Making Movies with Mom's Video Camera Kids Learn, Create, Enter Festival
BY KATHRYN CECERI Correspondent SARATOGA SPRINGS
The founder of the Rod Serling Video Festival, one of the few competitions open to students in kindergarten through high school, would like to see more kids try their hand at making movies. "Summer is a great time to do something with a video camera," said Larry Kassan, in town Monday to screen the 2001 festival winners and watch local entries from the Video-in-Production Group held last winter at the Saratoga County Arts Center.
The local videographers ---- Marly Halpern-Graser, Emelina Spinelli, Evan Curtis, Daniel Levine, and Tabatha Beshears ---- created music videos, "Gumby"-inspired animation, a saga of aliens vs. "Star Wars" action figures, a portrait of a man's love of junky cartoons from childhood into old age, a blooper-filled suspense flick and a funny twist on "It's a Wonderful Life." While many of the festival winners used sophisticated video and computer-generated special effects, Kassan stressed that high-tech isn't a requirement for an imaginative movie. Spinelli, for example, flipped the pages of a sketchbook in time with a song when she couldn't use a computer to create the images she wanted for her music video. Still, many of the winners showed an impressive knowledge of camera angles and editing, and of the technology needed to create them.
The categories included computer and clay animation, and a best-in-show for both older and younger entrants. The Arts Center's V-I-P series, which brought in professionals every week working in different aspects of film and videomaking, was helpful in teaching some of the experts' tricks, according to Halpern-Graser.
Speaking by phone last week before heading off for a three-week New York State School for Media Arts program in Ithaca, the 16-year-old homeschooler said it was useful to get a lot of different takes on the same field. "Movies are a very collaborative art, so any one person doesn't know everything," he said. Halpern-Graser, a 2000 festival winner for best use of comedy, himself worked with family members and friends on this year's entries. But though he appreciated the V-I-P Group's lessons, and he's learned a lot from watching the classic films his parents recommends, Halpern-Graser said there was no substitute for hands-on experience. He works on new videos year-round. "You really can't learn this stuff without doing it," he said. "To practice really helps." For other students interested in using the camcorder their parents probably have lying around the house, Kassan said he's willing to come talk to schools and organizations to provide encouragement.
The comprehensive V-I-P program came about through the conviction of Arts Center Director Dee Sarno that movies are an important medium. "We are especially interested in film," she said at the opening of the night's show. "As documentary, it shows future generations where we have been."
Entries are now being accepted for the next Rod Serling Video Festival, to be held in June 2002 in Binghamton. The cost is $5, and all applicants receive a gift certificate for one free rental good at any Hollywood Video and a gift certificate for one free dinner at Old Country Buffet. For information on the festival or to contact Kassan, go to the festival's Web site, www.rodserlingvideofest.com. To find out about plans for next winter's Video-in-Production Group, call the Saratoga County Arts Center at 584-4132.
