New Optics Film Festival to Feature Workshops, Panels, & Award-Winning Entries from Teen Filmmakers

Columbia College Hollywood’s inaugural New Optics Film Festival, which is hailed as “A Festival for the Next Generation of Filmmakers”, will take place on Saturday, April 21 from 11:30am to 6:00pm.  The free event will feature screenings of works by 21 teen finalists that were chosen from over 200 entries from across the country, and will take place on the campus of Columbia College Hollywood (CCH).

“Our New Optics Film Festival, which is a partnership between Columbia College Hollywood and Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, is a new annual event that showcases the work of the filmmakers of tomorrow,” says Director of Recruitment Lissa Sherman. “We can’t wait to debut the selected submissions and celebrate the creators’ energy, talent, and vision.”

The New Optics Film Festival will offer a variety of free activities, including:

• Student Film Screening – 21 teen submissions will be screened in the following categories:  News Broadcast, Documentary Short, Narrative Short, Music Video, Public Service Announcement, and Animation Short.
• Panel Q&A – Guest presenters will include Rosemary Rodriguez (Director – "Jessica Jones"/Netflix, “The Walking Dead”/AMC), Ryan Shiraki (Director – “On My Block”/Netflix), Alex Rubens (Writer – “Rick and Morty”/Cartoon Network), Jonathan Hall (Director of Photography – “Teen Wolf"/MTV), David Trachtenberg (Editor – “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”), Kirk Moore (Writer – “13 Reasons Why”/Netflix), Michael P. Shawver (Editor -"Black Panther”), and award-winning actor/writer/director Robert Townsend.
• Video Collage Workshop – Attendees can use Adobe Premiere Pro and their iPhones to create experimental video content consisting of multiple simultaneously moving layers.
• Green Screen VFX Workshop – Attendees can learn how to use a green screen to render different background environments and other visual effects.
• RED Digital Camera Demo – Attendees can meet the team from RED Digital Cinema, America’s leading manufacturer of professional digital cinema cameras, to learn about their camera systems and their new Gemini camera sensor.
• 3D Digital Sculpting and Printing Demo – A professional character artist will demonstrate the design process behind the creation of feature film-quality creatures.
• Music Composition Workshop – Attendees can observe and participate in a live music composition and recording session in CCH’s new ADR room with local trip hop artist, Honora.
• Podcasting Workshop – Attendees can learn tips and tricks about the medium of podcasting from Jonathan London, creator of Geekscape.com and host of the Geekscape podcast.
• Makeup Tutorial Demo – Attendees can learn how to design and apply camera-ready zombie makeup.
• Awards Ceremony – Winning submissions from teen filmmakers, which were judged by a panel of industry professionals, will be honored.

Food trucks and a free photo booth will also be available during the event.

The New Optics Film Festival will take place on Saturday, April 21 from 11:30am to 6:00pm at Columbia College Hollywood, which is located at 18618 Oxnard Street in Tarzana.  Entry to the New Optics Film Festival is free.  To register, visit the Festival’s RSVP page.

About Columbia College Hollywood

Founded in 1952, Columbia College Hollywood is a nonprofit, regionally accredited liberal arts college with a focus on creative media.

Columbia College Hollywood educates students in the art and science of communications and the diverse media of contemporary storytelling within an exploration of the liberal arts.

Columbia College Hollywood is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) to offer Bachelor of Fine Arts and Associate of Fine Arts degree programs in Cinema with an emphasis in acting, cinematography, directing, editing and visual effects, new media, producing, sound, and writing.