In a Galaxy Far, Far Away…TFA Night at the Oscars

If you want to feel like you’re at the Academy Awards without leaving home, there is a local option: Buffalo State’s TFA Night at the Oscars. The ninth annual public event presented by television and film arts (TFA) students will be held Sunday, February 28, from 8:00 p.m. to midnight in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall.

Along with showing the famed ceremony on a huge screen, the event includes live music and refreshments. The theme this year is sci-fi, reflecting the large number of nominated films that were based in space or an alternative universe, said Hanna Woltz, a senior TFA major and co-chair of the event. 

“The theme is fun and different and provides guests with the opportunity to dress up as astronauts or Star Wars characters, if they wish,” said Woltz. “Others can come in the traditional formal attire. Based on previous years, we are expecting about 250 guests from the campus and the community.”

During the night, guests also can vote for short student films nominated for the TFA Pioneer Awards. After watching the 5- to 10-minute films on iMacs, guests cast their vote for best actor, actress, screenplay, director, and picture. The awards will be announced during the Academy Awards commercial breaks. All of the nominees can be viewed prior to the event.

A group of 16 students, along with TFA program director Jeffrey Hirschberg, planned “Night at the Oscars.” The other co-chairs are Lyana Macaluso, Jake Marciniak, and Dustan Whitcomb.

“I thought it would be a great opportunity to jump in headfirst,” Whitcomb, a junior TFA major, told the Salamanca Press. “I like the idea of saying I accomplished something. Even though the whole class is producing it, the executive producers do take on a lot of the work load.”

“Night at the Oscars gives students the opportunity to use the kind of planning skills they would need for the opening of a film or TV show—creating a theme, hiring musical talent, coordinating catering, and inviting guests,” said Hirschberg. “For the past eight years, students have put on a terrific event, and I expect this one to be just as good.”

Tickets to TFA Night at the Oscars are $10. Students with ID will be admitted for free. All proceeds fund TFA scholarships and help students afford course-based trips.

For more information, visit the organization’s Facebook page.