The lights went down on the chipped brick walls, and the films began to roll. Sky Arts Film Festival provided a creative learning environment and showcased films from across the nation from Sept. 22-24 at the Capitol Arts Center in Bowling Green Kentucky.
Films included documentaries, animated cartoons, short films and music videos, with subjects ranging anywhere from aliens to a banjo picker.
The event began Friday, Sept. 22, hosting film master classes, parties, and showings each day.
For filmmakers, actors, musicians and editors, the Sky Arts Film Festival was a great opportunity to network and experience great work within their field.
“I think this is a good opportunity for networking,” Jack Henson, a WKU film alumni student, and editor for narrative short film “Carrots for Conrad,” said. “This is my favorite one (film festival) so far. There were a lot of people here, and it was very well-organized.”
Many of the participating parties in this event had lots of wisdom to share on their experiences working on their craft.
“Don’t wait on a time when you feel like you’re ready… there’s no such thing as that,” Horace Gaither, a Louisville native and music artist, said.
Gaither’s song, “Gotta Go” featuring Treshino made its first film festival premiere at SAFF, and was directed by Jared Kunish, a filmmaker who also directed “Carrots for Conrad.”
Gaither is a member of Louisville’s “that’s crazy camp,” a collective of artists who work together to bring their own creative visions to life. The group creates and produces music, films music videos, creates custom clothing, and much more.
“You just gotta start,” Kunish, filmmaker and WKU alum, said. “Get out there with some friends and people that have like-minded interests, and make something cool.”
The Capitol Arts Center decided to continue hosting the film festival after its first year was successful.
“Year one actually was a huge success. We had a really good attendance and that was definitely the motivating factor to keep this going,” Andrew Swanson, festival director, said.
News Reporter Bailey Reed can be reached at [email protected]
