As the director of Filmfort, the cinema-focused component of Treefort Music Fest, Chelsea Smith (who works on campus as communications and project coordinator for the Center for the Study of Aging) recognized the need for the festival to better connect with and nurture Boise’s filmmaking community. She created an internship program with Boise State’s film and television arts program where students work on professional sets with the filmmakers featured at the annual event. Leading up to the festival, the interns work with Smith to brainstorm creative concepts for social media and marketing campaigns. They watch films and write reviews that help determine Filmfort’s programming. Smith secured a grant from the Boise City Department of Arts and History that supports one of the program’s series called Microdose where Boise State students immerse themselves in the creative process of independent filmmaking.
“Filmmaking is a team sport and I believe it works best when you have people at all levels of experience on the team. Students provide fresh perspectives, and are the future of our film scene here in Boise,” Smith said. “I want to offer the professional experiences that were afforded to me when I was starting my career in film. Filmmaking and event production are both skills you obtain experientially, but it can be intimidating if you don’t have guidance on how to dive in and get started. I love getting students excited about the opportunities we have for them right here in Boise after they graduate, and they strengthen the work we do at Filmfort.”
