Area teens perform at AHA! fundraiser

Using singing to conquer fear and overcome painful pasts, 14 area teenagers took the stage one by one to sing in an event organized by AHA!, a program that fosters social and emotional intelligence in adolescents.
Using singing to conquer fear and overcome painful pasts, 14 area teenagers took the stage one by one to sing in an event organized by AHA!, a program that fosters social and emotional intelligence in adolescents.

“This is not American Idol or a contest. It’s the anti contest,” said AHA co-founder Jennifer Freed, just before an evening of performance on Sunday evening. “This is about having the courage to stand in front of you and sing out for joy and rapture and possibility.”

Around 350 people gathered at the large rotunda at Deckers’ Goleta headquarters in the early evening to watch 14 teenagers sing pop and rock hits, all with professional band backing them up.

It was the culmination of 12 weeks of rehearsals and training to take youths and help them confront their fears – lack of confidence, self-image, rejection – put it aside, and just “Sing It Out,” as the event was called.

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‘Action’ time : SBIFF’s 10-10-10 competition starts with 19 finalists

Finalists in the Santa Barbara Film Festival's 10-10-10 competition, in which young filmmakers are teamed with young screenwriters to produce a 10-minute film by the end of the festival, gather at Tuesday's press conference.
Finalists in the Santa Barbara Film Festival’s 10-10-10 competition, in which young filmmakers are teamed with young screenwriters to produce a 10-minute film by the end of the festival, gather at Tuesday’s press conference.

“The minute they walk out the door, the camera starts rolling!”

It was a bit of hyperbole (no cameras rolled at all) but in terms of the 10-10-10 Student Filmmaking competition, the movie-making started on Tuesday afternoon after a brief press conference at the Canary Hotel.

Michael Stinson of Santa Barbara City College ended the announcement with the above words, flanked by his partner, Guy Smith of Antioch University, and the 19 high school and college-aged contestants.

They now have until the end of the Film Festival on Feb. 9 to shoot and edit a 10-minute film.

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