Jon Crowley is now the executive director of the New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission. But he once was just a kid trying to understand an industry that he was drawn to at a young age.
That’s why last weekend he arrived early at the Breakthrough Filmmaker Festival at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank and took in a few of the entries. And why he was thrilled when he ran into a young director after seeing her film.
“We were able to break it down shot by shot — her blocking, her camera framework, her lighting,” he said. “And one of the performers was there, so I talked to him about his performance.
“There’s willingness to soak it all was great to see.”
Crowley certainly came away impressed.
“The work I saw was far better than anything I was producing at their age,” he said.
It gave him hope for the future of the industry — and the future of the industry in the state.
For all the stories about Steven Spielberg filming in Paterson, Adam Sandler doing a shot in Morristown and Netflix, Lionsgate, Paramount preparing to open up studies around the state, events such as the Breakthrough Film Festival at the Basie are what will really grow the industry here.
The festival is believed to be the largest festival held specifically to celebrate student and emerging filmmakers. It is designed to help the state’s emerging filmmakers learn about professional opportunities available to them in this growing sector.
The event featured screenings, workshops, a networking lunch and an impressive panel discussion with industry experts.
Tom Bernard, the co-founder and co-president of Sony Pictures Classics (one of the event sponsors) said it showed how the film industry can be a workforce dynamo in the state.
Especially for jobs in supporting roles.
“[We] need people from New Jersey to get into the film business,” he said. “The film business is becoming a lighting technician. It’s becoming a cinematographer. It’s becoming a grip that knows how to roll up cables. It’s becoming an editor or assistant editor. It’s becoming a location manager.
“There are so many jobs in the movie business that are union, really great paying jobs, that are going to be sought after people in New Jersey to do it. They don’t want to have to have to get somebody from New York or somebody from Los Angeles.”
Adam Philipson, the CEO of the Basie Center, said the explosion of entries showed him the interest is out there.
“What I’m most impressed about this year is that there were more films submitted than we’ve ever had,” he said. “That tells me that more people are trusting this medium, in film, to be able to tell their stories.
“And that’s so important for us, because as we go into our next century, we’re looking for ways that people can feel welcome here, so that they can find a way to tell their story.”
Christopher Harrison, the festival organizer, said everything went according to script.
“We have great workshops like screenwriting, and meeting a gaffer, lighting — really nuanced workshops focused on showcasing real careers within the industry,” he said. “When students come here and they meet industry professionals, they can tangibly see their future right in front of them.”
Crowley could see that when he met with more students after doing a panel.
“I talked to a number of kids — and they’re all getting ready to go to film school,” he said. “So, you know that they’re passionate about this. You know it’s not just an elective for them.
“That was incredible to see.”
The festival received nearly 100 entries; 60 titles were chosen as official selections.
Here is the list of winners in two categories (High School Filmmakers and Emerging Filmmakers) because there just may be a future Academy Award winner among them:
High School Filmmakers
Best Cinematography
All it Needs
Directed by Ethan Davis (Communications High School)
Best Screenwriting
The Last Checkmate
Written by Kaitlyn Grimaldi and Casey Mejia (Morris Knolls High School)
Best Editing
Puberty
Edited by Nicholas Rescigno (Howell High School)
Best Acting Ensemble
The Reflection Room
Alina George, Audrey George, Maria Leal, Sonia Leal, Emery McDonough, Anna Truffini, Eva Zuckerman (Madison High School)
Best Actor
Josias Ortiz
Our DieNasty
(East Brunswick Magnet School – School of the Arts)
Best Director
What’s in my Soup
Directed by Hayden Vigdor (Howell High School)
Best Film
Deviant
Directed by Josias Ortiz (East Brunswick Magnet School – School of the Arts)
Debut Award
Butterfly
Directed by Emily Reese Ommerborn (Middletown South)
Best Documentary
One Shot
Danielle Ortiz (Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology)
Best Animation
The Grass is Always Meaner
Directed by Ethan Castro and Michael Puma (Middletown High School South)
Emerging Filmmakers
Best Screenwriting
I Am With You Now
Parker Bennink (Rowan University)
Best Cinematography
This Sucks
Oscar Vazquez
Best Editing
Dilate
Justin Thomas Marinelli (School of Visual Arts)
Best Acting Ensemble
I Am With You Now
John Horton, Grace McGory and Garrett Smith
Best Director
Muscle Memory
Reylan Alexis (Rider University)
Best Film
House of Horrors
Directed by Brandon Lang (Montclair State University)
Debut Award
Mi Cuento de Fantasmas
Directed by Rosa Isabella Salvatierra
Best Actor
Afterthoughts
Diego Colón
