From spec scripts to finished films

Aspiring filmmakers produce works at summer workshopOn July 27, an audience of mostly American Indian moviegoers gathered in the auditorium at the Institute of American Indian Arts to screen a number of short films written, directed and created by young Native filmmakers as part of the fourth annual Summer Television and Film Workshop. Eight short films were screened on stories whose genres ranged from a Western to a futuristic sci-fi world. Comedies and dramas, as well as period pieces, were created by this year's filmmakers.

"I was really impressed with the talent and the stories created this summer," said Ish Antar, Gros Ventre and an audience member, former student and actor in one of the evening's shorts.

IAIA, in collaboration with Disney-ABC Television Group Talent Development Programs and the Walt Disney Studio, presented the six-week workshop.

The 2007 summer workshop program offered two tracks: the filmmaking/production track, which focused on directing, screenwriting, production and acting; and the writer's track, a new addition to this year's program, in which the students focused on writing television spec scripts.