News
Two River Children's Festival Features Anti-Bullying Message
By Caitlin Stolzenthaler
RED BANK - Eleven Monmouth County kids are making a stand against bullying--and taking it to the big screen.
On August 21st, the winners of an anti-bullying animation contest, sponsored by Prevention First and Small Factory Productions of Fair Haven, will see their collaborative cartoon effort premiere at the First Annual Kid's Factory Flicks 2008 event, held at Clearview Cinemas.
The event will feature 25 cartoon shorts developed and produced by kids at Small Factory Productions, a music and TV production studio for children in Fair Haven, as part of The Two River Children's Film Festival.
The Children's Festival is an outgrowth of the Two River Film Festival, which has been introducing area audiences to the finest in new and independent films for the past six years.
"The Two River Film Festival is proud to offer the 2008 TRFF Children's Festival as part of its ongoing community outreach mission for children, arts, and education," said TRFF founder Rosellen Otrakji. "Our partnership with Prevention First represents our admiration for its goals, spirit, and energy."
The children's festival presents an opportunity to encourage children in the pursuit of the arts and help them explore their individual talents and interests.
"It's important to recognize a child's inner voice early on," says Otrakji. "Small Factory Productions offers our children a chance to have fun and discover the joy of expressing themselves. To further this end, an important part of the Festival is to screen inspirational films created by children for children, so that they can grow and use their own creativity to face life's challenges."
"Every [winner] was chosen for a different reason," noted Sandra Levin, studio director and event manager of Small Factory Productions, which conceptualized the countywide contest and partnered with non-profit anti-violence program Prevention First, as well as the Two River Film Festival,to produce it.
Levin noted that the 11 winners from across Monmouth County include kids ages 6-11 from Little Silver, Fair Haven, Rumson, and Red Bank, among other towns, and were chosen from among 500 applicants.
Levin said that winners either had outstanding work and/or a keen understanding of the concept of bullying, adding that she was "blown away [by their efforts]."
The winners met at Small Factory Productions for a short anti-bullying program put on by Prevention First. From there, the kids brainstormed anti-bullying concepts for the cartoon they would create using the studio's sound and animation equipment.
"We just guide them and give them the tools [to create cartoons]," said Levin, adding that the kids execute each step of the process "We basically work for [the kids]," said Levin, of the Small Factory staff.
The result is "Clyde's Last Ride," a cartoon short in which an ant that bullies an elephant learns a lesson.
Levin noted that the cartoon-making process is a "huge confidence boost" for kids.
After the 25 cartoons, all produced at Small Factory, are shown at the sold-out film festival, the "Carrot Awards" show, judged by four people in the entertainment industry will award for "best picture" and "best screenplay," among other credits.
"We're very excited," said Levin.
Mary Pat Angelini, executive director of Prevention First, is also enthusiastic about the event.
"[The film festival gives us an opportunity to get a message out in a different way and a non-threatening way," said Angelini. "I can't wait to see the end results. It sounds like a wonderful group of young people."
The Children's Film Festival is sold out.
