Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
WEST JORDAN — Not many brothers under age 10 could say they've not only directed their own films but saw them premiere at a real film festival.
Truman Beck, 8, and Beau Beck, 6, can, as they were two of more than 50 students who participated in the Tumbleweeds Film Festival in West Jordan.
The festival, now in its second year, brought students and their families to the Viridian Events Center on Friday night through the collaborative efforts of the Utah Film Center and the Utah Education Network. The awards ceremony showcased and rewarded the talents of young filmmakers from kindergarten to eighth grade.
The Beck brothers wanted to focus their films around some aspect of their family and said that creating fun memories with their family was their favorite part of the filmmaking process.
Truman's film was a National Geographic-style documentary following his toddler brother, and Beau's film centered around a whimsical scenario in which he woke up one day having switched bodies with his dad.
"I created this film because I loved watching him play, and I wanted to remember him as he grows up," Truman said, explaining his decision to make his younger brother the star of his film.
The 8-year-old's film, "A Day in the Life of a Toddler," won an "audience favorite" award in the youngest category of filmmakers at the festival.
"We wanted to give kids this platform ... because there's a lot of young kids out there making films and telling really great stories," said Julie Gale, education and family programs director for the Utah Film Center. She added that the competition gives kids an outlet to express themselves creatively and to practice the art of filmmaking.
Equally important, the competition gives children the opportunity to learn a little about media literacy, a skill that's becoming more valued in the world, according to Katie Blunt, project manager for the Utah Education Network.
"Some of these kids may go into media-related careers, and some might not, but regardless, the filmmaking process and storytelling covers the four C's — collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking. Through filmmaking, kids are learning these skills, and they will apply to any career they pursue in the future," Blunt explained.
The films showcased at the awards ceremony — finalists from over 50 submitted films — varied greatly in their subject matter and style. They covered nearly every genre, from documentary-style pieces to zany works of fiction and just about everything in between.
The awards were grouped into three categories: kindergarten through third grade, fourth through sixth grade, and seventh through eighth grade. The winners in each category were announced after the film screenings, during which audience members voted for their favorites in each category.
Cast members from JK! Studios, who formerly acted on BYUtv's "Studio C" sketch comedy series, presented the awards and spoke to the students about their careers.
"People always tell me, 'Oh, you must've always been a performer,' but actually I used to be really shy — I was terrified of interacting with and talking to people," said Stacey Harkey, one of the JK! studios cast members. Harkey shared with the audience his personal journey of starting as a shy kid to becoming the energetic comedy actor he is today through the power of discovering one's unique personal worth.
