Special thanks to both teams at GRCMC & UICA for collaborating on this transition. As well as: Sarah Nawrocki, Linda Gellasch, and the Open Projector Night Volunteer Panel (Jackson Ezinga, Dale Jackson, & Spencer Everhart) who all helped with this process of bringing Open Projector Night back to the community.
Open Projector Night on the marquee at Wealthy Theatre /Nicholas Hartman
The Open Projector Night logo /Wealthy Theatre & UICA
In 2012, the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts (UICA) introduced the first Open Projector Night - a seasonal event that provided both local and regional filmmakers with the chance to share their art with the community. Then, eight years later, OPN had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, statewide shutdown, and UICA's move to the Woodbridge N. Ferris Building on the campus of Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (KCAD).
Now, after a two-year hiatus, Open Projector Night will finally make its return on Wednesday, November 9 at a new location -- Wealthy Theatre. Nicholas Hartman, the current Theatre Operations & Film Coordinator for Weatlhy Theatre and original co-founder of Open Projector Night, is excited about the return of this beloved event:
"I'm thrilled that Open Projector Night has finally returned and has a new home here at Wealthy Theatre. OPN not only showcases some of the best Michigan-made short films, but more importantly it creates community; a home for filmmakers to gather and grow. I'm beyond excited to see this program flourish and continue to celebrate Michigan's cinematic achievements."
Ted Diedrich, Station Manager at GRTV (one of Wealthy Theatre's sister programs under the Community Media Center), is also thrilled about the return of this event -- especially because it gives local filmmakers another avenue to share their art:
"We at the GRCMC have been huge fans of Open Projector Night since its inception. Pairing film projects like this with the access to production equipment and training that GRTV provides really reduces barriers for entry level and low budget filmmakers to make their mark."
The UICA has been supportive of the move -- generously providing Wealthy Theatre with equipment, furniture, and accessibility devices. "We knew with the transition to [the Woodbridge N. Ferris Building] that we could no longer host our film programming on site, but we wanted to ensure that OPN continued its good work within the community," said Miranda Krajniak, Executive Director of the UICA. "Wealthy Street Theatre, under the steady care of Nick Hartman, is the perfect fit for this treasured program and we are so happy to see it continue."
The plan is to show all of the films that were set to be screened at the last OPN in May of 2020 (before it was cancelled). Moving forward, filmmakers will be able to participate in upcoming Open Projector Nights by visiting this website. Submissions for the next OPN will open in mid-November.
Tickets for the November 9 event can be purchased here.
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