STOUGHTON - Like any movie theatre, upon walking in, the place smelled like freshly popped popcorn, the lights were dim, and the soft chatter of the audience could be heard and the admission was free.
A dozen young aspiring filmmakers have embarked on an exciting journey, turning their creative visions into reality by producing a short film from scratch.
Emily Ellis from Arcola and her helper Mariah Warriner came to Stoughton to take part in teaching a week long film camp at the Stoughton Curling rink from July 29 until August 2.
This unique project involving the 12 kids gave them a hands-on experience in all aspects of filmmaking from writing the script, to creating props to shooting the scenes in just five days.
The project kicked off with an intense brainstorming sessions as to what it takes to make a 30 minute film.
After some deliberation they settled into a plot and began to pitch their ideas for costumes and props.
Most of the kids had never attended a camp like this before and they found it was a wonderful experience.
Ellis said the days were long and everyone worked hard but with so much energy and enthusiasm in the kids, it was a lot of fun.
Once they had decided what the film was about it was time to create the props, which was another major undertaking. Armed with cardboard, paint, glue and an abundance of imagination, the children transformed everyday materials into magical artifacts and fantastical creations.
Each child contributed their unique artistic flair which made the film stand out.
The film was called Twinderella, the Tale of the Cinder-sisters, and it has twists and turns throughout the 30 minute film.
The King and Queen had twin daughters, and the one twin was curious of the crown that the King wore, but as she was trying the crown on it fell to the floor and broke.
The King insisted that this twin daughter be outcast from the castle, but she did not want to go, but her twin sister did, so they traded spots.
Each actor/actress played several parts, which kept the crowd of 150 people on the edge of their seats, while they munched on popcorn.
In the end they all lived happily ever after, but to get there was a chore.
The filming process was a revelation for the kids, teaching them about the technical aspects of filmmaking and the importance of teamwork.
They learned to overcome challenges, from dealing with the heat wave while filming outside to managing time effectively to stay on schedule.
Each participant was introduced by Ellis and which parts they played, and in the end each one was asked what their favourite part of the film camp they enjoyed the most.
It was unanimous that they enjoyed making new friends, playing games, telling jokes and the overall experience of making a film.
At this time, the audience also had the opportunity to ask questions about the production and the group was eager to explain how things went.
They all said that they look forward to returning next year to make a sequel to Twinderella.
