Keene State Media Productions (KSMP) hosted the Finals Film Festival, a short film contest open to all students regardless of filmmaking experience, in the Putnam Theater on Thursday, April 24. The event’s only criteria was to make a film in which the first line was “What’s up” and the last line was “Put down the lobster, and nobody gets hurt.”
Contestants were eligible to win first, second and third place prizes, and submissions were voted on by a panel of judges following the screening. While the judges voted for the winning submissions, audience members had a chance to ask the filmmakers questions during a brief Q&A forum.
Five films were screened at the event, including “Lobster for Dinner” (directed by junior Tyler Desjardins), “Lobster Domestic Dispute” (directed by junior Patrick Garcia), “Lobster vs. Salad” (directed by first-year Adrian Bari), “High on Lobster” (directed by first-year Thomas Lambert) and “What’s Your Deal?” (co-directed by sophomores Heather Gibb and Cameron Rockwell).
“Lobster for Dinner” was awarded first place, while “High on Lobster” won second place. “What’s Your Deal?” won third place. The first place prize was a Nintendo Switch, and the video games “Stardew Valley” and “Dave the Diver: Anniversary Edition.” The second place prize was an Applebee’s gift card, a copy of the film “The Lobster” and a pair of lobster-themed slippers. The third place prize was a lobster Squishmallow and another pair of lobster slippers.
According to senior and KSMP President Colin Murphy, the festival is a fun way to challenge filmmakers with unique criteria.
“The festival is a chance for filmmakers and creatives to challenge themselves with a reduced criteria, like a first-line or last-line sort of thing or a themed genre,” said Murphy. “It’s a fun little festival where people come together and have fun. It’s really a last hurrah for the end of the academic year.”
Sophomore, KSMP Treasurer and President-elect President Heather Gibb said the event gives people the chance to make a project for their own enjoyment.
“This is really fun. It’s a busy time of the year with it being the end of the semester, but it’s really fun to just go and make a project for fun with your friends,” said Gibb.
Desjardins, who also serves as a music director and an incoming production director at WKNH radio station, said the short film was a group project by the radio station.
“I made the film in three hours, start to finish, with my fellow e-board members at WKNH,” said Desjardins. “We all wanted to do a fun collaboration before the year ended, and for the time we had to make it, I think it came out pretty decent.”
Patrick Barry, alum ‘24, attended the festival and said he enjoyed the short films.
“I came out because I had heard so many positive things about the current student work. Film challenges like this were much more commonplace pre-COVID, and it gave me a certain sense of nostalgia. Also, when you let film students let loose and have fun, you tend to get films that follow that,” said Barry. ‘Lobster vs. Salad’ was definitely one of my favorites, and a major highlight for me.”
Ryan Pacheco can be contacted at
rpacheco@kscequinox.com
