On Thursday, September 18, Dodge College held the 2014 Leo Freedman Foundation First Cut Screening at the gorgeous Directors Guild of America Theater in Los Angeles.

The event showcased five of the best thesis films from last year, and served as a way for prospective students to see what Dodge is capable of. The evening kicked off with an opening reception, where in-coming students mingled with alumni and staff to learn a bit more about the school. Each of the directors of the films that were screened were on-hand to chat with the prospective students and to give them a taste of what life at Dodge College is like.

During the reception, Lauren Kacura, Assistant Director of Admissions, gave a brief presentation to the crowd about the application process for those interested in applying.

Then, the crowd made their way into the theater for a brief introduction by Dean Bob Bassett before watching the five films: Barstow, Gefilte Fish, REAllOVE, Unspoken, and Wire Cutters.

Afterward, another reception was held in the lobby, to discuss the films. I spoke with a few of the prospectives, and they were very excited by what they saw. Here are just a few quotes from some of them:

“I was really amazed by what they accomplished in these films. They were extremely professional looking, and looked just like a Hollywood feature!”

“Impressed isn’t even the word I would use. SUPER impressed is more like it. It made me want to attend Dodge even more.”

“If my films are half as good as any of those, I’d be happy.”

“Sign me up right now! I want to go to Dodge!”

Overall, the night was a huge success, and a lot of fun was had by all. Everyone left with a good feeling about Dodge, and a DVD copy of the films screened. If you attended First Cut, we hope you had a great time, and we hope to see you next year!

To see a photo gallery from the evening, check out our Flickr Page!