PA's Media Youth Film Initiative to Offer Classes to Young Filmmakers, 2/27-5/8

MyFi is a new partnership between the Media Arts Council and the Media Youth Center. where Center Director Brent Hill says, "The hope is to harness some of the energy young people have for digital arts and the internet and help them channel it into meaningful film projects." New classes start this spring in Media. Completed student MyFi films will be screened for the public as part of the 6th annual Media Film Festival in April 2013.

MyFi instructor, local filmmaker and professor of communication at Villanova University, Hezekiah Lewis was impressed with the diligences and creativity of the students. "Filmmakers are essentially storytellers and I believe every kid has a compelling story to share with the world." A graduate of the prestigious UCLA Film School and an award winning producer-director, Lewis says it all comes down to kids having their voices heard, "Film is more to me than a technical medium. It is an artistic vehicle for young people to express themselves internally. What are they really thinking and what message do they want to put out there for future generations to watch and learn from?"

MyFi students wrote a narrative film called Imagine about the importance of High School friendship. Students participated hand-on as crew members. They also learned screenplay writing, acting and directing, plus technical aspects like camera operation, set lighting, design and film editing.

Classes meet Wednesdays from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the Media Youth Center, February 27th through May 8th 2013. Tuition is $225.00 and there are scholarships available thanks in part to a grant from the Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts Council. For registration or more information contact the Media Youth Center at (610) 566 5877 or visit www.mediayouthcenter.com and www.mediaartscouncil.org.

Photo courtesy of Darryl Ridgeway.