The film makers from left: Declan Rexer, Max Schuss, Jane Hollander and Rachel Weir.
A film that Max helped make with fellow film makers Declan Rexer, Jane Hollander and Rachel Weir premiered today, Sunday, April 25th at the Tribeca Film Festival in their Youth Behind the Camera program. The kids did great on the red carpet
(see their interview here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j90qrKKP7Tg ) and in the Q & A session with questions coming from Canadian film maker Rob Kerbyson, after all seven of the films aired. All the young film makers did a great job fielding the questions in front of a few hundred people (one little boy (below, far left) refused to talk--they put the mike in his face twice and nothing, the third time he shook his head as if to say "you can't make me talk"---hilarious--he stole the show).
Rachel, on the other hand had a lot to say about the 15 chocolate chip cookie props and who ate the lion's share during filming--Max apparently :) Later, in the theatre lobby, Max clarifies what his motivation was for eating most of the cookies with an old friend.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAB1oZYDauA
The film makers with the two amazing Manhattan Youth After-School film instructors, (far left) Chloe Raynes and instructor on this film Andrea Dao Wong
The 5:59 minute short film was a story all the kids helped conceive in their Manhattan-Youth After-School class. The program director is Theseus Roche. Their story was about four kids who were sent to detention (Max had no idea why). On the way to detention room, Jane notices a jar of cookies in the cooking class kitchen. She came to detention and wrote a note ( Max said the teacher wound up writing it out, as it was a long note) which she passed to her fellow detentionees suggesting they take the cookies and eat them. Everyone thinks it's a great idea, and so Max goes out to "get a drink of water" but then deviates to find a ladder, gets the cookies down, eats a couple, then brings some back for his fellow conspirators to enjoy. They passed the cookies under the table, everyone ate up, no one was caught and detention was swe-e-e-et!
Film maker Mr. Kirbyson, who was asked to host the Q & A asked the kids if they'd ever seen the film "The Breakfast Club" and the kids looked at him blankly and said "no" as a group. Kirbyson noted it referenced an earlier film, and they needed to make this short into a feature film as a
re-make of that 80's classic.
Declan Rexer (left) and Max Forrestall Schuss (right) looked pretty relaxed and happy on the stage.
Max being "interviewed" by Todd on the red carpet.
Max signs a few autographs, using his dad's back as a desk, which Rachel thinks is very funny.
Sandra Katz is the woman who makes this program happen, and she did an amazing job of paying homage to a group of fascinating young film makers and their creativity and boundless energy.
above: Max and his most loyal fans aka mom and dad (Monica Forrestall, Kerry Schuss).
Some of the other film makers who screened today: Etai, Ivan, Joey, Josse, Matisse, Mitchell
and Stanley 's film "George and the Volcano" from Manhattan Youth After School program at PS 150.
Film makers: from left: NYC Shoes by Maia Ezratty from Nest +M School project. Right: brothers: Gavin & Kian Zinzell and their film Skate Ting.
A link to The Tribeca Film Festival site describing the event in more detail.
And to Zimbio website which covered the event.
---Monica Forrestall
