Upland, Ind.—Workshops, screenings and an awards presentation for Taylor student filmmakers will highlight the 2019 Envision Film Festival at Taylor University, scheduled for March 7-9.
Los Angeles producers and directors Dan and Peggy Rupple will be two of the festival’s three honored guests. Dan Rupple is CEO of Mastermedia, an organization that provides consulting and spiritual counsel to entertainment industry executives. He is a former television industry producer, having worked on The Price is Right, The Late Show with David Letterman, and The Prime Time Emmy Awards. Peggy Rupple is currently the Associate Director of the Windrider Forum, a faith and film forum that occurs in conjunction with the Sundance Film Festival. Both are licensed ministers and in-demand speakers, committed to equipping the next generation of visual storytellers.
The third festival guest is film director and producer Avril Speaks. She is an accomplished independent filmmaker with credits as producer, writer, director, and editor. Speaks was an Associate Producer on the TNT docuseries American Race, and was the lead producer on the feature film Jinn, which premiered in Narrative Competition at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival in 2018. Speaks, a Film Independent Producing Lab Fellow, was recently selected as one of the participants in the 2019 Rotterdam Producer’s Lab. She is also a winner of the 2018 Movie Magic Producer Award.
High school students and interested community members are welcome to attend workshops at no cost. However, registration is required at http://www.envisionfilmfestival.com.
The Envision Film Festival also includes an awards ceremony highlighting the year’s best in Taylor student filmmaking and showcasing the winner of the high school competition. Taylor’s Film and Media Production program has won more than 300 external awards in the last dozen years, including CINEs, Tellys, and six Crystal Pillars from the regional Emmy organization.
The community is welcomed to the March 8 screening event at 7 pm in Rediger Auditorium on the Taylor University campus in Upland. Tickets are available at the door for $5.00 general admission. The event is free to Taylor students.
The Envision Film Festival is hosted by Taylor’s Film and Media Arts program and Taylor’s Center for Faith, Film and Media.
Read more in this Chronicle Tribune article.