FILMSTERS Academy films will be screened in Annapolis

Hi All,

Well I don't know if any of you remember meeting Mr. Jeremy Parks who came to visit our program this summer, but he is about to do something very cool for us. He has decided that each Thursday evening when he holds an outdoor screening of a feature film on the grassy lawn at Park Place (which will one day be a Performing Arts Center) that he will lead off with one camp film each week. How cool is that? So this week I am taking the 2009 DVD over to him and he will begin to run our films weekly. It's open to the public. Just thought you'd want to know.

Lee

The Post Film Camp Blues

Hi All,

If you have recently been "friended" on Facebook by any of our Filmsters Academy students or staff and have taken the time to read the comments on their walls, you will come to one overall conclusion... and that is, that everyone is sad that film camp has ended once again. But like any other experience, the stories of 2009 will live on. We are luckier than most because many of the great moments etched in our minds and engraved on our hearts have been captured on film. So in that respect, film camp is eternal... lasting and ageless preserved not on celluloid, but in an array of binary numbers, we live on as zeros and ones in the digital realm and eventually in cyberspace. 

As for me, I will miss seeing all of the staff, interns and students each day, but perhaps more importantly, I will miss the creative energy boost that comes from the open exchange of new story ideas, the creative words coming to life on the page, the unforgettable improvisational moments of acting, the inspirational "ah-ha" moments that come with choosing a shot, lighting something well, capturing a crazy sound effect in an impromptu foley session or timing an edit so well that it is either hilarious or emotionally impactful. It is the first-time filmmaking realizations that we witness in the eyes of our students, the learning and creative expression that we see reflected on the screen, the friendships forged and the shared passion for filmmaking that fuels all of us. And on the night that we show our films at the film festival, it is that sense of pride and accomplishment that astounds and overwhelms all of us. This is what fuels us and inspires us to make this experience possible next year. It is these moments of brilliance, inspiration, fun, friendship and inspiration that renews our commitment each summer.

After much thought and reflection (and now that I've finally gotten some sleep),  and after eight years of trying to grow and perfect Filmsters Academy each year, I believe that we have finally defined what it is that is so unique about us.  Okay, here it is... we have somehow managed to create a 100% non-competitive, hands-on filmmaking experience for kids 11-20 that offers the whole process from beginning to end. We are not just a class on how to write, how to use a camera, how to act or how to edit. We are ALL OF IT. We are about story, structure, writing, translating that script to the screen, storyboarding and casting, location scouting, learning how to direct a crew and direct actors, we are about shooting, producing, acting, production and set design, costumes, makeup, sound, lighting, creating original music, effects and digital media and editing. We are ABOUT THE PROCESS. And in that process we are creating something original and lasting for others to enjoy. And somehow, against all odds, we manage to pull this off together and it is, well, this year in particular was really... MARVELOUS!

The other realization that I have come to after eight years of progress that is we are also a SPECIAL place. We are a COMMUNITY. In fact, we are actually TWO communities. We are one community of YOUNG FILMMAKERS ages 11-20 that develop friendships that go on throughout the year and who return the following summer. In addition, we are another community of YOUNG PROFESSIONALS whose interests are similar in that everyone is working to figure out where they may fit into this crazy industry that we like to call "the biz." What has transpired as we all bond through the adversity and commeraderie of helping these kids succeed in learning how to make short films, is a tight-knit group of YOUNG PROS who are helping one another with their shorts, helping each other get connected and to get started in this business and, well, ... that is very cool. It is the blending of each and every one of the dedicated staff and interns who come to us with many different talents that creates a place where anything is possible. It is your special commitment to having fun as well as our shared dedication to teaching of the art and the joy of filmmaking to these kids that makes our program SO VERY SPECIAL. It would not be what it is without you. So thank you. Thank you, thank you.

Lee

FILMSTERS Academy film PRELUDE winds up festival run

Michael Morone's Advanced film PRELUDE ended it's year and a half film festival run in May 2009 with a bang. The film was screened at the National Film Festival for Talented Youth in Seattle, WA. before a crowd of 750 in a state-of-the-art theater. Director Morone was on hand to answer questions at the Q&A. He was accompanied by his family who traveled to the festival from Maryland.

The following week PRELUDE played at the Nashville International Film Festival ending it's long run with 12 festivals and 4 honors. Congratulations to all who worked on this film. PRELUDE now holds the FILMSTERS Academy record for screening at the greatest number of festivals nationwide. Congratulations to Mike and his team!

COMMENTS from a few graduates

"This opportunity, to direct a short film, forced me to grow in ways that were beneficial to both my professional life and personal life. For example, I am currently attending Emerson College, which is a career oriented school focused on the arts. My decision to attend Emerson was ultimately influenced by my experience at Filmsters. Without attending Filmsters, I don’t know that I would have had the confidence necessary to pursue a life in film or any creative medium for that matter."  

Sean Van Deuren, Emerson College

"Filmsters feels like a family.  People like Lee and Patti make every one of us come back to Annapolis, MD year after year regardless of where we are in the world.

            What I admire most about Filmsters is that its primary purpose is to educate.  Unfortunately, art is the most overlooked subject in public education and is the first curriculum to be cut by schools with a tight budget.  Filmsters Academy provides scholarships to some students and gives them with an outlet that they may not have at school or at home.  Such philanthropy encourages a close and positive environment because everyone cares about the students, the projects and the role that the camp plays in their lives. 

I cannot think of a better place for aspiring students of cinema to learn.   Everyone who works at Filmsters loves it and devotes nearly every hour they have to the two-week camp."

Tamir Kalifa, University of Texas at Austin

"After two years of camp, I felt more than adequately prepared for NYU film school. With the application for NYU, I submitted one of the films I had made at FILMSTERS. Needless to say, the skills I aquired, and the film I made at film camp got me into NYU Film School. I am now a junior in the program, and never have I felt left behind or less knowledgeable than the other students. If anything, I have been more knowledgeable, and FILMSTERS gave me the extra boost. Now, I have been a counselor at the camp for three years, a part of the FILMSTERS family for five, and have no plan to stop my involvement with this unique, educational, and enriching program."

Katie Sieracki, NYU, Tisch School for the Arts

 

Hi FILMSTERS! It is official! We have our very own filmsters academy blog where we can keep in touch and let one another know what we are working on in the film business. We can swap ideas, tech shortcuts, final cut pro tips, ideas, scripts and talk about the business of the business which is ever changing.

It is almost exactly three and a half months until film camp and I don't know about you, but I am excited about another year of fun.

So do tell... what has everyone been up to in the last eight and a half months since we last got together?

As for Patti and myself, we have been busy as usual. At present, we are casting a new reality show for Lifetime TV. We are planning to shoot the pilot in late May or June and hope to be done with that prior to camp.