Student filmmakers from around the region will gather this fall to take part in the third installment of the YellowHammer Film Festival held both virtually and at Troy University. This year’s festival will feature speakers from HBO, Netflix Animation Studios, The Simpsons and more, as well as winning student filmmakers from previous years. 

The festival was created in 2021 by Associate Professor of Design Chris Stagl as a platform to bring creative filmmakers and animators together during the pandemic. 

“YellowHammer began as an opportunity for high school and college students from around the state to showcase their film and animations and has turned in to a national festival entered by hundreds of filmmakers,” Stagl said. “Over the past two years we have awarded over 50 prizes to outstanding films from over 30 states—including the Alabama-specific prize The YellowHammer Award—which is given to an Alabama high school and college student for their outstanding contributions.” 

Last year’s College Division YellowHammer Award went to a noir suspense film titled “Unseen” created by TROY students Nathan Hobbs and Howard Purvee.

“Watching your films in a theater with a group of friends and family is exhilarating. I highly encourage all students to be a part of the fest and come watch the films selected,” Hobbs said.

“Watching ‘Unseen’ on the big screen and watching the films it went up against was an experience I’ll never forget. It certainly makes all of the hard work that goes into filmmaking worth it,” Purvee added.

Types of creative works eligible for entry include short films under 10 minutes in length and their corresponding posters, commercials, social media videos, animation, motion graphics, music videos, news packages and experimental films. 

The event will be held on October 27 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in Crosby Theater and online. 

For more information on YellowHammer 3, visit yellowhammerfilmfestival.com or visit filmfreeway.com/YellowHammerFilmFest to submit. For more information on how to get involved email Chris Stagl at cstagl@troy.edu.