ORANGE, NJ — On Friday, March 17, students from Orange High School will visit the campus of Drew University in Madison to kick-off FilmBoot24, a 24-hour filmmaking bootcamp that is being presented by the non-profit organization, Cinema Ed. This pilot program, made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey Council on the Arts/Department of State, brings together many members of the diverse local education and arts communities including, Drew’s Center for Civic Engagement, Valley Arts, the Orange School District and film industry professionals. The boot camp will take place during a three-day period with a culminating “Red Carpet” event, to judge and award the winning films, at Orange Preparatory Academy in Orange on Sunday, March 19.
Approximately 25 Orange High School students will be transported to the Drew campus on Friday, March 17, and matched in teams, complete with Drew students and filmmaking professionals who will serve as mentors. Each team picks the theme for their film from a short list of ideas that are tied to their current curriculum, and then it’s off to the races. Teams get 24 hours to produce a short film.
Richard Stephen Bell, Cinema Ed co-founder, is looking forward to the kick-off, stating, “We at Cinema Ed believe that storytelling is at the heart of learning. Each person has a story to tell and helping discover and connect that story to a student’s curriculum is what we are all about. We are very excited about FilmBoot24 and the stories that these Orange High School students will bring to light.”
On Saturday, March 18, Orange High School students return to the Drew campus to shoot, edit and fine-tune their work, with the help of Cinema Ed’s professional mentors and volunteers, and Drew University resources, including its Theater Department.
Cinema Ed co-founder Kathleen Milburn is grateful to the supporting organizations. “What an amazing collaboration it has been with Drew University, Orange School District and Valley Arts. As a young non-profit, Cinema Ed is big on vision but short on resources. We have been supported and encouraged by our team from these esteemed and progressive organizations.”
The morning of Sunday, March 19, is reserved for Cinema Ed’s panel of professional judges to review each team’s film and determine which one will receive the Grand Jury Prize. At 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, the doors open for a “Red Carpet” event at the Orange Preparatory Academy, where all films are shown at a free public screening and awards will be presented.
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