North Texas Daily

Some are dressed in high heels and suits while others are carrying bouquets of flowers. As students, friends and family members stroll in and fill row after row of bright green upholstered seats, this is not just another trip to the movie theater.

“This is the most important film event that’s happening today,” said Robert Tagliaferro, UNT Short Film Club Vice President, in front of an impressively full audience in the Union Lyceum on Feb. 26.

With a gentle sarcastic nod to the Academy Awards later that same evening, Tagliaferro gives a quick, humorous opening speech for the third UNT Short Film Club Indie Day.

The Short Film Club, an entirely student-run organization,  is a free organization for students interested in film to collaborate, learn and gain hands-on experience. The club has an allotted budget per semester for funding a specific number of student short films.

Outside students are also welcome to create independent films with funds they have raised themselves.

“Mental Patients Only,” “Roughhouse,” “Jacqueline L’Eventruer,” “The House at the End of the World,” “Isle” and “Mommy, Do I Have To?” were the six films shown at the screening, all of which were self-funded.

“These aren’t club-funded,” Devynn Montoya, Short Film Club Marketing Officer, said. “They’re all funded through the filmmakers themselves. They’re all put together by students themselves, so they have less guidance. They have a looser time frame and a more relaxed setup than [the films that the Short Film Club funds].”

A crowd of guests make their way into the Union Lyceum for a presentation of student films, put on by the UNT short film club, on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017. The event was named “Indie Day”, as all six films shown were independently funded by each students individual fundraising. Katie Jenkins

With club-funded films, the requirements, budget and deadlines for films are stricter. Making independent films gives students more leeway in filming and production.

The six films included elements of deep storytelling and intriguing filming techniques.

The film budgets ranged from almost no money to almost $1,000. Despite the small budgets, each film was able to exhibit a dramatic storyline and showcase just a small percentage of the talent that lies within UNT.

“Roughhouse,” a compelling narrative of adolescence, featured stunts and enough fake blood for a preceding viewer discretion notice. On the other hand, “Mommy, Do I Have To?” featured the youngest star of the screening, telling the heartwrenching tale of a girl who copes with the death of her mother.

While none of the films ran much longer than 20 minutes, each one was impactful in their own respect.

Each film screened was some type of drama film.

“If you’re here for comedies, you’re out of luck,” Tagliaferro said to the audience.

Brief recorded Q&A videos with the directors and crew members showed before each film. They answered questions such as “What are you most excited about for the screening?” and “Describe the film in one word,” adding a personal feel with each film.

“It’s really just about artists celebrating other artists,” Taylor Worst, Short Film Club President, said. “It’s great being able to show the effort that our peers have made and everyone can come out and enjoy it all for free.”

Worst directed “Jacqueline” and Tagliaferro directed “Isle.”

Indie Day, which happens once a semester, reached a milestone this time around with a new venue. The event used to be hosted inside of the RTVF building.

The change in venue allows for a much larger crowd to attend, which is expected to grow in upcoming semesters with an increase in independent films being made.

“My goal specifically with this is to get as many people out here as possible,” said Montoya.

While the films are independent, it’s evident that the filmmakers aren’t alone in the process. Tagliaferro closed out the screening with thank-yous to the people who made the event possible.

“They’re student films, but they’re very professional,” Montoya said.

Featured Image: The union lyceum fills with guests on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017 for a student short film screening, put on by the UNT short film club. Six films were shown, all independently funded by the students themselves. Katie Jenkins