition, students will be webcasting the show from the Dome via the program Facebook page, so that anyone unable to attend in person can still enjoy the experience online with their friends and families. Students would like to forewarn the audience as some scenes have a strobing effect that may affect photosensitive viewers.
Brenda Tobin, Dean of CNA’s School of Academics, Applied Arts & Tourism, says she is proud of the creativity and commitment of the Digital Filmmaking students for thinking of a new and exciting way of screening their final films this year.
The Digital Filmmaking program students have been hard at work preparing for their unique final project. Pictured: Andrew Pike, Robert Hicks, Jay Lee, Jordan Avery, Tyler Boone, Katie Horwood, Mason Dawe, Robyn Anthony, Kurtis Patey, Josh Smith, Donovan Johnson, and Harshdeep Saini. (Missing from photo: Andrew Conrad)
“As the expression goes, ‘where there is a will, there is a way,’ and our students surely had the will this year,” she added. “When I first heard about their idea, I thought ‘wow, what a neat way to showcase their storytelling productions and bring back a bit of the nostalgic fun of the drive-in movie experience.’ Our students’ sense of positivity, imagination, and can-do-it team spirit – all supported by their amazing instructors – will make them outstanding graduates! Thank you to our students for sticking to their goals.”
For more information about the Digital Filmmaking program, visit: www.cna.nl.ca.
-30-
Media contacts:
Peter Buckle (producer)
Digital Filmmaking instructor
College of the North Atlantic
709-639-4576
peter.buckle@cna.nl.ca
Keith Bonnell (producer)
Digital Filmmaking instructor
College of the North Atlantic
709-643-7949
keith.bonnell@cna.nl.ca
Michelle Barry
Communications Manager
College of the North Atlantic
709-643-7721
michelle.barry@cna.nl.ca