UNT alumnus, filmmaker returns to Denton : North Texas Daily

Shaylynn Lynch / Intern

UNT alumnus Scott Thurman returned to UNT last week to discuss his award-winning film ?The Revisionaries? and the business of documentary filmmaking.

Thurman?s film, about the Texas Board of Education tackling the issue of creationism vs. evolution in public school books, has received national attention.

The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival 2012 and went on to win the festival?s Special Jury award.

It was also picked up by PBS and will be released in selected theaters.

Additionally, the film has received multiple awards and recognition at screenings in film festivals across America, including the Dallas International Film Festival?s Official Selection award, as well as five other official selection awards at similar film festivals.

The film is a project expanded from Thurman?s thesis film, which was produced and directed while he was a graduate student at UNT.

?I think this [documentary?s] received so much attention mostly because education is generally very important to most people who have kids,? Thurman said. ?And because the Texas Board of Education not only has a huge amount of influence in Texas but also nationwide, when you consider the fact that most states end up using the textbooks approved by the Texas Board.?

Thurman was asked to teach a colloquium for the graduate students of the documentary film program about the business and legalities of bringing a film to a theatrical release.

A colloquium is a required one-credit class for all of the graduate students, where filmmakers and other industry members are invited to workshop with the students, providing the students with knowledge about the industry and networking options.

Since his graduation, Scott has been deeply immersed in the professional independent documentary scene.

He has worked with established producers, editors and soundtrack composers, as well as entertainment attorneys, marketing experts, film distributors and festival coordinators.

?What he has learned ?on the ground? in the past couple of years makes him an invaluable resource for our current students,? radio, television and film professor Melinda Levin said. ?And I was very pleased that he was willing to come back and share some insights and experiences.?

Levin was Thurman?s professor while he was attending graduate school, and remembers him being a dedicated and talented student, prompting her to request him as her research assistant, a job he did for two years.

?[Thurman] covered an aspect of filmmaking that sometimes doesn?t make it into the classroom,? RTVF graduate student Abbey Hoekzema said. ?We always talk about how to make a film good, how to tell a story, but the business aspect of filmmaking can get left out, especially for independent filmmakers.?

Thurman said he enjoyed returning to Denton for his lecture.

?It?s great to be reminded of all the good times here in Denton,? he said. ?No traffic, great music and art scene, kind people.?
Thurman?s film ?The Revisionaries? will be released in Dallas at the Landmark Magnolia 5 on Oct. 5-11.

For more information visit therevisionariesmovie.com.

Source: http://www.ntdaily.com/?p=68381

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