Shorts At High Noon
Story By Cindy Reid Photos by Susan DeLoach
Something sensational is coming to town and it’s going to be a blockbuster! The Beaufort Film Society is presenting an eight-week series of films with the catchy name of ‘Shorts at High Noon.’ From the first Wednesday in October through Wednesday, November 29, the Beaufort Film Society will present films from its vast collection of short films, student films and animation films. The collection consists of submissions to the Beaufort International Film Festival over the last ten years, from 2007 to present and contains everything from audience hits to hidden gems.
Ron Tucker, President of the Beaufort Film Society, says they wanted to create a showcase for some of the many Beaufort International Film Festival films, giving viewers a chance to see a film they may have missed the first time around, or enjoy a second viewing of a favorite film.
Ron says the idea for the new series came while he and wife Rebecca, VP of the Beaufort Film Society, were attending a popular local cultural event. He says “Rebecca and I attended a ‘Books Sandwiched In’ program at the University of South Carolina in Beaufort and we were struck by the large audience turnout. This got us to thinking that we could do something similar with films, a ‘Movie Sandwiched In’ style program. And so we came up with ‘Shorts at High Noon.’“
The film program will consist of at least one short, one animation and one student film. The weekly program is always one hour long, so each film had to be chosen carefully for time limits as well as content.
All screenings will take place at the Plaza Stadium Theatre, 41 Robert Smalls Parkway, Beaufort, SC from noon to 1:00 pm. Arrive early as check in time will be 11:30am. And the best part- admission is free!
Ron says, “Thanks to the generosity of Paul Trask, the theatre owner, we are able to provide the series at absolutely no charge to the community.”
Adding to the excitement, several filmmakers will be attending the screenings of their film. VW Scheich will be on hand for the screening of his award winning film, Wallenda, which was a huge audience favorite, on Oct 18. Another filmmaker scheduled to attend is Tracy de Leon from the Student Film Danny Freud. Most of the filmmakers are located too far away to make it to Beaufort, so Ron and Rebecca came up with a great idea. He says, “We hope to be able to have a handful of filmmakers attend via video, so we can do a ‘where are they now’ segment after their film screening.”
Ron and Rebecca can be called Beaufort’s Film Ambassadors for their tireless work on behalf of the lowcountry’s film community. Since 2004, with the creation of the Beaufort Regional Film Commission, and subsequent founding of the Beaufort Film Society in 2009, they have sought opportunities to shine the spotlight on Beaufort and the surrounding Sea Islands. They recently spoke to an audience of filmmakers at the Carolina, Film Network in Columbia and previously spoke with aspiring writers and filmmakers at Furman University in Greenville, SC where they were able to share their knowledge and experience about BIFF’s history and future growth.
Ron says, “We love spreading the word about BIFF, filmmaking in the state of South Carolina, and what the Lowcountry can offer filmmakers.”
They will also be busy teaching a class this fall and spring at the University of South Carolina, Beaufort’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), where they will discuss the history of BIFF and the benefits of being part of the Beaufort Film Society. Included in their presentation is a recap of the growing pains, and why many filmmakers consider acceptance at BIFF as a critical confirmation of their work.
Beaufort Film Society
Truly a lowcountry treasure, the Beaufort Film Society (BFS) is a nonprofit, 501(c) 3, member-supported organization, which is dedicated to providing the highest levels of entertainment and education to the public from all areas of the film industry. Through the Beaufort International Film Festival and other programs, coupled with fun and thought-provoking events and series, the BFS provides the sea island community with a commitment to entertainment, outreach and education through film. Their dedicated members, along with volunteers and staff, make all of this possible. Anyone is eligible for membership, and becoming a member includes many year-round benefits such as advance ticket sales and discounts on screenings, services and products; discounts and advance enrollment for professional development classes and networking events; and invitations to special preview screenings. If you love film, join the BFS for a world of opportunity all year long.
BIFF
The Beaufort Film Society’s biggest event is, of course, the annual Beaufort International Film Festival (BIFF). MovieMaker Magazine listed BIFF as one of the Top 25 “Coolest” Film Festivals in the World in 2013 and most recently, Film Freeway, ranked BIFF as the #9 Best Reviewed film festival in the world and #1 in South Carolina. The twelfth annual Beaufort International Film Festival will be held Feb 21- 25, 2018. For further information about the film festival, special events, the film society or the complete schedule for ‘Shorts at High Noon’, check out beaufortfilmfestival.com.
The Beaufort Film Society and the Beaufort International Film festival can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Shorts at High Noon
Where: Plaza Stadium Theatre, 41 Robert Smalls Parkway, Beaufort, SC.
When: Check in time is 11:30am. Program starts at 12:00 Noon and ends at 1:00 PM
Tickets: Admission is free. Concessions will be available for sale.
Schedule of Films
OCT 4: Pardon the Intrusion (Short), At Ease (Student), Splash (Animation)
OCT 11: A Letter From Home (Short), Swipe Right (Student), Almost Everest (Animation)
OCT 18: Wallenda (Short), Perspective (Student), Grounded (Animation)
OCT 25: Mia (Short), Love Sick Lonnie (Short), Shut Up and Kiss Me (Student)
NOV 1: The Deadbeat (Short), Great Personality is Only Skin Deep (Short), Detention (Short), Death and the Robot (Animation)
NOV 8: Birthday (Short), Danny Freud (Student), My Light is Gone (Animation)
NOV 15: Clown Nose Theory (Short), The Collegians (Student), Light Me up (Animation)
NOV 29: Another Love (Short), Long John (Student), Sebastian’s Voodoo (Animation)
