Four Newburgh Free Academy students produced three short films that were selected for a local film festival, with one earning third place in the competition.

Sydney Phillips, a senior at NFA’s West Street campus, placed third for her film, “Not Out Of The Woods,” at EC Media’s Feedback Corner film festival at the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center in Chester. Two other films, “Alone” by Anisa Abdul-Khabir and “Voicemail” by Rose Espinoza and Geovani Angel, were also selected for the festival.

The festival featured work by student and independent filmmakers, who received critiques from judges on their storytelling and production techniques. The three NFA films explored subjects ranging from personal safety and trust to strained family relationships.

Guy Du Quesnay, who teaches NFA’s award-winning Video Production Program, said he selected the projects he believed had the strongest chance of being accepted.

“Getting in is a win,” Du Quesnay said. “Cherry on top, taking home an award but again, for them to have that feeling and that understanding that professionals in their field who do not know these people said this work is good, and not just good, but good enough to compete, that’s not something that I can replicate in the classroom.”

Phillips created “Not Out Of The Woods” last year while interning with Du Quesnay through a program offered at the West Street campus. The film explores trust through a character who initially accepts another person’s guidance before realizing that the person may not have good intentions.

“I hope audiences feel a little uneasy and rethink how their relationship is with strangers and how someone can act friendly and present information to you as if they’re trying to help you but that might not always be the case,” Phillips said.

Phillips said she worked with friends to produce the film and enlisted her mother’s help to capture one shot. Recording audio and editing proved particularly challenging, she said, but the experience showed her areas she wants to improve in future projects.

Having her work selected “was very validating,” according to Phillips, who said she still feels like “an amateur filmmaker.”

Her third-place finish came in a competition in which the second-place entry was a documentary produced by a college student, according to Du Quesnay.

“For my high school student to be on that stage, not just competing, but placing and beating out other college students, that’s a win to me,” he said.

For Abdul-Khabir, a senior in her third year of the Video Production Program, the festival provided an opportunity to screen a film based on her experiences as a young woman.

Her film, “Alone,” explores the anxiety she feels when navigating public spaces by herself and the possibility of encountering danger.

The film began as a final class project, but Abdul-Khabir said she waited until two days before the deadline to begin production. She enlisted her father’s help, filmed at several locations and completed the editing in one day.

“Everything was improvised and I just had a vision and I just kept on building off of it,” she said.

Despite the limited production time, Abdul-Khabir said festival judges praised her use of different locations. She said one of her favorite shots was the final scene, in which her father’s car headlights illuminated her face.

The film was also accepted into the All American Film Festival earlier this year, she said.

Abdul-Khabir said receiving feedback at The Feedback Corner helped her understand the importance of accepting criticism, particularly when she feels protective of her work.

“It’s really important that you take criticism,” she said, explaining that outside perspectives can help filmmakers identify problems and find ways to improve.

Espinoza and Angel, both seniors, collaborated on “Voicemail,” a short film about two siblings dealing with a strained relationship with their father.

The film follows one sibling as he listens to a voicemail from their father, leaving him uncertain about how to respond. Espinoza said the circumstances surrounding the family’s separation were intentionally left unclear, allowing the story to focus on the tension between the siblings.

The pair used distant camera shots and natural lighting to convey the characters’ uncertainty and isolation. One scene, filmed during golden hour, featured Angel’s character sitting near a window as he prepared to listen to the message.

Producing the film required both students to act while also managing the camera and other aspects of production. Espinoza said they worked without a tripod, making it difficult to capture some of the shots they wanted.

The project also required them to coordinate schedules and divide responsibilities. Espinoza said Angel contributed creative ideas while she helped organize the production and keep the project on schedule.

Angel said working together taught him the importance of planning before filming, particularly when coordinating with other people.

After receiving feedback at the festival, Espinoza said the pair wanted to focus on developing stronger storylines and improving the technical quality of their future films.

Angel said the festival also gave him an opportunity to learn from other filmmakers and hear how judges evaluated different projects.

“It’s so good to put yourself out there in things like a film festival because you can make great connections and you can find inspiration from other people,” he said.

Du Quesnay said NFA’s Video Production Program introduces students to filming, editing, digital special effects and other production techniques during their first year. Students later work with more advanced equipment, including cinema cameras, while learning about television and studio production.

He said the program emphasizes hands-on experience to prepare students to contribute to professional productions, even if they do not pursue filmmaking as a career.

Du Quesnay said he has watched the students progress from making videos primarily for themselves and their friends to developing projects with more attention to storytelling and production quality.

The festival also provided an opportunity for the students to have their work evaluated by people outside the school, he said.

“Their work was chosen on the strength of the work itself by complete strangers,” Du Quesnay said.