Inside The Silver Screen

Find outside-the-box, teen-leadership development in a film festival

By Jason Lang
Photos: Gary Altoonian Photography

Many park and recreation departments struggle to serve teen populations. Whether it is finding programming that appeals to this age group or offering volunteer opportunities that are creative enough to keep their attention, teens are a difficult demographic to engage successfully. However, if you think outside the box, or “inside the silver screen,” you can make it happen! Since 2019, the SE Pennsylvania Teen Filmmakers Showcase has provided a platform for young people interested in film careers to debut their films publicly, while giving a handful the chance to really develop tangible, professional skills in this demanding, niche field. 

In 2018, East Goshen Township hosted an event called “Awesome FEST,” which gave area teenagers an opportunity to jump on stage and simply perform. There were musicians, dancers, and even comedians! At the end of the night, one teenager ran up to the department director and said, “The event was lit, but it was missing something; you need to add a film festival.” The proverbial light bulb went off. So many high schools now have film and multimedia clubs and, coupled with the fact that video editing software can be used cheaply and intuitively, it was a no-brainer. 

The first showcase in 2019 was small but an overwhelming success. There were 19 submissions from teenagers across the greater Philadelphia area who converged on the Movie Tavern Exton for the in-person showcase. They dressed to the nines and were blown away when they saw the super-stretch limousine pull up to take them to the front door. They walked a red carpet and took professional photographs, but, most importantly, they saw their original films on the big screen in a real movie theatre! And the showcase has expanded since then with about 100 local submissions and another 2,000 from around the globe; the showcase now includes digital editions as well.

Roll Up Your Sleeves 

So how does one bring a teen film festival to a community? Partnerships, creativity, and a small budget are all that are needed; here is a checklist:

Find a venue. Talk to local movie theatres about hosting a film festival. Most theatres will provide a discounted (or free) room, especially on a “low-foot traffic” day, like Monday night. To sweeten the deal, the theatres can make revenue off popcorn sales and other concessions, if needed. 

Decide what types of films will be accepted. This is an important first step. Are curse words permitted? What about romance or violence on screen? Will there be a theme for the festival that hones in on a specific film type, such as documentary, social issue, or comedy? How about film length? Most teenagers only have the time and resources to make short films—less than 12 minutes. These are items that should be spelled out in the submission guidelines. A scoring rubric also is helpful; in the event you must make tough decisions later, you can do so objectively.

Find teenagers who make original films. Local high schools are an excellent resource, as well as community art groups and summer film academies. A multitude of social-media groups are devoted to teen filmmakers—join and tell them about the event.

Start taking submissions. There are several online submission portals that can be used (we utilize FilmFreeway). Utilizing a submission platform allows you to collate, make official selections, and communicate with teen filmmakers in one place. Plus, it makes a film festival appear professional from day one.

Recruit volunteers. This is where the event really takes off! Unlike many other events, there will be an onslaught of teenagers who want to help. We formed a Showcase Planning Committee that was composed of teenagers with one Film Education teacher. Some committee duties included education, marketing, master of ceremonies, social media, creative director, and director of production. More on this to follow. 

Develop the festival program. While submissions are streaming in, put that planning committee to work! Some classic elements of a festival include a limo ride, a red carpet, and an awards ceremony. In all, $500 in community sponsorships can garner all the above with some partnership development. That noted, even if the film festival has no limo, and the awards are printed in the office, do the event. The frills are nice, but NOT why teens come to a film festival. They want the experience and exposure. After each festival, we survey teens, and every year more than 90 percent say the best part of the event is seeing their film on the silver screen. So, even if the first year is just popcorn, films, and a good night, that is still a tremendous success.

Make the official selections and choose a host for the big night. You will be amazed by the number of high-quality submissions. Teens today are mega-talented. Alongside the planning committee, make the official selections and notify them. Be sure to include parents in communications. From there, the easy part for recreation programmers is the actual event. Roll up your sleeves, decorate, get tables ready, print out award certificates, and have a ball! 

Discover Natural-Born Leaders 

Of all the events hosted across the calendar year, this event is the one we enjoy the most, and the one teenagers get the most excited about. Speaking of excitement—the event is only half the story—the other half is all about leadership development. This event lends itself to engaging teenagers in a meaningful leadership capacity, building their professional skills while also improving their self-efficacy, just as they begin their journey towards college and beyond. 

No one depicts this growth more than our Creative Director, Amanda Hess. We first met her in 2019 when, as a freshman, she was chosen as an official selection for her film “Name.” At the conclusion of the festival, the lights came on, and one filmmaker—Hess—walked to the stage and stuck out her hand to meet the festival director. “This was such a great night, thank you so much, but next year I think we can make it even better,” she said. We were blown away by her confidence and signed her to a lucrative volunteer contract right away! The following year, while serving on the festival planning committee, she developed a playbill with filmmaker head shots and film synopses, as well as a Woodstock-inspired lobby poster. Since then, Hess has been promoted to Creative Director and event Master of Ceremonies, deftly handling hosting duties in front of a packed audience of 150 people. Since first meeting her as that confident 14-year-old, it’s been wonderful to see her grow and develop skills specifically because of her involvement with the showcase. As she puts it, “The Teen Filmmaker’s Showcase is a great resource for young filmmakers. I’ve been involved since their first year (starting as a nominee and now as Creative Director), and I’ve not only been able to connect with some amazing people but also form lasting friendships. It's a wonderful community to be a part of that has helped me grow as a person and leader.” This past year, showcase leadership happily wrote her a letter of recommendation, and she now attends prestigious Boston University.

For any park and recreation leaders scratching their heads, trying to engage today’s youth, hosting a film festival can be part of the solution. Teens have stories to tell, and they tell them through video. Give them a platform, encourage their creativity, and watch them run with it. 

Jason Lang, MS, CPRE, is the Director of Parks and Recreation for East Goshen Township Parks and Recreation in Pennsylvania. Reach him at jlang@eastgoshen.org.