Dallas Film is proud to host Dallas area students for High School Day during the 13th annual Dallas International Film Festival powered by Capital One. Students who participate in the Dallas Film High School Roundtable Program powered by Capital One – are invited to a full day of film panels, workshops and screenings on April 16.
This year’s High School Day is themed around the “Avengers,” with the highly anticipated new film, Avengers: Endgame, set to be released on April 26. More than 500 students, teachers and chaperones will be broken into groups to rotate through five different topics related to film and media production.
“We can’t wait to give hundreds of students access to working professionals in the film industry on High School Day,” said Johnathan Brownlee, CEO & President of Dallas Film and Executive Director of Dallas International Film Festival. “Dallas Film is committed to arts education, and this program allows us to show students how their dreams can become reality. We’re thankful to everyone in the industry who gives their time to make this event possible.”
Panels and workshops for the day include: “Set Design on a Budget” hosted by Mercury One’s Chuck Ekl, “Shot Smarts: Enhancing your Story through the Camera” taught by filmmaker Rebecca Flores, and “Old Joe and the Story Circle” presented by Shaun Colon of [open-ended] films.
Some of the students in attendance at High School Day will also be showing their own films during the festival. Ryan Schwenn from New Tech High in Coppell, who was recently named Coppell Chamber student of the month, will air his film, Lights On, during the high school shorts block. This will be the second year for Makayla Hoover to air a film during DallasIFF. Her film Denim will also debut during the high school shorts block.
High School Day includes lunch and gifts of commemorative t-shirts sponsored by Southern Methodist University. The event is also made possible through a crew of volunteers and Mercury One, a nonprofit which sponsors the High School Roundtable. Mercury One’s mission, in part, aims to take action through educational initiatives.
“Dallas Film is proud to support Title I schools through the Roundtable Program,” said Michele Goodson, Director of Education for Dallas Film. “We value creating opportunities for schools across the DFW area and are eager to nourish the next generation of artists.”
The Dallas Film Roundtable Program strives to develop the next generation of filmmakers, recognize student achievement and celebrate student films. The program also provides educational programs and acts as a resource for educators. Teachers or administrators interested in joining next year’s Roundtable Program can contact Michele Goodson at mgoodson@dallasfilm.org.