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Though the audience was small, the energy was high to see the work from the Digital Media program at Van Nuys High School. The annual fall Digital Media showcase was this past Thursday and Friday, November 21 and November 22.
The fall showcase is the first film show of the 2024-2025 school year, meant to show off some of the films from the past year of digital media, additionally showcasing films that weren’t able to be shown in the spring showcase.
Hosted by Seniors Maya Diaz and Layla Venegas, Thursday’s show showed off first and second year films. The intrigued audience’s enjoyment was explosive, with some feeling inclined to go up to their favorite filmmakers and compliment their work.
“It’s really awesome having someone come up to you and be all like ‘your film was awesome’,” says Senior Dezi Pressly-Calvo, a capstone, or third year, film student. “Getting praise for something you worked really long and hard on is one of the best feelings ever. Even just seeing and hearing people enjoy our films by laughing and crying is amazing. I wouldn’t trade that feeling for the world.”
While the second night didn’t have students coming up to congratulate their favorites, the crowd’s cheering was a congratulation in and of itself.
The Friday screening at 6 p.m. showed last year’s second and third year films. Senior Elijah Loox, host of “What’s Goin’ On Van Nuys,” and senior Angelo Keating, took to the stage to host the Friday showing.
This show presented a film that was not able to be shown at the spring showcase, “The Final.” Although the students behind the film, Aidan Chin, Bryce Chin and Gio Stewart have recently graduated, film teacher Mr. Thomas McCluskey was keen to get their passion project on the silver screen.
The film follows three main characters who all got 0 on their chemistry final and are in danger of not graduating. The group goes into an intense study session inspired by scenes from the hit film “Oppenheimer”, and are able to pull off better scores than last time, barely.
Unfortunately, the crew for this project was not able to come to the screening, but the audience was completely entranced by the humor and cinematography of the film. Applause and laughter broke out in the theatre, showing that the graduates’ efforts had not been for nothing.
The excitement from the audience spread into the heart of Digital Media advisor Mr. McCluskey.
“The fall Digital Media showcase went very well,” he said. “The student producers were very organized, the films played well on the big screen and the audiences reacted enthusiastically. It’s great for filmmakers to see their work in an auditorium with an audience.”
Additionally, he commented on the performing arts in public schools as a whole, emphasizing their importance.
“This is a tricky time for arts and arts funding in public schools and I hope for our students’ sake that they always have the opportunities that they have today,” he said. “The arts need to be supported in order to thrive.”
