Next weekend the Danville International Children’s Film Festival will be taking over downtown – and featuring some of its youngest filmmakers.
Along with big budget Hollywood children’s movies like “Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius,” the three-day film festival will screen several short films by young Danville residents.
A submission by Marisa Hom and Ally Cappiello started as a school project in their video production class at Charlotte Wood Middle School. The assignment was to make a music video.
“Marisa came to my house and we started filming random stuff,” said Cappiello. “The first song was about playing cards, so we filmed ourselves playing cards at the time. Basically the person in the film loses all her money. She learns life has a lot more to offer than material wealth.”
Their video production teacher Steve Knapp eventually encouraged the girls to apply to the Children’s Film Festivaland enter their film, “Journeys.”
“Mr. Knapp said they’re looking for team videos. He gave us the permission slips. We entered our movie just so other people could see it,” said Hom.
Both Hom and Cappiello have been invigorated by the experience and want to continue learning about filmmaking.
“I really like it a lot. On the weekend, I just make movies,” said Cappiello. “It’s something you can do with your friends. They’re fun to make.”
Sam Miller, a sixth-grader at Diablo Vista Middle school convinced his friend and classmate Matthew Novak to make a short – what Sam calls a “mock-umentary” – with him.
“It’s called ‘Grim,'” said Novak. “You get to see what happens when the grim reaper and a kid switch lives. Every time the kid, as the grim reaper, touches someone they die. The kid gets really mad.”
These two budding filmmakers were on a limited budget. Armed with the Miller family Canon zr300, the boys shot all scenes at their school. Novak especially liked writing the script.
“I liked making up a story. It was my first time,” said Novak.
Miller enthusiastically spoke about his newest film project.
“I’m already working on the script. A long time ago there was a ‘Twilight Zone’ episode where a man sees a gremlin on the side of the plane. I’ve made a sequel where the gremlin revisits him,” said Miller.
Frank Luna, program supervisor for the Town of Danville, thinks festivals like the Children’s Film Festival enrich Danville.
“We want to give our community something besides sports. Something cultural,” said Luna. “Our hope is that people come out and enjoy themselves.”
Luna, who was on the submission committee that rated and reviewed all submitted films, is thrilled with the films made by local children.
“They’re all great. We support youth that want to submit. We try to encourage students of all ages to submit. I think they’re all well done. It gives an outlet for them to be creative,” said Luna.
The festival, now in its second year, is hosted by the Town of Danville and the California Independent Film Festival Association. The Danville-based association has been running the highly successful California Independent Film Festival in Livermore for several years.
“One of the Danville council members found out I was doing the California Film Festival,” said executive director Leonard Pirkle. “She raised the idea of Danville having its own festival. We kicked it around and we all came up with idea of a kid’s film festival.”
“Danville is such a family-oriented place,” said Derek Zemrak, association president. Not only was Danville the perfect location because it is a family town, but the downtown area seemed ideal for an all-weekend event, said Zemrak.
“We wanted it also to be user-friendly. We wanted venues where people could walk from one festival to the next, so people would not have to drive. The Community Center, Village Theatre and the Town Meeting Hall all fit into our vision. It is a weekend of fun stuff,” Zemrak added.
A star-studded Opening Night Event will kick off the weekend at 6 p.m., Friday, May 20, in the Danville Community Center. It will include dinner and a screening of “The Spongebob Squarepants Movie,” followed by a question-and-answer session with Tom Kenny, the voice of Spongebob, and Carolyn Lawrence, the voice of Sandy Cheeks. Tickets are $25 for adults; $15, youths.
The festival also draws child celebrities like Jonathan Lipnicki from “Jerry Maguire” and Daryl and Evan Sabara from the “Spy Kids” movies.
“They (Daryl and Evan) loved it. That’s why they’re coming back this year,” said Zemrak. Jonathan Lipnicki’s new film, “When Zachary Beaver Came to Town,” is making its Northern California premier at the festival at 6:30 p.m. Saturday night. It will be followed by a question-and-answer session with Lipnicki. Tickets are $8.
Seminars on acting and getting into acting will be offered both Saturday and Sunday. Stanley Livingston, who played Chip in “My Three Sons,” will present the “Kids N Showbiz” seminar.
“Every child aspires to be an actor or actress or director. Stan Livingston grew up as a child actor. He has stayed in the business behind the scenes. He’s going to give realistic advice,” Zemrak said. “Seminars like this are usually $200. These are all included for the ticket price.”
Festival day passes for either Saturday or Sunday give entry to films in three downtown venues at $12.50 for adults and $7.50 for youths under 18. Tickets may be purchased online at www.villagetheatreshows.com or at the Village Theatre box office, 233 Front St.; telephone 314-3463. For more information, call 552-REEL (552-7335).
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