Solving a murder mystery is the least of an Oilfields junior high school student’s worries.
Casey Boehmer is under pressure to complete a short murder mystery film he’s creating with four other teens to submit to the school’s Diamond Valley Film Festival by the June 14 deadline. He plays a teen trying to solve a murder after finding a body in the woods.
The festival takes place in the school’s theatre June 18 at 6 p.m.
“There’s a pretty big time crunch right now,” Boehmer said early last week. “It’s due in two weeks and we only have half of the footage.”
Boehmer is one of about a dozen students preparing films for the school’s annual festival.
In the festival’s first year three years ago, Boehmer and his crew didn’t complete their film on time while last year his film won both people’s choice and best director awards.
“I’m pretty confident that it will win at least one award,” he said of his most recent film. “I’m working with people who know what they’re doing.”
Being in teacher Pam Pracic’s junior high filmmaking program since its inception three years ago, Boehmer sees a bright future for himself – especially since he loves writing stories and making them come to life.
“It’s opening a lot more opportunities for me, a lot more career opportunities,” he said. “I want to have a career that I love doing and still get paid really well.”
The film festival invites all Grade 7 to 9 students in Black Diamond and Turner Valley to create and submit five to seven-minute films, even if they don’t attend Oilfields.
Students in Pracic’s filmmaking program have an edge after attending a field trip to the Calgary International Film Festival where directors spoke about their films, participating in the Zooom Youth Film Festival in Okotoks and learning how to create unique short shots and develop them visually in class.
Pracic said she expects about a dozen submissions this year from crime thrillers and suicide awareness to fantasy comedy.
“I’m very excited to showcase the talent and skills the student have developed over the years, as well as give the Grade 7s the opportunity to put their visual creativity on display because they’ve never done this before,” she said.
The films will be judged on creativity, story, directing and cinematography by a panel of six judges, including Black Diamond Mayor Ruth Goodwin.
Also on June 18, the school’s art students will showcase their skills during the Visual Arts Student Exhibition (VASE) in the learning commons from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
This past semester, senior high school students worked on a style development series to apply principles and elements from famous artists that inspired them to create their own unique pieces.
Junior high school students created a series of explorations through various mediums and artists to find what worked best for them to develop their own style, said Pracic.
“This is my third year teaching at Oilfields and I’ve watched the artists grow in their own right,” she said. “I want to give the students the opportunity to show the community the talent we have here at Oilfields. This allows them to showcase their unique talent as well as their signature styles.”
Grade 12 art student Grace Bruder will display her five-part series of acrylic paintings on round surfaces.
The project took off after Bruder’s mom broke a plate in the microwave.
“I brought it to school and I painted it,” said Bruder. “I made a beautiful night sky with lots of stars and mountains and hills of trees.
“I thought it would be cool to keep on painting on round things.”
Bruder then got to work painting hills, sunflowers and the sky on wood and scenery on a large serving tray. She will do other paintings on wood and a copper serving plate before the show.
“It’s a pretty great opportunity to get my art out there,” she said. “I’m really excited for other people to get to see the work I’ve created. I’ve worked really hard on it this year and I’m really proud of my stuff.”
There is no cost to attend the art show, and some pieces will be available for purchase. Those wanting to see past projects from art students can view them at a display at Oilfields General Hospital.
Admission to attend the film festival is $2, which helps buy filmmaking equipment.
