Newswise — A short film written and produced by Florida State University Film School student Matthew Pope has won the 2005 Coca Cola Refreshing Filmmaker's Award. As winner of the prestigious annual competition, Pope will receive $10,000 and launch a promising career when moviegoers watch "The Line Starts Here" this summer as part of the pre-feature entertainment on more than 21,000 screens nationwide.
The script for the live action film that lasts less than a minute trumped nearly 200 others from students across the country, wowing a panel of judges that included Academy Award-winning actor Matt Damon and top industry executives from the likes of DreamWorks and Blockbuster, Inc.
"This is an exciting opportunity for me," said Pope, 27. "You can work for years in this business without ever seeing a film make it to the screen, much less to thousands." In August the Atlanta native will earn his master of fine arts degree in film production from FSU's School of Motion Picture, Television and Recording Arts -- also known as The Film School.
Coca-Cola will announce the award on March 17 in Las Vegas at a ceremony during ShoWest, the theater industry's largest trade show. Pope is the second FSU student to nab the prize since the contest's 1997 debut. Film School alumnus Jason Doty won in 2000.
"The Line Starts Here" -- based on the contest's theme of movies, movie-going or movie-making -- highlights the travails and ultimate triumph of a young man who pitches his tent months in advance to be first in line for a ticket to a major motion picture.
"Even an industry giant like Steven Spielberg has yet to see one of his movies open in 21,000 theatres at one time, so this is a remarkable way for Matt to begin his career," said FSU Film School Dean Frank Patterson. "Matt will also appear on the big screen this summer along with his film, introducing himself as a Florida State student to as many as 50 million Americans. Just thinking about that puts a big proud grin on my face."
Each year, Coca-Cola's Refreshing Filmmaker's Award program offers students a bridge between the classroom and the working world of filmmaking. Last fall, participants from 10 distinguished film programs -- including FSU's and others at institutions such as New York University, Columbia and University of California at Los Angeles -- submitted nearly 200 scripts and storyboards for review by the "Red Ribbon Panel" comprised of top Hollywood and cinema executives, writers and actors.
Pope's entry netted one of 10 finalist berths, plus a $7,500 production grant to spin his script into potential career gold within 10 short weeks. In early January Pope did just that, using a Tallahassee movie theater and an able crew composed entirely of FSU Film School students.
What will Coca Cola's 2005 Refreshing Filmmaker do with his $10,000 prize? "I'll probably save it for rent when I get out to L.A.," he said.
FSU's School of Motion Picture, Television and Recording Arts -- also known asThe Film School -- comprises one of the largest and best-equipped facilities devoted wholly to film education, while its undergraduate and master of fine arts programs rank among the most highly regarded in the world
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