As the main educational sponsor of the Traverse City Film Festival, Michigan State University is contributing to the international film fest in more ways than one.
This year’s TCFF will feature MSU student-produced films, an interactive multimedia gallery, an MSU film school presentation and even a special place to meet and greet fellow Spartans.
Five student-produced films will be screened at this year’s festival, featuring the work of students from MSU’s College of Arts and Letters, College of Communication Arts and Sciences and College of Music.
The films include “Sorta Late,” a full-length feature film that follows student interns as they work a late-night talk show in Detroit, as well as several shorts, including “From Flint: Voices of a Poisoned City” which looks at the Flint water crisis through the eyes of residents who experienced it first hand.
“This outstanding work by our students is a testament to the collaborative culture being fostered at MSU,” said Christopher Long, dean of the MSU College of Arts and Letters. “It’s work like this that cuts across disciplines and facilitates experiential learning opportunities for our students that truly enhances our film and media arts programs and positions MSU to be a national leader in film.”
The Woz, located in Traverse City’s Hotel Indigo, is a hands-on, interactive media and gaming showcase where festivalgoers can explore the future of storytelling and experience virtual worlds in ways never before possible.
This multimedia gallery will feature the latest in gaming and virtual reality technology, including the recently released HTC Vive, which combines a virtual reality headset with motion-tracked handheld controllers that allow users to move around and interact within immersive virtual environments.
"Our game design program is one of the best in the nation,” said Prabu David, dean of the MSU College of Communication Arts and Sciences. “We are excited to showcase at The Woz some of their work, along with some new virtual reality gear and applications. I am also excited about our film students, who will be debuting their work on the big screen.”
The Woz will be free and open to the public from noon to 9 p.m. July 27-30 and from noon to 5 p.m. July 31.
MSU will participate in “Striking the Right Chords,” a TCFF Film School presentation on July 29. Aspiring filmmakers will learn from professionals who share their movie-making insights and experiences.
Spartans also can visit Spartan Headquarters, located at 333 E. State St., which will offer free Spartan gear and MSU and TCFF information. In addition, MSU students can get four free tickets to the festival when they present their student ID.
Headquarters’ hours are 9 a.m. to noon and 4 to 7 p.m. July 26-29, and 9 a.m. to noon on July 30.
For more information, visit the MSU at TCFF website. On social, follow the hashtags #MSUTCFF and #TCFF for the latest updates.
Billboard image courtesy College of Communication Arts and Sciences.