Focus Film Festival Awards

from the June 2010 issue of KC Stage

Youth and filmmaking were showcased Sunday during a ceremony for the fifth annual Lawrence High School Focus Film Festival Awards at Liberty Hall, 644 Mass. Organized by Lawrence High School’s film and media teacher Jeff Kuhr, the festival received 92 submissions from 14 area high schools.

Winners were selected by Lawrence filmmaker Patrick Rea, BlueCat Screenplay Competition founder Gordy Hoffman, Journal-World entertainment editor Jon Niccum and Kansas University Department of Film and Media Studies chair Tamara Falicov.

Major category winners received a gold reel, and technical winners a silver. Prizes awarded included Adobe Premiere Pro CS 4 software, selections from the Criterion Collection, and films by Palm Pictures and New Video Group.

Focus Film Festival Winners

• Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy: “The Sci-Fi Movie” by Ellie Berland, Megan Fleming, Zoey Hearn; Lawrence High School
• Best Music Video: “Parody Me!” by Danny Neely, Cameron Volker; Shawnee Mission West
• Best Original Music Video: “Stuntin’ Like My Caddy” by Danny Neely, Cameron Volker; Shawnee Mission West
• Best Documentary: “Margaret Sanger” by Grace Bova, Phebe Meyers; Lawrence High School
• Best Experimental: “Not at Home” by Nikki Walker; Lawrence High School
• Best Horror/Suspense (tie): “My Darling” by Hunter Matthews; Olathe Northwest High School; and “Trapped” by Dan Carter, Gordy Doyle; Lawrence High School
• Best Animation: “Calamity” by Brian Schwabauer, Kevin Sikes; Shawnee Mission South
• Best Comedy: “Shortz” by Sean Cunningham, Danny Neely, Cameron Volker; Shawnee Mission West
• Best Drama: “Janus” by Kyler Thomann; Lawrence High School
• Best Editing: “My Shadow” by Buffy Faircloth; Lawrence High School
• Best Cinematography: “Leap” by Luke McDaneld; Lawrence High School
• Best Story: “I Noticed” by Kyle Stone; Blue Valley West
• Fan Favorite: “Regarding Anrai” by Henry Chapman, Gordy Doyle, Logan Strout; Lawrence High School
• Best in Show: “Calamity” by Brian Schwabauer, Kevin Sikes; Shawnee Mission South