Virtual Titular Head Project
Lead: Ashley Renstrom-Schaefer, Senior Associate Director of Alumni and Donor Relations
Overview: The student-production filled film festival, TitHead, is a very popular event each year. There are decades of archival TitHead film footage being stored in various mediums (tapes, dvds, digital content) that lack consistent organization and identification. Alumni have indicated their #1 desired virtual event would be a “Best of TitHead” movie night that would include the top 1 or 2 films from each decade of TitHead. The Office of Development and Alumni Relations would like to host this event the first week of May 2024. The event would be open to all alumni and current students. Participants will be allowed to comment on and engage with each other in the chat during the event.
To make this production happen, the Vivero Fellow would:
Fall Semester:
• Locate and compile all TitHead archival footage. Some of it may be in hard copy format at the library while others are found on YouTube.
• Assemble a comprehensive list of films, their filmmakers, and the year it was made.
• Review past TitHead short films, making note of which films are excellent and which might be inappropriate for viewing now (racist, sexist, ableist content, etc.).
Spring Semester:
• Select 2-3 finalist films for each decade and post them on alumni social media for alums to vote on their favorite option to be included in the film festival.
• Prepare selected films for a live, virtual showing of the “Best of TitHead Film Festival.”
• In partnership with DAR staff, produce the film festival event in May.
• Complete assessment of the process and suggestions for next year following the event.