LearnThink Media has launched its summer filmmaking workshops with the first of its four one-week sessions, which began Monday, June 17.
The workshops consist of short film production from script-to-screen, stop motion animation, and the creation of short films for the Texas Water Foundation’s 2019 Water, Texas Film Festival.
Tuition per session is $275. Roxanne Peña, co-founder of LearnThink Media, advises that there are a few openings for the second, third, and fourth workshops. Parents who wish to enroll a student can write to Peña at roxanne@learnthinkmedia.org or call (956) 420-4700. All classes are open to students ages 8 to 17.
This week’s Short Film Workshop for students undertook first day activities to learn about writing for film. At the end of the day, facilitators and presenters reviewed 13 short film treatments and selected two of the best for production.
The workshops are held at the offices of Lot 31 Films at 201 W. Hillside Rd., Ste. 14, within the Colonnade Square office of BTP Insurance Services. Participants have been encouraged to bring their lunch to the workshops, as well as costumes and props for set design.
Session II focuses on Stop Motion Animation and begins June 24 and continues through June 28.
The third session from July 8 to 12 focuses on 10-minute films that will be submitted to the 2019 Water, Texas Film Festival and will be judged by independent filmmaker Richard Linklater.
Student teams that participate in the 2019 Water, Texas workshops will have an opportunity to win the following prizes from the TWF: first place, $1,000; second place, $500; and third place, $300. A special award category and prize will go to teams 18 and under.
The fourth and final workshop from July 15 to 19 is a repeat of the Short Film Workshop.
All films created at LearnThink Media’s filmmaking workshops will premiere at its inaugural Youth Vision Film Festival at the Alamo Drafthouse on Saturday, September 21. Workshop participants will receive a free T-Shirt, a Youth Vision Film Festival badge, and a ticket to the Youth Vision Film Festival.
General admission tickets for the Youth Vision Film Festival are $12 per person.
ABOUT LEARNTHINK MEDIA
LearnThink Media was established to advance the City of Laredo’s comprehensive plan by enriching students in arts and culture, specifically through filmmaking.
“Our mission is to elevate, inspire, and educate artists to shape the way our community sees independent film, media arts, and technology as valuable careers and to celebrate their work through exhibits, screenings, festivals, and other events that create a deeper appreciation for various art forms,” Peña said.
(ABOUT THE FOUNDERS: Native Laredoan Roxanne Peña has 15 years combined experience related to audio/video production and film entertainment. She earned an A.A. in Radio, Television, and Film from Austin Community College. She graduated summa cum laude from St. Edward’s University with a B.A. in Communication. She graduated with an M.A. in Education from Texas State University. She has interned as a casting director assistant and editor for which she managed a portfolio of projects from concept to sizzle. She spent two years as a production assistant working on reality TV shows like Tiny House Nation and He Shed, She Shed. She has produced educational content for production companies across the United States. She established Lot 31 Films, a video production company, in 2016.
Co-founder Joe Ceballos, also a native Laredoan, is the owner of Skin & Bone Studios. He moved to California for the love of film and monsters, graduating with a degree in industrial software and a minor in art from Long Beach State University. He has worked in film as a special effects and make-up artist and as an engineering and fabrication consultant. He has worked on over 64 films and TV shows and is excited to provide support for the next local talent in the industry.)
