YellowHammer Film Festival Comes Back To Troy For Fifth Year

During the height of COVID-19 in 2020, one Troy professor wanted to give student filmmakers an outlet during a time of isolation. In turn, he became a founder of the YellowHammer Film Festival, which is now one of the leading student film festivals in the country. 

YellowHammer Film Festival is held annually in the fall on Troy’s campus. It allows aspiring high school and college student filmmakers from all over the country to present their art to a panel of industry professionals. The categories from previous years include college, high school and animation. 

“We have a day of workshops, guest speakers and film showcases that are encapsulated with an awards ceremony at the end of the evening,” said Assistant Chair of Art and Design and Associate Professor of Graphic Desig Chris Stagl, said when asked about the festival itself. “It’s a full-day festival where students can come, and they can learn things from industry professionals and watch films.” 

The guest speakers who attend the festival are leading reps in the film industry.  

“The speakers are industry professionals,” Stagl said. “They come from HBO, Netflix and places like that.  

“One of our animation guest speakers was from Netflix animation. We have a lot of talented folks that attend as speakers.” 

The festival is also accessible to those who cannot travel to Troy. Zoom is utilized for speakers, students and guests alike.  

Through the use of Zoom, YellowHammer has expanded their audience on an international scale. Students and speakers from across the world will be attending and participating in the festival as they add an international category to the mix this fall. 

The judges for the international category will be two Troy faculty members: Dr. Kelly Suero, the Chair of World Languages and Cultures, and Thiffany Belda, a faculty member in the Department of Art and Design who has worked internationally. 

Multiple awards are given out at the end of the festival. Some of these awards include Best Direction, Best Writing, Best Cinematography and Best Acting.  

Prizes are also given out to award recipients. Some of these prizes include lenses, filters and other camera accessories given by sponsors. This year’s premiere sponsor is Studio 207, a local design company formed by four Troy alumni. 

The festival is open to all students.  

“I would like to encourage everyone to visit the film fest for at least an hour or so,” said Icie Wallace, a senior graphic design major from Sylacauga, Alabama. Wallace was a student filmmaker in last year’s festival and won the First Time Filmmaker Award for her music video, “The King.” “These films are extremely touching and entertaining, and they are a good representation of the things that our fellow college students are creating right now,” Wallace said. 

Mallory Burcham, a Troy alumnus who participated in the festival last year, also worked on the winning music video.  

“YellowHammer helped me define a newfound passion and bring structure to my ideas,” Burcham said. “Just participating in YellowHammer once has taught me so much about film and videography, and it’s motivated me to continue my creative process. 

“If you have a vision, your story is always worth telling.” 

The festival will take place this year on Wednesday, Oct. 29. It will take place from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. in Room 207 of the International Arts Center. It is free to all students, and refreshments will be served. 

Submissions are still open for students. Films can be submitted via the YellowHammer Film Festival website at https://www.yellowhammerfilmfest.com/. For volunteer inquiries, students can email Chris Stagl at cstagl@troy.edu.