Expression College Students Compete and Win in Film Festivals

Expression College for Digital Arts, among the premier schools of its kind in the United States, today announced that it has begun an innovative program to assist students in entering their live action and animated movies in film festivals around the world.  Expression students generate approximately 12 live action short movies every five weeks and the program has an average student population of around 120.  The Expression student-produced digital short film, “Spiral,” was recently chosen as the Best Student Film by the Route 66 Film Festival in Springfield, Illinois.

Expression College encourages students to enter their digital live action and animated films in film festivals around the world.  Bill Craig, the screenwriting instructor, is heading up the program. “It’s a question of identifying the best of the movies and matching them with the right festival. There are a lot of logistics involved.”

“The students wanted to do a film noir-style story, using black and white, moody lighting and unusual camera angles, while presenting a feeling of menace. Their choice of style was similar to that of the hard-boiled detective movies of the 1950’s,” added Craig.

Craig felt the students succeeded at telling a compelling story in under 10-minutes.” The film is about a newspaper reporter who desperately needs a story. He meets a scientist who has discovered the fountain of youth in the venom of a very rare snake.” Craig went on to summarize the plot, saying the scientist’s assistant murders her boss. Before dying he gives the reporter a key to a locker. In the locker the reporter discovers scientific papers and a large snake. Later, the snake wraps itself around the old Underwood typewriter, while the reporter bangs out the story. When the assistant shows up, the reporter’s chances for the fountain of youth are cut short.

The students who created “Spiral” are Ben Collins, Clara Coulter, Charlotte Cushman, Emma Meyer, and Trammell Scruggs.

At Expression College, the students form groups of no more than six individuals and collaborate in the creation of the screenplay and all of the preproduction elements. During the shooting phase the students rotate into each job on the set, including director, cameraperson, audio mixer, boom operator, gaffer (lights), and production assistant/continuity. Then they work together to edit the film, create titles and credits and provide a rich musical score and sound effects track.

“By the time the students complete the editing of their movie they have learned a lot of valuable skills, and have created an entertaining short movie. We believe that there is no better place to learn collaboration and problem solving than on the set of a video or film production,” explained Spencer Nilsen, Director of Expression’s Media Sound and Visual Department.

“When they’re finished, the students have worked in the most important jobs in filmmaking.” Craig mused. “The only difference between their work and a feature film is the budget and the length.”

About Expression College for Digital Arts
Founded in 1999, Expression is a unique, fully licensed digital arts college. Expression College for Digital Arts teaches and grants Bachelor degrees in three programs: Sound Arts; Digital Visual Media (comprising 3DAnimation and Visual Effects); and Digital Graphic Design (emphasizing Broadcast Design and Motion Graphics.) Expression utilizes a professional accelerated program and students live and learn in the culture of digital arts for approximately 2.5 years. Each class is limited to a small number of students to insure excellent and hands-on learning and the student to computer ratio is one-to-one. Students are taught by and work with the best practitioners and equipment that the industry can offer. Expression’s close ties to top industry professionals provide students with real-world client projects, mentorship and internship opportunities and a top-rated career development track that has resulted in a 80+% placement rate for graduates. When graduates leave their Expression family behind, they are prepared to assume sought-after jobs in Silicon Valley, Hollywood, and other art and high technology centers around the world. Expression College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Career Schools and Colleges of Technology, (ACCSCT).

Expression College for Digital Arts’ campus is located in an imagination-inspiring 85,000-square-foot building, at 6601 Shellmound St. in Emeryville, Calif., just across the Bay Bridge from San Francisco. For more information, please visit Expression’s Website at: www.expression.edu.

Contact:
Karen Wertman, Director of Marketing
Expression College for Digital Arts

Expression College for Digital Arts Website
www.expression.edu