UPDATE: Wednesday, September 9
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Eden's Paddy O'Rourke was among the winners at Monday night’s Festival de YOOF Tube premiere, taking home a $500 prize.
The Eden Marine High School captain's film, Etiquette for Gentleman, won the Bega Valley Shire Council youth prize.
Fellow EMHS students Natasha Swires and Chelsea Stevenson received an encouragement award for their film about equestrian, which was partly set at the Eden Pony Club.
The awards were handed out at a premiere screening at The Picture Show Man in Merimbula, with the young filmmakers given the opportunity to see their work on the big screen.
Inspired by the 1999 film, American Beauty, Paddy's film explores what most teenagers confront when falling in love.
“I actually made it for English Extension,” he said.
“I really love film, and I work at the movies in Merimbula so I’m always exposed to it and wanted to give it a go.
“It’s about a young man whose naivety is overcome by his growing awareness of his surroundings and channelling those feelings of teen angst that we all go through.
“I entered Mindbenders when I was in year nine, but that was a film I put together in a night.
“This was over six months, so it’s a big process.”
Wednesday, September 2:
Eden will feature prominently at Monday night’s Festival de YOOF Tube premiere, with three Eden Marine High School students among the finalists.
School captain Paddy O’Rourke's film about a young man’s struggle to overcome naivety, features a cast almost entirely comprised of EMHS students, while Year 10 students Chelsea Stevenson and Natasha Swires’ equestrian-focused film is set at the Eden Pony Club.
Their films, along with those submitted by youths across south-east NSW, will be played on the big screen at The Picture Show Man in Merimbula on Monday, September 8, from 5.30pm.
Over $5000 in prizes will be handed out, along with opportunities to attend exclusive filmmaking workshops run by industry professionals.
Paddy said his seven-minute film took over six months to produce, and was initially made for a school assessment.
“I actually made it for English Extension,” he said.
“I really love film, and I work at the movies in Merimbula so I’m always exposed to it and wanted to give it a go.
“It’s about a young man whose naivety is overcome by his growing awareness of his surroundings and channelling those feelings of teen angst that we all go through.
“I entered Mindbenders when I was in year nine, but that was a film I put together in a night.
“This was over six months, so it’s a big process.”
Having also entered Mindbenders in the past, Chelsea and Natasha opted for a more serious film than their previous hit, ‘16 things to do when you’re bored’.
Their YOOF Tube entry aims to promote equestrian as a sport to rival more mainstream alternatives.
“Our idea was that a lot of people don’t really see equestrian as a sport, so we wanted to show that it is,” Chelsea said.
“You have things like football that are out there and everyone knows about it, but to a lot of people, equestrian is just horse riding.
“We both ride at the Pony Club, and [the club] is in the film.”
Eden Marine High School teacher Brendan Cookson praised the students’ efforts.
“I’m facilitating it from the school’s end, and I usually just remind the students and help them with ideas or with cameras,” he said.
“But these guys have all worked totally independently.
“I haven’t had a chance to watch their films yet, so I’m really looking forward to sitting down and seeing them on the big screen on Monday evening.”
Monday night’s premiere is free, but bookings are essential for the event, which runs from 5.30pm-8pm at The Picture Show Man in Merimbula.
A simultaneous screening will also take place at Bay City Cinema in Batemans Bay.
Yoof Tube project manager Megan Luhrs is urging locals to attend and support the region’s budding young talents.
“We’re super excited and hope that friends and family as well as the wider community can come along on the night, where the winners will be announced, including the JD Shaw $1000 prize for best film,” Ms Luhrs said.
“We have quite a few films from the younger age group this year, and it’s great to see youth as young as 12 having a go at a new and exciting medium.
“Filmmaking is a journey that develops with skill and maturity and this is evident in the films that have been submitted by previous YOOF Tube entrants that have entered again this year.
“The YOOF Tube cinema event is also an opportunity to collaborate with youth and we have original music composed by youth that will feature in the screening, as well as youth presenting the awards at the screenings.”
To book your place, click here.