NIU will showcase student talent in Reality Bytes, a three-day film event.

Reality Bytes will screen student documentaries in three genres – historical, autobiographical/biographical and social issues – at 7 p.m. today.

The films in the autobiographical/biographical category will be shown at DuSable Hall, Room 252, and films in the historical and social issues categories will be shown at DuSable Hall, Room 256.

The films range from a comedic look at the video game “Madden 2004” to an autobiographical account of a young filmmaker’s bout with cancer.

There will be three $100 prizes for the best film in each genre and a $150 best-of-festival prize.

Two former NIU students will speak to students about their experiences in the film industry at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Holmes Student Center’s Diversions Lounge.

Speaker Bill Weinman is an editor who has worked on projects that include sound editing for the 1994 film “Shawshank Redemption.” He also has been an editor for VH1’s “Behind the Music.”

Speaker Robert Katz is a film producer whose most recent work includes being production supervisor for the Oscar-nominated “Seabiscuit” and associate producer for “One Hour Photo.”

Weinman and Katz proposed an editing competition to assistant communication professor Laura Vazquez’s postproduction class.

Vazquez said students are re-editing scenes from Stephen Spielberg’s 1971 film “Duel,” and Katz will award the winner Thursday night.

The best of each genre will be screened starting at 5 p.m. Friday at the student center’s Diversions Lounge. The awards ceremony and reception where the best-of-festival winner is announced will follow.