Welcome to Otero County Film Office

Call for Entries is now open for the 2010 Desert Light Film Competition

The Desert Light Film organizers are searching for New Mexico high school and middle school students to participate in the 2010 Desert Light Film Competition on Friday, April 30, 2010. Presented by New Mexico State University Alamogordo and the Otero County Film Office, and sponsored by JC Penney, this competition will give students an opportunity to showcase their work, compete for prizes, and participate in seminars designed for young filmmakers. The competition concludes with a full day festival, held on the NMSU Alamogordo campus. Students come from throughout New Mexico to learn and to view student films. More than 50 student films will be showcased this year.

According to Otero County Film Liaison K. Jan Wafful, “Desert Light is open to all New Mexico high school and middle school students, including students who attend public, private or charter schools, or who are home schooled. We design this festival for any student who is preparing for a career in film. Categories include drama/comedy, documentary, animation, music video and the New Mexico Tourism 30-second commercial. The criteria for all categories include production quality, creativity, and resourcefulness.”

Sponsored by JC Penney through the JCPenney Foundation, Desert Light offers prizes in every category. First Place awards are $100 each. Honorable Mention awards are $50 each. Local JC Penneys store manager Jesse Casto will be on hand to personally present the awards for the winning films. Said Casto, “JCPenney is involved with various youth programs throughout the nation. Desert Light offers us a great opportunity here in Alamogordo to encourage young leaders and filmmakers of tomorrow by giving them a real film festival experience complete with screenings and seminars. We appreciate the opportunity to have partnered with NMSUA and the Otero County Film Office over the past 6 years. “

Seminars this year will include Final Cut Pro, special effects makeup for film, MAYA animation, special effects pyrotechnics and production techniques. Bryan Yancey, ProTech division head at NMSUA, has been part of Desert Light from the beginning. “Desert Light has always been about kids and education. Every year NMSUA staff members enjoy designing and teaching the seminars. It’s a great event to be a part of,” said Yancey.

A special Film Briefing with Ranger Kathy Denton has been arranged at the White Sands National Monument. Whenever professionals come to film at the Monument, they have certain procedures to follow before they arrive, and while they are filming. This interactive briefing teaches students much about the protocol of filming in national parks and working with other agencies. Students will arrive at the White Sands before sunset, and then be able to film some fabulous footage. This is a very special opportunity to spend several hours at one of the sites kept especially for filming. This event is open just to students and teachers attending the Desert Light Film Festival.

Organizers of the 2010 Desert Light Film Competition include K. Jan Wafful, Otero County Film Liaison; Jesse Casto, store manager for JC Penney; Bryan Yancey, ProTech division head at NMSU Alamogordo; Ranger Kathy Denton, Education and Interpretation specialist at White Sands National Monument; Rebecca Price, Otero County Economic Development Council executive assistant; Joan Griggs, festival director from NMSU Alamogordo; and Dr. Bruce Martin, NMSU Alamogordo.

Submit films anytime now until Monday, March 15, 2010. Entries should be mailed to the Otero County Film Office, 1301 N. White Sands Blvd., Alamogordo, NM 88310. Each entry requires a $5 entry fee. The official forms explaining the Entry Rules for all categories including the 30 second commercial, Judging and Awards and “Use of Submissions” are available on the Film Otero website www.filmotero.com . For more information, contact K. Jan Wafful, Otero County Film Liaison at jan@filmotero.com or Joan Griggs at jgriggs@nmsua.nmsu.edu .

Click Here for Official Rules
Click Here to download Entry Form

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Desert Light Film Festival celebrates student filmmakers in Alamogordo
Friday, April 24, 2009 Alamogordo, New Mexico

Desert Light Film Festival brought over 120 film students and teachers together on the NMSU Alamogordo campus on Friday, April 24. "This is a special film festival designed for high school and middle school students," said Joan Griggs festival director for Desert Light. "We limit the competition to students from New Mexico. This year the festival included film screenings, seminars, a reception and a grand finale out at the White Sands. It was the most spectacular festival we have ever had.

The Best of Festival award was given to Anjelica Apodaca from Mayfield High School for a documentary she produced about her school. The Pro-Tech division at NMSUA, under the direction of Bryan Yancey, presented her with an IPOD and with a movie poster designed by James Scharmack. This movie theater size poster celebrates her winning entry titled "Mayfield High School."

The winning high school Music Video, "Chemical Bonding," was produced by Andreas Grimes and Alphonso Holden, students in Kathy Wallis' film class at Alamogordo High School. The original rap music and lyrics made this film the clear audience favorite. "They spent a great deal of time in the sound booth creating the music note-by-note, said Ms.Wallis. "This is the first time the AV class has produced original music and lyrics. This was our first completely original project. AHS chemistry teacher Tom Hurdis wrote the original song, and then collaborated with these students for the finishing touches."

"We are proud to have JC Penney Company Fund, Inc. as our official corporate sponsor, and we especially appreciate local Penneys manager Jesse Casto," Griggs said. "Penneys makes it possible to produce this festival and to give out cash prizes that in turn help students fund their filmmaking. We had 63 films competing this year. The films were submitted from six high schools including Alamogordo, Chaparral, Espanola Valley, Mayfield, Texico, and the Albuquerque based Public Academy for the Performing Arts." Middle schools participating included Sierra Middle School in Las Cruces and Jemez Valley Middle School.

Students began arriving Thursday night to attend the premiere of Michael Lennick's new documentary, "The Land of Space and Time." Michael and his wife Shirley Gulliford then presented a Friday morning seminar on "Making a Documentary." The room was packed with interested students and community members. Tickets to the premiere were provided by the executive producer, local philanthropists Jerry and Judy Johnson.

Emmy award winning screenwriter Kirk Ellis began his morning seminar by showing a clip from "The Dark Knight." Students each had the first four pages of the script, and learned to follow the screenplay while seeing it in action. Mr. Ellis entertained and educated students, leaving everyone wanting to hear more. He was available for questions and conversation during lunch and throughout the day.

Students also participated in other seminars, including Special Effects Makeup, Final Cut Pro editing program, Maya Animation, and Pyrotechnic Special Effects. Instructors for these seminars came from NMSU Alamogordo and Dona Ana CC, and included Connie Breding, Sara Irving, Hiaying Wang, and Bill McCamey.

The Awards Ceremony Friday afternoon was preceded by a reception in the Rohovec Theater lobby. "The Cloudcroft Light Opera Company was proud to sponsor the reception this year," said Otero County Film Liaison and festival co-director Jan Wafful. "CLOC looks for ways to support youth in the community and this year they found the funds to sponsor this film education event."

The grand finale of the festival was held at the White Sands National Monument. Education and Interpretation Ranger Kathy Denton, who wrote the rules and regulations for filming in the national parks system, arranged a perfect evening for the students. She gave a "film briefing" to cover the advantages of working with the park system. "Going through the process of applying for permits is to your advantage," said Ranger Denton, "because the park rangers can provide valuable help, making the experience more efficient and less complicated." Following the briefing, students had time to catch the "magic" light during the sunset hour, providing them with footage for their next production.

At 8:30, the high school students from the Public Academy for the Performing Arts wowed the audience by projecting experimental film directly on the dunes. "We've got the equipment and the speakers and the gorgeous films," stated film teacher Su Hudson. The exhibition "screen" for these films was three touching dunes. Each artist used four projectors side-by-side, and introduced their own work much to the crowd's delight. The grand finale brought this festival evening to a dramatic and colorful close.

Desert Light Film Festival is a project directed by NMSU Alamogordo and the Otero County Film Office, a division of the Otero County Economic Development Council, and supported by a committee which includes, Jan Wafful, Joan Griggs, Jesse Casto, Bryan Yancey, Bruce Martin, Ranger Kathy Denton, and Rebecca Price representing OCEDC.

Festival Directors
Joan Griggs, Coordinator of Community Services, NMSU Alamogordo
Jan Wafful, Otero County Film Liaison

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Desert Light Event Organizers Presented With Check

 

Michelle Scharmack/ Alamogordo Daily News Jesse Casto,J.C. Penney's store manager presents a check for $2,500 to the Otero County Film Office for the upcoming Desert Light Film Competion for high school and middle school students. Pictured from left are White Sands National Monument ranger Kathy Denton, ProTech division head at New Mexico State University Bryan Yancey, Donna Cook, Film Liaison Jan Wafful, Dr. Bruce Martin, Jesse Casto and Joan Griggs.

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DESERT LIGHT FILM FESTIVAL 2009 CALL FOR ENTRIES IS NOW OPEN CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

 

Press Release:

12:00 Noon, March 4, 2009
Otero County Film Office
1301 N. White Sands Blvd.
Contact: Jan Wafful, Film Liaison
City: 505-439-4353
Office: 505-434-5882

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PSA:
2009 Desert Light Film Festival-Update:

Desert Light Film Festival 09' - A Middle School and High School Competition

JC Penney is Corporate Sponsor for 2009 Desert Light Film Competition.
"We are proud to fund the 2009 Desert Light Film Competition on behalf of the youth of our community," said Jesse Casto, Alamogordo J.C. Penney store manager. Desert Light Film Competition is hosting New Mexico high school and middle school students for the sixth time this spring. Presented by New Mexico State University Alamogordo and the Otero County Film Office, the competition will be held on Friday, April 24, 2009, in Alamogordo, NM. Students have an opportunity to showcase their work, compete for prizes, and participate in seminars designed for young filmmakers. This year a new 30 second tourism commercial category has been added to the competition. Also new this year, Desert Light has added a very special event open only to students and teachers for a special follow-up film briefing at White Sands National Monument. The deadline for this competition is March 16th, 2009.

Held on the NMSU Alamogordo campus, students come from throughout New Mexico to learn and to view student films. Seminars this year will include Final Cut Pro, special effects makeup for film, MAYA animation, storyboarding, and pyrotechnical effects.

For more information, contact Jan Wafful, Otero County Film Liaison at jan@filmotero.com or Joan Griggs at jgriggs@nmsua.nmsu.edu .

 

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White Sands International Film Festival 08'
Offers High School Competition

The White Sands International Film Festival is, as part of its schedule of events, offering a High School Competition with deadline for submissions on December 23, 2007. This is open to anybody at high school level and from anywhere in the world. It is also open to all types of film incorporating a dynamic story line.

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WHITE SANDS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2009 OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS  Click Here for more information.