LEAD Cameron Teacher Trains Students in Filmmaking for Unique Summer Employment Initiative
In partnership with the city of Nashville’s POWER Youth Summer Employment Initiative, a LEAD Cameron teacher provided a unique opportunity for students to earn money this summer while also building transferable career skills in the field of filmmaking and TV production.
Carlton Adkins, a teacher of visual arts, photography, and video production at LEAD Cameron Middle School, trained students in filmmaking and TV production through his non-profit organization, Enlightenment Film Academy, during the months of June and July.
“Most of the time, film and TV production are not taught or learned until late in students’ high school careers or college,” said Adkins. “In my case, I was in my late twenties and early thirties before I learned filmmaking techniques. I have a saying that I borrowed from someone else, but it fits naturally how I feel daily: ‘I want my students to learn early what I learned late.’”
The program was hosted on LEAD Cameron’s campus and was open to 14- and 15-year-old students throughout the city of Nashville. Through the program, students had the opportunity to earn $12 per hour for 20 hours each week. They built a variety of soft skills that could be applied to any future career, as well as skills specific to the entertainment industry, including scriptwriting, camera operation, video editing, directing, sound design, and audio mixing.
Adkins says the program helped students develop greater confidence in their ability to accomplish challenging tasks.
“I would like for them to develop an appreciation for a process that doesn’t show results instantly, where they have to learn how to add the ingredients and then wait for it to bake,” said Adkins. “The writer isn’t always there for the shooting of the film, and actors aren’t there for the editing of the film, so they all have to wait until the final edit to see how the cake turned out. Sometimes, you have to throw that cake out and start all over again, but that’s okay at this level because they are learning how to ‘cook.’”
This program was the first job for many students, giving them valuable experience to add to their resumes. The skills they’ve gained will be especially useful in Nashville, a city with many local film and television production companies that could offer internship opportunities.
Adkins noted, “I’ve found that each student has something about creating films they love, whether it be editing, shooting, writing, or cinematography. I love the wonder and joy that comes from them trying, failing, and learning something new.”
