Gainesville High School Digital Media and Film students recently had two original films, "Hammerhands" and "Mislaid," to premiere in the First Time Filmmakers Festival at Pinewoods Studios in London.
Filmmakers from around the world competed for an opportunity to have their films featured at one of the Lift-Off Film platforms located in eleven cities worldwide. Lift-Off is a global network that supports and promotes film production through various resources and showcases.
During the first round of competition, the top five films in each film category were selected by the public through online voting. Semi-finalists then advanced to the second round in which a panel of judges selected the finalists. Films chosen as finalists were then featured at screenings held in London and Hollywood, and an overall winner was determined.
"It's a complete honor to see the work of my students being shown outside the classroom," said Dr. Joseph Miller, GHS Digital Media/Film instructor. "We have had viewings in international competitions and now premieres worldwide. You don't see that every day. I am sometimes questioned on my methods and the projects that we choose. But, these recent events prove that we're doing the right thing."
