CELEBRATING 6TH YEAR OF GIVEME5 TEEN FILM FESTIVAL
Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Education Program, in conjunction with the Rhode Island Film and Television Office, announce the sixth annual GiveMe5 Teen Film Festival, to be held Saturday, May 17, from12:30-4:30 PM at the Columbus Theatre, 270 Broadway, Providence.
GiveMe5 is free and open to the public. Additional sponsors supporting the future filmmakers of Rhode Island include: URI’s Harrington School of Communication and Media and Media Education Lab; Flickers: Rhode Island International Film Festival; the Rhode Island Film Collaborative; Motif; and the RI Arts Learning Network.
Teen filmmakers from around Rhode Island will showcase and discuss their 5-minute (or less) films, and receive feedback from a professional media panel. Films featured have been created by students from around the state, and include the one-minute films from the GiveMe5 Teen Film Labs Make-a-Minute-Movie Challenge. GiveMe5 Lab and Festival student filmmakers are from: Beacon Charter High School (Woonsocket); Bishop Hendricken High School (Warwick); Block Island School; Chariho High School; East Greenwich High School; LaSalle Academy (Providence); Met Career and Technical School (Providence); Narragansett Pier Middle School; Portsmouth High School; Sophia Academy(Providence); St. Mary’s Academy Bayview (East Providence); Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts (Providence); and Westerly High School. Student emcees Molly Kitiyakara and Raymond Fernandez are from Everett Company in Providence.
This year’s professional media panel will include Steven Feinberg (Executive Director of the Rhode Island Film & TV Office in the State of Rhode Island Department of Administration); Jeff Toste (musician and independent filmmaker, currently director of Haven Brothers: Legacy of the American Diner “the original food truck”); and Jennifer Green (photographer, 5th grade teacher of digital media literacy, and recent graduate of Roger Williams University).
"This is the sixth year that Rhode Island teens have been able to showcase their five-minute films and receive feedback from media professionals. Through education and experience, these talented teens will soon be prepared to seize future opportunities and integrate themselves into a professional workforce," added Director of Administration Richard Licht.
“The future of the rapidly expanding film, television, and new media industry in our Ocean State is related to growing young filmmakers in our education system,” says Steven Feinberg of the Rhode Island Film & TV Office. “When I was a child, I was fortunate that my father was a 6th grade teacher because he had the insight to see my early interest in moviemaking. He and my Mom nurtured my passion and encouraged me to learn as much as I could. With each experience I fell more in love with film, and it became my life’s work and passion. Working in film and technology is a natural for most kids today, and we have a responsibility to educate them about the art of filmmaking and how they can achieve quality work in this innovative industry.”
“Young people today are inundated with images about them but not by them” says Sherilyn Brown, Education Director of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts. “Media education is an important part of helping teens to think using the art form of film, while they gain skills and knowledge applicable to the fast-growing creative industries nationally and internationally.
The purpose of GiveMe5 is to network and grow media education programs statewide. GiveMe5 also sponsors two Teen Film Labs (Make-a-Minute Movie Challenge) in March (one in Providence and one in Kingston) and a Media Teachers Lab in October.
For more info on GiveMe5, call 401-222-6994, Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM or visit us at the GiveMe5Facebook page.
The Rhode Island Film & TV Office is a government agency under the umbrella of the State of Rhode Island Department of Administration. More info: http://www.film.ri.gov
The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts is a state agency supported by appropriations from the Rhode Island General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. RISCA provides grants, technical assistance and staff support to arts organizations and artists, schools, community centers, social service organizations and local governments to bring the arts into the lives of Rhode Islanders.http://www.arts.ri.gov
