Viewers can expect to see some polished work at the third annual Solstice Showcase. The evening of films by Alaskans will take place Friday and Saturday, June 19-20, with offerings that range from romantic comedy and animation to CGI-enhanced Vikings fighting Space Orcs.
The showcase evolved from "Open Projector Night" events, which invites local hobbyists to show short films in a format that's as much about networking as presenting an audience with a finished film. "We never had a problem filling seats," said D.K. Johnston of the Alaska filmmakers. "But it had no filter. I was seeing a lot of high-quality things that were running over 10 minutes," the time limit for OPN submissions.