The FedEx Institute of Technology has partnered with Indie Memphis, a non-profit arts organization focused on independent filmmaking, to host the 2017 Film Innovation Challenge.
Young filmmakers across the country were invited to enter. The screening includes films from seven countries, said Cody Behles, the manager of innovation and research support at the FedEx Institute. The new contest is an “expansion” of a previous event.
“Indie Memphis partnered with us last fall when we [hosted] the GoPro challenge,” Behles said. “We wanted to take it a step forward this year and involve all things regarding film and film innovation. I believe this will encourage students to make more creative films.”
The competition will showcase advances in technological innovation. Contestants submitted films between five and 10 minutes long into two categories: film innovation and technical innovation. There will be special categories in this year’s competition for U of M students.
“Categories have been made for alumni, undergraduate, and graduate students,” Behles said. “They can submit to either the tech innovation or the film innovation category. They will also be judged in a separate pool from the national competition.”
In the film innovation challenge, films submitted utilize emerging trends in technology and science as their primary subject matter. They were presented to judges in the form of experimental pieces, documentaries and original fictional work.
In the technical innovation challenge, films submitted incorporate new or emerging technology such as advanced CGI, micro filmography, immersive technology and virtual reality.
The winner of the film innovation challenge will be entered into the 2017 Memphis Indie Film Festival and will be awarded $500 dollars as well as an Oculus Rift. The winner of the technical innovation challenge will also be entered in the Indie Film Festival and will be awarded $1000.
The winner of the U of M student prize will receive $500 as well as a GoPro. The contest will be Thursday, Jan. 26 in the FedEx Institute of Technology building. In last year’s GoPro Challenge, University of Memphis student Kevin Brooks won the grand prize for his film entitled “Skate is Life.”
