About Create Films Program
For more information visit Create Films site at www.CreateFilms.org
Mission:
To educate and inspire youth through the Fine Art of film-making with free film classes, internships, and mentorship programs.
About Us
Create Films is an Arts First program. In 2022 the Department of the Treasury granted the Arts First recognition as a 501(c)3 non-profit arts and culture organization. Create Films is committed to teaching youth the Fine Art of filmmaking. All donations to Create Films are tax-deductible.
History
Since 2016 Artists and Community groups have partnered with the Tacoma and Pierce County Library systems to convene an accessible Summer Film Camp program for middle and high school-age youth.
Start-up planning and curriculum development staff included: Elise Downey, Pierce County Library System Teen Librarian, John Hargis, Tacoma Public Library Media Center Instructor, Melissa Fitzgerald Moore Library Manager, Jerimiah Schuler, Lead Instructor, Johnny Schuler, Instructor, and Mateo Schuler, Assistant Instructor. Financial support for the first three (2016 to 2018) years came from Tacoma and Pierce County Library systems, Write 253 and the Sound Credit Union. For the year 2019, the Youth Philanthropy Board of the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, State of Washington Latino Fund and the Tacoma School Foundation supported the hiring of Chhay Mam, Lead Instructor, and three student Interns.
Upon completion of the 2019 Summer Film Camp, the City of Tacoma Office of Arts and Cultural Vitality and the Pierce County YMCA proposed the 2019 and 2020 Extended Learning pilot project in which the Summer Film Camp curriculum was modified to provide an after-school film production class for Stewart and Baker Middle School youth. The success and interest in this afterschool class have evolved into consideration for extending the availability of film-making classes to both Middle and High school age (13 to 18) youth.