On Thursday, May 1st in College Hall 100, the Oregon Road Film Series Film Challenge 2024-2025 announced the winners.
The Oregon Road Film Series Film Challenge ran in the Fall 2024 semester and again in the Spring 2025 semester. With both semesters combined, a total of 17 films were made by various students and staff. The award ceremony started with a rundown of the films that had the highest views on the OutcommPlus YouTube channel. Not every film was shown, just several with the top views. After the film showings, the awards were announced.
The first award announced was the People’s Choice Award. This award is for the student team with the most votes earned by the viewers. How To Use A Frisbee by Love OCC Productions won the People’s Choice Award.
The next award announced was the Best Film Award. All the student films are eligible for this award, and it is selected by a team of judges as the best. Foul Play by T.O. Studios won.
The Final Cut Award, which is awarded to the faculty and staff films by a team of judges, was a new this year to the film challenge. Rent-A-Friend by Trifecta Productions won.
Finally, the Merritt Award, which is an award sponsored by Kim Merritt, former Owens Community College student and founder & creative director of Goodera. Merritt started this award as a “give back” to other creatives from an award she received. Each participant of the team that wins this award receives a cash prize. To win this award, the team must represent at least three different majors to promote a cross-curricular connections, talents, and skills and themes of the film must revolve around the Goodera brand/mission of making a positive impact in the world such as altruism, sustainability, community, social impact, and equality. The winner of the 2024-2025 Merritt award was How To Use A Frisbee by Love OCC Productions.
Adam Keeler, a teammate from Love OCC Productions, commented on why he believed his team won this years Merritt Award.
“I think it had a lot to do with the fact that we worked so well as a team. Everybody’s ideas were taken into an effect and accounted for and were processed together as a team. So, I think that added a lot to it; that we put our heads together and thought as a group and not just one leadership role inside the group.”
Stay tuned for the Fall 2025 Oregon Road Film Series Film Challenge. This challenge runs from Friday, October 10th at noon to Sunday, October 12th at 8pm. The kick-off meeting is on Friday, October 10th at Noon in College Hall 100. See you there!
