For Reid Nicewonder, the movie world holds promise \u2013 and prizes. Nicewonder, 22, is a Bristol, Va., native, who graduated from Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn., in 2005.<\/p>\n
Most recently, he\u2019s studied film \u2013 and how to make movies \u2013 at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando, Fla.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s also been making movies that have attracted attention.<\/p>\n
Last February, a group of UCF film students \u2013 including Nicewonder \u2013 created a short film titled \u201cLove Awkwardly\u201d for the world\u2019s largest student film festival, Campus MovieFest. All for free, Campus MovieFest gives students from around the country all the equipment they need in order to create a five-minute film in only one week.<\/p>\n
The movie\u2019s plot: A man distressed by an awkward life, attempts to score a date with a woman he was forced to fire.<\/p>\n
The short went on to win best picture at the UCF finale, and, a month later, after competing against the best 60 films from four states, the film received the award for best comedy at the Southern Regional Grand Finale in Atlanta, Ga.<\/p>\n
With this honor, the film will be shown at the Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner in May. Next, the film will be entered into the International Grand Finale, taking place at the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas, Nev., in June.<\/p>\n
For Nicewonder, seeing success \u2013 like this \u2013 culminates a lifelong passion. Nicewonder started making movies at age 9.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always loved to play with my dad\u2019s video camera when I was young,\u201d Nicewonder said. \u201cI would shoot short, unedited videos and show them to friends and family. When I was in high school, I started to learn a lot more about editing, and I just haven\u2019t looked back ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nicewonder credits his college experience with learning how to make movies.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn school, I would learn about story and theory, but where I really learned the most was working on sets,\u201d he said. \u201cSophomore year, I was invited to one of my friend\u2019s roommate\u2019s film set and, the next thing I knew, I was on a few film sets every month. I just couldn\u2019t get enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
With experience, Nicewonder gradually worked up the ranks and ultimately found himself working as the director of photography.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere,\u201d he said, \u201cI was in control of the camera and how the movie was shot. But what I liked the most was just working with great people and friends \u2013 doing something we all loved to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
The filmmakers of \u201cLove Awkwardly\u201d include senior and graduate film students Reid Nicewonder (director), Addison Bryan (producer), Cris Mertens (editor, actor), Danny Bellini (actor), Misty Stinnett (actress), Josh Ingle (actor) and Kelly Applegate (actress).<\/p>\n
\u201cMy ultimate goal,\u201d Nicewonder said, \u201cis to direct feature films, which I\u2019m planning on doing this summer for the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Source: Bristol Herald Courier by Joe Tennis, Features Writer; Promise and prizes: Bristol native receives attention for movie; Published: April 18, 2010<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For Reid Nicewonder, the movie world holds promise \u2013 and prizes. Nicewonder, 22, is a Bristol, Va., native, who graduated from Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn., in 2005. Most recently, he\u2019s studied film \u2013 and how to make movies \u2013 at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando, Fla. He\u2019s also been making movies that have attracted attention. Last…","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":12004,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-twocol.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"lazy_load_responsive_images_disabled":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[21,27],"tags":[1690],"tu_author":[],"class_list":["post-12003","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinions","category-student-life","tag-film"],"yoast_head":"\n