Posted April 08 2010 at 12:04 am

The year was 1987. A seasoned professor, researcher and filmmaker named Timothy Kennedy decided it was time for a change and arrived at The University of Tampa, where he founded a program called “telecommunications.”

As the years went by, the program grew larger and larger from what was once remotely close to a film school. Over the course of 23 years, significant changes were made.

Additional equipment was bought, new faculty were hired, more classes were created and soon students began spotting fellow peers running around campus with camera equipment.

Though running around campus with a camera may have quickly grown old, UT film students continued to expand their horizons.

In 2010, the film program continues moving forward with increased admission with some students taking their projects further than Reeves Theatre.

At this time of year, film festivals take place all over the country and quite a few of them in the greater Tampa Bay area.

Among the films in local festivals are also a number of student films. Prime of Your Life was produced by senior Michael Long and assistant professor of communication Tom Garrett.

The movie is scheduled to screen at this year’s Sarasota Film Festival from April 9 to April 18.

An industry veteran of over 25 years, Garrett has observed some of the transformation of the department since he joined UT in 2007.

“Over the past several years, our department has built huge community and industry bridges regionally, domestically and overall internationally,” Garrett said.

“We have gained the respect from the community and industry alike. This is the result of the hard work of our department, knowledgeable faculty in cross over disciplines and most importantly our students taking the lead.”

But Long and Garrett arenʼt the only two filmmakers from UT being featured in Sarasota.

Gregg Perkins, assistant professor of communication, is also participating at the prestigious festival.

Perkins directed Canon Falls, a 26-minute documentary about a midwestern family whose narrative is told primarily through images and music.

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