Children, teens learn filmmaking at movie camp

From left are Sydney Porter of Austin, Texas; Dylan McLeod and Jeydon Riggs both of Cash, shooting a film during a T Tauri Movie Camp in Batesville. The 18-and-under students present their films at the culmination of the camp and receive a DVD of the completed works.
From left are Sydney Porter of Austin, Texas; Dylan McLeod and Jeydon Riggs both of Cash, shooting a film during a T Tauri Movie Camp in Batesville. The 18-and-under students present their films at the culmination of the camp and receive a DVD of the completed works.

— Many children have made a home movie at some point, utilizing the family’s video camera or a mobile device to record stories. These amateur movies often indicate a desire to further explore filmmaking, to become a new star. In astronomy, the term for a new star is T Tauri, and at the T Tauri Movie Camp, children get a chance to learn more about filmmaking.

The T Tauri Movie Camp is the youth division of Ozark Foothills FilmFest Inc., which hosts the Ozark Foothills FilmFest in Batesville every year. The movie camp is accepting registrations for its 11th annual summer youth program.

Judy Pest, executive director of Ozark Foothills FilmFest Inc., said the camp is always a popular event, and many children return after their first year to gain more experience.

“We have a real high retention rate,” Pest said.

Pest — along with her husband, Bob — started the Ozark Foothills FilmFest in 2002. The movie camp was started soon after that, and Pest said many Arkansas filmmakers have been through the program.

The camp, which will be conducted July 13-25 in Batesville,

will offer video-production workshops for youth up to age 18. This year, the camp will present four workshops: Script to Screen Narrative Filmmaking, Music Video, Cut Paper Stop Motion Animation and Depicting Zombies.

Depicting Zombies is a new workshop this year, and students will learn about the history of zombies and where the topic has come up in folklore, literature and film. Practical instruction will include frame composition and lighting, and participants will also get to learn makeup and costume techniques to make actors look like zombies.

Workshops range from two to 3 1/2 days in length, and the cost is $60 to $100. All supplies and equipment are included in the cost.

This year’s workshop instructors are Greg Gray, Michad Holliday, Wes Obrigewitsch, John Pasmore and Jules Taylor. Most of the instructors have formal education in media or film, and all have worked on various film projects for many years. All but Gray have been T Tauri instructors in the past and continue to return year after year.

During the camp, students will make a film in their workshops. The Finale Screening — the capstone of the camp — will take place July 25, showcasing all of the films created in the workshops. The screening is open to the public.

For dates, locations, links to previous T Tauri film projects, and 2015 workshop descriptions and registration forms, visit www.ttauri.org or call (870) 251-1189. Registration will be open until July 1 or until capacity is reached. In addition to the workshop experience, students participating in the camp will receive a T-shirt and a DVD of the completed projects.

Staff writer Angela Spencer can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or aspencer@arkansasonline.com.

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