Third annual Kickoff Film Showcase brings student filmmakers together
Photo Credit: Ainsley Ash
On Wednesday, Oct. 29, radio-television-film juniors, Jet Sullivan and Maddox Stockton, hosted “Kickoff Film Showcase Vol. 3” sponsored by The New Project, a multimedia creative collective. The screening featured the work of fellow radio-television-film students ranging from music videos and short films to teasers of upcoming projects, aiming to unite filmmakers across different clubs on campus.
“(We often) fall into the group we’re in or the niche we’re in,” Stockton said. “There was never any time where everyone was just under one roof (that’s) not for a specific org or club.”
Three years ago, Stockton approached Sullivan with the goal of bringing the radio-television-film community together, sparking the idea of the student film festival. The two set out to create an event that welcomed everyone, a casual, inclusive space where filmmakers share their work and connect with one another without the pressure of competition.
Unlike other competitions, the Kickoff Film Showcase gives students complete creative freedom over their project.
“The University has a lot more creative control on what you put in the showcase, so it really limits you,” Osso Gomez, radio-television-film junior and director of S.T.D., said. “With this (showcase), it gives us a lot of creative control, not only over the films, but also the presentation, and it makes it a really fun night.
The Showcase featured a range of projects, including a short film titled Fascist?, co-directed by radio-television-film juniors David Martinez and Thomas Dupuy. The idea for the film originated in 2024, inspired by campus protests and UT’s social climate.
“We’re really proud of (the film), and we want people to see it, make their own opinion and really start a conversation,” Martinez said.
Sparking conversation and reflection, the film set the tone for the rest of the evening. As students continued to watch the variety of projects, the showcases quickly became less about individual films, but about the community they were building together.
“It just never fails to amaze me what the people around me are doing, because you look at what they’re doing (and think I) want to try that sometime,” Zophia Popadiuk, Director of The Ace of Sight and radio-television-film sophomore, said. “Then professionally, it’s a great way to see the sound design or whatever it might be and get inspired.”
As the final credits rolled and applause died down, the room’s energy kept alive through the buzz of conversations. As students share their authentic work and energy, the Kickoff Film Showcase highlights the growth within UT’s film community.
“Just seeing people get together (and) build that community (with) people who don’t necessarily belong to a specific organization,” Sullivan said. “If I can see networking and connections happen … that’s the best accomplishment.”
This article was written for The Daily Texan the official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin
