In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Film in Utah, the Helper Rio Theatre, for the very first time, held the soon-to-be-annual film festival the “Carbon Shortcuts Project.”
Last year, the Utah Film Commission reached out to Tina Grange, Tourism Specialist & Film Liaison for the Carbon County Office of Tourism, inquiring whether Carbon County would want to participate in the celebration of the upcoming 100th anniversary of Film in Utah.
Grange of course saw this as yet another opportunity to bring in not only tourism, but to also give locals a chance to be a part of something. Grange contacted Helper Mayor Lenise Peterman to discuss hosting the film festival during the Helper Art’s Festival, as it only seemed fitting. Mayor Peterman took the idea to the Helper Art’s Festival committee, who approved of the new event.
Initially wanting to do “Oscar themed” awards, Grange decided to incorporate Helper’s history into the event and came up with mini “Big John” awards. Grange worked with a local 3D company called Wallflower Goods to create the awards.
Grange then wrote out a schedule for the event and reached out to Kenny Driggs with the Rio Theatre to get things rolling. Driggs is the guy behind the scenes working tirelessly to ensure that every single production he creates is a Disney show-type production.
Grange also applied for a $10,000 matching fund grant from the Utah Office of Tourism and was awarded $7,500 of that grant, which made the film festival possible.
Grange was then put in contact with Brian Higgins who is the Founder and Creative Director of Filmulate Festivals, which is a “series of pop-up festivals to help build communities through creative thinking” as described by Higgins. For nine months, Grange and Higgins worked together to create a film festival that would attract filmmakers from all over Utah.
Due to the huge success of the Carbon Shortcuts Film Festival, Helper has been chosen to be an official destination on the Utah Film Trail and an official marker will be placed near the Rio Theatre.
“The marker outlines the history of film in Helper and will be a great addition for visitors and locals to enjoy,” stated Grange.
Higgins discussed the environment that these film festivals create, being able to sit among the filmmakers and feel their emotions in the room as their film plays across the big screen. Being a part of these film festivals allows filmmakers to get their creative juices flowing and provides a chance to have some fun with family and friends. It also creates an opportunity for people to meet and network and make friends.
Carbon Shortcuts Film Festival was open to all levels of filmmakers. Upon signing up, filmmakers were given a genre based off the many movies that have been filmed in Utah. The element chosen for the filmmakers was, of course, coal. The filmmakers had to incorporate coal in some capacity into the film.
There were a total of 24 film teams who entered into the Carbon Shortcuts Film Festival this year, with 10 film awards up for grabs.
The awards were as follows:
Best Cinematography & People’s Choice – Please be Funny by 2nd Job Productions
Best Style – Face to Face by The Brine Shrimp
Best Writing – Flour by Flight Pattern Productions
Best Use of Theme – Convicts and Chocolate by New Ogden Cinema
Best Use of Prop – Legend of Molly Miner by Frisky Pigeon
Best Film – Witches of Magna by What Call Sheet?
Best of Fest – Entombed by Fire Quill
Best Acting – The Fifth Hand by Half Square Productions
Best Directing – The Visit by 388 Collective
