News of 2009 and 2010

TheYoungMediaMakers & BIG SCREEN SHOWCASE news is going to bring a smile to your face.

    I have been directing the activities of the TYMM since 2000. Thanks to support from the Humboldt Area Foundation and the North Coast Cultural Trust; Carl Nielsen Memorial Fund : James Irvine Foundation; the Kroenenberg Family Fund all funds focused within the Humboldt Area Foundation.  I have also received an enormous amount of web support from the Doug Renwick and Rose Panofsky at HostGIS.  Venlo Chocolates on the square in Eureka has been a source of sweet inspiration and unusual prizes.  The Vision Center has always been there for The Young Media Makers and Big Screen Showcase with door prizes and printing costs.  Our professional association with the Fortuna Theatre, the largest movie theatre with the best projection and sound system on the west coast, is our new venue hosting TheYoungMediaMakers Big Screen Showcase each May.  All this is due to the initial encouragement of Muriel Dinsmore.

    The  Young Media Makers program was developed as an educational program to teach video production and editing to young people. Although, most of the parents wanted to join in the learning too. It started simply as a community project to prepare young people for the burgeoning telecommunications age we all face today.  Not surprising from our early pilot programs to today the students' video work is good.  Initially, when viewing all the amazing student movies it seemed natural to form a competitive exhibition and public forum for their work.  A place where young media makers their families and friends could come to listen to professional film presenters, have public speaking opportunities , watch youth made media and win prizes.  In 2001, with the help of the pilot program schools and others in the Humboldt County Office Education we launched  BIG SCREEN SHOWCASE.  Many of my students and others that participate in the SHOWCASE have gone on to be collegiate film students and then professional producers.

    In 2006-07 I witnessed another leap in the quality of work coming from the young people (average age 15) It seemed to to exponentially improve over the previous year.  This gave me the idea that we now have a pool of very young people that could benefit from real production experience. So I created the The Young Media Makers WORK PROJECT. During the school year of 2007-08 I discovered a need in our community and then sent out a “request for participation” to several of the participants of the SHOWCASE.  The TYMM Work Project matches the exemplary young media makers with non-profit organizations. The non-profit then provides a media out reach challenge to be fulfilled by the young media maker.  It could be web photos, video PSAs or radio PSAs.  Dependent on the NPOs need,  the media maker will get the professional experiences that a young person may not find in a classroom.

    From the first client meeting regarding the creative concept the young producer had to take charge and fulfill the clients' request. Most often these meetings are with a board of directors or sub committee and followed by storyboard and script presentation / approvals; product approvals and final approvals. Then comes distribution to the outlets either web master or broadcast television station.  It’s quite the commitment for both parties.

    We launched the TYMM Work Project with a commitment from our local food bank FOOD FOR PEOPLE and a young entrepreneur stepped up to produce a set of television PSAs for them.  The PSA can be seen on our web site www.TheYoungMediaMakers.org under previous winners in the 2009 Senior Division.


   At The Young Media Makers and Big Screen Showcase we aim to inspire.