Moving on up in film at Dryden
Arlington Heights, IL – A group of students, formerly of Dryden Elementary School, felt like one in a thousand a few weeks back as they were given the opportunity to reach a worldwide audience with something they created.
Last year these fifth grade students worked with their art teacher Tricia Fuglestad to create a video that described how other students can add movement, a principal of design, into their artwork. Fuglestad entered their video, thoughtfully titled Movement, into the 33rd Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, and it was selected from 1000 entries to be screened.
“We were the only film screened from the United States,” Fuglestad said. “It was an awesome cultural experience and it was amazing to represent our country in this event.”
Movement from Tricia Fuglestad on Vimeo.
According to Fuglestad, the students handled everything for this film. They created the story board, recorded the audio, ran the equipment and worked as a team. Each student had a role ranging from producer to director to on-air talent. Fuglestad oversaw the production and snapped pictures as it progressed.
“I’m worried these students don’t realize how big of a deal this was,” Fuglestad said.
The screening took place on a Saturday in Schaumburg and was part of a festival where professionals show off their movies that were made for kids. Fuglestad’s bunch screened their movie amidst these film professionals and then fielded questions from that live audience from many nations.
“My biggest takeaway from this experience was how the students were being treated and honored as filmmakers,” Fuglestad said. “Our students are creative and this was just a nice affirmation for them and for us as teachers.”
This wasn’t the first time the film Movement was honored with the big screen. In April 2016, Movement was shown at the Screen Test Jr festival in Schaumburg, and later that Spring, Movement won first place in NextVista.org Creative Sprouts online contest.
The Chicago International Children’s Film Festival was the icing on the cake, and the students and Fuglestad certainly enjoyed it.
