by Haydn Radford (
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Haydn Radford -A freelance writer born in Adelaide, who loves living here. I write about movies, theatre, entertainment, literary and art events. I am happy to promote & review your events. www.weekendnotes.com/profile/121822
The Capri Theatre will again host The International Youth Silent Film Festival (IYSFF) featuring silent films by young budding filmmakers aged 20 years and under.
Hosted by the Theatre Organ Society, (TOSA (SA) Inc. this South Australian competition, an Adelaide first, has become an annual event since 2013, attracting entries from secondary and primary schools. What is especially exciting for this year's competition is the prize money is now: First prize $3,000, Second $1,500 and third $500 - All US Dollars.
The judges include, Disney musician and film buff Rob Richards, President and founder of the International Youth Silent Film Festival Jon (JP) Palanuk, Vice-president of the IYSFF board and President of Thanhouse Film Preservation Company Ned Thanhouser, Melbourne theatre organist and silent movie accompanist David Johnston, Film actress Anna Sargeant, Jim Stewart of The Voice and new to the panel this year, Dr Nick Prescott, ABC891 film reviewer and Flinders University lecturer.
This line-up of celebrities ensures that entries from the young filmmakers are being seen and adjudicated by judges of the utmost experience and knowledge in film. The judges all agreed that the standard of silent movies is rising every year and stated how much they enjoyed watching the films which are three minutes in length.
IYSF challenges young people to make a silent movie, to suit one of the especially composed pieces of music by Nathan Avakian, from Portland, Oregon, the 2009 overall winner of the American Theatre Organist Society (ATOS). Nathan will accompany the films on the mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ.
The might Wurlitzer Organ. Photo courtesy of Capri Theatre
Each musical score is composed for the theatre organ and has a distinctly different mood and feeling. The entrants listen to the music and choose a piece, making a film to suit the music. This requires story-boards, listening to the music to work out where the mood changes, where it is slow, fast, sad, happy, romantic or creates a sense of excitement. This will serve to guide their visual storytelling and inspire tempo and mood.
The pipes for the mighty Wurlitzer Organ. Photo courtesy of Capri Theatre
