By Will Holland (BFF 2019, Bates Class of 2020)             The collective body of the audience is the foundation upon which a successful film festival is built. The audience creates the demand and popularity for such events to occur, as well as fiscal income from ticket sales and leveraged attendance for sponsorships. Without audience attendance, there…

By Eleanor Shields (BFF 2019, Bates Class of 2020) As one of the four student participants in the Bates Film Festival “Short Term Innovative Pedagogy and Course (re)Design Program” (STIP), I received the unique opportunity to visit the International Film Festival – Boston (IFFB) in May 2019. Our group, consisting of myself (‘20), Abel Ramirez…

By Nicky Meyerson (BFF 2019; Bates Class of 2020) The Bates Film Festival (BFF) was a rewarding experience like none other. Whether through the process of watching and selecting our films for our lineup or organizing various events to push attendance, the Bates Film Festival was an incredibly unique experience that allowed for real, hands-on…

By Teagan Ladner (BFF 2019; Bates Class of 2021) Planning of the Festival I think it is worth considering quality over quantity when it comes to programming films. I feel like we tried to jam a lot of films into a short amount of time, and because we had so many films, I don’t feel…

By Andrew Berg (BFF 2019; Bates Class of 2020) One of the most highly attended events from the 2019 Bates Film Festival (BFF) was the virtual reality (VR) screening of A Shared Space: Lewiston, a short film by Daniel Quintanilla and Shuab Mahat. Bates students, Lewiston community members, and faculty alike were able to experience a film…

By Torri Pelletier (BFF 2019; Bates Class of 2020)             My analysis of the 2019 Bates Film Festival will highlight the successes that the festival saw, will serve to critique the shortcomings of the event, and will highlight hopes for the festival that we both were and weren’t able to achieve.  I hope this blog post will…

By Shae Gwydir (BFF 2019; Bates Class of 2020) As the second Bates Film Festival comes to a close and the semester nears an end, eyes are on reflection and efforts are already focused on future BFF growth.  As with any academic and public endeavor, there is always room for improvement in the hopes of furthering…

By Clementine Callaway (BFF 2019; Bates Class of 2020)             Having the opportunity to serve as one of the directors of the 2019 Bates Film Festival was a wonderful privilege that I would not trade for the world. As someone who comes from a family of filmmakers and feels incredibly passionate about narrative development and the…

By Matt Chlastawa (BFF 2019; Bates Class of 2020) The goal of a film is to tell a story. Unfortunately, there is no point in telling a story if no one is willing to listen. To peak curiosity in an audience is an art. This is the goal of any marketing campaign, to promote stories…

By Abel Ramirez (BFF 2019; Bates Class of 2020) In many ways, planning a local film festival offers valuable insight into many aspects of running a small business, providing festival organizers with the opportunity to delve into whichever business aspects they may prefer. As I am extremely interested in the creative side of business, the…