Milwaukee Spotlight Student Film Fest Info
"Old Bug", "Epiphany", "Blink"
Dominic Inouye, film fest director
James Carlson, film fest executive
director
Mike Cheslik and Sam
Shapson, directors
Recorded Oct. 2, 2008.
The films
"Blink" by Mike Cheslik was the 2006 Award winner for Best Picture;
Best Narrative Short; Best Script; Best Editing; Audience Favorite,
First Place at the Spotlight Film Fest.
Sam Shapson's narrative short "Epiphany" describes the path to inspiration through the eys of a young artist. Utilizing a wide variety of animation techniques, "Epiphany" was Sam's first film made specifically for a student film festival. This short won the 2007 Grand Price and Best Narrative Short at the Spotlight Film Fest.
Sam's second narrative, "Old Bug," is about a conversation between a boy and his grandpa. Through encouraging the boy to develop a personal relationship with a caterpillar, the grandpa teaches the boy a valuable lesson.
Watch
Flash videoBroadcast schedule
Learn more about our channels and schedule
Wis Channel
9:32 p.m. Thurs., Dec. 4, 2008
Wis Channel 4:30 a.m. Fri., Dec. 5, 2008
Wis Channel 2:32 p.m. Fri., Dec. 5, 2008
Wis Channel 6:33 p.m. Sat., Dec. 6, 2008
Wis Channel midnight Sun., Dec. 7, 2008
Wis Channel 8:32 a.m. Mon., Dec. 08, 2008
WPT 10 p.m. Sat., Jan. 17, 2009
Biographies
Dominic Inouye's philosophy about film and students can be summed
up this way: Put a camera in the hands of a kid and great things
will happen. He has been an English teacher at Pius
XI High School for
nine years, where he teaches courses at all levels; his special interests include
world mythologies, creative writing, media literacy, and film analysis. As the
moderator of the Pius Film Society, Dominic gathers students each week to experiment
with the medium. After holding an informal movie contest at Pius a few year ago,
he saw interest grow and spread to other schools. And in February 2005, he teamed
up with James Carlson of Bucketworks and Milwaukee Spotlight was born, opening
in May of that year. Dominic continues to integrate video into his school's
curriculum: last year his students created two original shorts; this year he
is introducing PSA and documentary film-making to his students, and he is also
working to complete his own full-length documentary, Emancipation, Wisconsin,
which examines Milwaukee's recent wave of violent crime and the individuals
and organizations working for peace.
James Carlson is Executive Director and founder of the School
Factory, a non-profit organization that creates learning centers, schools,
venues, and creative spaces for America, such as Bucketworks, a health club for
the brain, and the Young Women's Institute
for Global Studies, a small highschool, both in Milwaukee. James has over
twenty years experience with business and information technology in a social
context, from implementation through design and architecture. James has worked
with the world's largest corporations such as Proctor and Gamble, Best
Buy, France Telecom, McDonalds, Sony Pictures, the IRS, and the US Army on their
online global communications, marketing, and information sharing strategies.
He has experience in leading both for-profit and non-profit corporations, and
is now developing America's infrastructure for cultural creativity. James
also serves on the Advisory Board of the Cardinal
Stritch Leadership Center and teaches at Marquette University's Institute
for the Transformation of Learning.
Mike Cheslik is a junior at Whitefish Bay High School. As a freshman, he created "Blink" (2006 winner of Grand Prize and Best Narrative). As a sophomore, he created "Reppin' That Calculus" (2007 winner of Best Music Video). He is currently working on a feature-length movie which we hope will be done in time for the October 2008 festival. He has created many other shorts.
Sam Shapson is a senior at Wauwatosa West High School. As a junior, he created "Epiphany" (2007 winner of Grand Prize and Best Narrative). This year, he submitted four different pieces: a beautiful narrative short called "Old Bug," a documentary short called "Segregation," an experimental short called "Just Be", and a PSA called "! ! Soma." He has worked with MATA Community Media's After School Video Arts Program (ASVAP) peer media educator. He has created many other shorts.
