Haverhill, Massachusetts, will be showing short experimental films to audiences on movie screens this summer.Large movie screens and displays can be used for all sorts of cinematic events, and can be a way for a community to experience something new, such as a major screening of a much-anticipated film release. The second weekend in June will see an altogether different kind of cinematic event take place in the city of Haverhill, Massachusetts, as the inaugural Haverhill Experimental Film Festival (HEFF) arrives.
Spotlighting shorts that push the envelope, this festival is the brainchild of the Smyth brothers, Jeremy and Brendan, who told WBUR recently about their desire to create the festival after making their own film and attempting to show it in different areas. They reportedly received more than 200 submissions, and drafted non-professionals to judge the films.
An event like this can make special use of portable or inflatable screens, as experimental films can incorporate different types of entertainment, such as live performances, that occur simultaneously with the film. And the smaller size of a screening room can actually work as a promotional advantage by driving up intrigue because there are fewer seats available.
The HEFF description on its official website is certainly offbeat, and whether or not the event proves successful enough to recur, it can be seen as an opportunity for entrepreneurs to see how such a festival can be accomplished.
Inflatable screens can be appropriate for a variety of screenings, and exhibitors can get creative in the way that they are used. More filmmakers can lead to the creation of a more engaged film community, and an eventual growth in types of festivals, which are always a way to reach out to interested attendees.