From Computer to Screen
On January 15, 2025, just three months after submitting their short film to the Broadcast Education Association (BEA) 48-Hour Film Competition, Gulf Coast State College’s Digital Media students received thrilling news: their 2024 entry, Cult Classic, would be screened at Distillery 98 in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. This exciting development marked another milestone for the team, whose dedication and creativity had already shone brightly during the intense two-day competition.
The announcement was met with pure excitement from the team, a mix of new and veteran members who had poured their hearts into the project. From concept creation to the final cut, the short film showcased the students’ ability to innovate, collaborate, and bring a unique vision to life under the tight constraints of the competition. Now, Cult Classic would have the chance to reach a broader audience and gain recognition beyond the college community.
Gulf Coast Commodores In Attendance
The screening at Distillery 98 represents a unique opportunity for the students to share their work in a professional setting and receive valuable feedback from an audience of creatives and film enthusiasts. For many on the team, this marked their first-ever cinema screening event, making the occasion even more meaningful.
Nine of the ten team members were in attendance: Luke Brown, Logan Libby, David Carson, Rebecca Starke, Tyler Daugherty, Malachi Miller, Keesley Walker, and Zavien Primm (Seen from Left to Right).
“I was fortunate enough to meet Jessica Anderson through a shoot that she needed some help with in Seaside. As Executive Director of the SOWAL Foundation, she is always seeking out local filmmaker’s films to show off at their SOFO Cinema Night, and I was absolutely ecstatic when she reached out to me and asked if I had any shorts that I had produced recently!
As an aspiring filmmaker, seeing our film screened to an audience was a dream come true. It was so rewarding to see a project that I directed grow legs and be shown to that many people. Our team showed up to the red carpet in full force and I watched smiles all around as we earned a room full of laughs.”
Above photo property of the SOWAL Foundation Facebook Page. (Picture on left: David Carson sitting adjacent to other spectators at SOFO Cinema Night.)
Community Presence
Promptly at 6:30 p.m., the team gathered in the intimate distillery, which was so packed that they had to split up for viewing—some students seated on the first floor and others on the second. Despite the divided seating, all team members remained attentive and engaged, craning their necks and shifting positions to get the best possible view of the projection screen on the first floor.
The team lead, Tyler, also had the chance to speak about the production process his team underwent, sharing, “It was an incredible challenge to make something in 48 hours—let alone write it, shoot it, and edit it in that time—but it was a rewarding experience, and I’m glad we got a couple of laughs out of it.” His remarks were met with warm laughter across the room and a strong round of applause, celebrating the hard work and dedication of him and his team.
“I was caught by surprise when I found out that the short film I was a part of, Cult Classic, was going to be shown in front of other fellow film makers out in Santa Rosa Beach. I was ecstatic to hear laughter and compliments murmured through the crowd as our film was being shown. I’m so happy that our film that we put so much effort into could actually be appreciated by other people!”
SOFO Cinema Night
This curated selection, provided by the SOWAL Foundation, featured five independent short films, followed by the official screening of Birthday Cake by Jesse Foy. Most notable about these submission, is that all of them were produced on a local scale, and worked to highlight and promote the creative potential and dedication of local filmmakers in our communities.
Jesse was the SOWAL Foundation’s previous grant recipient from the last cycle. Through the support of his community, funding from the grant, and collaboration with his peers, his team created a bittersweet and impactful commentary centered around the influence of alcohol and substance abuse, and how it affects not only immediate family members but also, by extension, the people they associate with.
In addition to our student crew being featured, this was not the only win for Gulf Coast that night. Two additional Digital Media Bachelor’s students, Deborah and Michaiah Smoots, were unveiled as the next recipients of the SOWAL Foundation Grant for their production company, AlohaBorah Media.
Above photo property of the SOWAL Foundation Facebook Page. (Pictured from left to right: Dave King, Deborah & Michaiah Smoots, Jeesica Plowden Anderson, and Fletcher Isacks.
Daniela "Danie" Oestreich
Assistant Professor, Digital Media at GCSC
As a graduate student at the University of Florida and current Assistant Professor of Digital Media at Gulf Coast State College, Daniela often has her nose buried in a book. She is always looking for opportunities to practice her writing by covering student projects, and promoting collegiate collaboration.
