BATESVILLE — Registration is open for the 13th annual T Tauri Movie Camp in Batesville, a program that encourages young video artists to shine like T Tauri stars themselves.
The program, a project of the Ozark Foothills FilmFest, provides all of the equipment for the workshops.
Judy Pest, executive director and co-founder of the Ozark Foothills FilmFest, said four workshops will be offered this year, ranging in duration from two to 3 1/2 days.
The camp runs from July 17-29 in Batesville.
Workshops include Script to Screen, Home Town Documentary, Brickfilms and Poetry in Motion.
Pest said Script to Screen is the only workshop that has been offered continuously since the camp began in 2005 and remains the most popular.
She said students experience the entire movie-making process by creating a short fictional film while giving their imaginations and creativity full rein.
Pest said this year’s documentary workshop will focus on teenage community volunteers.
“The technical skills will be mainly the same as those taught in Script to Screen, but the movie will seek to inform young people of the enormous beneficial effects derived by nonprofit organizations,” Pest said.
Brickfilms is a stop-motion animation process that uses Lego characters and building blocks, she said.
Pest said the brickfilms process involves taking a still photo, then repositioning the objects and taking a photo repeatedly. When edited together in a rapid sequence, the photos produce the illusion of motion.
“Brickfilms is a great introduction to filmmaking, especially for younger kids,” she said. “And, hey, who doesn’t love Legos?”
Poetry in Motion is a videography workshop that combines filmmaking with poetry.
Pest said team members select or write a poem, then decide what narration, moving images, sound and special effects to use to communicate the meaning of the poem.
According to the T Tauri Movie Camp website, the Hometown Documentary workshop costs $90 and runs from July 17-19 at Fellowship Bible Church for children in grades 6-12; Poetry in Motion costs $60 and takes place July 20 and 21 at Fellowship Bible Church for children in grades 4-10; Brickfilms costs $60 and runs from July 24 to July 25 at University of Arkansas Community College Batesville for children in grades 4-12; and Script to Screen costs $110 and runs from July 26 to July 29 at University of Arkansas Community College Batesville for children in grades 6-12.
Pest said tuition includes the equipment provided for the workshops, a T Tauri Movie Camp T-shirt and admission to the finale screening on the last night of camp.
“At the finale screening, all of the videos created are shown on the big screen in Independence Hall at UACCB,” Pest said. “The kids really look forward to the opportunity for their friends and family to see their movies and it’s a great motivator for keeping them focused on a common goal.”
The camp, which was founded by Judy and Bob Pest, was originally developed with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, she said.
Pest said the camp receives annual funding from the Arkansas Arts Council.
She said the camp provides instruction in a number of technical and technological skill areas, along with hands-on
experience in collaboration, problem-solving, project planning, time management and resource allocation.
“It gives kids a chance to explore their creativity in a fun and supportive environment,” Pest said.
Pest said the movie camp has a student capacity of 60 to 65 workshop slots, and registration closes July 1 or when the camp’s capacity is reached.
Pest said revenue generated through tuition and grants is used to pay for lodging for out-of-town instructors, supplies and equipment.
“Each year, about a third of participants attend on scholarships. These include foster children, residents of the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch and economically disadvantaged kids,” she said.
Pest said she enjoys seeing the excitement and pride of the kids as they watch their movies during the finale screening.
She said several campers have gone on to enroll in the filmmaking degree program at the University of Central Arkansas.
Mary Smith’s son, Tanner Smith, attended the camp throughout high school.
Smith said Tanner graduated from the University of Central Arkansas in May 2016 with a major in digital filmmaking.
Smith said the camp had a great impact on Tanner, allowing him to meet people with similar interests and make contacts that he maintains even today.
“I can’t say enough good things about T Tauri and Bob and Judy Pest. They encouraged and mentored Tanner and sparked an interest and enthusiasm that has turned into his life’s vocation,” Smith said.
Gregory Gray, a freelance video producer and T Tauri instructor of four years, has taught Script to Screen, Depicting Zombies, 2-D Animation and Brickfilms workshops in the past.
“The best part for me is working with the students to refine their story ideas for the short projects we do in each workshop,” he said. “By the time we finalize our story, shoot it and edit it, the students have an appreciation for all of the work involved.”
Gray said the best part of the workshops for the participants is the hands-on approach.
“They develop their story, operate the camera, set up the lights, put the microphone in the right place and act. Participation is the focus,” Gray said.
“I’ve been lucky to have many of the same young people do the workshops several years in a row, so I can see them mature as people and expand creatively,” he said.
“At the first workshop, it was immediately obvious that Judy and her husband, Bob, had a heart for kids and for the arts,” Gray said. “It gets better every year.”
For more information on the T Tauri Movie Camp or registration, contact Judy Pest at (870) 251-1189.
Staff writer Kayla Baugh can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or kbaugh@arkansasonline.com.