Aspiring filmmakers can showcase their creativity and compete for a $300 prize by submitting short movies to the Warriors’ Short Film Competition.
Michelle Nungary, the ASI Director for Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, is coordinating the event and said the idea for the competition arose from her own hobby of making short films.
“The concept started off with me on my Snapchat stories,” Nungary said. “I used to make actual short movies.” She remembers her friends encouraging her to keep making the films and wondered if others shared the same hobby.
“What if there’s other students like me who are making films and they want more people to see it?” she said. “That’s where the idea came from.”
The competition caught Avery Urban-Wilson’s (graduate student, Behavior Analysis) eye because she has shared a passion for filmmaking for years. 
“I chose to enter [the competition] because filming is something I’ve done since I was 16 and since then I’ve tried to better my skills,” she said. “I once entered into a 24 hour film festival where you had to shoot, edit, and premiere the film in 24 hours. I found that to be pretty fun, so I thought I would give this a try.” 
Urban-Wilson is submitting a film to the competition about someone who is “dealing with the struggles of being a student and not wanting to let those he cares about down while still trying to accomplish his goals,” she explained. “But life keeps getting in the way.” 
Students are encouraged to submit films of all kinds—the competition isn’t restricted to any particular genre or style. The only requirements are that submissions can be no longer than 6 minutes and must be the work of current Stan State students.
Nungary emphasized that the competition isn’t just for art students, either. “The applications I’ve already gotten, it’s been a variety of students…it’s been all over the place,” she said. She indicated that the purpose of the event is for students in all majors to “just have fun with their creativity.”
The top 10 film submissions will be shown at a screening on May 3 at 7 p.m. in the Art Quad. 
“My goal right now is 10 [films] and at least 100 people in the audience,” said Nungary.
Films will be evaluated by a panel of judges from different departments on campus, and winners will receive cash prizes: First place will be awarded $300, second place $100 and the audience’s favorite will be awarded $50.
Jessica Gomula-Krizic, an Associate Professor from the Art Department, teaches various film courses on campus and will serve as a judge for the event on May 3.
“I’m looking for films that are interesting and entertaining to watch,” she said. She added that she looks forward to seeing Warriors showcase their creativity through film.
If you’re interested in entering the Warriors’ Short Film Competition, apply here and submit your film to the ASI-USU Front Desk in Housing, Suite 122 by Friday, April 13. For more information, contact Michelle Nungary at [email protected].