PHILADELPHIA, June 30, 2010 — This summer, the Free Library of Philadelphia is launching a new film program for the city’s teens. Behind the Screens will instill media literacy skills in teens ages 12 to 15 and aims to teach participants to be conscious consumers of film and television content. Teens will be taught to recognize cinematic techniques such as camera angles, sound, and lighting, which filmmakers use to construct a variety of messages. In addition, teens will plan a short film by creating their own storyboard.
Behind the Screens, which runs from July 12 through August 6,is being piloted in four Free Library neighborhood branches: Cobbs Creek, West Oak Lane, Wyoming, and the Thomas F. Donatucci Sr. Branch.
“In an age where we are all inundated with media messages, it is critical that Philly’s teens understand what messages they are consuming and how those messages affect them and the way they view the world,” said Siobhan A. Reardon, President and Director of the Free Library of Philadelphia. “Behind the Screens will increase the cultural literacy of our city’s youth, and as such the Free Library is delighted to undertake this new effort.”
Behind the Screens was built around feedback from teen focus groups and was developed with the help of Larissa Pahomov, a teacher at Science Leadership Academy and a curriculum designer for the Free Library’s popular One Book, One Philadelphia and One Film programs. Behind the Screens is supported by the Thomas Skelton Harrison Foundation.
For more information on Behind the Screens, visit freelibrary.org/behindthescreens.
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The Free Library of Philadelphia system consists of 49 branches, three regional libraries, the Parkway Central Library, and the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. With more than 6 million visits annually, the Free Library is one of the most widely used educational and cultural institutions in Philadelphia.