Grant, camera, action

Marisa O’Neil

Future Oscar contenders are getting a taste of moviemaking with a new

program at the Westside Boys & Girls Club in Costa Mesa.

About a dozen students are producing a short movie on a new

camcorder they got through a grant. They are participating in every

aspect of the project, from scriptwriting to editing, directing and

acting.

“We’re exposing kids to as much as possible to find something they

have a knack for,” center Director Dan Monahan said. “That way they

can find something they’re good at and feel good about themselves.”

Students in the filmmaking project started shooting scenes this

week at the center, near Rea Elementary School and by the pier in

Newport Beach.

Jose Escobedo, 13, wrote the screenplay for the yet-to-be-named

action film.

“[In the movie] two guys named Scott and Mike are swimming around

and a guy comes up and says they have to rescue five POWs and a

rocket scientist,” explained 13-year-old Ernesto Alvarez, who

directed the action at the beach Tuesday.

Dylan Abel, 11, and Christopher Pacheco, 12, played the lead roles

in the beach shoot, running down the beach and exchanging dialogue

for a key scene.

“They get to be the heroes and save the day,” Monahan said of the

script, who is supervising the project, but trying to take a

hands-off approach so they can learn the ropes.

The new camcorder, a digital camera, scanner and tripod come

courtesy of a grant from electronics retailer Best Buy. The club has

to produce the movie to fulfill the grant, Monahan said, but will

make more after they finish this one so more students can get

involved.

“They get to experience things they wouldn’t normally,” said Jon

Jessup, who works as a tutor at the club. “They see both sides of

filmmaking. And maybe editing or writing is something one kid

wouldn’t be interested in but another says: ‘Hey, let me do it.’”

In addition to the filmmaking equipment, Monahan said the students

also have access to computers and can learn Excel, PowerPoint and how

to build their own Web pages. About 150 children, who are between 8

and 12 years old, attend the club’s after school program each day.