UT Students in MovieFest Finale
Watch a Clip
Kendea Jones
Issue date: 3/30/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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The Campus MovieFest competition is far from over. On April 5 students from the University of Tampa, Jacksonville University, Rollins College and the University of Central Florida will be a part of Campus MovieFest's Florida Grand Finale at the Plaza Theatre in Orlando.
UT students will be competing for Florida's CMF Best Picture and Audience awards. The students will be joined by prominent Florida citizens, as well as faculty and staff from universities and the community at large.
More than 200 students from Florida participated in this year's competition. Students were given a week to produce a short movie using some of the best technology provided by Campus MovieFest.
Five awards such as TCM Classics, TBS Comedy, Best Picture, Best UT Comedy and Best UT Drama are up for grabs.
The UT winner of the TCM Classics was "Rocky" led by Daniel Mastronardo and the TBS Comedy was "Discover Fresh Breath," led by Jonathan Marcantoni. Best picture was "Dead End" led by Daniel Mastronardo. Best UT Comedy was "Guitars and Caffeine" by leaders Caroline Thomas and Elizabeth Rheaume. The Best UT Drama award went to "The Follower," led by Jacob Bess and Chris Catanach.
Jonathan Marcantoni and Tony Rodriguez, who are members of the Mrs. Jones and the Goodtime Boys team, are one of the four teams running for TBS's Florida Very Funny Award. In addition, Daniel Mastronardo, Jennifer Pomponio and their team members from Tri-pizzle productions are just one of the three teams competing for TCM's Florida Classic Short Film Award.
Mastronardo said Campus MovieFest did more for his team than provide film equipment.
"Campus MovieFest allowed our winner from last year, "A Burden's Ballad," to play at Channelside Theater," he said. "This year's winner will hopefully play at the theater too."
He added, "It's exciting to sit in an actual movie theater and see your own work on the big screen. After I graduate I plan to involve myself in any form of movie production I can be apart of. Although I focus on acting, I developed a sense of producing and directing."
The winners from each of the categories will go on to compete against winners in California, Georgia and Massachusetts at the National Grand Finale on April 27 in Atlanta, in conjunction with the Atlanta Film Festival.
Winners of the Campus MovieFest will have their film featured on TBS, earn award statues, DVD players and possibly win the grand prize of $10,000 cash.
Tom Karsch, executive vice president and general manager of TCM, said they are proud to be apart of Campus MovieFest.
"We're proud to partner with Campus MovieFest in not only recognizing student achievement but also encouraging the next generation of talented artists to continue to stretch the boundaries of film," Karsch said in a press statement.
Mastronardo said that he shares his success with his team members.
"I am excited to make it to the finals again this year," he said. "I'm really proud of my crew and the tri-pod that consists of Jeffrey Osborne, Michael Melvin and I," he said.
Marcantoni compared being a part of the Florida Grand Finale to a successful childbirth.
"Being a part of the Florida finalists gives me a warm, tingling feeling in the bottom of my belly that is probably only comparable to a successful childbirth," he said.
Click below to watch a clip of he UT winner of the TCM Classics award, "Rocky" by Daniel Mastronardo.
UT students will be competing for Florida's CMF Best Picture and Audience awards. The students will be joined by prominent Florida citizens, as well as faculty and staff from universities and the community at large.
More than 200 students from Florida participated in this year's competition. Students were given a week to produce a short movie using some of the best technology provided by Campus MovieFest.
Five awards such as TCM Classics, TBS Comedy, Best Picture, Best UT Comedy and Best UT Drama are up for grabs.
The UT winner of the TCM Classics was "Rocky" led by Daniel Mastronardo and the TBS Comedy was "Discover Fresh Breath," led by Jonathan Marcantoni. Best picture was "Dead End" led by Daniel Mastronardo. Best UT Comedy was "Guitars and Caffeine" by leaders Caroline Thomas and Elizabeth Rheaume. The Best UT Drama award went to "The Follower," led by Jacob Bess and Chris Catanach.
Jonathan Marcantoni and Tony Rodriguez, who are members of the Mrs. Jones and the Goodtime Boys team, are one of the four teams running for TBS's Florida Very Funny Award. In addition, Daniel Mastronardo, Jennifer Pomponio and their team members from Tri-pizzle productions are just one of the three teams competing for TCM's Florida Classic Short Film Award.
Mastronardo said Campus MovieFest did more for his team than provide film equipment.
"Campus MovieFest allowed our winner from last year, "A Burden's Ballad," to play at Channelside Theater," he said. "This year's winner will hopefully play at the theater too."
He added, "It's exciting to sit in an actual movie theater and see your own work on the big screen. After I graduate I plan to involve myself in any form of movie production I can be apart of. Although I focus on acting, I developed a sense of producing and directing."
The winners from each of the categories will go on to compete against winners in California, Georgia and Massachusetts at the National Grand Finale on April 27 in Atlanta, in conjunction with the Atlanta Film Festival.
Winners of the Campus MovieFest will have their film featured on TBS, earn award statues, DVD players and possibly win the grand prize of $10,000 cash.
Tom Karsch, executive vice president and general manager of TCM, said they are proud to be apart of Campus MovieFest.
"We're proud to partner with Campus MovieFest in not only recognizing student achievement but also encouraging the next generation of talented artists to continue to stretch the boundaries of film," Karsch said in a press statement.
Mastronardo said that he shares his success with his team members.
"I am excited to make it to the finals again this year," he said. "I'm really proud of my crew and the tri-pod that consists of Jeffrey Osborne, Michael Melvin and I," he said.
Marcantoni compared being a part of the Florida Grand Finale to a successful childbirth.
"Being a part of the Florida finalists gives me a warm, tingling feeling in the bottom of my belly that is probably only comparable to a successful childbirth," he said.
Click below to watch a clip of he UT winner of the TCM Classics award, "Rocky" by Daniel Mastronardo.
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