Western Washington University’s Art and Music Productions (AMP) plans to provide free film showings for students this fall with their fall film lineup, and other film showings. Having started Friday, Oct. 17, and ending Sunday, Dec. 4, AMP will host one film event per week, skipping winter break.
The lineup mixes classic crowd-pleasers with newer releases, starting off with “Dazed and Confused” during Fall Family Weekend. Cassidy Kannin, AMP films coordinator, said she chose the first film hoping it could bridge the gap between parents and students.
“That's a nostalgic hit that I figured maybe a lot of people our age haven't seen, but their parents probably have,” Kannin said. So I think the goal for that one, for instance, is that you can go and watch it with your family.”
Other scheduled films include newer titles such as “Sinners” and “Weapons.” The showing of “Sinners” is a collaboration between AMP and the Black Student Coalition.
Casey Hayden, AMP director of student operations, said the program’s fundamental goal is connection, and getting students together to appreciate art, music and films to build community. Providing the free of charge film showings is one of the program’s ways of doing so.
AMP showings are held in the Viking Union building, room 552. Certain events that need more space are held in buildings such as Fraser Hall, and when weather permits, events are held outside using a projector.
AMP and its film showings have a long history on campus, beginning in 1976.
The program offers opportunities for large-scale collaboration and events, such as the fall film lineup, setting it apart from student clubs that may have less to spend and lack a funded staff.
“The students really have a lot of agency and empowerment in making decisions about the content and what we do, and what we put out there. I believe, and AMP agrees, that when students are in the driver's seat of what the programming is, that it will really resonate with students, and that's who we're here to serve,” Hayden said.
Funding for the fall film lineup and other AMP events is primarily provided through the Services and Activities Fee, a $250.66 quarterly charge that all Western students pay as a part of their tuition.
Larger events like AMP’s upcoming “Rocky Horror Picture Show” showing and shadowcast, where performers act simultaneously in front of the movie screen, sometimes charge a ticket fee. All films that are part of the lineup are at no extra cost to students.
Students who have attended past AMP events said the screenings are a great way to have fun and meet people. Jade Harms, a Western student, said she and her friends met new people, who she still talks to today, at last year's fall and spring film showings.
“They sounded like cool events, they advertised the events really well and me and my friends really enjoyed it. Yeah, I would totally go again,” Harms said.
Kannin recalls a more recent AMP screening, where the program showed the new film “Superman” on the communications lawn.
“I was with my boss, Casey, and we were walking up and down the rows, trying to count how many people there were. Estimated, probably about 2,200 people. The entire Comm lawn was totally filled up. People were sitting on the steps. It was super cool,” Kannin said.
For more info on AMP and the fall film lineup, visit their site or @wwu_amp on Instagram.
Willow Jacobson (she/her) is a campus life reporter for The Front this quarter. She is a second-year marketing major and public relations minor. When she's not working on a story she likes to read or watch movies. You can reach her at willow.thefront@gmail.com.
