Students at a Des Moines Roosevelt High School received five donated video cameras Tuesday to use to make movies in their English classes. The Independent Film Channel from cable TV, and the Mediacom cable company donated the cameras.
Andy Hunn of the I-F-C says it’s part of their on-line course called “I-F-C Film School.” He says the course includes everything from how to frame shots, how to take a scene and convert it to something that looks best on screen. Hunn says donating the cameras gives the students the tools they need to “take it to the next level.”
Hunn says Roosevelt is just the fifth high school in the country to get the donated cameras as part of the program. Hunn says, “If you have the tools in hand, you have the ability to make something of yourself.” Hunn says whether you have the talent to end up as the next great director, is a personal thing. Hunn says they hope this leads kids down the path to possibly become a great film director.
I-F-C gave a presentation to students showing how many low-budget independent films, such as “Napoleon Dynamite”, ending up making a lot of money. While some other multi-million dollar films, such as “Gigli” , tanked at the box office.
Roosevelt English teacher Petra Lang says once they learn about how to shoot a movie, they’ll use the cameras to create stories from what they’ve learned. Lang says after they get done looking at American literature, they’ll find the stories that most influence American culture today and will integrate the stories into a personal narrative. Lang says the students are anxious to take part in the project.
Lang says, “They’re tremendously excited by it.” She says some students have already brought in cameras and it will be nice to let the other students use cameras too. Lang says the traditional method of reading and discussing literature is still important — but she says this adds something extra. Lang says, “What we’re looking at is new ways to engage students in learning.” The film school curriculum is free to any school that wants to use it on the I-F-C website at:www.ifc.com.
Related web sites:
Independent Film Channel