The new five-story Theatre, Film and Media Arts Building – located at 1932 College Rd. N. – at The Ohio State?University?in Columbus, Ohio, opened for classes and events in the fall 2023 semester. Credit: Samantha Harden | Former Arts & Life Editor
Ohio State students will work nonstop through the night to write, direct and perform a film as a part of the university’s first-ever 24-hour theater and film festival.?
The festival will commence at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, in the Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts – 1932 College Rd. – and will challenge students to create a short film or play within just one day before their work is screened or staged for an audience of their peers.?
Josh Lewis, a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts and organizer of the event, said he thinks people will be surprised by what can be created in such a short period of time.
“I think the plays and films will kind of exceed people’s expectations of what you can accomplish in a 24-hour period,” Lewis said.
The festival will begin with participants being divided into teams and given a secret prompt for their film or play, which they must create from scratch over the following 24 hours, Lewis said.
According to the department’s website, plays or scripts should be at least five minutes but no more than 10 minutes long?
“Generally speaking, one page of a play or script equates to 1 minute of stage or film time,” according to the website.?
Mel Ramp, a third-year in moving image production and prospective writer for the festival, said she is excited to participate.?
Ramp, who has previously participated in 48-hour film festivals, said, “Cutting that time in half seems like a crazy thing to do, and I was mostly just curious to see how we would get this done.”
Ramp said her previous experience in similar events has helped her develop her creative process.?
“Once I stopped looking at it as a full painting and more like a sketch, that’s when I really started to have more fun with it,” Ramp said. “It was really freeing.”
Lewis said events such as the festival can help students develop better problem-solving skills.
“You only get 24 hours, so you can’t be precious with it,” Lewis said. “Doing it in such a condensed time really kind of forces them to think on their feet and adapt, with a lot of collaboration as well.”
Lewis said participating in theater and film events can be a great way to get involved in the department, but can also teach students to be more independently creative.?
“I think that’s a really great skill to learn in your undergrad is that you don’t have to wait for people to make stuff,” Lewis said.? “You can make your own things, and they’ll be successful as well.”?
Ramp said the festival’s participants should avoid getting caught up in the small details of their projects, and instead, “let it fly, and let it [be] free.”
“In the moment, if you’re having fun filming it and you’re like, ‘Oh, this is sick, this is awesome,’ then it’ll show up to the audience as sick and awesome,” Ramp said. “Lead with your heart — not your mind — when you’re writing or creating.”
Registrations are open on the department’s website where you can pick your desired role: actor, stage director, film director, playwright or screenwriter.
Ohio State’s Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts will screen and stage the projects created during its first 24-hour film and theater festival in its department building Sunday at 7 p.m.
