Some Mariner High students will be traveling to a statewide competitions after earning top awards at the Lee County Student Film Festival
These students, part of the high school’s television production program, were recognized last month at the Lee Education Center for performing so well. Michael Chessnoe, television production teacher, said students send entries to a number of festivals each year, but he puts a bigger emphasis on the Lee County competition.
“Out of all the film festivals this is one of the big ones I try to focus on,” said Chessnoe. “Because of the school district’s film festival, we really try to focus on this one.”
He said entires are accepted from public, charter and private schools in a number of categories, such as documentary, music video, drama or public service announcement.
Overall, the Mariner High program submitted 12 videos and had a number of students receive first, second or third place.
Videos were posted on myitowntv.com, a website that Chessnoe described as a Southwest Florida version of YouTube. Anyone from the community can post a video and school officials judged student videos by visiting the website.
“It’s kind of nice that students could get instant feedback,” he said.
The television production program at Mariner High has been in existence for more than a decade, and Chessnoe came to the school two years ago.
Mariner winners of the 2010 Lee County Student Film Festival include:
– First place overall and first place in drama, “Lights in the Sky,” by Rendy Ramos and Kaitlin Davis.
– Third place overall and first place in PSA, “Message Received,” by Matt Swearingen and George Schwigk.
– Third place in music video for “Roland Vegners by Ergo Phizmiz and Margita Zalite,” by Kenny Boylan.
– Third place in documentary for “Jazz Not Just Music,” by Joe Wecher.
– Nine honorable mentions for videos submitted by other Mariner High students.