By Lisa Biehle Files
Jonathan Moeller returns to teach the Young Filmmakers Workshops in River Forest for grades 6 to 8 on Sunday, Dec. 1, and for grades 3 to 5 on Sunday, Dec. 8. Both workshops will take place from 1 to 4:30 p.m. at the River Forest Depot, 401 Thatcher Ave.
Register here: https://www.oneearthfilmfest.org/workshops
Q: Why did you decide to switch jobs from teaching film workshops at the Beverly Art Center to teaching filmmaking at DePaul College Prep?
A: DePaul College Prep is a bigger job with more responsibilities, and upward mobility is very important to me. Here, I am able to spend time with students every day and dive deeper into actual film theory as we put together the projects.
Q: What surprises you about working at a high school and what doesn't surprise you?
A: There are a lot of surprising things about working in a high school. I think one of the main things that doesn't surprise me is the enthusiasm. The students are always excited to work on film and video projects and that makes the job easy to wake up for every day. I am surprised at the capabilities of my students. These are teenagers in high school but I feel like I can assign them college-level work and most of the time they come through it successfully.
Q: Why do you think it's important for kids to learn how to make films?
A: Film and video is a medium that will not disappear any time soon. Video, especially through the web and social media, has become a cornerstone for how we communicate as a society. Having an ability to express their thoughts and emotions through video will be a skill that these kids will be able to immediately use in their lives as soon as they learn it, and then continue to use time and time again regardless of the career path they choose.