Inaugural BCPS Film Expo: 21st Century Instructional Initiative Grant Recipient 2016

May 18, 2016

Baltimore County Public Schools hosted a red-carpeted inaugural BCPS Film EXPO on May 5, 2015, from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM at the historic Senator Theater in Baltimore, Maryland.  The purpose of the event was to provide an inspirational platform for any currently enrolled BCPS highs school students to showcase their creative work in film.  The exposition featured full length screenings of each winning film and a montage preview of all juried submissions.  Each entry was judged by a diverse panel of judges composed of BCPS personnel, local filmmakers, and Hollywood professionals.  From the entries, the judges selected 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards to be awarded in five different categories, including the following:

  • Live Action Narratives
  • Documentary Films
  • Animation
  • Experimental films
  • Animated GIFs (on a loop display on TV installations throughout the theater lobby)

Jesse Dortzbach, Visual Art/Music/Technology Ed/Graphic Print and Communications, Department Chair, at Western School of Technology and Environmental Science, encouraged interested high school students to participate regardless of whether or not they had a film/video course at their school.  Jess Dortzbach, the event organizer stated, “With this event, we want to provide an inspirational platform for currently enrolled BCPS high school students to showcase their creative work in film.” While the festival featured the work of high school students for its inaugural year, other grade level entries will be accepted in future expositions.

This magnificent event showcased the work of the following finalists:

  • Andrew Benson, George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology
  • Alex Burke, George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology
  • Faith Christopher, Lansdowne High School
  • Justin Ciemian, Hereford High School
  • Park Dasom, George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology
  • Liam Dietle, Parkville High School
  • Lyle Drescher, Franklin High School
  • Sara Franks, Western School of Technology and Environmental Science
  • Garove’s Class Project, Western School of Technology
  • Emmett Hallameyer, Hereford High School
  • Nicole Hutch, Towson High School
  • Alyssa Keller, Hereford High School
  • Sohei Matsui, Towson High School
  • Isa Maxey, Eastern Technical High School
  • Emily McCown, Lansdowne High School
  • Marie S. Panday, George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology
  • Damien Remmell, Hereford High School
  • Elizabeth Ryan, George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology
  • Connor Twohy, George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology
  • Zachary Westra, Hereford High School

A total of 86 submissions, representing 11 different schools from around the beltway, were represented. High schools whose students participated in the expo were George Washington Carver Center, Dulaney, Eastern Technical, Franklin, Hereford, Lansdowne, Parkville, Patapsco, Perry Hall, Towson, and Western. Category winners will be publicly announced after their films have been shown on the main screen.  All films were available for viewing at www.bcpsfilmexpo.org , after the event.

With the support of the Baltimore County Public Schools, Ms. Linda Popp, Office of Visual Arts, Supervisor, the project aligns with the BCPS Blueprint 2.0:  Our Way Forward and the School Progress Plans.  The BCPS Film Expo was an event organized to showcase creative works of film made by BCPS high school students.  Any high school student currently enrolled in BCPS was able to enter the festival regardless of whether or not he/she is part of a film or audio/video class.  The purpose of this event was to provide a creative, collaborative, and competitive platform that has previously not existed in BCPS, for students to exhibit their work and to help aspiring young filmmakers gain valuable experience about the entire process.  In addition to being a celebration of student achievement in the arts and inspiring young filmmakers to use their gifts and knowledge to impact a greater audience, the event functioned as an advocacy tool by promoting and preserving cultural forms of expression.  This event supported a core value (and need) of 21st century learning by promoting creative and visually innovative artwork that is conceptually and technically relevant to career and professionally related industries.  The EXPO continues to support Team BCPS students to emerge as innovative leaders in casting an artistic vision that engages students in creative and practical applications of real-world opportunities.  The 2016 BCPS Film EXPO was funded by a 21st Century Instructional Initiative Grant funded by The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, Inc.

One of these young students could be a famous film producer of tomorrow.  Congrats to all who participated.