We asked our Audience Awards community to submit their short music videos to help us showcase music from around the world. Here are the top three jury selected winning films from our AudFest Music Video Shorts Film Festival.
In the first place film, Grey by Kent Donguines, a woman, and man from opposing worlds have the veil between them lifted. Through experimental editing and dance, they are able to experience each other’s worlds and create a realm of their own.
Donguines told Audience Awards, “as an emerging filmmaker, it is always delightful to collaborate with other emerging artists especially if you’re sharing the same passion.”
In second place is The Wayward Wind by Steve Delahoyde and Monica Thomas featuring a wayward traveler who is encouraged to settle down. Director Steve Delahoyde shared some of the triumphs and difficulties that occurred during and following the project. He explained,
The first tricky thing was to find a farm that looked like it could exist in the right era and that we could get for cheap. I wound up paring every potential farm down to about 5 and then spent a really long day driving a million miles through Illinois and Wisconsin, looking at farms and meeting owners. Day of the shoot, it was one of those summer days in the midwest that are just brutal. 90 degrees and 98% humidity. We also had to pause a few times for sudden storms that would come through. For triumphs, I think the whole thing turned out really nice. It was a beautiful place to shoot and we had a great cast and crew who all gave it their all. We lucked out for the whole thing.
Dancing With U by Marc Richter follows a young boy with a dream of becoming a dancer. The boy is teased and bullied throughout school for not having the stereotypical body of a dancer. The boy meets a young girl who sees past his body image and leads him to pursue his dream.
When asked what inspired Richter to make this music video, he said,
I discovered the main star, Erik Cavanaugh, through a trending viral dance video and he inspired me. He’s an overweight ballet dancer, that is just incredible at what he does. I felt a lot of his struggle had resonated with my own life and thought I could tell a story where others could relate as well. Within a month.. to receive thousands of shares, hundreds of thousands of views, and so many beautiful comments… To be told I inspire someone.. made a stranger cry, and even touched their heart and soul.. It’s all just beyond my expectations.
The Music Video Shorts Film Festival jury panel is an esteemed panel of music and film industry experts. Leah Song has developed her artistry alongside social justice and traditional arts communities around the world and through 12 years touring as frontwoman of her band Rising Appalachia. Ryan Kruger is recognized as one of the leading music video directors in the country, having directed over 75 music videos and receiving numerous awards. Rounding out the jury is the SoundColor Studios team, a membership-based cooperative production studio, connecting artists, filmmakers & musicians.
A huge thanks to our community of creatives and filmmakers who submitted, and hearty congratulations to all the winners! We look forward to seeing the top three films premiere at AudFest 2018! To stay up-to-date on our festival winners, visit: https://audnews.com/contests/winners
