SZNS MAG Spring/Summer 2024

SZNS MAG

1, NO. 1

Globally Recognized Film Festival, Conference Shines

In Austin

The Cold Open

SZNS Creative Media was established in 2023 to offer unique coverage of film in Texas through strong photography, design and journalism, while also offering coverage of industry-wide news. We are for people who love film and television, but who also love having a stake in their Texas communities. We are an ever-changing company set to adapt to the needs of our audience. We welcome you to the first issue of SZNS MAG!

Graphic by Cameron Johnson

Editor’s Note

The First Issue

SZNS MAG is a publication created to turn the lens back on the film community and industry in Texas. There are important stories here at home, and we want to tell them.

As a teenager in Wisconsin, I felt the film industry was too big and too distant for me to be a part of, but I dreamed of a way that I could have an impact. Once I moved to Texas, I learned how tangible and accessible film could be in the community. Film is everywhere — film is here. You don’t need to go to Los Angeles or New York to find it.

There’s more in store for SZNS, but creating the first issue is a feat in itself. Nearly a year in the making, the magazine has not only been a passion project for myself but for

some of my closest friends and colleagues. Cameron Harbridge, Cameron Johnson, Anna Deardorff, Ana Lorant, Cait Shields, Ishika Samant, Chris Swann, Kade Honken and so many more — thank you.

To Andrew Kilzer of Texas FilmWorks, Matthew Campbell and William Klugh Connor III of LoreFest and all the hard-working volunteers and artists of SXSW, thank you for the opportunity to feature you. Your stories are why SZNS MAG exists.

And thanks to you reader for joining us for the debut issue of SZNS MAG. I hope you step away from these pages with a lot more love of Texas film and a little more pride in our Lone Star State.

Kyle Heise Founder, Creative Director & Editor-in-Chief SZNS Creative Media

Photo by Cameron Johnson

TXFW

Texas FilmWorks Tells Big Stories For a Big State

Written

The best stories to tell are sometimes right in front of us. Texas FilmWorks (TXFW) is a film company based in Bryan-College Station that creates stories through documentaries, brand videos, commercials, interviews and live videos.

After about nine years of growing its business, TXFW opened its own studio on Jan. 25 for new and future clients. Andrew Kilzer is the general manager and founder of TXFW and has been with the company since its inception in 2016.

“There was a market for more video work and more production capacity,” Kilzer said. “The goal was to do as much work as we could for the university and for clients here. That’s expanded to some clients around the state and some around the world.”

Kilzer and his team at TXFW have traveled around the world, from El Salvador to Ghana. Clients range from the George & Barbara Bush Foundation to Nike to The Association of Former Students, according to its website. Filming at home in Bryan-College Station is beautiful, Kilzer said, because everyone is always excited to be on camera and share the stories of their community.

by Anna Deardorff, Photos by Kyle Heise

“It’s all word of mouth and relationship-based in this business,” Kilzer said. “Especially when anybody can go get a camera at Best Buy and start shooting stuff. You really have to find a way to make connections and build relationships, because that’s the way that … I’ve found that I’m going to actually be able to make a difference and work with people.”

TXFW tells brand stories most often, Kilzer said, and their focus lies on the company’s story.

“Organizational leaders are realizing that video is a must-have,” Kilzer said. “It’s interacted with highly on the internet. It keeps people retained and you can really show off who you’re about. When we do a brand piece, we’re getting to tell the company’s story at that moment in time, catch up to the history of who they are, where they’ve come from and kind of give a vision for where they might go in the future.”

Being at a client’s location is prioritized as much as possible, Kilzer said, as it’s more personal. In Kilzer’s opinion, videos work best when clients are in a familiar space, seeing and interacting with it as they naturally would. For clients who lack such a space, however, TXFW’s new studio in College Station opens up many possibilities.

“It’s been a goal to have a studio space for ourselves for a number of years now,” Kilzer said. “And this is right next to our offices, and it came on the market, we were able to get it and the guys that did the work here did a really, really good job. I’m really excited to see where we can go when we have a dedicated space to do this kind of stuff.”

Whether they’re filming in their new studio or a new country, the TXFW team has the same four values: doing excellent work for themselves and their clients, honoring the people they work with, completing their work with gratitude and having fun along the way, Kilzer said.

“If I can do those four things, it doesn’t matter if I’m working on an assembly line, if I’m at a fast food burger joint or if I’m running a film company,” Kilzer said. “I feel like I can go home and know that I did something that mattered.”

Including Kilzer, the TXFW team consists of roughly 11 people with decades of film experience, according to its website. He believes the key to good work is having a diverse team, where some people specialize in lighting, others in running a camera and a few in asking good questions.

Andrew Kilzer, the general manager of Texas FilmWorks, speaks during an interview at the Texas FilmWorks studio in College Station on Feb. 1. Kilzer founded the company in 2016 after recognizing a market for production in the area.

The sign outside the TXFW studio in College Station on Feb. 1. The studio’s grand opening took place a week prior, featuring a ribbon cutting with family, friends and clients in attendance. Kilzer and his team have traveled across the world for productions, but are excited for the opportunities a dedicated studio space can offer.

Kilzer explains the specifics of shooting in Texas. During the summers, productions start early in the day and continue later in the evening to avoid the day’s worst heat and achieve the best lighting.

“I couldn’t do anything without the team of people that are here at FilmWorks,” Kilzer said. “The best part of my job is working with the team of people I have. They really love what they do. They’re excited, they’re energetic, they have good ideas. But more importantly, they represent the four values that I find to be the most important thing about what Texas Filmworks is at this time.”

One thing TXFW prioritizes is a client’s full ownership of the final product, meaning they receive all the raw footage, according to TXFW’s website. This allows the client to use the footage for different projects later on, whether they do it themselves or by hiring an editor.

“My hope is that we had such a great experience working together that they’ll come back to me for that point,” Kilzer said. “I don’t want to gatekeep anything that belongs to the client. It’s really their stuff. I’m just trying to help them tell their story, so I’m more than happy to give them the footage that we’ve shot.”

Filming in Texas has its quirks. From blistering heat to narrow windows of time to shoot outdoors for the perfect lighting, for Kilzer, it’s simply part of working in the state he loves.

Kilzer expands on the company’s four values of excellence, honor, gratitude and fun. It wouldn’t matter where he worked, Kilzer said, as long as he had those four things. “I can go home and know that I did something that mattered.”

“Texas loves Texas, and I’m a huge fan of Texas,” Kilzer said. “I think Texas is such a big state that there’s a never-ending amount of things to do and see and tell from our state. We chose the name Texas FilmWorks because we felt like if we could own our geography — if we could really own the fact that we’re from Texas, we know Texas, we understand how to operate here — that we’re never going to run out of clients to work with.”

An even more niche location to film is College Station, with the history and camaraderie of Texas A&M University serving as the backdrop for many stories. The only challenge to watch for while filming is the train, Kilzer said.

“Texas loves Texas, and I’m a huge fan of Texas”

— Andrew Kilzer

The future of TXFW lies in the hands of Kilzer and his team, he said, and he’s open to bringing on more people for them to grow in their storytelling abilities.

“This company is only limited by the imagination and the chances we get,” Kilzer said. “I’m excited to see what the next five, 10 years brings for this company. The first nine have been really amazing.”

SXSW 2024

Globally Recognized Film Festival, Conference Took Over Austin With World Premieres, Sessions, Screenings

SXSW is a creative hotspot in the heart of Texas.

Starting in 1987, the event has grown to showcase festivals, conference sessions and exhibitions attended by hundreds of thousands of professionals and guests from across the world. The annual Film & TV Festival presents world premieres and screenings from studio and independent projects alike, offering an array of awards throughout several categories. Notable films and guests have taken part in the festival, including films such as “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” “Us” and “A Quiet Place.”

Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, speaks during a keynote session featuring Errin Haines, Brooke Shields and Nancy Wang Yuen during the first day of SXSW 2024. The panel discussed issues of women’s representation in media and entertainment.

SXSW volunteers hold a sign reading “End of the Line” signaling the end of the blocks-long line for opening night headliner “Road House.” The line continued to fill right up until showtime.

A crowd yells “Road House!” at the premiere of “Road House” at the Paramount Theater during the first day of SXSW 2024. Jake Gyllenhaal’s latest action film was the opening night headliner of the film festival.

Photos by Kyle Heise, Cameron Johnson

Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling laugh during the Q&A portion of the world premiere of “The Fall Guy” during day five of SXSW 2024. Members of the cast and crew took audience questions after the film’s screening.

Daisy Ridley laughs during a conversation session with The Hollywood Reporter’s Mia Galuppo on day three of SXSW. Ridley spoke about her career, upcoming projects and her starring role in “Magpie,” which had its world premiere at SXSW on March 9.

Paramount CTO Phil Wiser speaks during the “Reimagining the Modern Media Company” conference session during day two of SXSW 2024. Wiser touched on AI’s impact on film and television production, including the advancing possibility of live video creation for virtual sets. This new technology could generate a scene almost instantly.

Film & TV Awards

The SXSW Film & TV Festival wrapped with an official awards ceremony at the Paramount Theatre in Austin on March 13.

“Bob Trevino Likes It” won the Narrative Feature Competition, with the award being accepted by Houston director and screenwriter Tracie Laymon. The film is a semi-autobiographical account of Laymon’s real-life experience, seen through the eyes of the fictional Lily Trevino, played by lead Barbie Ferreira. Trevino meets a stranger on Facebook named Bob Trevino, played by John Leguizamo, who shares the name of her estranged father. In her award acceptance, Laymon thanked the cast and crew and emphasized how important her real experience with Bob was.

“We wouldn’t be here without Facebook Bob and his small acts of kindness,” Laymon said. “He isn’t here, but I told his widow, ‘I never told him what he meant to me, so I have to tell everybody.’”

Director Tracie Laymon speaks after winning the Narrative Feature Competition for her film “Bob Trevino Likes It” during the Film & TV Awards at the Paramount Theatre on March 13 during SXSW 2024. Laymon thanked her cast and crew and recalled her real-life experience with Bob, which the film is based on.

Written by Cameron Johnson, Photos by Kyle Heise

Laymon also said she first stepped onto the Paramount Theatre stage 20 years ago for SXSW, as she was recognized for her work in shorts and music videos. This was her first feature film.

The Special Jury Awards for Performance and Filmmaking were given to “Mamifera” and “We Were Dangerous,” respectively. The story of a couple’s unexpected journey with pregnancy, “Mamifera” was described by the jury as “detailed, unflinching, and unquestionably palpable.”

“We Were Dangerous” tells the story of two New Zealand girls in 1954 who are kept in a Christian reform facility on a remote island. The jury described the film as “a spirited and affecting tale of female rebellion.”

“Jedo’s Dead” won the Texas Shorts Competition and was accepted by Dallas-based director and screenwriter Sara Nimeh. “Jedo’s Dead” follows two young children and their contrasting reactions to death as they find their beloved grandfather peacefully passed in his bed. Nimeh thanked her producers and the SXSW programmers, jury and volunteers, and described the personal meaningfulness of filmmaking.

Zachary Clark, from left, Sara Nimeh, Jeff Walker and Ariel Ortiz pose for a photo outside the Paramount Theatre after winning the Texas Shorts Competition for their film “Jedo’s Dead.” Nimeh served as director, Ortiz as first assistant director, Clark as gaffer and Walker as a producer.

“I, as a child, really struggled to learn how to read and write,” Nimeh said. “My parents speak primarily Arabic, so learning language was difficult. But when I found my mother’s video camera, it was like I was able to communicate.”

“Hair Care” won the Texas Shorts Competition Special Jury Award and follows the story of Jamila, an Ivorian-American woman, and her trip to a local salon, where

she enters into an otherworldly, animated version of Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire. The short was a student production as part of The University of Texas at Austin’s Radio-Television-Film program.

“We went out of our way to work with as many Black filmmakers and as many diasporic African filmmakers here in Austin,” said director Fatima Wardy. “The thing I’m most proud of is this film has a legacy now because of us working together.”

Fatima Wardy speaks after accepting the Texas Shorts Special Jury Award for her film “Hair Care.” The short was a student production through The University of Texas at Austin’s Radio-Television-Film program. Wardy, “Hair Care” director and a student in the program, worked with other students, as well as many Black and diasporic African filmmakers in Austin, to complete the film.

“Preconceived” earned the Best of Texas Award for documenting the journey of two women in need of terminating their unplanned pregnancies. Maleeha lives in Texas, Maria in Colorado, and both are put through a slew of anti-abortion messaging and efforts at the hands of crisis pregnancy centers. Accepting the award was Kate Dumke, who co-directed the documentary with Sabrine Keane.

“I was told I wasn’t in competition, so this is a very big surprise,” Dumke jokingly said. “We’re so happy to tell a Texas story in this very important time for reproductive healthcare.”

“Wander to Wonder” won the Animated Shorts Competition, with Dutch director Nina Gantz accepting the award. The film follows Mary, Billybud and Fumbleton, the animated stars of the fictional television program “Wander to Wonder,” after the show’s creator dies. Gantz thanked her husband Terence Dunn, who composed the film, and

joked about all she’s learned from Texas in her time here.

“I found out what grits is,” Gantz said, to audience laughter. “I found out honky-tonk — and I know that it’s not line dancing.”

Gantz finished by thanking all the filmmakers, audience members and SXSW programmers.

Nina Gantz, left, and Terence Dunn pose for a photo outside the Paramount Theatre after winning the Animated Shorts Competition for their film “Wander to Wonder.” Gantz, the Dutch director of the film, joked about all she’s learned since being in Texas, specifically what grits and honky-tonks are.

Winning the Animated Shorts Competition Special Jury Award was “Bug Diner,” an eccentric stop-motion comedy about a diner that serves animal and insect customers. The award was accepted by director, producer and screenwriter Phoebe Jane Hart, who also served many other roles in the production.

The Documentary Feature Competition winner was “Grand Theft Hamlet,” a full “Hamlet” production made within the chaotic virtual world of “Grand Theft Auto Online.” Husband-and-wife-team Pinny Gryllis and Sam Crane, the film’s directors and “Hamlet” performers, accepted the award with their crew onstage, thanking their team and family for supporting their work.

The awards celebration continued with an afterparty at the ZACH Theater, open to Premium and Film & TV pass holders only.

Did you know?

Select SXSW short and feature-length films are eligible for the Oscars, BAFTAs and the Film Independent Spirit Awards.

2024 SXSW Film & TV Award Winners

- Feature Film Grand Jury Awards: Narrative Feature Competition: Bob Trevino Likes It

- Feature Film Grand Jury Awards: Special Jury Award for Performance: Mamifera

- Feature Film Grand Jury Awards: Special Jury Award for Filmmaking: We Were Dangerous

- Documentary Feature Competition: Winner: Grand Theft Hamlet

- Documentary Feature Competition: Special Jury Award for Bravery and Empathy: We Can Be Heroes

- Short Film Competition Grand Jury Awards: Narrative Short Competition: Dissolution

- Short Film Competition Grand Jury Awards: Special Jury Award: Trapped

- Documentary Short Competition: Winner: Remember, Broken Crayons Colour Too

- Documentary Short Competition: Special Jury Award: Frank

- Midnight Shorts Competition: Winner: Transylvanie

- Midnight Shorts Competition: Special Jury Award: Meat Puppet

- Animated Shorts Competition: Winner: Wander to Wonder

- Animated Shorts Competition: Special Jury Award: Bug Diner

- Music Video Competition: Winner: Célen – Mom told you so

- Music Video Competition: Special Jury Award for Technical Wizardry: The Burning Hell – All I Need

- Texas Shorts Competition: Winner: Jedo’s Dead

- Texas Shorts Competition: Special Jury Award: Hair Care

- Independent TV Pilot Competition: Winner: Marvin Is Sorry

- Independent TV Pilot Competition: Special Jury Award: Halfrican American

- Poster Design Competition: Winner: 7 Beats Per Minute

- Poster Design Competition: Special Jury Award: If I Die in America

- XR Experience Competition: Winner: The Golden Key

- XR Experience Competition: Special Jury Award: Soul Paint

- SXSW Special Awards: Janet Pierson Champion Award: Kara Durrett

- SXSW Special Awards: Kickstarter NextGen Award: Family

- SXSW Special Awards: SXSW Best of Texas Award: Preconceived

Texas Shorts

Competition Reviews

Written by Cameron Johnson

about her

in“The

Seven unique short films premiered during SXSW on March 8 as part of the Texas Short Program at Rollins Theatre at The Long Center in Austin, with a secondary screening held on March 11. The shorts were “vibrant work filmed in, inspired by, or connected to the Lone Star State,” according to the SXSW website. It was here that SZNS happily fulfilled our mandate to report on Texas film, as we leaned back to enjoy the viewing experience.

Beeps — 7.5/10

Easily a standout for me. Set in East Hollywood, Sam Smith is driven crazy by the sound of a beep emanating from a fire alarm somewhere in the neighborhood. Smith and his partner, Robert Vilalta, go door-to-door, asking their neighbors about the source of the noise. The conflict is incredibly low-stakes, yet instantly understandable — the core idea of a “neighborhood” comes through during Smith and Vilalta’s investigation. The people they meet, the neighbors they’re shunned by and the connections they make are a pleasure to watch. This

is directed by Kirk Johnson, who is based out of Austin and Los Angeles as part of

Still from “Beeps.” (Photo courtesy of SXSW/Nathan Smith)

hilarious short

the filmmaking duo Beef & Sage.

Cindy Lofton speaks

role

Passing,” which was featured in the Texas Short Program at Rollins Theatre at The Long Center on March 11 during SXSW 2024.

Hair Care — 6/10

A narrative short from director Fatima Wardy, “Hair Care” is an ambitious project fueled by the love of Côte d’Ivoire, a nation in West Africa, and its artistic and cultural influences on the protagonist in Texas. It begins with lead Jamila, played by Se’An Boatner, abandoned in a hair stylist’s chair. When Jamila gets up to investigate, she’s suddenly transported to a fictional television studio, then to an animated version of Abidjan, a city in Côte d’Ivoire. The art style is expressive and stylized but doesn’t maintain a consistent flow throughout the animation. The sound design, however, sets the scene, and the chase through the streets is well-acted and written to great comedic effect. Narratively and artistically, a lot is happening for a 12-minute short and the love of filmmaking is obvious throughout every second. Wardy, an MFA production student at The University of Texas at Austin, rightfully earned the SXSW Texas Shorts Competition Special Jury Award.

Jedo’s Dead — 9/10

A young girl visits her grandfather after school, only to find he’s died in bed sometime prior. Scared, confused and more than a bit curious, child actor A.J. Lister takes the audience through a quiet gamut of emotion, which is later foiled by the frenetic panic of actor Langston Sardella, playing her older brother. Scenes of the children playing and dancing with Jedo, their grandfather, emphasize their relationships as loving and nurturing. While he’s dead in front of them, it’s not a morbid death. The children are given time to grieve their grandfather alone, comforting one another for this major change. Among it all, the children are living in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, influencing their relationship with death and mourning. The 9/11 theme isn’t as prevalent as the SXSW plot summary would suggest, but I don’t mind in the slightest. “Jedo’s Dead” is cleanly visualized and sharply written — contemplative, heartfelt and unique in its perspective from Dallas-based director/screenwriter Sara Nimeh. There’s a good reason this short won the SXSW Texas Shorts Competition.

Live from the Clouds — 6.5/10

Brooklynite director Mackie Mallison documents the lives and unknown ambitions of his Japanese-American relatives living in Texas. Mallison’s grandmother, Ayako Hiwatashi, moved from Japan in the 1950s and has never been back due to immense agoraphobia. Living in Texas with her daughters, each with similarly unrequited dreams, Mallison brings us into an otherworldly, grainy and often claustrophobic view of their world. There are times when the stories of the four women become so artistically fueled that it’s difficult to gauge whether this is a documentary, narrative or a blend in between. I’m of split minds for this film — am I here to praise the artist or the subjects? It’s valid to do both, and it’s a visually stimulating experience, but the cinematography seems to be here for its own sake, rather than to bolster the stories of these women.

Still from “Jedo’s Dead.” (Photo courtesy of SXSW)

Still from “Live From the Clouds.” (Photo courtesy of SXSW)

Still from “Hair Care.” (Photo courtesy of SXSW/Kageri)

Sangre Violenta / Sangre Violeta — 8/10

In September 2022, the Mexican hacktivist group Guacamaya released government documents stating the Mexican armed forces targeted feminist groups and organizations as a national-scale threat. Femicides have been on the rise in Mexico over several years, leading to death, chemical attacks and an escalation of violence towards women and girls in Mexico. Texas-based directors Edna Diaz and Arturo R. Jiménez provide perspectives from Jorge Santos, a father whose adolescent daughter was

murdered during the ongoing femicides, and Maria Elena Ríos, a saxophonist who was burned with acid at the hands of an ex-boyfriend. We also meet the staunch protest group Michis Aborteros, a group of masked women who defend feminists during public protests. It’s a harrowing journey, but welcome in the state of Texas where this story may be unknown and in which Mexican politics and culture heavily intertwine. This film went on to win the SXSW Texas Short Audience Award.

The Passing — 8/10

Dr. Michael Mullen, the Visiting Vet based in Austin, is passionate about pets. In this short documentary, Dr. Mullen makes his rounds throughout the city, checking in with aging cats and dogs in the comfort of their owners’ homes. Meanwhile, Cindy Lofton is preparing her own dog, Fiona, for her final day on Earth. The film opens with Lofton digging Fiona’s grave, and the film doesn’t let up on emotion from there. It’s a touching story about a woman and her closest, furriest friend, and despite the tearful ending, it’s a love letter to our pets, the comfort they provide and the valuable time we have with them.

Still from “The Queen vs Texas.” (Photo courtesy of SXSW/Emil Lozada)

The Queen vs Texas — 8/10

Raemonn James, better known as Hermajastie the Hung, is an Austin-based drag performer, activist, parent and primary subject and co-director of this documentary short. With co-director Emil Lozada, “The Queen vs Texas” takes us through the anti-drag legislation that has passed in recent years as seen through Hermajastie’s eyes. Hermajastie’s personal story was intended to be the primary focus of this film, but escalating political action toward drag performances led to a wider overlook of the drag community in Texas. There is a lack of conclusion to this short, but this absence of closure is a call to action for the audience to not let Texas be an unsafe place for the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ community.

Still from “Sangre Violenta / Sangre Violeta.” (Photo courtesy of SXSW/ Sangre Violenta / Sangre Violeta)

Still from “The Passing.” (Photo courtesy of SXSW/Patrick Bresnan)

Audience members watch a short film presented during the inagural LoreFest event film festival at The Village in Downtown Bryan on Oct. 27, 2023. About 200 guests attended the LoreFest film festival.

LoreFest

LoreFest 2023

Through folklore and filmmaking, local film festival enables community exploration for Texas A&M University

students

Students from Texas A&M University’s Performance in World Cultures class presented silent, black-and-white short films as part of the inaugural LoreFest, an event to connect students to the community through folklore. The silent films featured live music accompaniment performed by students in A&M’s Electronic Composition class.

The event was hosted by the lecturers of the presenting classes: Matthew Campbell, assistant program director of Performance Studies at A&M, and William Klugh Connor III, lecturer in A&M’s School of Performance, Visualization, and Fine Arts; both hold doctorates in ethnomusicology, the study of music’s effect on culture. LoreFest stemmed from a desire to prioritize a Halloween event for filmmakers and audiences. “It kind of ballooned out of there and we were like, ’Well, how are we going to ground these spooky stories? Why don’t we do local folklore?’ And then we ended up expanding that to local folklore stories here, but also from the students,” Campbell explained.

LoreFest was a three-night event, with the film festival bringing in about 200 guests on night two. Nights one and three featured storytelling and ghost walk events. “We were trying to give students a variety of creative outlets, basically,” Connor said. “Some of them are making puppets, some of them are doing performances of other types, theatrical performances or presentations with some sort of performative element.”

Why choose film for storytelling? “We felt like film was just a good outlet,” Connor said. “Everybody’s got a phone, they can go film something — it gives them a chance to do something maybe they don’t have a chance to do in their major or in daily life.”

The filmmaking process was unexpected for A&M political science senior Patricia Lee. While her group initially thought they would struggle to hit the time limit, they found they went over. The workload was also a surprise. “It definitely takes a lot longer than you think, both the filming process and the editing process,” Lee said.

As for having a big audience to watch their films, A&M mechanical engineering senior Mitchell Stephenson said it was a first, “Especially for something we whipped up fairly quickly for a class. And having a hundred people behind us, or however many — it was interesting for sure.”

While the students created projects for a grade, Connor highlighted the desire for students to connect with their community. “It’s far less about the grade, it’s about the, ‘Get out there and learn about the community and interact.’ And a great way to interact is go create something with or about the community you’re in.”

As Connor and Campbell were both new to the area, they discovered Bryan, Texas, the city neighboring A&M’s home of College Station, as a unique, historically significant location rich with storytelling potential, especially the downtown area. “We both got here and our first question to each other was where’s the scene?” Campbell said. “What are people doing? Where’s the cool punk club? Where’s the goth night? And we found both of those things and we found a whole lot more and we just started talking

Story and Photos by Kyle Heise

to people.” After initial plans to host the LoreFest film festival at The Queen Theatre in Downtown Bryan fell through, the event pivoted to The Village, a café around the corner, with the help of owner Kristy Petty. Films were screened with a projector in the café. The café has since closed since Lorefest.

“We’re in Downtown Bryan, which is a cool little town and has a bunch of history, but we didn’t really know any of it when we got here,” Campbell said. “We heard that students never come to Bryan and we were like – why? It’s fantastic down here. One of our first inspirations for this was to get students into Downtown Bryan and have them interacting with the local community.”

Connor and Campbell have plans to continue LoreFest. “LoreFest will be back in October of 2024, bigger and better. We are already speaking with new vendors and businesses in Bryan/College Station, as well as faculty collaborators in the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts, as well as other departments across campus,” Campbell said.

“There will definitely be community engagement,” Connor expanded. “We are expecting something different next time, but it will be the same theme and possibly bigger.”

19 | SZNS MAG

The inaugural LoreFest featured three nights of folklore storytelling. The second night featured a film festival with student-made films.

Want to see more? Visit YouTube.com/@SZNSMAG for the video interview.

Taran Verm, at left, a student in A&M’s Electronic Composition class, watches a short film presented during the inagural LoreFest event film festival. The event was organized by the lecturers of the performing classes, Matthew Campbell and William Klugh Connor III.

Actor, producer and writer Shun Lee Fong, above, speaks to the audience after presenting his newest production “Unexpected Amenities” during the inagural LoreFest event film festival. “Unexpected Amenities” was a horror short produced for Phantom Wines based on a short story submitted to their ghost story writing contest.

Khaza Chowdhury, from left, Kevin Jun, Kenny Fisher and Kobi Shutz help set up audio equipment used to accompany a short film. Students in A&M’s Electronic Composition class performed live musical scores to all presenting short films from A&M’s Performance in World Cultures class. The silent, black-and-white short films were focused on local folklore stories.

The

Final Scene

Blake Woodard, screenwriting chair at the Aggie SWAMP (Screenwriting, Acting and Movie Production) Club at Texas A&M University, writes on a whiteboard during a screenwriting weekend workshop on Feb. 3. The club hosts meetings, workshops and short film competitions throughout the semester.

by

Photo

Kyle Heise

Favorite Actor: Cillian Murphy

Favorite Director: Richard Donner