"Donations have dried up," remarked Deanna Gould, executive director of Light House Studio, during the nonprofit’s eight annual Youth Film Festival on Friday evening. "So tonight, I’m going to do something I haven’t done before." Gould then explained that there were donation jars for Light House’s "Keep It Reel" workshops placed near the entrance to the Ix Building’s warehouse space.
If Gould’s comments made a direct case for funding local arts programs, then the films screened by Light House students—11 shorts, totaling more than 50 minutes of original film—proved the organization a worthy recipient. In a short film titled Any Sense in Cents?, recently produced during the "Reel Stories" summer documentary program, Light House students juxtaposed a few financial facts ("Each penny costs 1.7 cents to make") with a search for a one-penny purchase (ultimately, a single nail at Meadowbrook Hardware).
While the festival attracted all manner of local artist—representatives from theater, visual arts, music and more—the majority of filmmakers in the house were teenagers with some connection to the nonprofit, founded 10 years ago. Gould shared that Light House currently offers 25 workshops or programs, 30 mentors and works with 250 students annually.
Silence your cell phones! The eight annual Light House Studio Youth Film Festival brought a crowd to the Ix Building for a night of films.