KIDS FIRST! News

KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search competition for our 2013 youth film critics (ages 7 to 14) is now open. Check out the KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search webpage forthe approved titles plus tips on how to submit, guidelines, official rules and a short video from our youth film critics sharing their experience.

Filmmakers love our program, too. Kenn Viselman, creator of recent release The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure, and the film’s marketing professional Eileen Potrock, told us, “The KIDS FIRST! Film Critics came ot our junket and our premiere, and were among the most eloquent and informed reporters to attend. The training that KIDS FIRST! gives to these children provides not only professional skills, but poise and confidence as well. They are a great source of empowerment for young people and a wonderful outlet for anyone who works with children and families.”

And sharing her view of the experience from the parent’s perspective, the mother of one of our first KIDS FIRST! youth film critics, says, “My daughter’s experience with KIDS FIRST! has opened many doors for her within her own person, allowing her to strive for excellence in her written and oral presentations and to always ask the deeper questions about messages and meanings in media directed to children. Her confidence in public speaking has greatly increased as well as her feelings of value and worth of her own opinions and thoughts.” (Sarah Jane Geraldi, mother of Raven Devanney, a 2011 KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search winner.)

The contest is open until midnight, Dec. 31, but the earlier you submit your entry, the better your chance to win. Entries are posted on a public website where friends, family and everyone interested can vote for their favorite review. The top 24 will be finalists, which we’ll announce the beginning of January, and the winning 12 will be chosen from among the finalists by a celebrity panel of judges. Winners will be announced the middle of January.

The 2013 KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search is nearly ready to launch (Oct. 3). Being a KIDS FIRST! youth film critic is an exciting experience, and we are hosting a series of online “be a great film critic” webinars for kids (ages 7 to 14) interested in entering the competition. The webinars will teach them how to analyze a film elements to be included in their review, how to videotape the review and how to upload it to the campaign’s voting website. We will incorporate basic media literacy skills in the webinars and discuss the purpose of a film critic and film reviews.

Make your review – your KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search entry – the best it can be. And while you’re at it, make yourself a wiser viewer of film and media content. This is valuable information, so take advantage of it and sign up for our free webinars. Space is limited, so sign up now.

The three-webinar series starts this week and runs three consecutive Thursdays (Sept. 13, 20 and 27). If you are unable to attend one or more of the live presentations, you can view the recorded webinar (the link will be on http://www.kidsfirst.org/ after the live webinar).

Webinars:
How to Read a Film
KIDS FIRST! focuses on the messages and meanings in media directed toward children – that is, the content of the film or program, rather than the impact of any advertising that may accompany it.

Make Your Review Sizzle
We’ll discuss what comprises a great film review and how to make your voice – your thoughts and opinions – heard, both in your written and video reviews.

Looking Good On Camera
Performing on camera is a blast, once you pick up a few tricks to make yourself seen and heard in the best possible way.

Additionally, take a look at these links to simple guidelines and tips for entering your reviews:
Tips for Creating Reviews

Guidelines for Entering

Official Rules

And listen to tips from our KIDS FIRST! youth film critics. 

Interview stars and directors on the red carpet. Attend film previews and share your impressions of the movie with peers the world over. Being a KIDS FIRST! youth film critic is the experience of a lifetime. (And parents – there’s an education component to all this. Visual media is a pervasive element of contemporary life,a nd we’ve developed our KIDS FIRST! Film Critics program to teach kids to critique the visual messages they’re bombarded with as well as write reviews about media they enjoy.)

The KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search opens Oct. 3. We’ll have the list of films at that time for you to choose from to review, but we’ve prepared resources you can start looking at NOW to learn how to make your review th best it can be. And one of this year’s KIDS FIRST! youth film critics, Brianna Beaton, age 12, is eager to share important tips she follows when reviewing a film and creating a video presentation of her review. Check out the KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search webpage for tips on how to submit, guidelines, official rules and a short video from many of our youth film critics sharing their experience.

And sharing her view of the experience from the parent’s perspective, the mother of one of our first KIDS FIRST! youth film critics says, “My daughter’s experience with KIDS FIRST! has opened many doors for her within her own person, allowing her to strive for excellence in her written and oral presentations and to always ask the deeper questions about messages and meanings in media directed to children. Her confidence in public speaking has greatly increased as well as her feelings of value and worth of her own opinions and thoughts.” (Sarah Jane Geraldi, mother of Raven Devanney, a 2011 KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search winner.)

The contest is open until midnight, Dec. 31, but the earlier you submit your entry, the better your chance to win. Entries are posted on a public website where friends, family and everyone interested can vote for their favorite review. The top 20 will be finalists, which we’ll announce the beginning of January, and the winning four will be chosen from among the finalists by a celebrity panel of judges. Winners will be announced the middle of January.

Kids, you’ll have a blast entering this contest. So get ready to take part.

Ready to start their year of reviewing films, interviewing actors and filmmakers, and blogging their perceptions, the 2012 KIDS FIRST! Youth Film Critics are here!

With a “Congratulations” to everyone who prepared the written and videotaped review they needed to enter, KIDS FIRST! is pleased to announce the winners of the 2012 KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search.

Age 6-8
Morgan Bertsch of Northridge, Calif.
Cheyenne Nguyen of Northridge, Calif.
Alternate: Aira Dani of Atlanta, Ga.

Age 9-10
Casey Chandler of Santa Fe, N.M.
Talia Rashba of Oak Park, Calif.
Alternate: Camille Bajema of Santa Fe, N.M.

Age 11-12
Brianna Beaton of Clermont, Fla.
Julianna Noone of Warwick, N.Y.
Alternate: Julia Chestnut of Highlands Ranch, Colo.
Alternate: Hunter Willow Jones of Kutztown, Penn.

Age 13-15
Victoria Burns of Atlanta, Ga.
Blakes Hawes of Kailua, Hi.
Alternate: Jennifer Huntoon of Bloomington, Ind.
Alternate: Ajay Sharma of Bloomington, Ind.

The focus of the KIDS FIRST! film critics program is teaching children healthy media habits as well as strong critical thinking, writing and public speaking skills that will stay with them for a lifetime. The KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Boot Camp, held annually in Los Angeles, teaches kids the skills to become an entertainment reporter. 

Six celebrity judges selected this year’s winners from 24 finalists who were determined by view voting on WonderworldTV.com/kidsfirst.  This year’s judges were Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theaters and Magnolia Pictures; Ben Lyons, E! film critic and frequent contributor to “Good Morning America”; Thelma Adams, a Yahoo contributing editor and author of the “Thelma Adams on Reel Women” column that runs on AMC filmcritic.com and who was the film critic at Us Weekly for 11 years following six years at the New York Post; and  George Pennacchio of the ABC7 Eyewitness News team in Los Angeles KABC-TV.

Industry supporters of the KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Campaign are Amazon.com, Anchor Bay Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Warner Home Video and WonderWorld Entertainment. Campaign support also comes from national nonprofit organizations that include the National Education Association, National Association of Elementary School Principals and the National Council of Women’s Organizations, with a cumulative membership of more than 17 million.