Lights! Camera! Action!
It may not be Hollywood but the JEM Theatre in Harmony, Minn., is offering a Movie Camp for those intrigued with the opportunity to someday reach Hollywood and see themselves or their names on the big screen whether they are interested in creating films or acting in movies.
“For anyone who has any desire at all for broadcasting, filmmaking, acting — any of the arts — this is a great learning opportunity and there is nothing like it around here,” states Amber Coaty, who owns the JEM Theatre along with her husband, Dana.
The JEM Theatre Movie Camp will be held July 9-19, 2018. The Movie Camp is available to those from grades seven through college but children younger than seventh grade can still get involved by being actors.
This is the first year that the JEM Theatre has hosted the Movie Camp and “if it goes well hopefully we can have more,” states Coaty.
The first three days of the Movie Camp will be held at the JEM, and also on location, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Movie producer and teacher Mr. Nicholas Ritz of Burnsville, Minn., will be giving instruction and hands-on training. “It will be like a school setting,” says Coaty, with students breaking for lunch between morning and afternoon sessions. Lunch will be provided two days while students will bring a sack lunch on the third day.
Monday, July 9, the day begins with learning filmmaking basics such as equipment and roles in filmmaking including lights, director of photography, sound mixer, boom and gaffer, as well as the subject of cinematography learning about wide angle vs. telephoto, depth of field, zooming, tracking and rack focus. Framing, screen direction camera setups and continuity will also be discussed.
The afternoon session will put to use the knowledge learned in the morning session as the students set up a camera for a scene, pull focus with a camera and record a small scene.
Tuesday, July 10, will feature sound recording and camera setting, gaining education on equipment for sound recording, mixing sound, gathering room tone for editing Foley sound and camera settings with students learning hands-on how to set up a camera and adjust settings for different conditions, and they will shoot a small scene where they will focus on sound recording.
Wednesday, July 10, the students will be taught shooting natural vs. artificial light, discussing goals for making a short film and character goals. The students will be using that newly acquired knowledge to practice setting up, lighting and recording for continuity.
Thursday, July 12 through Sunday, July 15, the students will be divided into groups of five with one adult supervisor per group. Students will spend these four days planning the movie they want to make and shooting their movie using a DSLR camera that will be checked out to the adult supervisor.
Monday, July 16 through Wednesday, July 18, the students will be back at the JEM Theatre to learn editing from Mr. Ritz and get their movies ready for its unveiling.
The big day is Thursday, July 19, with the Red Carpet Premier. “It’s going to be a black tie event,” states Coaty, as all of their films will be shown on the big screen.
“They are going to walk in on a red carpet,” notes Coaty, and there will be an area set up for paparazzi to take photos and students will receive JEM Theatre Movie Camp “Oscars” in various categories.
“The community is urged to come,” states Coaty. “Everyone comes in here with their family, friends and community for the event,” she says, which will be very exciting for the students who will have their films shown.
Tickets for the Red Carpet Premier are $20.00 with limited tickets available, so get your tickets now, urges Coaty.
The cost per student for the JEM Theatre Movie Camp is $400, which covers everything they need. There is a fundraising campaign underway with the JEM Movie Camp coupon book. The cost of the coupon book is $10.00 and includes three coupons for a free large popcorn, a free refill on any size popcorn coupon that is reusable for the rest of the year and other coupons.
Six dollars from each coupon book sold goes toward the students Movie Camp tuition, $2 goes to the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation, and $2 goes to the company that created the coupon book.
“They have a way to earn their full tuition if they want to work for it and it’s really not that hard,” states Coaty, explaining that the kids that are selling the coupon books are not having trouble selling them at all.
For children who want to be involved in making a movie but are not in seventh grade yet, there is an alternative. They can be a Movie Camp actor and see their face on the big screen, says Coaty. The cost to be an actor at Movie Camp is $50 and includes a ticket to the premier, a t-shirt, and attending four days of camp, July 12-15, which includes time spent with Mr. Ritz.
If you are an adult who may be interested in Movie Camp, contact Coaty as depending on the number of registrations the camp may also be offered to adults.
“This is a rare opportunity that they are getting here and they are going to get their own movie out of it afterwards,” says Coaty. “Instead of sitting at home playing video games in the summer, do something fun with your friends – make a movie!,” states Coaty.
Registrations are due by Friday, May 25, 2018. For more information call (507) 676-5456, email coatyjem@gmail.com, visit the JEM facebook page at facebook.com/JemTheatre or stop by the JEM the next couple weekends, as there will be a table set up out front for registering.
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