Staff Writer
Update: KCBY staff members Maddie Migis, Hamin Kim, Kiley Bratton and Susie Shahsavari won third place in the commentary contest on Sunday from the Student Television Network.
KCBY, the student broadcast network at CHS, has landed in Los Angeles for the Student Television Network (STN) convention and short film competition.
“It is an opportunity to grow and learn more in my field of film,” senior Priscilla Dasilva said. “I’m really excited for STN this year because while I’m in Los Angeles I’m going to check out Columbia College Hollywood.”
Dasilva wants to pursue a career in editing and thinks Los Angeles will be the perfect place to start off.
“I want to edit film,” Dasilva said. “Whether it is television shows, movies, or even weddings I would love to be part of it in any way I can.”
STN will be a working and a learning experience for the students, as there will be experienced mentors to help lead and lecture them as they proceed with their short films.
“I’m enthusiastic to hear what the speakers have to say to us at the convention, and I hope to be inspired,” Dasilva said.
Senior Joe Han is taking a different approach with this trip.
“It is a great experience, and you always learn a lot,” Han said. “The one in Dallas was awesome, but I learned to have expectations because it will never be what it seems. It is always different.”
It is the first STN convention for junior Maddie Migis, and she is anxious to see what Los Angeles has to offer her.
“I really don’t know what to expect,” Migis said. “I’ve been to LAX [Los Angeles International Airport], but not like actually Los Angeles, so I’m stoked to be there and get the experience.”
Day one on Thursday consisted of the Sweet 16 Broadcast contest. It is where the students have 16 hours to put a film together that is 16 minutes or less.
“Our prompt was ‘the future is so bright, I’ve got to have my shades” and the prop was sunglasses,” senior Mason Adams said. “We have to incorporate the prop in the film with a wide angle, medium angle, and a close up.”
The students started their task at 7 a.m. and had till 11 p.m. to have the film exported and ready for judges.
“It was both fun and difficult,” Adams said. “All of us have different visions for the film.”
Friday was a packed busy day filled with competitions and sessions with speakers.
“[Friday] was the opening ceremony and the beginning of a few competitions,” sophomore Christian Meyer said. “There are lecture sessions all day with professionals about skills that we will need for the film industry.”
Even though film is more of a hobby for Meyer than a career choice, he is stoked to hear from experienced people that could help him grow in film.
“I’m looking forward to learning new tricks of the trade, meeting amazing people and hopefully coming home with some trophies,” Meyer said.
Famous producer Frank Marshall, who is known for producing classic films such as Raiders of the Lost Ark and Back to the Future, spoke to the students at STN about writing scripts and of course answering some questions from aspiring students.
The next two days of the trip are filled with competitions. Everyone is divided into individual groups and is competing into different video competitions.
“Saturday there will be an awards ceremony and a film festival that we entered our short film The Mammoth Affray, so I’m excited to see how that goes,” Adams said.
There will be a closing ceremony on Sunday morning and a Manhattan Beach Studios tour of where films Avatar and Captain America were filmed planned before returning to Coppell.
