Calling All Youth Film Makers!
By Contributor
U19 is back!
The Rossland Council for Arts and Culture will be presenting the 8th annual West Kootenay U19 Film Festival this spring. The festival will take place on Saturday, May 2 at the Rossland Miners Hall. The Festival is being run as an event during National Youth Week, of which Rossland participation is coordinated by the Rossland Youth Action Network. RCAC is calling for film submissions from local youth.
The U19 Film Fest is run for youth by youth. A youth committee decides on the event theme and the film categories, helps with advertising and sponsorship requests, and implements the event. Youth are also MCs at the event and choose the judges. All film makers are under 19 years of age and submit short films (maximum 10 minutes in length) in any of 6 categories: non-fiction/documentary, comedy, sports (including snowsports), quick and dirty (under 19 seconds long), action/adventure, or drama in order to win cash prizes and the coveted Olaus awards (Oscar-like statues in the shape of Olaus Jeldness). The filmmakers have a chance to speak at the event and introduce their own films. “It is great to have the youth involved with the planning of this event,” says Tara Kowalchuk RCAC Executive Administrator, “they really take the event and make it their own. There are some very talented young people in our region and the community always has a wonderful time watching the youth showcase their films at the festival.”
Right now we are asking youth to start making their films and to get them submitted. We are looking for submissions from youth of all filmmaking abilities, the festival is about participation and learning and experiencing a new art form. We invite all youth in the region to give it a try! To encourage more youth to make and submit films, the RCAC runs film workshops leading up to the festival. One workshop has been completed this year which focused on taking a film from pre-production through to post-production. The next workshop will be a stunt workshop with local Hollywood stuntman Garvin Cross. This workshop will focus on the importance of storyline in films, camera angle and lighting, and how to set-up, safely execute, film, and edit stunts. “It is wonderful to have a professional in the community so willing to share his knowledge with the youth,” says Kowalchuk. “This workshop will be a wonderful opportunity for local youth to learn something most people do not get a chance to experience, from someone with years of industry experience, and have a lot of fun doing it!” The workshop will run on March 7, watch for more details to come.
The submission deadline for films is April 1, 2015. For submission guidelines, applications, and general festival information visit u19filmfest.com.
For more information contact:
Tara Kowalchuk
RCAC Executive Administrator
250-921-8272
rosslandarts@gmail.com
