Thanks to their visionary work and knack for visual storytelling, the bright lights of recognition are shining on nearly 60 students in the film program at Lincoln High School.
Fresh off a third-place finish in the Irving Black Arts Council Holiday Film Fest in December 2014, the students are looking to take
center stage with two entries in the 2015 Dallas International Film Festival. Tony Boone, film teacher at Lincoln High, termed the students’ participation as a winning proposition for his young cinematographers.
“It’s great publicity for our program. It’s also great for the students to be in a competitive environment and to see who and what they are competing against,” Boone said.
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The victory in the Irving Black Arts Council competition, earned by Lincoln’s junior class of filmmakers, came in a competitive field that included both older students and adults in a contest that stressed content and story telling. The benefits of the contest go far beyond the $50 award for third place, according to Boone.
“Each competition enhances the students’ ability to tell stories in a mature and thoughtful manner,” Boone said.
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A separate team of freshmen will join Lincoln’s junior class in submitting entries in the Dallas International Film Festival. The students worked long and hard to complete their works in time, said Boone. The goal was to develop mature works that delve deeply into important or creative subjects.
“(These films) are not only something kids can sit down and enjoy, but adults as well,” Boone said. “Once they present their work, the directors will participate in a question and answer session with the audience. It’s a great learning experience.”