MOVIE MOJO: Student film fest has outgrown its Emory origins

David Roemer admits now that they were supposed to be studying on that night in 2001 when he and some friends at Emory University got an idea: What would happen if students had digital camcorders, laptops and one week to make short films?

He was a business major. His friends were focusing on film. What happened turned out to be what they were studying: 1,500 students participating in moviemaking, a red carpet event to show them and the next big idea:

What would happen if they gave students all over the country laptops, cameras and the direction to create?

That became Campus MovieFest, the largest student film festival in the United States, Roemer says. He now splits his time between Virginia Highland and Los Angeles and is one of 14 full-time Campus MovieFest employees.

Students around Georgia are signing up and making films for the festival this month. Deadlines are staggered, but students at Emory still can sign up until Jan. 28 and Atlanta University Center students by Feb. 4. Entries are judged by students and staff from their schools, presented for all to see and can move up to an international competition in June. More information is available at www.campusmoviefest.com.

Roemer explains how the festival grew well past the group’s studies at Emory:

Q: How big is the festival now?

A: We have 65 campuses this year, and 75,000 students participating. We’re at eight Georgia schools. We bring each school together for a regional grand finale. (The Southern Regional Grand Finale is March 29 at Symphony Hall at the Woodruff Arts Center.)

Q: What rules do the films have to follow?

A: We try to keep it really open. It can be about anything. They have to be five minutes or less. There are a couple different categories, best picture, drama and comedy, and we have a special category for social justice. As long as they follow campus regulations, it can be about anything. The music side is pretty interesting, too —- we invite independent artists to submit tracks that students can use in films.

Q: Do you have a favorite among the films over the years?

A: It’s hard to say. I try not to pick one. We’ve had a few that have taken off, one from Atlanta about the speed limit. (“A Meditation of the Speed Limit,” made by Georgia State University students on I-285 in 2006, is available on YouTube.) That was picked up by the “Today” show and CNN. It showed what could happen if you had this great idea.

Q: It’s been a few years since you were in college —- do you ever feel disconnected from university life?

A: We’re getting there. We do have campus ambassadors, students at each school that help us to customize events. We’re not totally out of it just yet. We’re having to sleep more than we needed to early on.

‘Dark Knight’ returns to the big screen

“The Dark Knight,” winner of a Golden Globe, returns to theaters today. The film, which originally opened last July, will also be on Imax at the Mall of Georgia in Buford. Heath Ledger, who died last year, was awarded a best supporting actor Golden Globe this month for his role as the Joker in the film.

Out on Film opens with pageantry

Out on Film, Atlanta’s gay and lesbian film festival, opens 2009 with the Atlanta premiere of the documentary “Pageant” at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Plaza Theatre. After the movie, Lady Bunny and Bubba D. Licious will be judging a mini pageant and crowning the winner Miss Out on Film 2009. This is the first in a series of monthly screenings leading up to a weekend of films and events in May and a larger festival in October.