“Moses Cove”, a short film made by recent graduates of the Motion Picture and Television Program at WCU was accepted into the upcoming Atlanta Short Film Festival September 14-16 at the Goat Farms Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Chris Read and Zack Heaton were the men behind the movie. This film was their senior thesis presented at the WCU Controlled Chaos Film Festival in spring 2012.
Set in the Appalachian Mountains, “Moses Cove” tells the story if of a drug addict having to choose whether to put his life in danger to help a lost neighbor who is at the mercy of drug dealers. Every element, down to the smallest detail, was completely student made. Chris Mcalister, another Western Student composed all the music and recorded other Western students playing it for use in the film.
Heaton, the writer and cinematographer, submitted the film and entry fee to the Atlanta Short Films Festival online, and later got word they had been accepted. Heaton will be attending the film festival, but Read cannot because he is in graduate school.
Read is getting his MFA in Directing at the Chapman University College of Film, in Orange, California. He is about to start some other projects, but for now is just focusing on his studies.
“I’ve noticed that if you are in grad school, you really do want to be here,” Read says. “I am in school for only directing, because that is exactly what I want to do. I have found that people in grad school have a lot more passion about what they are studying.”
Read’s passion is directing, but he has fulfilled other roles making films before, and still plans to do so every once in a while. He is going to be the Second Assistant Director on an upcoming project.
“I would always rather direct, but it is good to switch it up,” he says.
The festival showcases films 40 minutes long or less made by skilled filmmakers from all over the world. This will be the Third Annual Atlanta Short Film Festival.
