Harrison students win big at M’iMovie Awards

Photo: Jackie Rybeck

MOVIE MAKERS – Mrs. Toohey’s class at Harrison Elementary took the People’s Choice award at the school district’s M’iMovie Film Festival. Front from left,  Emory Frutos, Morgen Ray, Trey Dekutoski, Spencer Hurd, Allison Gagne, Alyssa Morin and Elizabeth Logan. Middle:  Mrs. Jamie Toohey. Back, Jonathan Freeman, Tyler Edwards, Ashtin Lewis, Mitchell Lisowski, Maria Commoss, Chelsea Hill and Caitlyn Cross. Missing from Photo:  Sky Amaral, Autumn Calciano and Tyler Rondeau.

HARRISON – Students in Jamie Toohey’s sixth-grade class at the Harrison Elementary School were excited to learn that the movie they created took the LaBay People’s Choice Award at the M’iMovie Film Festival.

The competition, now in its tenth year, had competitors from kindergarten, to high school seniors to staff; categories were K-3, 4-5, 6, 7-8, 8-12 and Staff.

And recently, at the awards banquet, the sixth graders were treated as though they were going to the Oscars.

“The kids got to ride in old-fashioned cars,” smiled Toohey. “Then when they got to the high school, they even walked the red carpet! It was really exciting for them.”

According to Toohey, the young, movie makers were able to be totally creative.

“There was only one requirement,” she said. “And that was to abide to a five-minute time limit, including opening and credits.”

It was "Lights! Camera! Action!" It was also "Learning!"

“The students really learned together to work as a team,” said their teacher. “They also learned how movie making mimics the writing process in so many ways.”

The name of the movie was Olivia’s Twist.

“It was about bullying and making the right choices,” said an excited Maria Comoss.

“And it was about a girl that went from being a bully, to becoming a nicer person,” added Caitlyn Cross.

Toohey said that everyone in the class took part in the planning and starring in the film, which was based on the book: Have you filled a bucket today?

“That is sort of our theme here at Harrison,” she said. “It’s about how everyone carries around a bucket and it’s not as important to fill our own bucket as it is to fill others with kind acts. That’s how the students started their idea for a bully to turn into a nicer person and learn to fill other students' buckets.”

“It was five minutes long, and it took two-to-three weeks to make!” added Tyler Edwards.

The students were quite proud of watching their movie on the big screen at awards night.

“It felt great especially watching it because we won,” said Alyssa Morin.

“And to win was a shock to me,” added Chelsea Hill. “I knew we did an awesome job, but I thought that some of the other movies were just as good; it was really shocking.”

From a personal touch, Toohey said that it was most exciting to win the LaBay People’s Choice award.

“Lois LaBay taught here at the Harrison Elementary for many, many years and she was dearly loved, so to win this award was especially heartwarming.”

Mitch Lisowski, also from Mrs. Toohey’s class, took away the trophy for Independent Film and Best of Show.

“My move was called Brrrr!” he said. “The general topic of the movie was ice and how it’s much more than just frozen water. My brother, Sam and I starred in it. He was the polar bear/little kid and I was the ice core scientist. My sister, Sydney had a cameo appearance as the refrigerator girl and I even interviewed two people from the University of Maine who appeared in the film.”

Lisowski even used a green screen for visual effect.

“I used a green sheet of fabric, that, when edited turns all the green to the background you want,” he said. “I made it look like we were in Antartica.”

Lisowski said it was amazing to win.

“It’s awesome to know that people enjoyed the movie I produced. Winning not only first place, but also Best of Show is spectacular, but what really makes it is that I win with my family. We are a team and I could not have created Brrrrr! without them.”

All in all, the students had a great time working together coming up with a title, filming, editing and starring in their movie for the M’iMovie Film Festival.

“My students made me so proud throughout this entire process,” smiled Toohey. “They worked well individually in writing their parts, and collaborated effectively in making the movie the success that it was.”

“They deserve every ounce of credit for the success of the movie.”

Photo: Jackie Rybeck

INDEPENDENT WINNER – Mitchell Lisowski competed in the M’iMovie Film Festival and won in the categories of Independent Film and Best of Show.