Two WATER, TX film shorts produced at LearnThink Media’s 2019 summer film camp will be screened in Austin on April 7 by the Austin Film Society (AFS) at the AFS Cinema, 6406 N. Interstate 35, Frontage Rd #3100.
The films are part of The Texas Water Foundation’s “WATER, TX” film contest that challenged filmmakers to make a 10-minute film answering the question “What’s your water story?” The challenge and the screenings are meant to increase awareness in Texas about the value of water and its role in our daily lives.
Renown director and film maker Richard Linklater will judge the films.
The two LearnThink films, entitled H2Love and Galactic Remedy, respectively, were written, scripted, and produced by two teams of students working in cohorts of seven camp attendees who ranged in age from 8 to 16.
Over one week last summer, the teams developed the story, wrote the script, did a table reading, and assigned the film crew: assistant director, first assistant camera, the sound operator, the script supervisor, and the continuity supervisor. They also acted in the film. The writer of the story served as the film’s director.
“The students became informed of local water quality issues and water conservation after hearing from Tricia Cortez of the Rio Grande International Study Center, Valerie Gonzalez Vega, and Marla Castañeda of the City of Laredo Water Utilities Department. They did a lot with what they learned,” said LearnThink’s executive director, Roxanne Peña, who acknowledged the participation of 10 camp attendees from Laredo Housing Authority neighborhoods.
LearnThink’s Water, TX film team — Itzel Contreras, J.D. Guerrero, John Eichorst, Brey Vaughn Foret (Camp Facilitator), Zoe Sifuentes; middle row: Norberto Bolaños Jr., William Contreras, Jacob Galvez, Kelvin Contreras, Abigail Martinez, Azeneth Fructuoso, Dayana Soto, David Galvez; bottom row: Iris Rodriguez, Roxanne Peña (founder), Sofia Rankin, Jessica Martinez (Laredo Housing Authority), Valeria Cabello (Laredo Housing Authority), Jenet Kiefer (camp producer), and Juan Paez (camp producer.)
“Our students dedicated a full day to filming. It was a wonderful working experience for all of us, including the professional editors who were part of the teaching staff,” she continued.
Peña said water will again be a focus for the LearnThink camps that convene June 15 and July 13. She can be reached for early enrollment at (956) 420-4700 or info@learnthinkmedia.org
(LearnThink Media is a 501©3 non-profit dedicated to elevate, inspire, and educate artists to be active in shaping the way our community sees independent film, media arts, and technology as valuable careers; and to celebrate their work through screenings, festivals, exhibits, and other events to create a deeper appreciation of the various art forms in our community.)
Note: This event’s time has moved from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM.
