Whiz Kid: Justin Fargiano

Whiz Kid: Justin Fargiano
School: Bethel Middle School, 8th Grade
What makes him awesome: His video about bullying that is currently entered into the Connecticut Student Film Contest.

Fargiano's mom, Michelle, recalls him wanting a movie camera since he was 9-years-old. She said he was always interested in the computer and posted his first movie on YouTube at the age of 10. For years, Fargiano created short films using stop start animation and Garage Band for background music. When he was 12, the family decided to by an Apple laptop computer for the family, though they "didn't realize how helpful this was to the film making process."

This Christmas, Fargiano requested a computer program called Dragon to improve his techniques. When most kids wanted toys or sporting equipment, he asked for green screens, lights and props.  

Sheila Gambino, a Bethel Middle School teacher, asked her students in the 8th grade to make a short film that was public service announcement and Fargiano submitted two films on bullying, which were selected for the Connecticut Student Film Festival this year.  

Although Fargiano  has many interests and is a big fan of director Tim Burton's work, he said would love to work for Pixar some day. 

Fargiano said: "I taught myself how to do stop-motion. Stop-motion is a series of pictures, known as frames, that are sped up to create on fluid motion. Claymation is a type of animation that I also try, and this technique is used in (Burton's) 'Nightmare Before Christmas,' and 'Coraline.'"

The Fargiano family is very proud of him including sister Olivia and mom, Michelle and dad, Doug.

To watch Justin's videos, click this link: http://ctstudentfilms.org//play.php?vid=682