Light House's documentary about a refugee camp wins top honors  The New York Festivals International Television & Film Awards announced yesterday: their Grand Jury selected Light House's film Better Than Bagdad as winner of their Bronze World Medal! This is the third-highest honor at the festival. You can watch the short film here. This is the 56th year of the New York Festivals International Television & Film Awards and this year they received film entries from over 50 countries, making this one of the most well-known and widely respected film festivals in the world. The lead filmmaker of this documentary is Light House student Reid Hildebrand and the subject is International Rescuee Committee participant, Majed Alsruar. Hildbrand, who is now studying at Wesleyan University, is thrilled Better Than Baghdad won the Bronze World Medal - especially considering the strong competition from across the globe (other film finalists came from South Africa, India, Taiwan, and other countries). Hildebrand says:
Better Than Baghdad turned out to be much more than a film - it opened a dialogue on a part of the world and a part of humanity that is underreported and misrepresented by the media and popular attention. A dialogue not just between Majed and myself, but between Majed and everyone who chooses to watch this film.  Better Than Baghdad features Charlottesville teenage refugee Majed as he recalls a remarkable event in the refugee camp where he and his family lived for five years in the Iraqi desert before emigrating to Charlottesville, Virginia. This film was a collaboration between Light House Studio and the International Rescue Committee and it was funded by a grant from the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation - Community Endowment. Harriet Kuhr, Executive Director of the IRC in Charlottesville, says:
We're thrilled that Majed is able to share his story of living in a refugee camp with the world through the powerful medium of film. We couldn't agree more. The student film crew also included writer Conor Kyle, sound and assistant cameraman Greg Nachmanovtich, and production assistants Elisha Courts and Mitz Germershausen. More acclaim from film festivals Better Than Baghdad has been entered into several other film festivals and results will be publicized in the coming months. So far, the film is also a winner at the Virginia Student Film Festival in their Competitive Shorts program. Better Than Baghdad and three other Light House films ( Chouky, Last Day of May, and This is Your Life) will screen at this festival, held at the University of Virginia, on Saturday, April 13, 2013. If you have questions or comments, email lucy@lighthousestudio.org
 NBC Channel 29 stopped by the studio this week to witness our middle school students from Mountaintop Montessori as they made mini-documentaries about four VSA artists. The students divided into teams to tackle the challenge of making the documentaries in just three days. They learned about the genre of documentary filmmaking, researched their subjects, interviewed them, shot the mini-documentaries and edited the films (and learned how to use Final Cut Pro!).
Click below to watch the mini-documentaries:
We’re a finalist!A film made in our summer Documentary workshop is a finalist in the international New York Festivals film and video awards. Take a peek at the film, Better Than Baghdad, a sensitive film about a remarkable event caught on camera: Our students Reid Hildebrand, Elisha Courts, Greg Nachmanovtich, and Conor Kyle made this film in collaboration with the Charlottesville International Rescue Committee. It is now competing for a top medal with 6 other student films from India, South Africa, and Taiwan. Stay posted for more film festival updates!
The Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (CACF) Community Endowment has awarded a grant to fund Light House Studio in producing seven episodes of What’s Going On C’Ville, a talk show featuring Charlottesville area nonprofits and other extraordinary locals. Thanks to the grant, Light House will train high schoolers to set up, produce, and edit a television show. Our first episode, featuring Piedmont CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for children) and the Pollocks, is now airing — watch now!
NEW treat for Winter Break:
Underwater Film Camp
For: 2nd - 6th graders
Have a youngster who wants something fun
and creative to do over winter break?
Then join our New Year’s party under the sea!
WHEN:
10am-2pm
Mon-Fri December 31-Jan 4*
*(4 sessions; workshop not held on Tues.)
In this winter break camp, we’ll turn
household materials into an underwater set,
film a party in front of a green screen,
and create a celebration to ring in 2013!
Every camper will leave with a new set of
creative skills and an imaginative DVD
to share with their friends and family!
TUITION: $150
Space is limited, so register now online
or by emailing josie@lighthousestudio.org!
Eat, drink, and watch films at our First Friday event
FREE
Enjoy drinks and holiday cookies
WHEN: Friday December 7, 5:30-7:30pm
WHERE: Second Street Gallery
We will be screening films in two spaces, located in the same building:
Piñata
A video installation at Second Street Gallery
(Artist talk at 6:30pm)
A film about teenage identity, self expression, and
hitting things really hard with a plastic bat
by our Video As Art students
And step next door to watch…
Shenandoah National Park Trust Film
A new film premiering at Light House Studio
A film about the park that explores flora, fauna, and
threats to the enviornment, made possible
by the CACF Community Endowment
See you there!
This week the following Light House workshops will NOT be held:STATIC (Wed), Open Studio (Th), Video as Art (Sat), and Explorations in Cinema (Sun). CHEC will still hold class on Friday morning. Come see Light House Films this weekend at the Virginia Film FestivalLight House will be showing some of our students’ films during the Virginia Film Festival’s Family Day, this Saturday, November 3rd, at 9:30am at the Regal Cinema on the Downtown Mall. Also, Light House students will be participating in this weekend’s Adrenaline Film Project where they will write, cast, shoot, edit and screen a film during the Virginia Film Festival. You can see everyone’s finished films and the award ceremony at UVA’s Newcomb Theater on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 10:00 p.m.
Music Scoring for Film
Starts Monday, 10/22!
4:30-6:30pm
M 10/22, T 10/23,
M 10/29, T 10/30
T 11/6
Tuition: $125
(Some scholarships available)
In this workshop, students will be getting hands on experience creating a catalog of music and sounds designed for use with film and video. They will be composing, recording and learning to apply sound to picture. The mentor will guide and inspire creativity through sound, and will be available to answer questions, guide students as they gain comfort creating in the world of sound for picture. This workshop will support a Light House documentary currently in production by advanced Light House students, and all participants will receive a credit on the film. Basic knowledge of how to use a Mac computer is required.
Special Guest Mentor: Abel Okugawa
Download the application here.
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Motion Graphics and Animation for Film
Starts Saturday 10/27!
Saturdays:
10/27 1-3pm
11/3 1-4pm
11/10 1-4pm
11/17 1-4pm
Tuition: $125
(Some scholarships available)
In this class students will explore topics in both traditional and computer animation including developing character designs, animating titles, and creating digital effects for live action movies. Students will have the unique opportunity to create on screen effects and cut away animations for a Light House documentary currently in production by advanced Light House students. This workshop will support the film, and all participants will receive a credit in the film.
Special Guest Mentor: Greg Brozenske
Download the application here.
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What’s Going on C'ville
TV Production
Training starts this Saturday, 10/20!
Be on the set of a real television show and help produce it! Training for this is FREE, and shoots are once a month at CATEC. Email deanna@lighthousestudio.org if you want to be a part of this!
Training dates:
Saturday, October 20, 9am-5pm
Tuesday, Oct 23, 6-9pm
Thurs Oct. 25, 6-9pm
About the show:
Light House Studio is once again teaming up with Lana Young, host of the television show “What’s Going on C’ville.” This is an excellent opportunity to learn about television production and see your show air on television. Students will produce one show a month and credits are given to student participants.
About the show:
“What’s Going On C’Ville” is a fresh new show celebrating the extraordinary people of Virginia. Our mission is to inspire, motivate and entertain our viewers with a “who’s who” parade of musicians, artists, healers, scientists, filmmakers, historians, heroes and anyone else who is deserving of the spotlight.
The Virginia Film Festival is almost here! The full schedule has been released and it looks to be another year to remember. If you didn’t get a chance to enter a film this year, then try out the Adrenaline Project. Teams of three filmmakers will have 72 hours to write, shoot, and edit a complete film. High school filmmakers can apply through Light House Studio and have the opportunity to compete against filmmakers from all over the state. Last year, a Light House group took home the Jury Award with their film, The Iranian Job, which you can view here on Vimeo. We need some great groups this year to keep the momentum going. There are limited slots available so apply now!
You’re invited! The 11th Annual Light House Youth Film Festival is just a month away! Join us for an evening to celebrate another year of award-winning student work! Tickets and information can be found here.
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