Posted by Larry Gleeson

Out of the box and into the heat of competition goes the 2018 Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s (SBIFF) group of 10-10-10 Student Screenwriting and Filmmaking Mentorship and Competition participants.

Earlier this afternoon, SBIFF held a press conference at the newly constructed Hotel Californian Alhambra Ballroom in downtown Santa Barbara, Calif. After a brief introduction by SBIFF Educational Director Amanda Graves, the Co-Founders and Co-Directors of the 10-10-10 Student Competition, Guy Smith, a long-time Santa Barbara based educator, and Michael Stinson, an adjunct professor of Film and Media Studies at Santa Barbara City College, addressed the conference. Smith’s self-deprecating humor lightened the tone after the recent Thomas Fire and ensuing mudslide in nearby Montecito and proceeded to provide some interesting background on the Competition.

Originally, the Competition required participants to write, edit and produce a 10 minute short film in 10 days. Today, the competition has evolved to include a much more comprehensive process where the participants are paired with mentors and industry professionals to produce a rough cut, receive feedback and incorporate any warranted changes.

Smith also noted numerous 10-10-10 participants have gone on to film schools and to work in industry positions. This year’s competition has four categories: two writing and two directing, one for high school students and one for college level students.

Stinson proceeded to introduce all of this year’s writers and directors, announced the screening date, February 10th, 2018 from 2 P.M. – 4 P.M. at the historic Arlington Theater. and informed the conference the winners of the 10-10-10 Competition would be announced on the last day of the festival.