EATON — Kids between the ages of 8-12 can now sign up for the Eaton Library’s spring edition of ‘Tween Filmmakers Club.’ For the last few years, the program has been one of the more popular at Preble County District Library.
Over the course of four weeks, kids will write a script, build props, film, and edit a short movie.
Thanks to a grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, awarded by the State Library of Ohio, kids will now have more technology to work with at the Filmmakers Club. The grant funded new equipment to bolster the program, and much of the equipment can be used for other programs for kids, teens, and adults.
“We had just repurposed a section of the Eaton Branch for programs and had this space open,” said PCDL Marketing Coordinator Michael Zimmerman. “(Youth Services Manager) Sarah Tozier approached me with her idea to write the grant to fill that room with equipment for this filmmaking program, and the State Library agreed it was a great idea.”
The grant funded a new all-in-one computer capable of editing high-definition video, a DSLR camera, a sewing machine for making costumes, an audio recorder, tables, and an electronic die cutter, among other things.
“We loaded the computer with open-source graphics and editing software, and the grant funded books that will stay in the room for anyone who wants to learn 3D modeling, drawing vector graphics, and video editing,” Zimmerman said.
The Tween Filmmakers Club will be the first official program using the equipment. Registration is required for the five-session program (four filmmaking sessions with a viewing party). Spaces are limited. The Filmmakers Club will meet every Wednesday at 4:15 p.m. at the Eaton Library from May 3 through May 31. Each session is one hour. For more information, or to register, contact Tozier, Clayton Jaros, or Magrace Landwehr at (937) 456-4331.
The grant adds on to some new technology the library had purchased previously for the Filmmakers Club, like a green screen kit and, more recently, a Makerbot 3D printer, which the library Youth Department has affectionately dubbed “Myrtle.”
“With this IMLS grant and the existing technology at the library, kids can go through the entire filmmaking process, from designing and printing small props and making costumes to filming and editing,” Tozier said.
The library hopes to open the room up outside of scheduled programs for all ages to explore the technology and learn new skills. Program schedules are available on the library’s online calendar at www.preblelibrary.org under the “Events” tab.
