Watch this Space for News about our Exciting 2009 Camp and new programming!
Celebrating it's 11th Year!
is a five-day summer camp held at the University or Rhode Island that exposes young people to the basic elements of the filmmaking process, culminating in a premiere screening of their finished films.
"Well, my dream is to be a director, which
hopefully I will accomplish one day and
I’ve always
loved working with movies. I just want to be in show
business when I grow up.”
-- James, a 13 year old filmmaker from Cranston.
“It’s a good experience because kids
like to do this and there’s a place where
they
can come to hang out and do what they love most, making
movies and stuff.”
-- Taylor, a 13 year old cinematographer from Harrisville
Camp Dates: July 6-10, 2009 Location: Kingston, RI Cost: $345
KidsEye™ is a fun yet intensive
five-day filmmaking camp for children ages 8-16 presented
by the Rhode Island International Film Festival™.
Over the course of the last few years, the camp has
expanded, allowing children to learn more about what
it takes to make a movie. We strive to incorporate as
much hands-on learning as possible, therefore placing
our focus primarily on production. KidsEye™ participants step into the roles of screenwriters, actors,
directors and crew, and learn the importance of working
as a team.
This summer the KidsEye™ camp
will take place July 6-10, 2009.
During the first two days participants will attend pre-production
workshops on screenwriting, storyboarding, acting, directing
and production design. Then participants will apply
what they have learned in the production of their group’s
short film. If time allows, participants will also have
the opportunity to partake in the editing process.
Although many children have access to their own video
cameras and home computer editing systems, KidsEye™
builds on that experience by allowing participants to
interact with trained filmmakers and educators. The
program is designed to enhance the knowledge, skills
and understanding of all participants, regardless of
their level of experience.
Registration is $345 which includes
a copy of the finished films and the official KidsEye™
t-shirt. Plus, participants receive access passes to
RIIFF main events, including the annual KidsEye™International Film Festival and to
the opening night of the Annual RI International
Horror Festival in October. And wait, there's
more! The film that the children shoot will be screened
for family and friends at a specially arranged screening
called the "Red Carpet Premiere."
KidsEye™ is a very hands-on
program and every year the program reflects the input
of the campers. The program reflects the knowledge and
skills brought to the table by our participants and
our instructors.
Look for details to be announced soon on our upcoming
collaborations with other film festivals throughout
the country as KidsEye™ branches
out.
Keith Brown is a native Rhode Islander who first started making films as soon as he was old enough to borrow his parent's Super 8 camera. He holds an MFA in Film Production from Boston University. His film, Tough All Over, has screened at the Boston Cinema Census, the Antelope Valley International Film Festival, the Georgetown Indy Film Fest, the Syracuse International Film and Video Festival, Film Stock, and the Rhode Island International Film Festival. His previous film, Moving Pictures, was honored with First Place Student Experimental Film at the Columbus Ohio International Film and Video Festival, First Place Experimental Film at the University of Rhode Island Visualizations Film Festival and the Best of Festival Award at the University of Rhode Island Visualizations Film Festival. Keith developed a film studies course, Representation of Youth in Film, which he taught at Tufts University in 2006. He has also recently taught film production courses at Boston University and the University of Rhode Island. He is currently the Creative Director for Pro-Change Behavior Systems, a health research company based in Kingston, Rhode Island and is also a freelance videographer.
Alyssa Holland Short
Program Coordinator
Alyssa brings a solid background in arts education and community organizing as well as a Masters Degree from Rhode Island School of Design in Art + Design Education, Community Track. Prior to coming on board with RIIFF, Alyssa spent six years with Providence ¡CityArts! for Youth, a local community arts organization with a mission to provide free professional arts education to Providence youth. She served ¡CityArts! in a variety of capacities including Program Director and Interim Director – working to design and implement a roster of after school arts programs, an intensive summer arts camp, and in-school artist residency programs. Alyssa has a passion for making change through the arts and she understands the potential that film and new media education programs hold in today’s fast-paced world where creative minds and critical thinkers will reign.
Alyssa has eight years experience as an artist educator and has taught at renowned institutions including Rhode Island School of Design and Moore College of Art + Design in Philadelphia. She is a dedicated member of the Providence arts community and she is a founding member of a community arts book club, an active volunteer with New Urban Arts, and she sits on the Board of Directors of The Hive Archive, a non-profit women-run feminist arts organization focused not only on art making and empowerment through creative expression, but also on civic involvement and social change.
Jeffrey Roth
Visiting Guest Filmmaker
Jeff Roth attended California State University Northridge where he earned his Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in film production. He started working on television movies as an intern in the camera department and from there worked his way up to become a camera assistant on TV sitcoms.
According to Jeff: "I wanted to learn how the set worked, so I thought that being in the camera department would at least allow me to stay on the set.
“My dream has always been to tell a story that I believed in.
“From the time that I was 10 years old, I would go to Universal Studios and sit on the tram and dream about being a Director."
Jeff is the director of the award-winning documentary, "The Wonder of it All" that screened at RIIFF 2007. The powerful film tells the story of the men who walked on the moon through the American space program.
With over a dozen years of professional working experience in Hollywood, James Hill has been in front of the camera as well as behind the camera where he has worn many different hats.
For six years he was the Senior Technician of the Media Services Dept. for the American Film Institute-AFI in Los Angeles. During his tenure at AFI he added to his behind the camera knowledge with the art of story telling from being involved with one of the top film schools in the country, for an experience that James says was "essentially being paid to go to film school."
In the last several years he has now become a "Preditor" -producer/shooter/editor - and has clients from NYC to Boston. He is currently wrapping up the movie "Shore Thing" serving as Co Director, Director of Photography and Editor, a new movie about mysterious shark attacks in New York. James serves as the Technical Operations Manager for RIIFF each August where he oversees are all screening venues, equipment and staff.
Recent graduates of this year's KidsEye™ 2008 Summer Filmmaking Camp at the wrap session.
Thanks to the University of Rhode Island for once again hosting the camp and the College of
Arts & Sciences and the Film Media Program. The 2008 camp was directed by Alyssa
Holland Short and Keith Brown. Our guest industry directors were Jeff Roth ("The Wonder
of It All") and James Hill. The Official Red Carpet Premiere of the work by KidsEye campers
was on Friday, August 8th at 7:00 p.m., Bell Street Chapel, 5 Bell Street, Providence.
More than 200 friends and family filled the hall for an SRO event!
Special thanks to Rule Broadcast/Boston Camera for their annual support of this program!
For more information, call (401) 861-4445 or write
to:
Keith Brown
Alyssa Holland Short
Jeffrey Roth
James Hill
