{"id":74095,"date":"2018-02-01T14:37:34","date_gmt":"2018-02-02T00:37:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=74095"},"modified":"2020-01-15T13:37:48","modified_gmt":"2020-01-15T23:37:48","slug":"uh-waianae-high-filmmakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2018\/02\/01\/uh-waianae-high-filmmakers\/","title":{"rendered":"UH<\/abbr> film experts guide budding Wai\u02bbanae High filmmakers"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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From Waiʻanae<\/span> Heiau<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Three short films produced by Waiʻanae<\/span> High School<\/a> juniors and seniors, aided by mentors from the Academy for Creative Media<\/a> (ACM<\/abbr>) at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>–West Oʻahu<\/span><\/a>, recently received outstanding reviews. The films were screened at the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Forum<\/a> at the East-West Center on January 26.<\/p>\n

The forum, co-sponsored by UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span> and ACM<\/abbr>, is part of an effort by the Historic Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Foundation<\/a> to help identify sites for possible designation as a National Historic Landmark or listing on the National Register of Historic Places.<\/p>\n

“It brought to light how beautiful our backyard is,” said Waiʻanae<\/span> High School student Austin Ibanes, part of a team that examined the importance of culture in exploring the K\u016bʻ\u012blioloa<\/span> Heiau at P\u014dkaʻi<\/span> Bay, which once served as an navigation school. “It was just a great experience.”<\/p>\n

Getting the younger generation involved<\/h2>\n
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Students discuss the making of their videos during a panel discussion. From left, Waiʻanae<\/span> High School students Austin Ibanes and Nicole Tagalicud; UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span> student\/mentor Tancy Chee, Matsunaga Peace Institute Executive Director Maya Soetoro-Ng, UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span> student\/mentor Kevin Bechayda. Standing at lectern UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span> Chancellor Maenette Benham.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Youth Video Project<\/a> was championed by UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span> Chancellor Maenette Benham<\/strong> as a way to get younger generation students involved, and have them explore what they considered important places. Waiʻanae<\/span> High School\u2019s Searider Productions<\/a> was enlisted to provide the talent, and community leaders were recruited as special mentors to discuss the projects with students, including Matsunaga Peace Institute Executive Director Maya Soetoro-Ng<\/strong>, UH<\/abbr> Professor Davianna P\u014dmakaʻi<\/span> MacGregor<\/strong> and Polynesian Voyaging Society Education Director Miki Tomita.<\/p>\n

“They\u2019re doing incredible work and they\u2019re telling incredible stories,” said Josiah Endo<\/strong>, an ACM<\/abbr> student mentor who also works as video services manager for Searider Productions. He said seeing the students\u2019 work was inspiring. UH<\/abbr> West Oʻahu<\/span> students Kevin Bechayda<\/strong>, Tancy Chee<\/strong> and Mendi Cui<\/strong> also served as mentors.<\/p>\n

Telling incredible stories<\/h2>\n

What consisted of sense of place was tough for students to define, but perhaps Waiʻanae<\/span> Strong<\/em> filmmaker Amee Neves summed it up the best by explaining sense of place is different for everyone and is not an actual place. “It\u2019s in the heart,” she said.<\/p>\n

The videos<\/p>\n