GREENFIELD, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — Greenfield Community Television is bringing back their annual film festival for a sixth year.
Lights! Camera! Greenfield!, the two-week film sprint and festival, kicks off on February 9. Teams will receive two unique prompts along with one universal prompt that ,just appear in their four minute film, which will premiere on March 5th at the Greenfield Garden Cinema.
From Greenfield Community Television:
How long does it really take to make a movie?
Greenfield Community Television brings back its annual film festival for a sixth year, challenging filmmakers to see just how fast creativity can move.
Lights! Camera! Greenfield!, the two-week film sprint and festival, kicks off on February 9. Teams can sign up now using the Google form at
https://forms.gle/V87nTWnwvqEGHmmf7.
Once registered, teams will receive their prompts and jump straight into filmmaking.
Each team receives two unique prompts along with one universal prompt that must appear in their film. With those elements in hand, teams have just two weeks to create a short film running four minutes or less. The sprint culminates in a public premiere on March 5 at the Greenfield Garden Cinema, located at 361 Main Street.
See examples from last year’s festival here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqOw-sfqn2fIrQXhb0UjiNwkOsuLaQ5-A.
As in previous years, the festival offers four workshops leading up to the premiere, supporting participants at every skill level. New this year, a workshop at Prospect Meadow Farm in Hatfield will bring together people with disabilities already enrolled in the program with the help from GCTV staff to create an original film and take part in the festival. Participants in The Rec Room, the Greenfield Recreation Department’s after-school program, will also join a hands-on documentary filmmaking workshop and collaboratively produce a film about the Winter Carnival cardboard sled contest for the festival.
Building on last year’s success, GCTV will host an open-enrollment workshop at Greenfield Community College on January 26 and 27. Registration is available at
https://engage.gcc.mass.edu/workshops/short-film-sprint-workshop/.
While this workshop focuses on older adults, people of all ages are welcome. GCTV will also offer a free workshop for children at the YMCA on February 19.
Although some workshops fall outside the official two-week film sprint duration, all qualify for festival participation as special GCTV programs.
Through these workshops, GCTV works to expand equity and participation in the festival by intentionally lowering barriers to entry and creating accessible pathways for individuals and communities historically underrepresented in film festivals.
Participants may use GCTV’s equipment, software, and training at no cost upon request, with staff available to support every stage of the filmmaking process. Filmmakers may also shoot their projects on phones—no prior video production experience required.
Whether you’re a seasoned filmmaker, a first-time storyteller, or someone who’s never picked up a camera, Lights! Camera! Greenfield! proves that creativity thrives under pressure. Form a team, take on the challenge, and see just how much movie magic you can create in two weeks—then celebrate it together on the big screen.
