Georgia's Best Summer Film Program for Teens Does Television in 2017 ~ Young Artists create programming for TV broadcast.

For several years, Aimee McCoy and Tae Eady, co-founders of The Artizen Company have been cultivating amazing work from young artists in the Decatur and Metro Atlanta areas. Establishing the STepSTone Arts
Program was a bold move for the women who helm this theater and film company. Over the past four years The Summer Film Intensive has become a staple for the arts programming in metro Atlanta for young filmmakers and future artists. These young talents learn real world lessons, are exposed to all aspects of independent filmmaking, and now broadcast television! The addition of television production to the curriculum comes as The Artizen Company is successfully producing two new television pilots.

During SFI, each summer, a highly competitive select team of teens work over a four to eight week period creating their own personal projects as well as working together as a production team for a collaborative master project. Previous works include short dramatic, comedic, experimental, and documentary films; some of which have gone on to film festivals, and received awards. "The students have the ability to get real world experience and rise to the occasion to be their best selves," says Aimee McCoy co-founder and director of SFI. "I created this program for all the tweens and teens who are like I was when I was that age, basically I created the program I wish I could have been a part of when I was younger."

Students learn the basics of film production and get a taste of all the different jobs in the film industry. They also have the opportunity to tour different businesses and locations involved in the industry right here in Atlanta. Various industry professional come in to share their real world jobs and experiences and give advise to the participants about what it takes to make it in this industry. "One of my goals is to help students realize if this is their dream job or if it was a big misunderstanding," Aimee says with a chuckle, "I hear students say all the time 'I thought this was easy,' and that's everything from gaffing to acting." McCoy, says students will cover production from planning and development, pre and post-production, all the way to marketing and distribution. Seems her goal is to create young media moguls with this intense program.

"We have big plans this year with introducing television production," Tae Eady, The Artizen Company co-founder, chimes in with a excited spark, "our kids will be able to create their own special projects, just
like they do every year, and work together on a special talk show about Media Literacy, which is one of our passion projects with teens, and all of this will be broadcast on television and streamed online around the world. I mean, our kids with have actual television credits by the end of the summer. That is if they successfully complete the program. Can you tell? I'm really excited about this summer, as always."

SFI2017 is just around the corner, beginning in June, if you are interested in this program contact The Artizen Company by email at theartizencompany@gmail.com or visit their website at www.theartizencompany.com to view samples of their work. As for me, I cannot wait to see what these new voices have to say, I'll be tuned in.

SFI2017

Session 1: June 5 - June 30, 2017
Session 2: July 5 - July 28, 2017
Times: Monday – Friday, 10am – 3pm Location: Meet-Up at 215 Sycamore St, Decatur, GA 30030 (we are always on the move!)

Meet-Up Location: Decatur Public Library, 215 Sycamore St, Decatur, GA 30030
**Decatur
Library is our daily meet-up/drop-off location. We hold meetings and
accomplish research objectives, then we are off to the studio, on
location, or out tours. A full schedule will be available after
registration.**

Ages: 12-18 (special consideration is needed for participants under 12.)
Double session package has deep discounts

~Alia Lee