AUDIO/VISUAL CLUB

A noisy investigation of media, with a little food on the side.

In this workshop, we seek to bring together a group of young people and encourage a culture of curiosity and engagement around film and music. At 2:30 each Wednesday, we'll meet up and prepare for our afternoon by cooking up a snack under the guidance of chef Nicole LoBue. (We'll start with popcorn, and get more ambitious each week.) Afterwards, we'll watch a series of short and medium-length films suitable for all ages. In between the films, we'll have a panel discussion, and explore how we can turn our critique of each film into something we can share with the world - such as a radio show or a young film critic's blog. The films we watch will be a selection of rare cinematic gems pulled from the fields of documentary and animation, as well as short features, found and archival footage.

We hope to convert the passivity and lethargy that often accompanies children watching screens into active participation: thinking, talking, laughing, and questioning. We'll use our discussion of movies and music as a platform for children to listen to and be heard by one another. Each film is not only an invitation to conversation, but also to an exploration of the film’s subject matter - a hands-on activity that we'll undertake following the film. As the weeks progress, we'll also begin to synchronize what we snack on with what we're watching, making a light meal that emerges from a culture or idea represented in the film.

As we cultivate our ability to think and talk about film together, we’ll expand into the musical realm. The A/V Club will provide a space for children to listen to music as if it were a film - a space where children can try out what it feels like to give all of themselves to the act of listening.

See here for some previous film/workshop pairings conducted by Bryan Welch and Marina McDougall in San Francisco. 

Questions

Ages?
Film and music suitable for ages 6 - 106.  We will adjust the content of what we watch according to the age of the youngest child.

What if my child can't make it by 2:30?

We'll open our doors at 2:30, but kids are welcome to arrive later. Let us know when you can make it, and we'll accomodate your child.

A workshop by Bryan Welch & Nicole LoBue .