Young Filmmakers Make Awesome Movies
“My favorite thing about the Utah International Film Festival is watching the movies that the kids in Elementry school made. They are so much fun!” said Michelle Christensen’s of Starz and FX Talent Managment.
While attending the festival this last season Michelle wasn’t planning to add to her client roster as it was so full, but after seeing several performances from the young filmmakers she had to sign new talent.
But what makes these films by pre-teens so good?
“They have not been jaded by adulthood yet” said Aries Lumin, marketing director of UIFF. “These filmmakers have limitless imagination and creative ay to make their filmmaking stories come to life.”
One of the ways these students are creating new films is with the afterschool program RadGeekery. RadGeekery was started by Conrad Purr 8 years ago as an after school program for 4th-6th graders.
Through years of working with students in various film programs, Conrad has made more than 20 short films with students between the ages of 8 -18 years. These films premiere at their schools in front of the student body to tremendous applause.
Several of these short films have also gone on to screen at and win at the Utah International Film Festival.
“We love supporting young talent.” said Dora Workman, Festival Director.
The Utah International Film Festival has supported young filmmakers for over a decade with educational programming, pitching events and screening opportunities in addition to dedicated awards to filmmakers and actors under 18.
The experience in making a movie for these students is a chance to see their work on the big screen, hear the audience react to their work and feel that drive to make the next one.
We at the Utah International Film Festival are going to keep giving young filmmakers a place to share their work. You never know, today’s elementary school filmmaker could be an Oscar winning director, actor, writer, or producer in a few years.
And if the films coming out of programs like RadGeekery are any indication, We are excited to see what they come up with next.
