Find outside-the-box, teen-leadership development in a film festival
By Jason Lang
Many park and recreation departments struggle to serve teen populations. Whether it is finding programming that appeals to this age group or offering volunteer opportunities that are creative enough to keep their attention, teens are a difficult demographic to engage successfully. However, if you think outside the box, or “inside the silver screen,” you can make it happen! Since 2019, the SE Pennsylvania Teen Filmmakers Showcase has provided a platform for young people interested in film careers to debut their films publicly, while giving a handful the chance to really develop tangible, professional skills in this demanding, niche field.
In 2018, East Goshen Township hosted an event called “Awesome FEST,” which gave area teenagers an opportunity to jump on stage and simply perform. There were musicians, dancers, and even comedians! At the end of the night, one teenager ran up to the department director and said, “The event was lit, but it was missing something; you need to add a film festival.” The proverbial light bulb went off. So many high schools now have film and multimedia clubs and, coupled with the fact that video editing software can be used cheaply and intuitively, it was a no-brainer.
The first showcase in 2019 was small but an overwhelming success. There were 19 submissions from teenagers across the greater Philadelphia area who converged on the Movie Tavern Exton for the in-person showcase. They dressed to the nines and were blown away when they saw the super-stretch limousine pull up to take them to the front door. They walked a red carpet and took professional photographs, but, most importantly, they saw their original films on the big screen in a real movie theatre! And the showcase has expanded since then with about 100 local submissions and another 2,000 from around the globe; the showcase now includes digital editions as well.