Photo courtesy of MT Spare
Story by Elizabeth Juengling/Contributing Writer
MT SPARE hosted the inaugural Supernatural Cinema Fest from Oct. 21, 2019 to Oct. 23, 2019 in the MTSU Student Union Theater. Students were invited to create their own horror movies and submit them to compete against their peers.
The submissions were required to have at least one currently enrolled MTSU student in a significant production role. Additionally, the film had to fall under the larger horror genre, which included supernatural, psychological and more.
The event consisted of seven short films lasting a total of 45 minutes. The short-films featured themes such as vampires, monsters, killers, vigilantes, vultures and stalkers.
One of the submissions, Christian Price’s three-minute short film titled “HTTP,” features skilled camera angles, mood lighting, and proficient graphics and special effects. This film had a clever take on a commonly known acronym and the homonym of hacking. In the film, after hacking into a server, the main character finds out that HTTP stands for “Hacksaw Terry’s Torture Party.” After gaining access to the server, the main character witnesses a live stream of a monstrous figure hacking someone to death.
Another submission was “The Kill” by Jonathan Hartzell, which presented a hunter searching for an unidentified creature that was wreaking havoc on the community. Hartzell used beautifully shot scenes of a frosty forest in the winter. This film also featured an original score and excellent foley.
Shelby Stewart gave horror a contemporary edge in her submission, the short film entitled “Outside.” This film followed a girl as she walked alone in the dark. As she walked, she became increasingly paranoid. The girl stops to reach for her pepper spray along the way and stops in her tracks when she sees a hooded figure. Stewart was able to balance social commentary with horror in an expert way. She created empathy in the audience through the character’s audible heartbeat and labored breathing.
The Winners:
- First Place: “The Kill” by Jonathan Hartzell
- Runner-up: “HTTP” by Christian Price
- Audience Favorite: “Doctor Van Helsing Vs. the Vampires from College” by Christian Price
To contact Lifestyles Editor Brandon Black, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com.
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