Skintimate Studios™ Film Contest

Congratulations to TEAM S.O.S. for getting the most votes for their film “SAVE OUR SCHOOL”!

18 talented teen girls were selected and divided up into two all-girl film crews...Team Locket and Team S.O.S.

• Each selected contestant and their chaperone flew to LA for the one-week production…and the experience of a lifetime!
• The girls were divided into two film crew teams of 9, and each created a short film with the help of Director Gail Mancuso from 30 Rock, Scrubs and Friends!
• Everyone on the crew shared responsibility and rotated throughout the experience, getting to produce, direct, shoot, and edit the movie!

Both all-girl film crews worked hard and displayed amazing talent!

TeenSpot.com recently got the chance to ask the girls of Team S.O.S. and Team Locket about their experiences during the Skintimate Studios™ competition! Read on to see what they had to say about being selected for the Skintimate Studios™ competition, working with director Gail Mancuso, lessons learned along the way, and the hard work that goes into producing a Hollywood film:

You got to produce, direct, shoot, and edit the film. Which role did you find most empowering?

• Ashley P. (Team Locket): I will say that I felt the most "empowered" when I was editing. It really did seem to me that each girl in our group had her own special niche--we all know who was the camera girl among us :o)--and when I got to edit, I was in the zone, there was nothing stopping me. It felt great to have creative control and know that I was helping to make something that everyone else in the team liked.
• Rachel F. (Team Locket): Directing was pretty fun. But I loved editing. You get to see all your hard work finally coming together and you get an even better idea of what it will look like when it's complete. It's real exciting.

What was it like to work with a real television show director?

• Dominique B. (Team S.O.S.): It was so cool working with a real director. Gail Mancuso was very into what she does, gave good pointers and helped us all out. She was the real deal in directing.
• Michaela L. (Team S.O.S.): Working with Gail Mancuso, a real Hollywood television director, was amazing beyond words. Originally hearing about the Skintimate Studios™ contest and the opportunity to work with such a talented woman, I was ecstatic and I hadn't even entered in my essays yet. When shoot day was undergo, having her give advice and watch us do what she does so well was awesome times ten. :) I remember specifically being first assistant director and yelling out, "Quiet on set! ....and action!!" and Mrs. Mancuso complimenting me on my assistant directing. Working with her is something I will never, ever forget.

Did this experience give you the confidence to pursue your dreams in the movie industry?

• Brittany B. (Team S.O.S.): This experience taught me that it's not possible to go out there if you're still stuck in your comfort zone. Staying in that little bubble where you feel safe won't get you very far. Being on Skintimate Studios™ made me realize that I had to be confident and once I had figured that out after the first day, my confidence had gotten better with each passing day. I then realized that taking that step lead me to another, getting closer to pursue my dreams.

What part of film making did you find most challenging? Most surprising?

• Rockzana F. (Team S.O.S.): I was surprised to find casting to be the most challenging. I didn’t go into the project thinking this but after seeing about five actors and not being able to recall which one was which, I realized how important this job is. You see so many actors in a short period of time and they are all saying the same lines, they start to blur together and you have to find the perfect one and if you don’t, the film will fail because of you or your director will tell you to recast or you won’t get hired to do another project. It is so much pressure. I have a new respect for casting agents and now when I go on casting calls as an actress I have a much better understand of the process.
• Mandy V. (Team S.O.S.): In my opinion the most challenging parts of the filmmaking process were the technical aspects of the film, such as how a shot looked on camera, but in the end we were able to create shots that we are proud of and very satisfied with. The most surprising thing to me was learning that films aren't shot in order, but instead shot by location and shot.

What message would you like to provide back to the Skintimate® brand?

• Michaela L. (Team S.O.S.): Thank you, so much, for believing in young ladies and their dreams. You make it possible for us to reach for the stars and to live up to our full potential. Without your sponsorship, I would still be planning on attending college for a whole different career... This experience showed me a new path that I am ecstatic to go down and to become even better at. Skintimate will forever have my gratitude. :)

How did you feel when you first found out you were going to be a finalist?

• Natasia H. (Team Locket): I was shocked! I remember reading the e-mail I got over and over again because I couldn't believe that I was actually going to California to make a movie. I knew that a lot of teenage girls had applied and to be chosen for one of the 18 spots was a dream come true, as cheesy as that sounds. Being from a small town in Connecticut, there aren't a lot of opportunities to get involved in film projects. My school doesn't even have a film class. I'm really passionate about film and I've always been searching for an opportunity to come my way. This experience was exactly the opportunity I was looking for. Not only was I going to promote youth and female empowerment, but the idea that I would be able to get some real life film experience in the center of the entertainment industry before I even got into college was one of the coolest things about this entire experience.
• Samantha C. (Team Locket): When I first found out that I was going to be a finalist, I was completely shocked and excited! It felt amazing to know that I accomplished something this cool! I actually screamed when I found out, I was so happy that I got the chance to do what I love to do!

Were there any special moments that happened while creating the film?

• Tandrea F. (Team S.O.S.): Of course when you have a range of girls around the same age all interested in film you are bound to connect with someone. I never expected to meet girls my age with the same vision for storyboarding for the film or the same aspirations towards the future. Those feelings of being understood were special moments to me.

Looking back at the production, what lessons did you learn?

• Anna S. (Team S.O.S.): I would definitely say that I learned a lot about team work. I am the type of individual that is very independent and being put into a situation where you have to rely on other people and not just yourself was very hard. However, I was lucky enough to have worked with very bright and passionate girls which led me to discover the benefits of what true team work can really do. Samantha C. (Team Locket): The biggest lesson that I learned during the Skintimate Studios program is that I should never give up on my dreams, and that I can accomplish what I set out to do. I feel that I have a lot more confidence, and I can apply that to anything that I do!

What did it feel like to finally complete the production and see your name on the credits?

• Sara H. (Team S.O.S.): To finish production and see my name in the credit was surreal. It really hit me that I was actually in Hollywood making a real movie. I've got big dreams of my own and aspire to be an actress some day, but I'm so glad I have some film making experience under my belt. I hope my name in these credits will be the first of many!

Can you offer any advice to other teenagers aspiring to work in film?

• Samantha G. (Team Locket): I have the most simple advice: Follow your heart 100% everyday of your life. Don't let the people around you tell you that you are not smart, cool, or talented enough...because YOU ARE. The second you start believing that will be the second that your dreams start coming true.
• Chloe D. (Team Locket): If there's some other people wanting to go into film, they should know that it has some pretty strict rules and it's a lot of hard work, but once they put their mind to it and try their hardest to finish it, once it's done, you feel so great and relieved that you have done something so great.

Both teams are winners and did an amazing job creating their films in one week! All 18 filmmakers will get to reunite during the private film screening at the red carpet premiere in New York City! 

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