Moore Norman Technology Center

Moore Norman Technology Center’s Digital Video Production and Graphic Design classes will host the third annual Red Carpet Film Festival at 7 p.m. May 25 at the Nancy O’Brian Center for Performing Arts in Norman. There is a Preshow at 6 p.m. and a reception following the main event. Reel Passes are $7 and secure reserved seating and a chance to win prizes during the reception.
 
The goal of the Red Carpet Film Festival is to promote the expanding film community in Oklahoma and energize the local creative spirit for film. The short films are the culmination of MNTC students’ work from the DVP and Graphic Design classes, as they are required to produce a capstone project during their second year of instruction. DVP students write, shoot, direct and edit a 10-minute short film.
 
The student-produced short films to be showcased are: “State of Mind,” “The Year of Zoe,” “Wolfe,” “Out of My Head,” “The Cold Steps Upstairs,” “My Pen, My Pad & His Dream” and “Can You Hear Me?”
 
On May 24 at 7 p.m. the DVP class will host an open event entitled “A Conversation with Ed Ornelas” at the Independent Artists of Oklahoma Gallery in downtown Oklahoma City. Ornelas is a film director and editor and he holds academic degrees from Stanford University and the University of Texas. He has worked with groups like HBO, A&E, Lifetime, ABC, Showtime, CBS and NBC. He will speak about his work on television shows such as “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Private Practice.”

The speaking engagement is designed to bring Oklahoma’s film and video community together and bring forward a professional perspective on the film industry. Ornelas is able to attend this function thanks to the Visiting Professionals Program, made possible through the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation, the organization that presents the annual Emmy Awards.
 
MNTC DVP Instructors Chris Kalinski and Amy Smith applied to the Visiting Professionals Program through the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation. They presented their vision for the Red Carpet Film Festival and detailed how students can benefit from working with a visiting professional. Representatives from the Academy recommended Ornelas as a match and made initial contact with him on behalf of MNTC.
 
Ornelas will be in MNTC’s DVP classroom May 22-23 working directly with students. One day will focus on Ornelas’ inspirations, education and career, as well as provide an opportunity for his critique of student work. Students will work in a hands-on setting with Ornelas on the second day and learn new ways to break down scripts, cast a film and shoot scenes.
 
Kalinski and Smith’s DVP students conceived, wrote and pitched their short film ideas to a panel of local film professionals in September. During the remainder of the fall semester they cast and shot their films and had rough edits completed by December. Since then students have been detailing, color correcting and adding special effects to their projects.
 
MNTC Graphic Design Instructor Trisha Marlow has supported the effort by allowing her students to function like an advertising agency for the event and work with the DVP students as clients. Her classes produced all the tangible-item support for the event through client meetings, brainstorming, visualizing and designing and publishing event items such as the logo, promotional posters, fliers, cards, newspaper ads, movie posters, DVD box designs and Reel Passes.
 
Marlow said, “The creative industry demands creative thinking, but also critical thinking. We are excited to create this opportunity for collaboration among our students and are preparing them beyond theory. Our students are more skilled, prepared and motivated to grow and search for creative solutions because of projects like these."
 
Smith said, “We believe that integrating fine arts into the educational process is the key to supporting Oklahoma's economy and future as a creative state.”
 
For more information about the Red Carpet Film Festival, or to view movie trailers and posters, visit www.redcarpetfilmfest.webs.com. To learn more about MNTC’s Digital Video Production or Graphic Design classes, or to enroll, visit www.mntechnology.com or call 405-364-5763.