Big Crowd at 2009 Premiere

The Blacksburg Stories 2009 videos screened today for a crowd of more than 80 at the Lyric Theatre. Congratulations to all the young filmmakers and thanks to their friends, family, and the community of Blacksburg for coming out to support us. Nine days is a short to learn how to use a video camera, much less tackle iMovie and making a short movie!

For those participants who couldn’t join us, DVDs will be in the mail to you in about a week’s time, and the final videos will be posted on YouTube before the end of the month. Stay tuned! If you’re interesting in purchasing additional DVDs of the movies produced (all proceeds benefit Blacksburg Stories), please email bburgstories[at]gmail[dot]com.

A special thanks to Dr. Rachel Holloway, the Virginia Tech Department of Theatre & Cinema, the Lyric Theatre, and InnovationSpace for their support this year!

Blacksburg Stories 2009 Premiere Today at the Lyric!

Please join us this afternoon at 1PM for a FREE public screening of the 5 Blacksburg Stories 2009 videos. Come out and support these “fresh and local” films made by teens and ‘tweens!

Day Eight: Teen (Team) Spirit

Blacksburg Stories is all about team spirit as demonstrated by the logos each of our filmmaking teams design over the course of the camp. (You can see one such logo below and another above.) In the course of just a few days, we’re able to watch teens and ‘tweens transform from strangers to teammates. It’s truly amazing.

This year’s teams have worked together to build stories from the community that surrounds them and to solve problems–be they rainy filming days or microphone malfunctions.We’re proud of the participants’ dedication to their projects (every team edited non-stop today), and we hope you’ll join us on August 1st for the video premiere at the Lyric.

Tomorrow’s agenda? Final edits and voiceover recording, ironing on team t-shirt designs, and ice cream!

Day Seven: Computers & Wizards

Day seven at Blacksburg Stories began with an energized game of Wizard, Giant, Dwarf (a version of rock, paper, scissors combined with tag). The morning quickly transitioned into time for paper edits, followed by more logging and organizing of video clips in InnovationSpace.

Thanks to a morning without rain, our Pandapas Pond/Biking Group was able to take advantage of the good weather and finish up their b-roll shooting.

Many groups are now working in assemblies with rough cuts on the horizon. Only two days left!

Day Six: More & More Editing

There were many serious faces full of concentration today as Blacksburg Stories participants learned a little-known fact about movie-making: more time is spent editing than filming.

Despite the three days we’ll spend editing this week, our young filmmakers will be racing against the clock to finish before Blacksburg Stories draws to a close on Thursday.

Mark your calendars now for the premiere of the 2009 Blacksburg Stories documentaries at the Lyric Theatre. You’ll be able to watch all five groups’ videos for FREE on the big screen at 1pm on Saturday, August 1st. Spread the word!

Day Five: More Footage, More Fun

Rain or shine, the work of Blacksburg Stories continues.

Despite today’s morning storms, our brave filmmaking teams continued with their documentary interviews and gathering of b-roll footage indoors and out.

Those who were lucky enough to finish shooting before the bad weather hit began logging and capturing their footage in InnovationSpace. Some even started with their paper edits!

The day finished off with a highly energized and competitive match of “Director Says” (our special Blacksburg Stories edition of “Simon Says”). Congrats to our winner: Galen!

Day Four: Video Cooks in the ‘Kitchen’

In the days of yore, the film editing room was known as “the kitchen.” Playing upon this historical nickname and because, as one Blacksburg Stories camper put it, “making a movie is like baking a cake,” our counselors donned aprons today while we learned iMovie editing software in the labs of InnovationSpace.

First, we learned about the ingredients (video footage, audio, photos, music, and effects). Then, we focused on how to chop, cut, splice, and mix these elements into new works.

When they tired of looking at blinking screens, our young filmmakers had downtime where they designed team logos using old-fashioned pen and paper.

Who knew being in the kitchen all day could be so much fun?

Day Three: Capturing the World on Video

Day three of Blacksburg Stories took participants off-campus and into the real world, cameras rolling. Interviews were conducted and b-roll was filmed everywhere from Blacksburg Transit buses to Virginia’s Smart Road. More photos will be added this week as students work on this year’s stories:

• A Day in the Life of Blacksburg Transit Bus Drivers
• Pandapas Pond: Blacksburg’s Central Park
• Rain or Shine: VT Smart Road’s Weather Making Towers
• The Story of Solitude: Virginia Tech’s Oldest Structure
• Old is New: The YMCA at Virginia Tech’s Thrift Shop

We can’t wait to see what exciting directions the campers will take in telling these stories.  Stay tuned!

Day Two: The Filming Begins!

On Day Two of Blacksburg Stories, our fifteen young filmmakers hit the ground running. The morning’s lesson was all about interview techniques. After watching a successful documentary video with strong interviews made at last year’s workshop, campers snickered, guffawed, and even roared with laughter while watching their counselors demonstrate all the documentary no-nos in the infamous “bad interview” video made just for them.

By mid-morning, cameras, microphones, boom poles, XLR cables, and battery packs all made their way into middle schooler hands. After learning some basic skills, campers were racing against the clock in a downtown Blackburg video scavenger hunt. (Winners will be announced later in the week.) The day ended with a much needed snack time. Phew!

Blacksburg Stories 2009: What’s Knot to Like?

Blacksburg Stories 2009 is off to a great start! On our first day, participants debated over definitions of the term “documentary,” listened to pitches about this year’s story ideas, and did a masterful job of untying their own human knot in one of several team-building games we played together.

To see what we’re up to each day, please check our our Flickr set, which will be regularly updated with photos of the workshop.

This year’s participants are a great bunch with four campers who are returning for their third Blacksburg Stories! We can’t think of a stronger testament to the camp’s success than the fact that these four that just keep coming back each year.

Thanks to all the moms and dads (and siblings, too) for your support!