By Elizabeth Pierdominici

Lights. Cameras. Ninjas? No need to worry – the “serious threat” of ninjas roaming the University’s campus is merely a figment of a student filmmaker’s imagination. It was in fact imagination along with a few other cinematic clichés that made for a well-received Winter Film Festival, hosted by the Hofstra Filmmaker’s Club (HFC) Dec. 8.

Five short films and two trailers, ranging from suspense to dark comedy, captivated the student-dominated audience that overflowed the Student Center Theater.

“The amount of people that came to watch surpassed my expectations,” freshman film major, Christopher Langan said.

“The turnout was excellent,” HFC President Robert Vornkahl said. “I was impressed that every time the lights turned on, more people came into the theater.”

The approximately 200 viewers at this season’s festival greatly surpassed the 35 viewers that attended the festival’s debut in the fall of 2000. HFC is currently thriving with 65 active members that work with the same level of dedication as the six founding members.

The purpose of HFC is for students interested in film to be a part of the filmmaking process.

“At our meetings we gather to pitch ideas for films, write scripts and go through the process of production and post-production,” Vornkahl said.

Involvement in HFC is another way for student filmmakers to hone their skills and gain contacts.

“My experience in HFC has been amazing,” senior film major Christopher Hamilton, said. “I have gained experiences that you do not normally get in class.”

“This was my first time at the Film Festival,” freshman broadcast journalism Annamarie Sitar, said. “Even though I am not a film major, this has inspired me to consider directing my own films in the future.”

Although most of the active members are majoring in film production, HFC is comprised of students who have other majors.

HFC meets weekly to discuss future projects and film festivals. Vornkahl hopes that with each year, HFC will grow and the film festivals will attract a larger audience and new supporters.