Hofstra University and the Gold Coast International Film Festival will present the second annual Youth Film Day, a day of hands-on filmmaking workshops for teens that will take place on Saturday, March 16, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication in Hempstead. Hofstra, one of the top schools in the country for training media and entertainment professionals, is the official university partner of the Gold Coast International Film Festival and the Gold Coast Arts Center’s year-round film programs.
This free event is designed for students in grades 7 through 12 who have an interest in directing, producing, editing, writing, or acting, and wish to explore careers in film and television. Attendees will participate in hands-on filmmaking workshops on visual effects (CGI) cinematography, using drones, editing, sound design, stunts and fight choreography, and more, led by industry professionals including Hofstra faculty and Gold Coast International Film Festival staff and board members.
New this year are workshops in special FX makeup, where students will learn how to create realistic special effects using stage makeup, and employment opportunities in the film and television industries, which will cover the various types of jobs available in these hot industries, what training you need to work in film and TV, pay scales and more.
“There has never been a more exciting and innovative time in the film and television arts,” said Mark Lukasiewicz, dean of the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication at Hofstra. “Young people are creating media at ever-younger ages, and exposing them to professional-level skills and techniques is a great experience for students and faculty alike.”
Other activities include screenings, panels, and tours of the Herbert School’s fully HD-equipped learning environment, which includes production studios with 4K/Ultra HD cameras; an audio production, sound mixing, and color correction suite for TV and film; editing and screening suites; a converged digital newsroom; and a new multimedia studio and control room for music, audio, and radio production.
Participants will also have an opportunity, though not required, to submit a short film to be screened for awards consideration.
Last year’s inaugural Youth Film Day was a great success and included an awards ceremony with Nassau County Executive Laura Curran.
The program is an extension of the Gold Coast International Film Festival’s highly successful Young Filmmakers Program, which takes place every year during the annual film festival, said Caroline Sorokoff, festival director. “Our goals are to give students a clearer picture of the industry and, for those who decide to pursue careers in film or television, some practical skills and experience,” she said.
Youth Film Day is part of Hofstra’s Regional Scholars program, which offers talented middle school and high school students the opportunity to explore new academic interests with scholars and college students as mentors, to spend a day or two on a college campus, and to gain an understanding of what collegiate-level work entails. The initiative supports Hofstra’s mission to encourage and nurture intellectual curiosity and learning through a free and open exchange of ideas.
Although the event is free, participants must register in advance at https://goldcoastfilmfestival.org/youthfilmday/. Lunch is provided at no cost, along with some fun giveaways. The program is open to students from throughout the tri-state area and beyond. More information is available on the web page.
