Huntington High School Creative Video II students are back in their filmmaking lab with teacher Heather Swan, happier than ever behind their COVID-19 protective masks.
Sarah Biernacki, Delia Caruso, Aislinn Cody, Matthew Colavecchio, Katerina Damiano, Matthew Fallon, Lauren Gooding, Seamus Hannon, Lexie Krivosheiw, Ally Kustera, Lilianna LaVertu, Jack O’Brien and Eliza Walther began Creative Video II with fantastic stories for an art movement project.
“This project is inspired by a famous painting of their choice,” Mrs. Swan explained. “Each student uses their individuality and creativity to develop a story around a famous painting.”
The teenagers are thrilled to be back in their much loved lab again. “It’s great to be back editing and creating videos again,” Ms. Damiano said. “It’s an awesome way to be creative and stay safe during these times.”
The young filmmakers are proving to be very flexible during the ongoing health pandemic. “It’s nice being able to edit in person again,” Mr. Colavecchio said.
The teenagers are bursting with creativity as they go about their work. “I look forward to seeing what amazing videos everyone makes this year despite the unusual circumstances,” Ms. Kustera said. “It feels really great to be back in a creative environment.”
The filmmakers are really happy to be in their lab working closely with Mrs. Swan on an interesting project. “It’s a great opportunity to be able to express yourself artistically while staying socially distanced,” Ms. Biernacki said.
The students were out of the lab from mid-March through the end of the 2019/20 school year as Huntington UFSD and schools across the state were shut in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Since returning to the high school for on-site classes, the students have been working especially hard.
“Especially considering the students have been away from the video lab for so long, I am super impressed with the videos produced,” Mrs. Swan said. “The students created stories in genres that run the gamut. They are starting to push their knowledge of camera shots and angles to lighting and dialogue to produce some very entertaining productions. It is very exciting to see these familiar masked faces back in the video lab.”
Several videos are now available for viewing. To watch The Son of Man by Lauren Gooding click on https://youtu.be/LZyJuSNskTY. To view The Date by Katarina Damiano click on https://youtu.be/F_kpWHEANh8.
Creative Video II is a full year, one credit course that meets daily. It is available to students in grades 10-12 who have completed Creative Video I.
Huntington’s video arts program can be found on Instagram at hhs_video and on YouTube at HHS Cygnet Films. Send a message to Mrs. Swan at hswan@hufsd.edu for more information about the program.