From Idea to Screen: Young Filmmakers in Action

Lights, Camera... Fun! Lightning Film Workshop at La Petite Bibliothèque

At La Petite Bibliothèque, January 28 wasn’t just any day. Oh no. It was the day when a group of young people aged 12 to 16 became filmmakers in record time. How? Thanks to the incredible Lightning Film-Video Workshop, led by the talented Marcela, with the invaluable support of François.

The magic of cinema in action

From the very first minute, Marcela guided us into the world of cinema, explaining that making a video isn’t just about pressing “record” on your phone and hoping for the best. You have to think, plan, and, most importantly, make sure no one appears in the background making weird faces.

The workshop kicked off with a brainstorming session, where participants unleashed their best ideas. Some were epic, others a bit wild (yes, someone suggested a dinosaur invasion in Torotoro), but they all contributed to shaping our story.

Then came the storyboard—basically a comic strip that maps out each scene. This is where we learned that saying, “We’ll figure it out when we shoot” isn’t exactly a solid plan. Planning is key, though some of us quickly realized that drawing wasn’t our strongest skill.

Action: Shooting like professionals

With roles assigned—director, camerawoman, actors, editor, and producer—it was time to film. That’s when we discovered that holding a camera steady is harder than beating grandma at chess.

François, with infinite patience, taught us a few tricks to keep our shots stable and avoid making them look like they were filmed in the middle of an earthquake. Between retakes, laughter, and the occasional failed scene (thanks to the wind or a curious passerby who decided to make a surprise appearance), we managed to capture some great footage.

Editing: Where the magic happens

If filming was fun, editing was a challenge. We learned that cutting scenes isn’t just about deciding what to remove, but about making everything flow smoothly. There were moments of crisis (“We missed the best shot!”), but in the end, we created an amazing spot showcasing the best of our town—and our creativity.

Applause and thanks!

After an intense day of filming, the big moment arrived: the final screening. We all watched with excitement (and burst into laughter when unexpected bloopers popped up).

From La Petite Bibliothèque, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Marcela Aguilar and François—not only for sharing their knowledge but for doing so with such passion and humor. They showed us that cinema is more than just lights and cameras. It’s about creativity, teamwork, and, above all, a whole lot of patience.