I am Lauren Matthews, a junior at Homewood-Flossmoor High School and an aspiring filmmaker who learned digital effects software to create special effects and animations to tell the stories I wanted to tell.
I created Frame by Frame because as I entered film festivals I noticed that often the writing and directors of the film took center stage. I believe that editing is just as crucial to the story and the making of a film as the writing and directing. I want to help celebrate that side of film as well in high school film fests.
There are very few film fests that have a digital effects focus and none for high school students. I feel that a high school film fest focusing on digital effects and editing of film would would help to introduce students to both how editing can improve a film and the idea of the digital effects and editing side of the film industry.
Overall, having a high school film fest with a digital effects focus will make a fairer competition for high school students interested in animation, editing, and special effects; help to highlight editing as a tool to tell a story just as much as a script or camera is; and interest students in the path around digital animation or editing.
Frame by Frame Film Fest 