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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us April 8, 2006 2006 Ashland Independent Film Festival Continues SOU student thankful for festival By Erin Halcomb Tidings Correspondent Film festival food vendor Michele Becker of Rogue Ales offers patrons a sample of the Oregon beer at Thursday’s opening night gala. Denise Baratta | Ashland Daily Tidings In a coffee shop and a corduroy jacket, Clint Bowers swigs water. He wants orange juice. But, the young director just brushed his teeth. It’s the opening day of Ashland’s Independent Film Festival — and hours before Bowers’ short film, “Absorbed,” reels into action. He offers insight. “The film is a neutral position on abortion,” he says, “but one of our goals was to make the audience think.” “I’ve tried to make it as tasteful as possible, but people say it’s pretty intense,” says Bowers. Humble and wholesome, the Catholic college boy begins dishing out gratitude: “The AIFF people have been really good to me,” he says, specifying Laura Henneman of the festival. “Especially last year — I didn’t have a clue,” says Bowers. He debuted in AIFF as an SOU sophomore with a short film called, “On the Contrary.” As a student he expected nothing. But he says, “They gave me the same treatment as everyone else.” “The best part was meeting other filmmakers,” says Bowers. This year he looks forward to mingling more. “A future in film is just like everything else,” he says, “you have to get your name out and know people.” “AIFF is a great platform for me,” says Bowers. His robin-egg eyes are earnest. He keeps his brown hair cut short. On this weekday, his only flair is a bit of hair below his lip, called a soul patch, and the AIFF tag dangling from his neck. Clint Bowers, an SOU student , is showing his film “Absorbed” at the Ashland Independent Film Festival. Erin Halcomb | For the Tidings But on the weekends, he sports a helmet and gloves. Clint Bowers also races cars. “I got the bug two years ago,” he explains, “and now I can’t stop.” Last year, Clint and his father raced 1974 Opel Mantas. “We got some crazy looks. Most people race Pintos and Mustangs,” he says. But his father won every race except one — the one Clint won. Bowers takes another drink, ceases the car talk, and directs round two of gratitude toward his educators: “I’d like to thank everyone at SOU and RVTV for their support and information sharing,” he says. “Going to school here has changed me.” He attended high school in Stayton and describes feeling disengaged. Now he attributes his communication classes with “increasing my awareness on politics, environment and about other cultures.” In the meantime, SOU’s new media art studios fostered his love of film. “I really like directing because you can apply the rules of composition used in art to filmmaking,” he says. Of the six rules of composition, Bowers says, “I try to use the Rule of Thirds in most of my shots.” The Rule of Thirds divides a frame into thirds both horizontally and vertically. Points of interest are placed where these lines intersect, called hotspots, to guide the eye around the composition. “It’s more pleasing for the viewer,” explains Bowers. “See, how would I learn all this stuff if I wasn’t going to school?” After departing the coffee shop, Bowers takes up the conversation once more over the phone, initiating his third round of thanks: “I just would like to thank the crew and actors for working so hard,” he says. “And I better thank my parents too. They’ve been really supportive with racing and filmmaking.” At 21 years, Clint Bowers is a geyser of gratitude. He dreams of “making movies during the week and racing on the weekends.” He also wants “to put a camera in the car.” So next year, AIFF audiences may watch as Clint and his father race around the track. For more information on Bowers or to view his films, visit clintbowers.com, a site set up by his brother Nick. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Ceramic Piggy Banks Women's & Men's Slippers Accelerate Weightloss Products Backpacks Mailing Lists Custom Made Computers Vegas Travel Guide Search Engine Optimization Student Loans Hammocks Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Online Casinos Community Bonus Casino Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. Site Search: RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams