LREI movies at the Apple Store

Tonight we went to a showing of movies created by the high school students at our kids school, LREI.   The event was put on at the Apple Store in SOHO.  Chris Reed, who is the head of the Media Arts program created this curriculum.  The kids have even had some of their films shown in high school film festivals. 

Chris is a pretty talented guy himself.  He studied Russian at Harvard, taught Russian literature at the Phillips Exeter and then Chaote.  He then earned his masters at Yale in Russian film and went on to NYC’s Tisch school to get a M.F.A. and has continued to teach kids through the NY  Film Academy.  He recently completed the job as the technical editor for the book  "Digital Filmmaking for Teens".   We are thrilled that he is part of our school. 

We saw about an hour’s worth of movies.  The kids had to write the screenplay and then shoot the film.  One was a clever plot about a reporter, another was a movie based on detention, skipping classes, etc.  There were a few political advertisements.  Some were poems that kids wrote and made a film about it.  One was a music video of a rock band that happens to be playing at CBGB’s this weekend.  Another was a documentary on the protests at the Republican convention this summer.  The last shown was on the Hoops played on West 4th street.  Most of the filming took place around the area of the school.

All and all, a really mixed group of films.  Very impressive.  Who knows, maybe one  of these kids got bitten by the film bug and they debut at Sundance in a few years.  Can’t imagine anything making Chris a happier man.  I guess that is what being a teacher is all about.