Saugus students working hard for upcoming High School Film Festival

SAUGUS – A cacophony of laughter, music, strange sounds and loud music blared out of Ken Webb?s advanced digital imaging class at Saugus High School last Thursday, as about a dozen students worked to put their short films together for the upcoming first annual Saugus High School Film Festival.Students sat alone and in groups as they edited their movies using iMovie and even Final Cut for some of the more advanced in the class.?It?s a half-year course and this is the first year we changed it from assignments where the kids aren?t that vested in the projects to, ?What do you want to do,?” said Webb. “They?re semi-motivated and know what they?re doing so we?re trying to take advantage of that.”Webb said he brought the idea up of doing a film festival at the beginning of the semester and they all jumped on board. Since then, Webb said he?s made sure his students take ownership of every aspect of the festival.?From getting space from the school to do it, to making sure the administration building knows what?s going on, it?s up to them,” said Webb. “They?re going to be responsible for getting judges for the show and prizes for certain categories. They?re responsible for soliciting local businesses for little donations.”Webb said any businesses in town can donate prizes for the festival.?Once we get all of the donations, we?ll determine what people win,” said Webb.From music videos to more avante garde videos, Webb said the range of films is as varied as the students in his class. And the best part, he said, is the festival is open to the entire school.?Anyone that goes to Saugus High School can submit a film for it,” said Webb. “The range of videos is all over the place. Some are 30 seconds, some are maybe 20 minutes. There are music videos and some are just noises and skits and little mini stories.”Rob Moore is making a series of five-second films and said he?s been brainstorming ideas, but wants to keep them “under wraps” until the festival.?We haven?t really started yet,” said Moore. “We?re waiting for the nice weather. When I got all the ideas, they?re things I want to do when it?s nice out like me getting hit with water balloons. I don?t want to do that if it?s 30 degrees out. I want to do a lot of them, but I want it to be a surprise.”Chris Masih and Steve Essery are hosting the festival. Masih said he?s working on a documentary about his co-host.?(Essery) is working on a web series and I?m documenting the production of that web series,” said Masih. “But it?s less about the series than it is about him. We delve into the mind of Steven Essery.”?It?s a feel-good movie,” added Essery. “I?m learning things about myself.”On Friday, Masih and Essery worked on editing a commercial they made to advertise the festival.?It?s going to be breaking-branches-over-Chris?-head-awesome,” Essery says in one clip as David Bowie?s ?Life of Mars? plays in the background.?It?s going to be jumping-off-of-platforms-awesome,” he says in another, as he jumps off of, you guessed it, a platform.Lizz Downs and Amanda DiCenzo are also working on a documentary together, and DiCenzo said she?s excited for the festival because it will be a unique event for Saugus High School students.?It?s a lot of fun,” said DiCenzo. “We really learn a lot and I think the festival will be a start of something fun that will grow in the future.”The festival will be held on May 15 at 7 p.m. in the Saugus High School auditorium. Deadline for submissions is May 9.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected] a video promotion for the film festival featuring the festival’s hosts.