India Post News Service

CHICAGO: The global fascination with films will bring teen screenwriters from around the world to MediaBridge, Facets international screenwriting program for youth being held Fullerton Avenue and S King Drive from July 7-August 10.

Youth ambassadors ages 15-19 from Mexico, India, Portugal, Russia, Ghana, and Sri Lanka, along with teens from Chicago and downstate and western Illinois will participate in a demanding summer course in film programming, production, and screenwriting.

These young film enthusiasts from six countries will exchange ideas about international films with local Illinois teens, write film scripts and organize their own film festival. The teens begin their intensive five-week camp with a Youth Jury session where they will review and select the most exceptional films from more than 100 submissions for the MediaBridge Youth Fest held at the end of the program in August.

The MediaBridge students plan and curate the two-day public film festival that will feature the best in cinema for children and young adults as well as a special "Open Screen" to showcase youth-produced work.

After viewing top-notch examples of film, the teens jump in the driver's seat with the MediaBridge Screenwriting program, a two-week university level workshop in which they learn how to produce professional scripts.

The teens develop ideas for short films, which they build into a first draft screenplay with the help of their Screenwriting Lab instructor Bruce Scivally, co-author of "James Bond: The Legacy" and co-editor of "The Special Effects & Stunts Guide."

"Creating opportunities and avenues for young adults to meet, discuss, and collaborate with their peers from around the world is vital to their understanding of international films as well as films produced within their own respective cultures," says Nicole Dreiske, the Director of Children's Programming.

"Being exposed to international films allows these teens to evaluate films from a more critical perspective." Following the completion of their scripts, students participate in the MediaBridge Screenwriter's Lab, where their scripts are read and critiqued by their peers and a panel of industry professionals.

These "Creative Advisers" will include TV/film writer/producer Gary Sherman (Poltergeist III, Dead & Buried), Bernie Sahlins, a co-founder of Second City and Craig Lindvahl, a Milken Award winning teacher and recipient of nine Mid-America Emmy Awards.

During the Screenwriter's Lab, students have one day to revise their screenplays before their final scripts are brought to life by an ensemble of professional actors from the Looking glass Theatre and other theatres. Held at the Harold Washington Cultural Center, the staged readings precede the opening of the MediaBridge Fest on August 8th.