Lights!

 

Camera!

 

Action!

 

OK, so there were certainly cameras and action during the filming of “Island in the Sky,” but the lights?

 

Not so much.

 

“Boy, that was fun,” Ben Hinkelman deadpanned. “A storm caused the power to go out, so we had to bring in an electric generator and use a lantern for light.”

 

Because of those imperfect circumstances, Grace Zhou learned a powerful lesson about her bent toward perfectionism: “Before we started, we were told there would be a lot of compromise, and that was true. I definitely learned how to compromise and be OK with change.”

 

Grace was among five teenagers taking part in the Solange Young Filmmakers Program, an offshoot of the annual Solange Film Festival presented by Portage Learning. During three weekends in the spring, the high school students wrote a script, recruited actors, shot the scenes, and then edited the audio and visuals for their short film, which focuses on a folk duo tempted to use AI to craft their music.

 

“It was kind of fun to be a fly on the wall for the process,” Ben acknowledged. The former school teacher and current film director at Portage Learning led each workshop and was impressed by the resilience and adaptability of his protégés. “They’re all pretty sharp kids. And when everything went dark, we really had to be creative, so it was definitely a learning experience for all of us.”

 

And that, Liz Ours emphasized, was the plan all along. 

 

“Our youth have their own unique perspectives and stories to tell,” the executive director of the film festival explained. “We want to give them a platform and teach them how to do it well through film.”

 

The festival’s title is derived from the Latin word “sol,” which means sun, and “ange,” which means angel. Over the years the French have adopted it as a name denoting dignity or solemness, which fits the theme perfectly. 

 

“We hope to inspire and challenge our audience by giving attention to films that tell overlooked stories with dignity, respect and compassion,” Liz stressed. “We were blown away by the quality of work entered. And we were thrilled with what our students created.”

 

Filmmakers from around the globe submitted entries, and 33 were selected for this year's event in Pittsburgh. Twenty-eight of them were short films and five were feature length. They were shown in two-hour blocks, with the directors fielding audience questions in-between.

 

And these Q&A sessions included Grace and Sam Haas, who are both high school seniors with the dream of building a career in the entertainment industry. Standing under a spotlight while addressing the audience prompted Sam to reflect on the day their world faded to black.

 

“Here’s my biggest takeaway from the experience,” he said, smiling. “Lights are very important.”

 

And as the film’s director, so was maintaining a steady presence through such challenges.

 

“It can be very easy to get stressed out, especially when you’re on a tight deadline and lose power. But it shouldn’t rule your life. My vision is important but what also is important is levity. You have to laugh. It’s not going to help you and everyone else on the set if I’m angry and short-tempered.”

 

Both Sam and Grace, who directed the photography, were impressed by Ben’s guidance in the midst of adverse conditions.

 

“He did a great job of being a leader for us,” Grace recalled. “He stayed calm and helped us focus on keeping our spirits up.”

 

Grace will pursue her film education at Huntington University in Indiana, while Sam will attend Point Park University in Pittsburgh.

 

“The fact that they want to continue in the field,” Ben observed, “tells me our program was a success. I’m already looking forward to doing it again next year.”

 

While some might be surprised by higher education collaborating with filmmakers, Portage Learning President Steve Michalik said it makes perfect sense.

 

“Education isn’t limited to educational institutions,” he reasoned. “The stories we share really do shape our world and teach us in unique ways. We’re hoping to build community — and inspire change in our communities — through the power of personal stories.”

 

Even if the power happens to go out.