Low Key Arts’ (LKA) Inception to Projection Filmmaking Program begins its summer session on June 11, at ASMSA. The six-week intensive film class finds students writing, directing and producing their own 4-6-minute short film. The films are then screened at the Malco Theatre in January as part of the Arkansas Shorts Film Festival.
Now in its eighth year, Inception to Projection has jump-started the film careers of dozens of Garland County teens that may have never had the opportunity otherwise. Indeed, half of the program’s teenage alumni have gone on to pursue degrees in filmmaking. In fact, one of them, Rachael Asherman, an alumnus of the 2012 session, is now employed on HBO’s True Detective.
Low Key Arts designates a handful of scholarship spots in every session for low-income students, ensuring that even marginalized voices have a chance to be heard and benefit from the program.
What makes Inception to Projection really special is its accessibility to participants of all ages and skill levels. It isn’t unusual for teens, thirty-somethings, and seniors to work side by side, collaborating on each other’s projects.
Inception to Projection is a labor of love for the industry professionals who donate their time to help put their craft in the hands of aspiring filmmakers in Hot Springs. As with all LKA programs, however, support from the community is vital. The program is in continual need of new equipment, not to mention the costs involved with recruiting instructors from Los Angeles and New York are considerable.
If you would like to support Low Key Arts and Inception to Projection, you can donate at www.lowkeyarts.org or send a tax-deductible check to Low Key Arts, PO Box 467 Hot Springs, AR 71902. To find out more about Inception to Projection, please email lowkeyarts@lowkeyarts.org.