History of KORONISFEST
The original idea came from "Narrative Public Health," known familiiarly as NPH, a course at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Public Health. Then as now, NPH's faculty includes Max Michael (dean of the School), Michele Forman (whose credits include associate producer for Spike Lee's Oscar-nominated documentary 4 Little Girls) and Steve Rudd (neurologist, novelist, gadfly). But the students made KoronisFest more than an idea. They took it and ran with it.
After the School established the Steve Rudd Endowed Award for Public Health Communication in February of 2010, resources were in place for the inaugural KoronisFest competition. The prizes would go to innovative PSAs, both live-action and animated, and to graphic designs for posters. The ceremony was set for National Public Health Week. Traditionally, that's the first week in April. Time was short.
Running on inspiration, not to say desperation, Koronis pulled it off. Over a dozen entries came in from close to home and across the country. UABSOPH's sister public health school at the University of Minnesota was generous in sharing its experience from its well-established film festival. Other institutions, agencies, and invididuals pitched in. As diverse as those fledgliing participants were, they had one thing in common. Their vision was unique, and inspiring.
In 2011, KoronisFest drew over 90 contestants. The jump in volume, however, was not the most striking feature of the Fest's second year out. Even the judges were dazzled by the sheer creativity of the entries. Everyone who attended remarked on the uncanny way the makers of the videos and posters seemed to think around the corners of the conventional approach to public health.
2012's KFest 3 for the first time broke the triple-digit barrier for entrants. More to the point, over 4500 voters worldwide joined in the People's Choice awards. No longer can there be any question that The Great Crow has attained global reach.
"What we hope to encourage here isn't merely new slogans and fresh images to benefit the public's health," as Steve Rudd puts it. "We're looking for something startling, literally shocking in its ability to communicate with the public in ways that we can't even imagine now."
Based on KoronisFest's history to date, prospects are excellent for shock.
Running on inspiration, not to say desperation, Koronis pulled it off. Over a dozen entries came in from close to home and across the country. UABSOPH's sister public health school at the University of Minnesota was generous in sharing its experience from its well-established film festival. Other institutions, agencies, and invididuals pitched in. As diverse as those fledgliing participants were, they had one thing in common. Their vision was unique, and inspiring.
In 2011, KoronisFest drew over 90 contestants. The jump in volume, however, was not the most striking feature of the Fest's second year out. Even the judges were dazzled by the sheer creativity of the entries. Everyone who attended remarked on the uncanny way the makers of the videos and posters seemed to think around the corners of the conventional approach to public health.
2012's KFest 3 for the first time broke the triple-digit barrier for entrants. More to the point, over 4500 voters worldwide joined in the People's Choice awards. No longer can there be any question that The Great Crow has attained global reach.
"What we hope to encourage here isn't merely new slogans and fresh images to benefit the public's health," as Steve Rudd puts it. "We're looking for something startling, literally shocking in its ability to communicate with the public in ways that we can't even imagine now."
Based on KoronisFest's history to date, prospects are excellent for shock.
