Cinematographer Darren Genet will be the keynote speaker for the fourth annual YellowHammer Film Festival at TROY on October 30.
Genet will round out a day of presentations by students from around the country, as well as Academy-Award nominated Netflix artist Ty Primosch and animation professor KJ Mathieson.
A native of Miami Beach, Genet has been making films since he could hold a camera. He spent years mentoring in the commercial world with acclaimed directors such as Michael Bay and Tony Scott before entering the world of narrative filmmaking.
Genet received his MFA from the American Film Institute. His camerawork has earned two Television Academy Awards, a nomination for the prestigious ASC Heritage Award and he has been honored twice at the Emerging Cinematographer Awards.
Genet’s body of work in features and television with directors such as Chris Columbus, Francis Lawrence, Amy Heckerling and Jordan Peele have earned him an invitation to join the ranks of the prestigious American Society of Cinematographers. Over the years, his work has garnered attention from publications such as The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, American Cinematographer and The New Yorker.
Sponsors for this year’s festival include some of the biggest names from the film industry including BlackMagic Design, Tiffen, Freewell, DigitalFoto, Kondor Blue, Iron Glass, Rokinon, AngelBird, Above Below The Line, Alabama Film Office and Alabama State Council on the Arts. These sponsors are combining for more than $13,000 worth of support, prizes and awards for the festival and filmmakers.
“Above Below The Line (ABL Agency) is excited to be a sponsor and partner of the YellowHammer Film Festival,” said Andrew Toth, founder of ABL Agency. “Our agency is happy we can provide this year’s keynote speaker. We believe the students will truly enjoy the presentation by our industry experts and will help launch the future of the industry.”
Awards will be given in the following categories for both the High School and College Division:
• Best of Show
• Best Writing/Storytelling
• Best Directing
• Best Producing
• Best Cinematography
• Best Audio/Score
• Best Acting
• Best Editing
• Best Animation/Visual Effects
• Best Movie Poster (new in 2024)
• Best Photography (new in 2024)
The YellowHammer Film Festival is an enriching interactive experience for high school and college students that consists of workshops, presentations, a keynote speaker, a student film exhibition and an awards ceremony. Anyone can attend the daylong festival free of charge, but only students can compete in the exhibition.
This year’s festival will be held from noon – 10 p.m. in Crosby Theater on Troy University’s campus and will also be available online via Zoom. The YellowHammer Film Festival is made possible and funded by The Alabama State Council on the Arts and the Troy University Office of Sponsored Programs.
A full schedule, presenter bios and the event registration form can be found online. For those who plan on attending remotely, register to receive the Zoom link.
To enter before the October 1 deadline, visit: https://filmfreeway.com/YellowHammerFilmFest
