Throughout the halls of Harding High School, you might have seen some students, phone in hand and tripod carrier close behind. They aren’t skipping of course. They were making a movie! That’s what film studies is, after all!
Film studies is an English three substitute, usually taken by members of the junior class, but is open to all grade levels. Film studies was originally not a class until Miss White came into the building. “I started this class when I was at John’s town,” Said Miss White. “And when I came to Harding Fagan approached me because he know I was into it and I did it in John's town and he was like “so what do we have to do to get this film class here” and he looked into it and he pretty much wrote down everything I said and submitted it for approval.” They both jumped through the hoops together and made Film Studies a reality.
Film studies is also not for the typical slacker this high school is used to. Miss White says “Film studies has the ability to be a really fun and creative class. But you have to be willing to take chances and learn new things, be creative and follow through with tasks and take pride in their work.”
Harding High School's Film studies class had the pleasure of attending the international youth silent film festival 2023 in detroit Michigan at the Redford theatre located on 17360 Lanhser Road. The films that made it into the festival was “The ghost of Taylor Lock '' By Jason Powell, Taylor Mcfarland, and Oliver Moore. “Dear Adisyn” By Adisyn McGraff. “Inside the music box” By Noelani Holden and Addy Osborn. And “Little Lamb '' a stop motion film by Beatrix Marquis. Unfortunately a lot of other films from the class did not make it in
If you ask anyone about how the trip to the film festival went, they would all tell you it was great. Kyler Knickerbocker agrees, having said that “we overall throughout the trip had an enjoyable time, including on the bus ride back after watching all the films.”
Although the trip did go great for everyone involved, getting to the trip was another story. “We couldn't put in the overnight trip request until we know what students made it to finals,” said Miss White. “So it was submitted as soon as it could be submitted, at which time the board had already meant for march.” It was then mentioned that the board was supposed to meet on April 10th, but because school was out that monday, they pushed it to the next monday. ``which is the day after we get back from the film festival.” Miss White said disappointedly. “But major thanks to Olympia Della Flora for figuring out how it can be done. The idea is that we're hoping the bored will retroactively approve it.” At the time of writing this, it is unsaid whether the board did retroactively approve it or not. But the class has already gone, so what would be the point?
Driving back from the film festival on the bus was definitely a somber experience. Some were sad to leave Detroit Michigan. Others were upset to go back home. But all were upset that none of the Harding High School students had won at the film festival. But even if our students did not win, what's important is that we did it as a team, and the films were something to be proud of. Everyone had an aspect in the film that no one else had, and it’s important to remember that.