Two groups of video production students at Northeast Community College were incredibly busy from January 15^th to 17^th. The students were participating in the Prairie Grass Film Challenge hosted by Dordt College, which meant that they had to make a 5-8 minute film in a 48-hour period. To make it a real challenge, the film contestants were not given the exact details of what had to be in the movie until 4:00 p.m. on the 15^th when the challenge started. This year, the participants had to use gloves as a prop, the name Pricilla had to be used, and the story had to be centered on the question “Where did it come from?”

Angela Richart, Jackson Miller, Lane Allemang, and Whitney Tyrrell were in one group called Side B Productions and they made a romantic comedy called “Love and Antics in Room 176”. When asked why she wanted to participate, Angela Richart answered that she loves to write stories and edit video. She also said that the most challenging part of the contest was the time crunch and the fact that they lost some people in their group. Richart added that they all had a very good time and that “Friendships were made and strengthened.”

The second group of film challengers on campus was called Digicine and Ty Wieseler, Joshua Ottis, Tanner Schwedhelm, and Drew Dolezal were all in the group. Their film was a drama entitled “Final Goodbye.”

The Prairie Grass Film Challenge is centered in the Midwest but it is a nationwide challenge as well as local. It is a sleep-optional contest and a very wild ride, previous participants have said and it is agreed that no matter how much stress that is involved in the film making, everyone has fun. 40 films entered the contest and will be judged by film professionals around the county. On February 20, the participants head to the Awards Ceremony at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa to screen the film entries and find out who wins in the High School, College and Professional categories.