Featured Project: A Day For Tea

During the 2005 Summer semester, DVA441 Competition Shorts was run for the very first time, and the students were tasked with producing a number of short films that would be "competition ready" - for submission to film festivals and to competitions like IFP/Phoenix's "Screen Wars." Here's the second film produced by that class (the first one presented here as a Featured Project was "Bad Whiskey" back in March). This one is called "A Day For Tea" and is a good example of how DV students can use the UAT campus in creative ways to double for other locales. Watch it on YouTube.

Video: Adjunct Professor Webb Pickersgill wins Arizona Filmmaker of the Year

Here's a follow-up to our April 7 story about UAT Digital Video adjunct professor Webb Pickersgill winning the coveted Arizona Filmmaker of the Year Award at the 2009 Phoenix Film Festival. Bivas Biswas (2008 Arizona Filmmaker of Year) has posted an on-the-scene video of the event here on YouTube. Watch for appearances by other UAT Digital Video faculty - adjunct professors Steve Briscoe and Chris LaMont throw their 2 cents in. And yet somehow Professor PD was missed? Hmmmm....

Oh, and a little warning about NSFW language... filmmakers + free drinks = mayhem indeed.

This is why we teach Avid...

Avid has posted their new demo reel for 2009, highlighting their entire product line, their new logo, and footage from some of their biggest and most visible customers. Check it out here!

New DVA101 Action Portraits online

The latest batch of "Action Portrait" projects from this semester's DVA101 classes are now online on YouTube. Here's one to get you started. The rest can be found here.

DV Internship: UAT's IT Department

The UAT IT Department needs a video production intern! The ideal candidate will possess basic knowledge of digital video editing and will be skilled with the DV camcorders we possess in the library. (If you've been through DVA101, you qualify.) The IT Department mainly creates small content for the internet, for sites such as Flickr, Vimeo, and YouTube.

Any students interested in this internship should contact Digital Media Producer Kari McBride by the first week of May. Early submissions are highly encouraged!

This is why you shouldn't be texting in class

From TED.org: In this funny (and actually poignant) 3-minute talk, social strategist Renny Gleeson breaks down our always-on social world -- where the experience we're having right now is less interesting than what we'll tweet about it later.

Inspiration: World Builder

Here's another great film that exemplifies the type of filmmaking the UAT Digital Video program is now focusing on - a film shot entirely on a greenscreen stage. A strange man uses holographic tools to build a world for the woman he loves. This is a short by filmmaker Bruce Branit known also as the co-creator of 405.



Direct YouTube Link

Featured Project: Homina Homina

This week's featured project is a music video created for DVA241 Digital Video Production by student Johanna Arcand during the Summer 2004 semester.



Direct YouTube Link

New This Summer - DVA451 Advanced Visual Effects

Jump into the world of visual effects! In DVA451 Advanced Visual Effects students will combine live action actors, greenscreen composites, 3D environments, CG characters, matchmoving, particles, and more to create stunning professional-quality VFX shots. If you are a Digital Video or Digital Animation major, this class is a must! DVA451 is offered on Wednesdays and Fridays @ 1:30 pm this Summer. See Professor Paul DeNigris for an override to join this exciting course!

Adjunct Professor Webb Pickersgill wins Arizona Filmmaker of the Year!

The UAT Digital Video program's newest adjunct instructor took home top honors at the 2009 Phoenix Film Festival - the coveted Copper Wing Award for Arizona Filmmaker of the Year! Webb Pickersgill, an accomplished cinematographer, director, editor, and visual effects artist, owns and operates his own film and video production company here in the Phoenix Metro Area, Bassline Digital. In addition, Webb is a frequent award-winning filmmaker, taking home numerous awards at IFP/Phoenix's "Beat the Clock" film challenges this past year.

This semester, Webb joined the UAT faculty to teach DVA335 Digital Cinematography, and he is expected to continue teaching one or two classes per semester for the foreseeable future. His expertise and enthusiasm for teaching make him a welcome addition to the UAT Digital Video faculty - and his being named Arizona Filmmaker of the Year cements his place as one of the most skilled practitioners of digital filmmaking here in the Valley of the Sun. Our hat's off to you, Webb!

DV Job: Video Editor at Sony Computer Entertainment

If there was ever a job perfectly suited for a UAT grad, this is it:

Video Editor - Sony Computer Entertainment

Educational Opportunity at the Phoenix Film Festival

The Phoenix Film Festival has extended a generous offer to UAT students - free admission to their Educational Outreach Program on Friday, April 3rd.

Friday April 3rd, 9am-2pm Celebrity/Guest Filmmaker Panels

This day is for any film-loving student! Panel discussions will be held with local, national, celebrity and independent filmmakers on topics such as documentary films and narrative films. Also discussed will be the roles of the filmmaker and the experiences of the panelists. Students will get opportunities to ask the experts their own questions as well. We have Virginia Madsen, John Schaech, as well as the filmmakers from "Official Rejection", "Corpse Run", "Shooting Beauty" and "The Map Reader" to name a few (subject to change). After the panel discussions, the students will also watch a Phoenix Film Festival Shorts program made by student filmmakers.

The Phoenix Film Festival Educational Outreach Program is held at the Harkins Scottsdale 101 Theatres. Any UAT student interested in attending should email Paul DeNigris at pdenigri@uat.edu immediately to reserve your seat!

Inspiration: Prey Alone

Here's a great film that exemplifies the type of filmmaking the UAT Digital Video program is now focusing on - a film shot entirely on a greenscreen stage. "Prey Alone" is a short thriller film set in a city during the late 20th century. It stars Ger Carey, Andy Moore, and Kurt Savage. It was directed by Stephen St. Leger and James Mather and produced by John McDonnell. It is known for its impressive visual effects, which were done on a render farm made up of several personal computers. The film took four days to film in front of a green screen and three months to finish.

Prey Alone

Watch it on AtomFilms.

Visit the film's official website, including some great "before & after" analysis of the visual effects.