The National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY) celebrates great work by filmmakers 22 and younger. This allows promising high school filmmakers to meet college students from the nation’s leading film schools. For students from the Ballard High School Video Production Program, it also gives them a chance to catch up with program alumni and see their recent work.
Rikke Heinecke (BHS ’11) produced and directed titles are too mainstream last summer before leaving Seattle for the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. Networking with other graduates preparing to attend USC put her in touch with Dylan Visvikis (Woodenville High School, ’11). Heinecke was taken with his script for titles..., and launched a successful campaign on Kickstarter to raise funds for the project. Using a network she had developed during her studies in the BHS Video Program, Heinecke hired Bud Harrington as Director of Photography and worked with Screen Actors Guild veteran and acting coach Valerie Mamches to cast the production. She also recruited Sydney Jarol (BHS ’11) and Jacob Scott (BHS ’13) for the camera crew.
titles are too mainstream tells the story of Alex, who embarks on a quest to become a hipster legend and win over the girl of his dreams. "I'm very excited to be premiering the film at NFFTY” says Heinecke, “it will be the first time anyone (including the actors and crew members) will have seen it."
Heinecke is no stranger to NFFTY. In 2010, she was on a team of 5 filmmakers from Ballard High School to win NFFTYs 48 Hour Film Off. The following year, her first visual story, Signs, premiered at NFFTY on Opening Night. Heinecke is looking forward to NFFTY 2012. "I am so excited to get to be a part of NFFTY for my third year in a row. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet amazingly talented filmmakers. Last year I met Allison Tate-Cortese, who is also a freshman in the Film and Television Production Program at USC and has become one of my best friends. I really can't wait to see who I'll meet this year and what inspiring stories will unfold in front of me on the big screen."
titles are too mainstream will screen during the Sex, Lies, & Angst program at the SIFF Uptown 2 Friday at 9 pm. As previously announced, NFFTY will also screen 6 short films produced by students currently in the BHS Video Production Program. For a complete festival schedule, visit www.nffty.org.
