The Reichhold Center for the Arts (RCA) invites the public to the July 27, Youth Moviemaking Workshop (YMW) premiere of two spectacular projects – the short film "The Wishing Shell" and a unique extended reality project called "Echoes from the Conch Shell" – at 6 p.m. at the University of the Virgin Islands 13D Research and Strategy Innovation Center on St. Thomas.
“We are excited to present these very special projects to the public. Our students have learned a lot as they have worked on their short film, taking it from concept to the finished product,” said RCA Director Denise Humphrey, who is especially proud to have added augmented and virtual reality to the program this year.
“We are always looking at the latest trends and new technologies in the video, film, and digital media fields to find ways of introducing these new skillsets to our students,” Humphrey said. “These skillsets can open doors where our students can now become creators and contributors, even pioneers in advancing the stories of the Virgin Islands.”
During this Saturday’s premiere, the YMW will launch “Echoes from the Conch Shell,” an ongoing project which utilizes mixed media and immersive technologies as a new way of exploring Virgin Islands stories. Each year students in the YMW program will add to the collection of stories, growing the collective culture of notable locations with the hopes of preserving these oral histories for the community and visitors to experience for years to come. Fort Christian will be the first location to feature elements such as a virtual reality (VR) tour of the fort with elements of storytelling and some augmented reality (AR) components.
“We use AR to transform physical landmarks and objects in neighborhoods into portals that bring the voices and memories of residents and culture bearers to life,” said Anula Shetty and Mike Kuetemeyer, professors at Temple University and artists in residence at the Reichhold Center’s YMW who are teaching students about augmented and virtual reality this summer. There is an urgent need to preserve these community stories, histories, and memories. Many of the people who hold the history are being lost to age, and it is essential for them to share as many memories as possible. We use immersive technologies to create an engaging way that people can learn about and share the life and history of a community.”
Shetty and Kuetemeyer, who have won numerous awards as media specialists, have enjoyed working with YMW students. “Students are learning how to create VR paintings, use AR, 360 photography, and photogrammetry to document Fort Christian, the oldest standing structure on the island,” said Shetty. “It is a joy to see the young people's creativity and inspiration as they explore and experiment with creating art and storytelling with these new technologies,” added Kuetemeyer. “We extend a warm invitation to the St. Thomas community to come and witness their impressive work. Your presence will not only encourage these young talents but also contribute to the celebration of cultural heritage.”
Humphrey thanked the YMW community partners, including Territorial Director of the Virgin Islands Division of Libraries and Museums Amy Parker De Sordo, Fort Christian Museum staff, the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, and Storytellers and Cultural Bearers Nadine Marchena Kean, and Glenn Kwabena Davis for their support in bringing these projects to life.
The YMW is an annual, seven-week hands-on training experience hosted by the Reichhold Center for the Arts designed to motivate, educate and build practical skills in digital film production. Students ages 11-16 are eligible to apply for the interactive summer workshop where they learn the skills necessary to produce their own video and digital content. The workshop culminates in a “Red Carpet Premiere” where students exhibit their films to the community,
For more information, visit Youth Moviemaking Workshop or contact Denise Humphrey at (340)-693-1552 or dhumphr@uvi.edu.
For more media inquiries, contact UVI’s Public Relations Office at pr@uvi.edu.
