By: Aly West

As a celebration of the Bellbrook community, the Marketing and Communications Club is hosting its first ever short film competition. Whether the film is a fantasy, romance, thriller, or an appreciation of Bellbrook, they must revolve around the theme of “The Heart of Bellbrook” and stay under 20 minutes. A letter of intent is required for a submission and films are due April 5. More information here. 

“The idea came to me a few years ago,” club advisor and communications coordinator for Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools Henry Conte said. “I’ve been thinking about it since.”

Junior Olive Varvel, a club participant, helped execute the marketing portion of the event by producing an ad to introduce the contest. Varvel works in partnership with other BHS students and Conte. 

Organizing and planning an event like this can come with challenges for the club participants.

“Our main challenge right now is getting people to join the film festival and submit a film,” Varvel said. “We want as many films as possible, so that is where the marketing and communications part come into play.”

“School is the life of the community, and if the school isn’t doing well, typically your community isn’t doing well,” Conte said. “My greatest hope is that we get some cool film submissions, where people are talking about how much they really love where they grew up.”

Senior Kori Place hopes to study filmmaking in college and pursue a career in it. Place currently captures BHS sports games and turns them into highlights for her personal Instagram, kp.framez, and portfolio.

“This is definitely something that is really important to me,” Place said. “And I think it’ll be a good way to get recognition for what I do, other than sports filming because that’s not my only interest.”

Place plans to collaborate with some of the BHS theatre crew as actors in the film and utilize her Sinclair CCP Playwriting class to develop her script.

“I’m thinking of creating more of a fantasy style to the film,” Place said. “Like in essence of the Pirates of the Caribbean, where they’re trying to find the actual heart of Bellbrook and it takes them through a journey. I’m already thinking of that music in my head.”

“I am most excited to see all the amazing films that community members are going to create,” Varvel said. “Lots of people in the community have probably never submitted a film before for a contest like this.”

If enough films are submitted, the club plans to organize a festival at the stadium to showcase the films for Bellbrook residents. The event would take place in late May and feature community partnerships and activities prior to the film screenings.

“My goal is to not be able to seat enough people at the stadium and really have everyone out there supporting one another, celebrating what Bellbrook means to them,” Conte said.