There was something very fishy about this year’s films as part of the fifth annual Greenfield Community Television (GCTV) film sprint competition, Lights! Camera! Greenfield!

But it was to be expected, as the films submitted each incorporated the theme of fish. After the Feb. 10 kick-off event, participants had two weeks to brainstorm, script, film and edit their films for submission by Feb. 24. 

The winners were announced at a March 6 film screening and award ceremony hosted at the Greenfield Garden Cinema in a packed theater of filmmakers and guests. Out of 16 film submissions from people of all ages and skills, this year’s winners include first place winner Ian Hamiltons (“Sleeping with the Fishes”), K. Adler and Mo Schweigers (“What’s for Dinner?”) in second place, and Sue Perry, Janet Masucci, Susan Manselle and Alicia Ralph in third place (“The Heist”).

The GCTV board of directors made the decision on winners, who walked away with a free Greenfield Garden Cinemas movie screening of any film they’d like to see.

Lights! Camera! Greenfield! was held for the first time in 2019, inspired by similar competitions held by other public access stations, some of which have film sprints that give competitors as little as a week or even 24 hours to produce a film. GCTV choose a two week timeframe to give filmmakers more flexibility and to encourage more people to participate. 

The first place film, “Sleeping with the Fishes,” follows the protagonist being communicated with by a group of fish via a tin-can phone. Eventually, the character walks outside to see a banana on a fishing wire, which the fish use to pull him into the river in a type of reverse-fishing plot.

The second place film, “What’s for Dinner?,” followed two clowns at a diner who are astonished to find their chosen dinner, a fish, is actually God.

In an interview with Adler, they said the script was written by Schweiger, and filming was a collaborative effort at the Whatley Diner that took four hours to film. In all, they said the process took over 10 hours to script, film, create props and edit. 

With this being a silent film, Adler said the music was important to que the audience for suspenseful and exciting moments.

Adler said they are interested in doing more films and participating again in the competition.

“We’re very proud of it, and we’re looking toward more stuff in that vein,” they said.

The third place film, “The Heist,” follows a news crew interviewing detectives as they try to explain why a person stole a donations jar. The detectives make assumptions on motives for the theft as the news reporter interviews them. At the end, it’s revealed the donation jar money was used to purchase a coat for a child who was without one.

After the screening on March 6, Perry said she’s wanted to create a film since the 1990s. After attending one of the Greenfield Community College (GCC) workshop, she and her group took four hours to “spitball ideas,” then script and film with the help of GCTV’s Bella Levavi.

“As I’ve gotten older, if you’re going to do something, take a chance,” Perry said, adding that this experience has encouraged her to keep writing film scripts. 

In reflecting on the fifth year of the competition, Levavi, who hosted the March 6 screening, said she “never expected” Lights! Camera! Greenfield! to be so successful, and that it proves there is “deep creativity” in the area.

“If anyone is hoping to make film projects, I urge them to stop by the station,” Levavi said. “I can’t wait for next year.” 

The 2025 Lights! Camera! Greenfield! films are available on the GCTV YouTube channel, and can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/4srzhzkb.

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.