[ San Jose | News Index | Metroactive Central | Archives ]

News From Silicon Valley's Neighborhoods

Movies on Wheels Campbell--For the first time, scooter enthusiasts with an interest in film making will have the opportunity to share their enjoyment of both with the public. The first-ever Scooter Film Festival will be held on June 30, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the King's Head Pub in Campbell. Festival organizer April Whitney, who has been a scooter owner and rider for the past five years, said the festival is an opportunity for those who take their video cameras with them on their scooters to do something with the footage they take. Whitney said she has been all over California on scooter tours and noticed the many people with video cameras, filming rallies and rides. She said a friend of hers has a video camera on his helmet and she thought it would be fun to put a film festival together, to encourage people to do something creative. "Many riders will film or have their passenger filming," Whitney said. "It's a way to document the history of rallies and rides." Whitney said the criteria for the film entries were that each film had to be 20 minutes or shorter, be scooter-related in some way and be on VHS. She said she received nine entries, six of which she plans to show at the festival. The films she received run the gamut, from music videos and an "X-Files" spoof to dramas and a montage of scooter parts. The films Whitney plans to show range from three to 18 minutes. "It's fun to see what people can create when they're inspired," Whitney said. "I want people to see what amateur filmmakers can do." The public is welcome to attend the film festival, and audience members will vote for their favorite film. Whitney will choose the first- and second-place winners, with a prize of $150 and a helmet for the first-place filmmaker. There will also be a mini-raffle the audience can participate in. Whitney hopes to hold a scooter film festival next year, making it an annual event. Whitney said she was surprised to receive as many entries as she did, with the only advertising for the festival done through an ad she placed in a popular scooter magazine, by word of mouth and email. The King's Head Pub is at 201 Orchard City Drive in Campbell. For more information about the film festival, call April Whitney at 2408.924.0857. Melissa Matchak [ San Jose | Metroactive Central | Archives ]