Inaugural BCPS Film Expo showcased wide range of student interests, skills, and styles
22 films honored for excellence at red carpet event
TOWSON – On Thursday, May 5, America’s next great filmmakers – all of them still in high school – walked the red carpet at the historic Senator Theatre for the first public screenings of their short films.
By the end of the evening, the Inaugural BCPS Film Expo awarded prizes to 22 films noteworthy for their artistic intent and narrative quality, audio and image clarity and composition, editing, and graphics.
Selected from 86 entries, the award-winning films are:
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1st place – “Eye” by Elizabeth Ryan, George Washington Carver Center for Arts & Technology. Teacher: Omead Ashfari
2nd place – “Night’ by Park Dasom, George Washington Carver Center for Arts & Technology. Teacher: Omead Ashfari
3rd place – “Frame” by Alyssa Keller, Hereford High School. Teacher: Sam Tillman
Honorable mention – “Storyboard” by Sara E. Franks, Western School of Technology and Environmental Science. Teacher: Jason Adelung
Animations
1st place – “Krump up the Funk” by Damian Remmell, Hereford High School. Teacher: Sam Tillman
2nd place – “Field Trip” by Zachary Westra, Hereford High School. Teacher: Sam Tillman
3rd place (tie) – “Vanishing Act” by Nicole Hutch, Towson High School. Teacher: Rachel Valsing
3rd place (tie) – “Smart Phone Incident” by teacher Alex Garove’s class, chief editor: Tia Marie McCarthy, Western School of Technology.
Honorable mention – “Phantom Feelings” by Will Kraft, Hereford High School. Teacher: Sam Tillman
Documentary
1st place – “Heart of a City” by Alex Burke, George Washington Carver Center for Arts & Technology. Teacher: Khalid Ali
2nd place – “I Am Creativity” by Emily McCown, Lansdowne High School. Teacher: Brandon Nicklas
3rd place – “Dance Craze” by Sohei Matsui, Towson High School. Teacher: Noah Belt
Honorable mention – “Lansdowne Needs a New School” by Faith Christopher, Lansdowne High School. Teacher: Brandon Nicklas
Experimental
1st place – “Downfall” by Marie S. Panday, George Washington Carver Center for Arts & Technology. Teacher: Khalid Ali
2nd place (tie) – “Drift” by Adriana Lobel, George Washington Carver Center for Arts & Technology. Teacher: Khalid Ali
2nd place (tie) – “Zombies and Humans” by Emmett Hallameyer, Hereford High School. Teacher: Sam Tillman
3rd place – “The Bureau of Health” by Justin Ciemian, Hereford High School. Teacher: Sam Tillman
Honorable mention – “Journey” by Liam Dietle, Parkville High School. Teacher: James Hesser
Live Action Narrative
1st place – “Relationships Sink” Isa Maxey, Eastern Technical High School. Teacher: Becky Meiller McCullagh
2nd place – “I’m Not Alone” – Andrew Benson, George Washington Carver Center for Arts & Technology. Teacher: Khalid Ali
3rd place – “A Passion for Espionage” by Lyle Drescher, Franklin High School. Teacher: Danielle Doll
Honorable mention – “Clones” by Conor Twohy, George Washington Carver Center for Arts & Technology. Teacher: Khalid Ali
Maxey’s film was also honored as Best in Show.
All of the honored filmmakers received prize packages, based on their standing, from event sponsors. The Best in Show winner received a trophy, a blue ray player from Washington Professional Services, and $600 toward a summer portfolio prep class at MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) from the Education Foundation of BCPS. First place honorees received trophies; choice of a Wacom Graphic Tablet or Multi-lens Olloclip smartphone attachment and two tickets to the Maryland Film Festival. Second place honorees won trophies, $50 Service Photo gift cards, and tickets to the American Visionary Art Museum. Those in third place received trophies, two tickets to Landmark Theaters, and a bag of art supplies from Blick. Those recognized as honorable mentions earned award certificates, tickets to the Senator Theater, and gift cards to Clark Burger.
Primary event sponsors were The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools and the BCPS Office of Curriculum and Instruction.
In addition to event organizer Jesse Dortzbach, the planning committee members – all BCPS educators – were Jason Adelung, Khalid Ali, Bethany Dentes, Alexandra Garove, Becky Meiller McCullagh, Brandon Nicklas, Samuel Tillman, and Rachel Valsing.
Members of the diverse panel of judges, composed of BCPS staff, local filmmakers, college professors, and Hollywood professionals, were Lee Boot, Phil Davis, Aaron Eaton, Matt Eaton, Jenee Matteer, Steve W. Miller, and Michael Schwartz.
To learn more about the film expo, please visit www.bcpsfilmexpo.org, or contact Dortzbach at jdortzbach@bcps.org.