TSA (technology student association) is a national non-profit organization that is available to middle and high school students. Engaging in technology and STEM, over 300,000 students nationwide participate each year. The organization lets students create to their full potential, which two groups at Atherton utilized. Both groups created a video that followed certain criteria. The teams received a prompt to follow with props, dialogue, and length and had to follow one week to finish to make a 60 second film. Atherton placed first and second in the competition for regionals.
Seniors Callie Thornton, Lucas Selch, Johanna Davids, Ximena Marquez Cordova, Phoebe Mawi, and Layla Hawkins placed first in the competition with their film. For their regional film, the team needed the following: A hairbrush, a cellphone, a toothbrush, and the dialogue “Now I know why my mom always says that.” Their film followed a baking contest, similar to the popular TV show, Hell’s Kitchen. Callie Thornton and Johanna Davids acted as the contesters, while Lucas Selch played as “Rordan Gamsey” and the mom. Despite a few people being sick and couldn’t meet, the team still got the film done within a day, and collaborated to edit.
Johanna Davids (12) came up with the film, as well as writing the script. She served as an actor and helped with the film equipment.
“We were just trying to make like a very unique comedy film so that we could kind of stand out and also have like cinematic points in the film,” Davids said. “I helped with everything, our group bounced around. We all helped refine the film.”
Juniors Felix Humble, Quinn Brown, Fritz Moreland, and William Long placed second in the competition. Following the same prompt as the others, the team collaborated productively while making the film. From winter blues, Humble had fallen ill with the flu before filming, pushing the film back a smudge. Nonetheless, the team’s effort pulled through to finish the film.
Felix Humble (11) played the role as an actor, as well as helping with film equipment and shooting. Humble edited the film on Adobe Premiere Pro. It was the first film Humble stated “Oh, this is pretty good.”
“The prompt was very flexible. We all wrote the film, it was all a team effort,” Humble said. “I put close to 24 hours for that one minute, there was a significant time spent on the film. We had shooting for all two days, eight hours each, and it went smoothly.”
Both team’s achievements will go a long way. The seniors will stay at the Marriott hotel for the regional competition for further judging for their film. Congratulations to each team and their hard work!
