From short documentaries to experimental films, students showcased a variety of content at the second Digital Media Arts Festival on April 25. The event was hosted by the University of Mississippi Student Activities Association in conjunction with Oxford Reels, an organization that supports student films.
Sophomore film production major Arkasha McGinness is president of the film festival.
“(This event) is very new, and my favorite part is just seeing everyone’s reaction to it,” McGinness said. “We try to see how we can make an event where as many people’s work can be shown all at once and have an opportunity to see (other) people’s stuff.”
SAA helped Oxford Reels advertise and provided popcorn, candy and soda for the event.
“SAA aims to provide events that allow students across all disciplines to showcase their interests,” Kresha Patel, SAA entertainment co-director, said. “Because we felt that those studying film production, in particular, were often overlooked, we wanted to create a platform for students to tell us their stories through film.”
McGinness said the festival offered students an opportunity to showcase their work outside of the yearly Oxford Film Festival.
“The Oxford Film Festival has the UM block, but as a student, sometimes it can be hard to get into,” McGinness said. “I remember when I was (an underclassmen), it was kind of hard to get my footage to look professional, but I still wanted people to see it.”
Many different styles and forms of media were shown throughout the two hour festival.
Jacob Money and Corley Taylor’s short narrative “Cina Tit” highlighted the often humorous events behind high school theater productions. Emma Finlay’s “Where the Wild Things Are” combined a traditional story with immersive sound effects. Madison Cannon’s “What Would Brian Boitano Do” featured a musical number with animated figures.
The festival’s environment was full of support for the filmmakers, directors and actors. It was not uncommon for someone to shout out a compliment in the middle of the short film or production or call across the auditorium to tell the director what they liked about the piece.
McGinness emphasized how Oxford Reels and the Digital Media Arts Festival is a space for everyone.
“This is anyone’s opportunity to try it,” McGinness said.
