Photos courtesy of Gateway Film Center
On the first Saturday of each month, the Gateway Film Center opens its doors to short film enthusiasts for Show Us Your Shorts. For just $5, film lovers can enjoy up to eight short films created and submitted by artists in and beyond Ohio. Plus, the evening is hosted by the locally-based Fright Club’s George Wolf and Hope Madden.
To qualify, films must be no longer than 10 minutes and are submitted to Gateway on the Wednesday before each month using a common online streaming service such as YouTube or Vimeo. On that first Saturday, a winner is chosen by the audience and the film is reshown for a special year-end event on June 1, which is judged by three expert critics.
The winning filmmaker receives the ticket revenue collected from the event that month, and often leads to additional success for the artist.
“Many of these artists have reinvested those winnings into making more films, which I find very rewarding,” says Chris Hamel, president and chief programmer for the Gateway.
Hamel started the program in 2013 and seven years later, Show Us Your Shorts continues to sustain itself as an impressive monthly short film festival with the help of partnerships such as the Greater Columbus Arts Council.
Once a year in Gateway’s Show Us Your Screenplays division, short screenplays under 10 pages can be submitted annually by March 31 to be reviewed by expert judges. The winning screenwriter and filmmaker receive a $4,000 collaborative grant to produce a new work which is later enjoyed by audiences at a Show Us Your Shorts pre-show.
“While this program is central to the center’s mission and is also helping local filmmakers, it’s (also) really a lot of fun,” says Hamel. “I think anyone who decided to attend would have a great time, and also get to meet and chat with a diverse mix of local artists.”
Not only is this accomplished through Show Us Your Shorts, but with over a dozen film festivals hosted by Gateway each year, the passion for showcasing local artists is clear. More events include the Ohio Grown Film program, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, which empowers local filmmakers through authentic experiences in the movie industry and allows them to showcase their art on the big screen.
Rachael Barbash
The Gateway also acts as the Columbus host for the 48 Hour Film Project. Created by two filmmakers in 2001, the project has grown into an international movement and is completed in 130 countries. As the name suggests, films are created in just 48 hours. Small teams of about 10 people write, shoot and edit a short film of seven minutes or less in one sleepless weekend.
However, no matter the event, the Gateway’s goal stay the same.
“Our mission is to use the power of movies to strengthen, unite, challenge and inspire our community,” says Hamel. “We curate an experience where the stories shown on our screens and the artists who create them are treated with respect and appreciation.”
More information on Gateway events can be found at gatewayfilmcenter.org.
Maggie Ash is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
