Events, Red Carpet
May 2, 2013

TAKING A LOOK AT THE FIRST GLANCE FILM FESTIVAL

The FirstGlance Film festival was originally started in 1996 by a small group of people with the intention of it becoming a low-key indie fest in a basement of a theater in Philadelphia. After a few viewings were shown with a rented projector and a couple of televsions, FirstGlance Films gained popularity from the excitement passed down by its attendees. Soon enough, it became a major event that made its way into Hollywood, and expanded to 100,000 attendees.

At “First Glance,” the fest appears to welcome its new and returning filmmakers and fans for an ordinary weekend to come. Well, there is nothing ordinary about the features, shorts, web series and webisodes that have been shown at Raleigh Studios this weekend. It seems like there is a growing trend of continuous creativity among these hardworking creators.

More and more animation and special effects are being used in today’s independent flicks. Animation is a huge part of the making of one of the shorts presented this weekend by the name of 80’s Fitness. The comic book style acting and movement of the film plays very well with its diverting theme. In short, the four-minute feature depicts a gang of fitness freaks battling their rivals on top of city rooftops and skyscrapers in a very edgy cartoonish fighting style sustained by fast paced electronic music in the background.

Another highlight of the festival that also used some advanced animation is the short animated film Invisible Hero. This particular short captivated the audience surprisingly not only because of the visual but also because of the emotional impact it had on the viewers. The film has a very dark and isolated feel to it but just like its title, it consciously brings about a positive message. The plot of the film is about a lonesome man who is living in a building where the tenants have no sense of personal responsibility for their own lives, as their actions will portray. The main character, this “invisible hero”, comes into their apartments day in and day out and ever so smoothly fixes the messes they make and inadvertently saves their lives. The climax of the short film comes about when the main character is on his way to return a gun that failed to take the shot, which he had aimed at himself previously, and runs into two criminals that are taking advantage of an innocent young lady. In his attempt to dissolve the situation he points the gun at one of the muggers and shoots him down. He gets his face re-arranged by the other perpetrator and right before he is killed, the police arrive. This being the first episode, we may not know what happens next but it creates a nice layout of what is to come in the series and brings about excitement of its viewers.

The next surprise came from an episode of a Web series called Wunderland. Set in World War 2, it depicts the daily lives of a few American soldiers in Germany and their struggles. With its intense dialogue and flawless picture, it is sure to gain a lot of viewers in no time.

If you are looking for a new and innovative look into filmmaking, the FirstGlance Film festival is the place for you. Held every year from April 26th to 28th, at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, FirstGlance Films brings a fresh take on emerging talent and creative pieces that will leave you wanting more.

For more information, visit FirstGlanceFilms.com

Visit First Glance Film Festival on Facebook for the official festival photos!