Los Angeles July 11-15

Have you dreamed about being the next Entertainment Reporter?

Do you

• Love, really love films?
• Love talking about the latest film?
• Envision yourself on the Red Carpet?

Spend an exciting week

• Watching the latest films
• Learning to write film reviews
• Learning to review films on camera
• Meeting guest film critics
• Learning interview techniques
• Improving your on-camera skills
• Being coached by seasoned professionals

Parents

Kids love movies. It’s part of their socializing experience. They also love being on-camera and are comfortable there. At the KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Boot Camp — a one-week summer day camp in its second year — we put what they love to good use.

We live in a visual world. Film, whether it’s on the big screen, your TV, the Internet, or even your smart phone, has an influencing factor on kids. At Boot Camp, kids ages 8 to 13 will learn how to look critically at different elements in a film, from directing and acting to cinematography, writing and art direction, and explore how they respond to these different elements while discovering what they mean to the success of the film.

The fun part is when kids learn to perform on camera! They will develop confidence and self esteem — skills that will carry them into the future, even if their goal is nowhere close to being a film critic. We are looking to discover the next Lisa Guerrero or Ryan Seacrest but it may be that we find the next Zac Efron or Selena Gomez.

Boot Camp Director Janet Davidson brings her 30+ years experience as a director to teach Boot Campers performance skills. “The value of learning to perform in front of a camera is incomparable,” Ms. Davidson comments. “It will carry you in every walk of life.”

Your child may never want to perform in a film or critique a film, but film will be in his or her life. Learning to understanding the dynamics of how a film is appreciated helps develop strong critical thinking, writing and discussion skills. And, what a fun way to spend one week this summer!

KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Boot Camp will be held during this summer in Los Angeles. Register to receive KIDS FIRST! News and/or check back here for details.

Date & Location*

Los Angeles, CA July 11-15
Disney Studios
Burbank, CA

* Please return for a refreshed schedule as we plan to offer shorter, weekend camps throughout the year in Santa Fe, Annapolis and Albuquerque.

Tuition $549**

Some Scholarships Available, please ask!

Includes all materials, lunch and snacks
Ages 8 - 13
Enrollment limited. Maximum 15 children per class
Some partial scholarships available

Instructors

JANET DAVIDSON began her career in NY as an EQUITY/SAG actor. She then moved into producing and directing commercials. After moving to LA she joined the DGA as a 1st Assistant Director. She is credited in more than 200 episodic and 20 telefilms. She combined her acting background with the technical side and started directing TV. Her credits include; Earth 2, Cagney & Lacey Soul Food, Judging Amy and multiple episodes of Any Day Now. Janet is a founding member of New Mexico Women in Film and is on the board of Women in Film and Television International. Besides coaching actors privately Janet also teaches acting workshops. In her spare time she teaches film and drama at Pecos High School and is a faculty member at the University of New Mexico. Go to imdb for more>

ALEX GOVERNATORI III - Alex is a videographer, editor, director, and all around production technician.As a passionate filmmaker, Alex has written and directed several short films and other digital productions for local television, new media, and festivals.He has studied film and television production for over 10 years and holds a BA in Film and Media from American University. For several years, he has taught children the art of filmmaking at such places as Filmsters Academy and Georgetown University.Alexalso enjoys being in front of the camera as an improv actor and sketch comedian.

PATTI OBROW WHITE - Emmy-award winning Patti Obrow White has been senior producer for three seasons on the ABC series "Extreme Makeover." Having spent over fifteen years at CBS News in New York, Patti produced for "60 Minutes," "CBS Reports" and other broadcasts, earning a reputation for dealing thoughtfully with the issues of young people. She received three National Emmy Awards and the George Foster Peabody Award for her work at CBS. Additionally, she wrote, produced and directed over 100 celebrity segments for the "CBS Treasury Minutes" series. As an independent producer, Patti wrote and produced the PBS documentary "Mending Hearts," narrated by Christopher Reeve, which won the CINE Golden Eagle Award. She wrote, produced and directed the award-winning documentary "If I Could," narrated by Sally Field and wrote and produced "America at Risk: Seeds of Hope," focusing on an abandoned generation of youth, drug and alcohol abuse and the breakdown of the American family. This film earned her the Ohio State Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism, the Christopher Columbus Award and the Beacon of Hope Award. Patti also produced and wriote segments for Tony Danza's young adult show "Gettin' Over" on ABC and a six-part series of specials for Lifetime. In 2002, she co-founded Filmsters Academy, a summer filmmaking camp for youth between the ages of 11-20.

K. LEE ANDERSON began her career as a news and commercial producer for ABC and CBS affiliates in Maryland. Later, she wrote, produced and directed corporate image, PR pieces and training and educational films for an outdoor wilderness program for at-risk youth. Her credits include the Lifetime Television series “Weddings of a Lifetime,” the CableACE Award-nominated films Survival of the Yellowstone Wolves and The Great Bison Chase, the latter pair part of the celebrity-hosted “Wildlife Adventures” series for TBS and Tribune. Lee was Line Producer on the multiple award-winning feature documentary film "If I Could," narrated by Sally Field. In addition, Lee field produced over 92 hours for the popular ABC prime-time series “Extreme Makeover.” She has produced numerous projects, is actively involved in casting, program development and rights aggregation of properties for development into feature films, documentaries, scripted and reality TV. She is the recipient of a Chris Columbus Award, a CINE Golden Eagle award, two Telly Awards and was nominated for a CableACE Award. In 2002, Lee co-founded Filmsters Academy, a unique annual filmmaking program for youth between the ages of 11-20 where she oversees all aspects of production management. She lives in Annapolis, MD.

ALDEN BRUCE was raised in the Bay Area of California, living there for about 12 years before coming to New Mexico for college. Alden attended the University of New Mexico and currently holds a Bachelors Degree in cinematic arts. He began working with the Community Access Channel 27 (Quote…Unquote, Inc.) in early 2010. Alden teaches field production, studio production, and various editing classes to prospective producers. However, his involvement with film and media has a history of about eight years as an independent filmmaker.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Boot Camp is a project of the Coalition for Quality Children's Media, a national, 20-year-old, nonprofit (501-c-3) organization whose mission is to teach children to become critical media users. We strive to make children's use of media a positive one - one that enhances learning and cultivates a healthy media lifestyle through viewing and reviewing.

*This workshop does not in any way guarantee the participant employment in the entertainment industry

** A $150 non-refundable deposit is required when registering to hold your place. Final payment is due 30 days prior to the start date of the camp. Because of the limited registration, there are no refunds. Please be sure to check any scheduling conflicts before registering your child.