The Shoot Out Boulder has another successful year
More than 100 filmmakers from across Colorado, carrying just a video camera and a dream of taking home the $1,000 prize, descended upon Boulder over the weekend to compete in the annual Shoot Out Boulder.
Both the best film award and the audience choice award went to Brad Stabio’s film “Aria Next Door.” The film is a comical story of a singer who wins the love of one neighbor, and the same time, the hatred of his other neighbor.
Stabio, 32, is a professional filmmaker and director. He said the $1000 prize money would go to covering the costs of the film and probably a nice dinner for the team.
Of the 35 groups that entered the contest, the top-10 finalists were selected for screening at the Boulder Theater Sunday night. This year for the first time, the audience voted on each film with electronic clickers and delivered an audience choice award.
A panel of 11 judges, selected by contest executive director Michael Conti, evaluated the 10 films and gave out nine awards for acting, music, writing and of course best film.
Established in 2004 by Conti, Boulder resident and filmmaker, the Shoot Out separates itself from other filmmaking festivals by requiring participants to create a 7-minute film in just 24 hours without off camera editing. Participants must also include in their film five of 11 items designated in a brief provided to participants 12 minutes before the kick off on Friday evening.
Many of the items this year pertained to global warming in some form. A florescent light bulb, clothes on a clothesline and a “No Motor Vehicle” sign were included on this year’s list.
Conti, 46, said modern filmmakers have become lazy as a result of computer-based editing.
“[The Shoot Out] follows an old school methodology. Filmmakers get back to the basics of filmmaking,” Conti said.
Participants ranged from experienced to novice and old to young. Filmmakers approach to the contest varied in degrees of preparation and story planning.
Evan Link, 16, a student from Grand Junction High School was one of this year’s participants.
“We didn’t even try to preplan. That’s the spirit of the whole thing,” Link said.
Contestant Jim Babb, 23, disagreed. Babb is a CU film studies graduate and winner of best film in the two past Shoot Outs.
“I usually have a script, but at the same time I have to be flexible,” Babb said.
The Shoot Out has declined in entries since 2004 when there were 66 teams competing for the prize. Still, Conti said he feels the Shoot Out has matured and developed since its conception.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Taran Volckhausen at taran.volckhausen@thecampuspress.com.
