Three Chatelech students are enjoying new iPads and yet another video contest win with their submission How Well Do You Know Me?. Their video was awarded first prize in the My Privacy and Me national video competition.
Terran Tasci, Erica Thumm and Myesha Geoffrion are no strangers to winning, having secured a first place standing with another original short movie made for a contest sponsored by Worksafe BC last year. The theme of that movie was how to say no to your boss when working conditions are unsafe.
Winning that contest also proved to be a win for the Chat video production program, which benefited from new equipment when the trio brought home the gold. That new equipment was used when making How Well Do You Know Me?, a short video about the dangers of meeting someone in person who you've only known on-line.
"It's about how, on the Internet, you don't have an identity, and anybody can be anything," Terran said.
The group came up with the theme after a short brainstorming session and decided to focus on something that would have national appeal.
"We wanted it to be something that everyone would know about and relate to and understand," added Myesha.
The video itself grabs the viewers' attention through music and use of effects, making you feel uneasy about the possible meeting of a youth with an on-line friend.
"What these guys did that I think was really impressive and what made it stand out for me was they established a really strong mood in the film and they were consistent with that mood," said video production 12 teacher Paddy McCallum. "They supported the mood with a really strong soundtrack, with really edgy editing techniques and shot angles. The people that I've shown it to, filmmakers and whatnot, are very impressed."
The students spent one weekend and hours of class time creating the finished film, which can be viewed at www.youthprivacy.ca/en/contest.html.
McCallum hopes the win will encourage other students to enter the video contests that he says help enrich his classroom through challenging students and recognizing them for their efforts.
