Eight APSU communication students’ film projects are displayed at the 2016 Tennessee Communication Association (TCA) Student Film Showcase conference in Dickson, Tennessee on Friday, Sept. 9.
The TCA conference is specifically for students at Tennessee colleges, and they receive more than three hours of submissions and allot two hours to display student projects.
Selections are handpicked by a panel of communication professors from different Tennessee universities. The conference screens short films, commercials, and documentaries submitted by communication students at Tennessee Universities.
Each project selected for display is judged and has the opportunity to receive an award for outstanding work. Submissions were a combination of Fall 2015 and Spring 2016 video production students.
Each of the APSU selections varied in topic. Seven were individual and one was a collaboration of three students.
While students do not have to be present for the screening, each student has the option to attend.
“I was definitely surprised to be in the showcase. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend, but it was lovely for me and my team to be recognized for our work,” senior communications major Kathryn McClung said.
While submission is not mandatory, it is encouraged, as it helps build resumes and promote portfolios.
If students choose to attend the conference, they are able to see other student videos, critique their own work and take note of ideas for future projects.
Through their projects, students have the opportunity to experiment with various topics or express ideas that are meaningful to them.
“I was really excited when I found out that my video was chosen to be screened at the showcase. My project was really important to me, so I devoted a lot of my time into making sure it was exactly how I wanted it” senior communications major Auburn Lannom said.
Students have freedom in their projects, so long as they meet certain stylistic criteria such as camera angle and other factors.
Students put effort and heart into their projects because their videos go beyond turning them in for a grade.
APSU student films are showcased in a variety of other competitions and conferences beyond the classroom as well. Senior communications major Melissa Arrington’s, short film, “Hidden Life”, was showcased at a film festival in Paducha, Kentucky on the same day as the TCA conference.
“When I started the project I knew my classmates would see and I hoped that they would learn something from it, but I never thought that anyone outside of class would be interested in seeing it so having it shown twice in one weekend is a little overwhelming but exciting at the same time,” Arrington said.
For APSU communication students, the TCA conference is just the beginning forum for displaying and gaining recognition for their hard work.
