Call for Entries

Buster Keaton Celebration Student Presentation Competition

The 17th Annual Buster Keaton Celebration, which will be held September 25 and 26, 2009, is hosting its second annual Student Presentation Competition. The winner will receive a spot on the schedule of respected film and cultural authorities who are asked to take part in the celebration each year, and will receive a stipend of $100 and travel expenses up to $400 (airfare or mileage) to facilitate his/her attendance. The student presenter will be expected to present a 30- to 40-minute presentation to the Celebration audience in PowerPoint format (with images—either still or moving) and so must be able to attend the conference as scheduled.

Theme: The theme for this year's Celebration is "Keaton & Co.: WW I, Dark Comedy and Film." Interested students are asked to submit a paper on the treatment of WW I in silent film; the topic of dark comedy and WW I; and/or the examination of a motion picture, either silent or talkie, in which a comedian focused on WW I.

Eligibility: Full and part-time matriculated Undergraduate and Masters students at any point in their academic career.

Required:
1. Applicants must e-mail Frank Scheide or send a letter to Frank Scheide, Department of Communication, 417 Kimpel Hall University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, for confirmation of participation. Proof of current matriculation will be required as part of this application.

2. Applicants must submit their complete 30- to 40- minute presentation script for committee review, along with the above application, by the due date of May 1, 2009 along with images to be used in the final PowerPoint document. The applicant must also present evidence that images he or she wishes to use are available and in the applicant's possession. Scripts must be typed and double-spaced (they may be in essay format, marked with indications as to what images will be utilized where in the presentation). Please do not submit the final PowerPoint demonstration.

To learn more about this year's topic, please visit the Buster Keaton Celebration web site at http://iolakeatoncelebration.org/ . Committee members will be looking for original approaches to this topic.

The Celebration Student Presenter committee will choose one winner and one runner-up, who will serve as an alternate. An announcement of the winner will be made by June 1st. The winner will have until June 30th to accept or decline the award. He or she will then have until July 31st to make his/her travel arrangements (assistance with this task will be provided by a committee volunteer). The winner will receive a spot on the schedule and a stipend of $100 and travel expenses up to $400 (airfare or mileage) to facilitate his/her attendance. Lodging and a daily food allowance will be provided by the Buster Keaton Celebration from Thursday evening, September 24th, through breakfast on Sunday, September 27th.