St. Augustine’s media expo features students’ works

By Rasheed West-Billizone, Contributing writer
Photo courtesy St. Augustine High

Film, media, and video are diverse artistic mediums with a wide range of possibilities in terms of creativity and vision. To demonstrate this, St. Augustine High School Film and Media team students hosted a filmmaker’s showcase April 9 featuring their best work from the year.

The curated presentation of short films and videos, titled “Media Knight Out,” featured student-produced work ranging from investigative journalism, sports recaps and interviews to animation. A wide array of visual themes were presented, highlighting both the talent of the St. Augustine film and media students and the rewarding experience of the school’s program.

The night gave students a public forum to showcase their talents serving to increase interest in film, video and digital technology as a creative format.

“The showcase of student work raises the bar for them, and the positive feedback they receive for their work is tremendous for our students,” said Mark Paul, St. Augustine Film and Media Team moderator. “In addition to viewing films, the audience had the opportunity to check out the new technology and speak to media team representatives about what’s new in the industry,” Paul added.

The expo was hosted by students David Ker III and Rasheed West-Billizone, both of whom worked to ensure that the showcase featured a wide variety of artistic talent and ideas. Students displaying work ranged in age from 13 to 18. Most of the films were produced for St. Augustine’s YouTube Channel.

The St. Augustine Film and Media Team is not just a place to learn video skills. It has evolved into a “home” for students – a place to build friendships, collaborate and explore all aspects of modern filmmaking. The showcase reflected student’s technical abilities gained and encouraged them to pursue careers in the media and entertainment industry.

Rasheed West-Billizone is a senior at St. Augustine High.