Youths learn art of filmmaking

By Cathy Spaulding
Phoenix Staff Writer

July 17, 2008 11:32 pm

— Even at 14, Isaac Holt speaks with authority.
He barks orders through a bullhorn: “Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go!”
The teenage actors across Fourth Street comply and get into their places to shoot a new scene.
Isaac is taking his turn as director of “Olive’s Book,” an original movie written, performed and filmed by 11 youths attending the Young Filmmaker’s Camp through today.
This is the third year Muskogee’s Darkwood Film Arts Institute has put on the summer camp, but the first year the camp has gone for two weeks, not one.
“It gives us a longer time to develop the movies, take more time to get more in-depth application,” said Darkwood Producer ShIron Butterfly Ray.
She said the kids also watched the movie “Goonies,” a 1985 movie about boys and a treasure map that starred Sean Astin and Josh Brolin, who since have become adult actors. Ray said they discussed what it is like to be a child actor.
Muskogee’s young filmmakers are taking turns acting and doing all the behind-the-camera jobs.
Robert Davis, 15, said he’s doing more acting this year than when he was in last year’s camp.
He spent part of Tuesday afternoon adjusting and holding up the clapper board, a dry marker board with a hinged top that directors use to note scene takes.
After holding the clapper board for seven takes of the same brief scene, Robert said, he “gets tired of it sometimes.”
“I like acting better,” he said. “In the ‘Treasure of Jesse James,’ I was Joe, and in ‘Olive’s Book,’ I am Tall Boy.”
Muskogee High School freshman Avery Frix, who has performed on-stage at Muskogee Little Theatre, said, “In film, you have to go a lot slower than in a stage production.”
Muskogee High School senior Cecelia Simon said she got involved with the movie camp this year because, “I have a passion for acting.”
“I watch a lot of movies and thought it would be cool to do someday,” she said.
Kids learn more than how to speak more slowly, how to hold the camera and the sound “boom” or how to direct. They learn cooperation, said co-producer Oscar Ray.
“They learn that movie making is a collaborative effort,” he said. “You have to treat each other as equals.”
Isaac, who lives in Spartanburg, S.C., said he is spending his vacation making movies.
“I was with my grandparents at a bluegrass concert and I met ShIron Ray and met Oscar Ray,” he said. “I was interested in films before. I’m on our church’s media team.”
The camp participants will see raw footage of their two films at a “wrap party” today.
The finished edited versions will premiere in Muskogee in October, ShIron Ray said.
“I hope to get up here for the premiere,” Isaac said.

Reach Cathy Spaulding at 918-684-2928 or Click Here to Send Email

Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.