The Downtown Initiative for the Visual Arts, or DIVA Center, will kick off a series of filmmaking events this weekend with its fourth annual OpenLens Festival. (divanow.org)
January 11-13, 2008 – The Downtown Initiative for the Visual Arts hosts the Fourth Annual OpenLens Festival, a celebration of SW Oregon independent filmmaking.
Highlights:
- Eugene premier of the feature-length documentary “Monster Camp” by Portland producer/director Aaron Douglas.
- Special preproduction and post-production documentary film workshops with Aaron Douglas.
- Free workshop on marketing local video stories to the Current TV Network founded by former Vice President Al Gore.
- Eugene’s YouthVision high school video competition
- OpenLens festival competition by SW Oregon filmmakers with awards ceremony and wrap party.
MONSTER CAMP is a rare and fascinating glimpse into the world of live-action role playing, or “LARPing”, a real-life version of World of Warcraft” where gamer stereotypes are simultaneously shattered and confirmed.
Monster Camp meticulously examines the lives of die-hard gamers at NERO Seattle, one of 50 franchises worldwide that abides by similar principles, rules and ideologies. At NERO, for 48 consecutive hours, participants immerse themselves in a world completely unlike our own. Software engineers, department store managers, and high school students by day, for one weekend each month these NERO players transform themselves into warriors, sorcerers, dwarves and lizard people. It is a place where people can be anything, dress any way, and have almost any power. Where players inhabit a world of fantasy, chivalry, and imagination. A world of their own creation. If only for one weekend a month. (Source)
