Film Studies Symposium 2023

The WLU Film Society held its annual Film Symposium on Friday, March 24,2023, in the spacious setting of room 1E1. Over the course of three hours, students presented a variety of works, including academic papers, short films, and other creative presentations, and participated in a Q&A and discussion after each presentation. The event was attended by Film Studies students and professors, all of whom enjoyed a casual but intellectually stimulating environment for discussion.

            The event was kicked off by WLU Film Society co-president Daelyn Newman. Presenting a section of her academic paper titled “The Art of the Monstrous Human Form: Film Prosthetics as Art in Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) and Glow-up: Britain’s Next Make-up Star (2019),” Newman focused on the use of prosthetics in both del Toro’s film and the reality TV show, and examined, through a feminist lens, the construction of beauty in horror media.

            Next, we were joined by 4^th-yr. major Hannah Nicholls with a presentation titled “Film Art and Academia.” The presentation concentrated on production design and lamented the absence of art-related analysis in the university curriculum. Nicholls reflected on her experiences at WLU, as well as her year at the Vancouver Film School, to argue for the importance of the often overlooked art department in film studies. Her presentation was accompanied by a brilliant and reflective montage of various film clips, each of which was prefaced by observations about the importance of colour theory and costume design.

CAPTION: Audience watching Catherin Zhang’s award-winning film, Moving On.

To begin the latter half of the symposium, 4^th-yr. BBA major (and FS minor) Catherine Zhang showed her award-winning short film Moving On, which she co-wrote and directed. A film about family, homophobia, and generational trauma which two siblings must navigate together, Moving On earned the Best First Time Filmmaker award at the Cannes Shorts film festival and has played elsewhere, including the Seguin Film & Arts Festival (Texas). Next, Catherine showed her suspense/heist thriller, You Stole My Heart. Catherine co-wrote and acted in this film for the Toronto’s 48-hour Film Project, for which the film had to be written, shot and edited within two days.

CAPTION: A frame from Mackenzie Lo’s short film, Practice Makes Perfect

The symposium continued with three film presentations by 3^rd-yr FS major Mackenzie (Mack) Lo. First was Turntables, a comedic police interrogation that takes costume changes to a hilarious extreme. Mack took on the roles of cinematographer and editor for this IB Film program project. Next, Mack presented the short film Practice Makes Perfect, which he wrote, directed, shot and edited!  Practice Makes Perfect depicts a perfectionist theatre director and the challenges that the cast and crew face as a result of his fury. Following the screening, Mack spoke about some issues he faced while shooting this film, such as boom malfunctions and not having the script ready on the day of shooting. He and his team navigated these problems and were able to create a wonderful short film. In particular, Mack was praised for his brilliant use of lighting throughout. Last, Mack presented his trailer, a twist on The Wizard of Oz (1939) as if it were a dark thriller. The music accompanying the film was made by AIVA, an AI software.

            WLU Film Society Outreach Liaison, Jared Wallis, screened his short film, Ghosts. A Story. A Sequel. Jared, who shot the film on his iPhone 14, explained how film can be made anywhere and everywhere. Jared then showed us his film Trees. A Story. The audience shared numerous laughs, and they applauded Jared’s excellent comedic timing and creativity. 

            The next presentation was unusual but engaging. Over the course of two years, VP of Finance and 4^th-yr BBA student Connor Maclachlan and his roommates watched more than 120 films. For the symposium, Connor presented an ambitious and sharp montage of clips from all the films they had seen. With clever transitions and innovative use of colour and matches-on-action, the project left the audience with a great roster of films to add to their watchlist!

CAPTION: A frame from Owen Armbruster and Harrison Mingail’s short film, Clowning Around.

Next, 2^nd-yr FS majors Owen Armbruster and Harrison Mingail presented their short film, titled Clowning Around, which they had created for the Kitchener Youth Video competition. The film is a mockumentary following a clown, Joe King, and the daily struggles he faces trying to live his life of puns and knock-knock jokes in the modern world. Featuring actors Michael Muscat and Rebecca Janzen-Martin, the witty short film was a great creative and imaginative addition to the symposium. 

            4^th-yr FS major Palmer Wells then presented his short film, Crossfire, which he created during his time at VFS as an homage to film noir. Palmer describes the film thusly: “Through a cloud of cigarette smoke and a haze of gin and tonic, Jack Monroe and Violet Grey met and a fast romance began. But when ghosts from Jack’s past veer their ugly heads, his romance with Violet meets a fatal and tragic end just as quickly and quietly as it began.” Through an extensive Q&A session following the film, which he had written and directed, attendees learned about the camera used in the film, how Palmer chose his actors, and the exciting festivals the film has entered. Good luck Palmer!

            To conclude the symposium, Hannah Nicholls screened her short film, The Life and Death of a God, which was shot during her time at VFS in the production pathway. Hannah, who worked as the production designer on the film, discussed the mythology and creativity behind the project. The closely-knit production team created a whimsical and thrilling film based on Celtic mythology. The Life and Death of a God has also been entered into festivals. Best wishes to you and your work, Hannah!

            The symposium was a success for both presenters and attendees, and proved to be a lively and inspiring way to spend a Friday afternoon. We thank all the students who chose to present their work, and everyone who joined to watch and learn!

By: Taylor Stezinar (Film Studies Major)