Registration open for USAO’s third annual Wrecking Ball Film Festival
Back and bigger than ever, the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma’s Art Wrecker Studio will host the third annual Wrecking Ball Film Festival on April 20, bringing talent and creativity to the big screen.
This year’s event will once again feature the 24-hour video race, as well as a brand-new short film category. Register your team online for a shot at cash prizes.
“I am thrilled to team up with my collaborator, Reagan Elkins, owner of Intellego Media for the third Wrecking Ball Film Festival,” said Jordan Vinyard, dean of the School of Visual & Performing Arts and director of Art Wrecker Studio. “This is set to be our biggest year yet with new guest judges and short film category. We hope it provides even more opportunity for filmmakers and artists to show us their endlessly creative approaches to visual storytelling.”
The 24-hour video race will begin April 12 at 11:59 p.m. and run through April 13 at 11:59 p.m. Teams must have two to five team members. Registration will cost $10 per team member and must be paid at registration. Videos must include the line of dialogue, prompt and prop that will be provided by the jurors April 12 at 11:59 p.m. via Art Wrecker’s Instagram live. Visit alumni.usao.edu/e/wb24/ for a full list of rules and submission requirements for the 24-hour video race.
This year, the festival will introduce a short film category. Videos must be made withing the last year and be between 5 – 10 minutes in length. Registration will cost $20 per team and must be paid at registration. Visit alumni.usao.edu/e/wb24/ for a full list of rules and submission requirements for the short film category.
Submissions for both the 24-hour video race and short film categories are due by 11:59 p.m. on April 13.
The top 10 films from each category will be shown, and awards announced at the Davis Hall Amphitheater on the USAO campus April 20 at 6:30 p.m., followed by the Brews and B-Rolls after party at Art Wrecker Studio in downtown Chickasha at 7:30 p.m. Teams or individuals must be present to receive awards.
Prior to the viewing and awards, guest judges Jared Deusterhaus and Andrew Smith will be giving a guest lecture from 4 – 5 p.m. in Davis room 124.
Duesterhaus is an artist living and working in Richmond, VA. His work often incorporates elements of sound, video, animation, and writing to explore ideas about memory and self. His most recent installation was displayed at the 2022 InLight exhibition in connection with 1708 Gallery in Richmond. He completed his bachelor’s degree at Texas State University and his master’s degree in kinetic imaging from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Smith is an experienced cinematographer and camera operator who specializes in visual storytelling. He has contributed to numerous short films, feature films, commercials and music videos. His clients include high-profile brands such as Netflix, DreamWorks and LEGO. His recent short film, "A Little Dead," has been showcased in Cannes and is up for a Heartland Emmy award. He also worked as a cinematographer for "What Rhymes with Reason," a feature film about a group of teens on a thrilling quest.
The Wrecking Ball Film Festival was named the 2023 Event of the Year by the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce.
For more information, contact Vinyard at jvinyard@usao.edu.
About the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma
As Oklahoma’s liberal arts college, the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma provides a distinctive education in the liberal arts and sciences, supporting both its interdisciplinary core curriculum and major fields of study with superior teaching. USAO fosters diversity of thought and practice to help students realize meaningful, purposeful and productive lives as global citizens in a rapidly-changing world.