From high school halls to Hollywood

A senior’s quest for short-film stardom

Ana Ortiz-Lagarda, Managing Editor

November 5, 2025

Lights.

Camera.

Action!

With just three words, senior Kylie Gore is bringing Hollywood to the halls of The Nest as she works on a film project for the short film section of the International Thespian Society Festival.

A popular competition piece for thespians, or theatre students inducted into the International Thespian Society (ITS), this section consists of a student-led film no longer than six minutes (credits included). The stakes for competitors are high: only one film can be submitted per school.

ITS short live-action film rubric

Entry Requirements

Content must be original

Can only involve up to 16 Thespians, including directors, actors, writers, and technicians

No adaptations

Only one film submission per group

Scored on a rubric with across five skills for a maximum of 20 points

Each skills can gain a maximum of four points (1-Fair, 2-Good, 3-Excellent, 4-Superior)

Source: https://schooltheatre.org/thespys/rules-and-rubrics/short-film/

Rubric: https://schooltheatre.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Thespys_Rubrics_All_Short_Film.pdf
Skill #1: Storytelling

Storytelling: Visual development of story and dialogue; opening and closing titles, credits, graphics, and animations; conclusion.

Fair: Story is disorganized and/or difficult to follow; minimal use of visual cues and weak dialogue fail to develop the narrative or produce an audience connection; choice of opening and closing titles, credits, graphics, and animations do not support the film’s message; conclusion is lacking or unclear.

Good: Story is somewhat organized and mostly developed; visuals and dialogue are moderately effective in advancing the narrative and the audience connection to the plot and characters; choice of opening and closing titles, credits, graphics, and animations inconsistently support the film’s message; conclusion is somewhat unclear.

Excellent: Story is well organized, and engaging; visuals and dialogue advance the narrative and the audience connection to the plot and characters; choice of opening and closing titles, credits, graphics, and animations support the film’s message; distinct conclusion.

Superior: Story is well organized, fully developed, and compelling; visuals and dialogue seamlessly advance the narrative to enhance the audience connection to the plot and character(s); choice of opening and closing titles, credits, graphics, and animations enhance and support film’s message; ending concisely resolves the central conflict.
Skill #2: Cinematography and Audio

Cinematography and Audio: Integrated use of camera, lighting, and sound.

Fair: Most scenes/characters are not shot or framed properly, are under or over exposed, and do not align with filmmaker’s vision; scenes include multiple errors in camera movement/angles; music (if applicable) detracts from rather than supports the story; sound levels are inconsistent.

Good: Inconsistent use of appropriate shots or framing and lighting exposure do not align with filmmaker’s vision; camera movement/angles sometimes advance the story visually; some music (if applicable) is appropriate to the story; sound level errors are evident.

Excellent: Scenes/characters are appropriately shot or framed and align with filmmaker’s vision; lighting exposure and camera movement/angles are purposefully chosen to
advance the story; music (if applicable) is appropriate to the story; sound levels are mostly even and well metered.

Superior: Scenes/characters are skillfully shot or framed and align with filmmaker’s vision; lighting exposure and camera movement/angles are purposefully chosen to enhance performances and advance the story; music (if applicable) underscores action and offers clues to character/ plot; sound levels are consistently even and well metered.
Skill #3: Editing

Editing: Editing skills; scene length and flow.

Fair: Discontinuity in editing does not produce well-composed transitions that enhance scene flow, audience engagement, and narrative; scene length and flow do not lead audience from one focal point to another, and does not maintain physical and spatial relationship of the narrative.

Good: Inconsistency in editing produces transitions that sometimes disrupt scene flow, audience engagement, and narrative; scene length and flow sometimes lead audience from one focal point to another yet seldom maintain the physical and spatial relationship of narrative.

Excellent: Continuity in editing produces composed transitions that enhance scene flow, audience engagement, and narrative; scene length and flow effectively lead audience from one focal point to another while consistently maintaining the physical and spatial relationship of narrative.

Superior: Purposeful continuity in editing produces well-composed transitions that enhance scene flow, audience engagement, and narrative; scene length and flow purposefully and effectively lead audience from one focal point to another while consistently maintaining the physical and spatial relationship of narrative.
Skill #4: Acting

Acting: Emotional and physical believability; choices and tactics.

Fair: Character movements, actions, gestures, and expressions are rarely emotionally/physically believable; choices and tactics toward an objective are not evident and do not prompt reactions to partners or events

Good: Character movements, actions, gestures and expressions are sometimes emotionally/physically believable; choices and tactics toward an objective sometimes prompt reactions to partners or events.

Excellent: Character movements, actions, gestures, and expressions are believable; choices and tactics toward an objective prompt reaction to partners or events

Superior: Character movements, actions, gestures, and expressions are consistently believable; choices and tactics toward an objective prompt instinctive reaction to partners or events that create insight into the text
Skill #5: Filmmaker's Vision

Filmmaker's Vision: Use of film elements to create a successful final product

Fair: Filmmaker failed to convey a clear vision and did not adhere to the rules established for the film; elements did not work together to create an engaging film.

Good: Filmmaker attempted to convey clear vision and inconsistently adhered to the rules established for the film; few elements worked together to create an engaging film.

Excellent: Filmmaker conveyed mostly clear vision and frequently adhered to the rules established for the film; most elements worked together to create an engaging film.

Superior: Filmmaker conveyed clear vision and consistently
adhered to rules established for film; all elements worked together to create an impactful, engaging film with a powerful voice.

Set to compete against the films of hundreds of students across Texas in her quest for nationals, Gore began working on ideas for her film in the summer, hoping to go out with a bang for her final year as a high-school thespian.

Taking a break from shows on the stage, sophomore Kanishka Ganesan believes the film presents a unique opportunity to learn the difference between stage and film productions.

“It’s actually quite different because for a show, you have time to plan,” Ganesan said. “Then when you’re filming it, it’s like you do a scene and you get multiple tries at it. When it’s a stage show, you perform it live. So you have one try, and if you mess up, you mess up. But when it’s the film, you can retake the scenes. And also, if you don’t like something that you filmed, you can refilm it later with different costumes, lighting, and different makeup. You can change a lot of stuff with it.”

Gore finds the process helps her understand the world of film more, which gives her experience in the field she would like to pursue in the future.

“I’m really not too worried about qualifying,” Gore said. “Not because I don’t think I’ll qualify, [but] because even if I don’t qualify, it’ll still be a great experience to learn from. And they also give you, after you submit, your feedback on like ‘hey, here’s what I thought you did wrong and here’s how you can improve’”

The film will be available to watch on Nov. 17 at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium.

About the Contributor

Ana Ortiz-Lagarda, Managing Editor

Ana is a senior in her third year of wingspan as a staff reporter. She is in Theatre as publicist of Liberty’s Thespian Society troupe, co-president and founder of the Hispanic Heritage club, and is also part of French Nation Honors Society. Ana can be found listening or creating new music or hanging out with friends. She is very excited to work with the wingspan staff this year!

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