Inside the Ignacio High School gymnasium, two professional filmmakers and four Southern Ute teenagers set up film equipment. The film crew prepared to film a tribal sports competition. The teenagers learned how to use a DSLR camera on a tripod and a GoPro on an extension pole.
The workshop was funded by the Colorado Film Commission鈥檚 . This year was teenager Houston Cunningham鈥檚 second time participating.
鈥淲e've been doing a lot of different shots, like some just basic B-roll clips, having to set up all the camera equipment for just interviews, the lights, and still shots鈥� how to use all the camera equipment. We're just doing interviews as well, trying to get people's opinions,鈥� said Cunningham.
Joey Lopez, a freelance filmmaker living in Denver, guided the teens on their cinematography. He's been leading workshops in Ignacio and Towaocc for the past six summers.
鈥淭he biggest lessons have been about the kids. You don't know who you're going to inspire. You don't know what you're going to bring to the table for someone. Just being there, who you are, and imparting knowledge has been eye-opening for me,鈥� said Lopez.
Bruce Borowsky, a seasoned filmmaker from Pixel Mill Studios in Boulder, Colorado, has led the two-weeklong workshop for the past three summers.
鈥淕etting to train these kids with skills that perhaps they could use in a career, sometimes you never know what's going to click with young people. If it clicks with even just one of them, that's like a beautiful thing,鈥� said Borowsky.
Borowsky and Lopez plan to continue leading the workshop in the coming summers. The film the students made this year will be entered into the 2025 .
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