You two can YouTube at the library

By Susan Braunstein, Programming Library Associate

Would you like to learn how to make a movie and possibly win some great prizes? This year the library is taking an exciting new approach to celebrate Teen Tech Week, which takes place from March 7 through 12. The theme for Teen Tech Week is “Learn, Create, Share@Your Library” and the library is going to have a film contest topped off with a movie premier to celebrate it.

We are kicking off the week on March 5 with a Discovery program aimed towards teens. This will be a YouTube/camera training workshop. Anyone in 6th through 12th grade is invited to learn how to make a film with library cameras and post it on YouTube.

The workshop will take place from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the downtown library and 1 to 2:30 at the north library. Marti Fuerst, a library employee, will lead the training. Those attending will also learn how to burn a CD of the movie, as well as how to make a movie using creative commons and public domain elements found on the internet.

The YouTube film contest has two categories, one with the theme, “Learn, Create, Share@Your Library,” and the other featuring a book trailer. A book trailer is something that explains what happens in a book. Films can be acted out, full production trailers, flash videos, animation or simple still photos set to music with text to convey the story. The top three finishers in both categories will receive prizes. First place is a digital camera with filming capabilities, second place is an MP3 player and third place is a $50 Best Buy gift certificate. The winning entries will be posted on the library’s YouTube site.

The rules for the competition include: The film must be no longer than five minutes, no lewd or inappropriate behavior is allowed and there is a deadline of March 10 to turn in entries. The film needs to be burned on to a CD. There are CD’s and entry forms available for each entrant at the public service desks downtown and at General Beadle.  There is also an on-line entry form that can be downloaded at www.rapidcitylibrary.org. One application must be submitted with each entry. Prizes are awarded to individuals, not groups. The name listed on the entry form will receive the prize. Computers are available at the downtown library to burn CD’s if needed.

At the Teen Tech Week Film Premier on Friday, March 12 at 7 p.m. all entries will be featured and prizes for the top three winners in each category will be awarded. Food and refreshments will be a part of the festivities and the public is invited. 

If a student can’t make the March 5 Discovery Day training workshop the library has several books related to the topic including, “Sam’s Teach Yourself YouTube in 10 minutes” by Michael Miller, “How to do Everything with YouTube” by Chad Fahs and “15 Minutes of Fame: Becoming a Star in the YouTube Revolution” by Frederick Levy.

This is your chance to stir those creative movie making ideas into a winning film and have some fun during Teen Tech Week.