The Newport Beach Film Festival has become known for its collegiate cinema showcase. Several noted schools regularly submit films by student filmmakers, including Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, which is ranked as the fourth leading film school in the U.S. by both the Hollywood Reporter and The Wrap.
Last fall, two students involved with the Chapman’s Dodge College, Martina Moussa and Langley Turcsanyi, switched from the screen to the written word and penned previews of films entered into the Newport Beach Film Festival that were published in the Newport Beach Independent. Moussa has gone one step further and is serving an internship this spring with the Newport Beach Film Festival.
Now, Moussa and Langley are using their film knowledge and skills gleaned from their Media Relations class (taught by NB Indy editor, Prof. Christopher Trela) to promote two female filmmakers from Chapman that are participating as finalists in the Coca-Cola Refreshing Films program with the opportunity to have their film screened at Coca-Cola partnered theaters across the country.
According to a press release written by Moussa and Langley, student filmmakers Kaylen Ng and May-Lynn Le submitted their story concept to the Coca-Cola Refreshing Films team. They were selected as finalists to participate along with three other college teams from around the country to create a 60-second commercial spot with a budget of $18,000 provided by the Coca-Cola Refreshing Films program.
The Coca-Cola Refreshing Films program is a platform that provides students from partnered schools the opportunity to create content for the big screen while working with a big-name brand and a professional production timeline.
The short film from Ng and Le is titled “Movie Hopping,” and follows teens as they hop through movie poster portals into classic film genres such as a western, film noir, and 1950’s Americana.
Ng and Le wrote this story with the goal of turning these classic film tropes upside-down through a contemporary and innovative approach. The story seamlessly features characters and actors from a variety of backgrounds, creating an inclusive environment for both the cast and the crew.
The Grand Prize-winning film will be selected in late spring. For more information regarding the Coca-Cola Refreshing Films program, visit https://us.coca-cola.com/refreshingfilms.
Kudos also to Moussa and Langley for their efforts on behalf of the Chapman filmmakers. Hopefully they’ll find time in their busy schedules to write more film reviews for the NB Indy.
