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Anaheim Union High School District Film Academy uses Blackmagic Design
Launched in 2017, the Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD) Summer Film Academy invites junior and senior class students from high schools across the district to an intensive 4-week program that teaches theory and application of film techniques. The program was conceived by John Bautista, Jeff Numainville, Dean Delgado, and Adrian Olmedo, all instructors within the school district. Originally the plan was to highlight the talents of students via a film festival, but soon the concept grew. “The district was actually asking teachers if they could help create content for them,” said Delgado. “We thought why not help students expand their skills as filmmakers, and let them use their talents to create videos on behalf of AUHSD.” With the support of Superintendent Michael Matsuda, the program came to life.Senior Hana Chung, from Oxford Academy High School, didn’t know she wanted to be a filmmaker when she joined the Film Academy. “At first I joined the program to exercise my hobby,” said Chung. “Eventually I realized how much I loved making films, and now hope to attend a film school and work in the industry.” Chung, like other students in the program, enjoyed the opportunity to work with a professional camera like the URSA Mini Pro. She was impressed with the quality and affordability of Blackmagic products. “It allowed me to realize that making a film is a viable option for many people.”
Dulce Torre, a senior from Katella High School, was already planning to be a filmmaker, but joined the Academy as a way to work more with other filmmakers, and to discover new skills, starting with Resolve. “At first I was worried about working with brand new software,” said Torre. “But once I started to use it, it became easy. The software made me feel like a professional editor, pushing me to want to think of all aspects of filmmaking. I now have a much bigger respect for editors on big feature films!”
The program also works hard to go beyond the classroom. Instructors Bautista, Delgado, Numainville, Olmedo, and lead coordinator Scott Reindl look for ways to drive the program into a practical approach to filmmaking, requiring students to make films both for AUHSD, but also for local companies. The Academy works with partner organizations such as the United Way, MeridianLink, and Kaiser Permanente, who requested Film Academy students create documentaries highlighting their involvement with AUHSD. Students are required to storyboard, prep, shoot and edit the projects themselves, with only overall supervision and guidance from the instructors.
With a focus on teaching professionalism, the instructors were excited to incorporate Blackmagic Design technology into their workflow. “As budding filmmakers,” said Delgado, “having these professional tools has expanded their skills and abilities in filmmaking. Using DaVinci Resolve for editing has taken their skillset to the next level, helping them understand the important of all aspects of storytelling in post-production.”
The exposure to new software and equipment created a new playing field for the students, many of which had never worked with anything more than a DSLR or consumer editing packages. “I used to be so accustomed to other software since I started making films,” said Annie Nguyen, a senior at Western High School, “that I was reluctant to try DaVinci Resolve. But I realized that Resolve not only honed my editing skills but also my colorist skills. It showed me to never be afraid to break away from traditional methods.”
For many of the students the program is about growing, both as a filmmaker as well as a person. “I learned how to deal with criticism, even if I didn’t necessarily agree with it,” said Nguyen. “Being able to receive criticism and learn how to compromise not only prepared me for future projects but also increased my professionalism and image towards my clients.” But for students like Nguyen, the lessons also went beyond filmmaking. “Being in an environment where creativity thrives and breaking the rules is encouraged - it gave me a new perspective on the world.”
Info: www.blackmagicdesign.com
