Film Kids curriculum developers hold secondary teaching certificates in English, Communications and Technology Applications and have developed curriculum with the Charles A. Dana Center and AISD elementary and high schools. All Film Kids lessons are aligned to 5th Grade ELA and Fine Arts TEKS, but the greatest benefit is the collaboration, teamwork and social emotional skills that are developed by the filmmakers as they explore their creative ideas and the issues in their community.
Brian Cox
Brian taught in high school and middle school classrooms for fourteen years, gaining four teaching certificates in English, Speech Communications and Video Production. Then, while making movies with his own children, he realized that younger people can benefit greatly from the creativity and collaboration of filmmaking. His experience with non-profit organizations like Badgerdog Creative Writing and Violet Crown Community Theater led him to develop a series of original video projects for young people. These projects give filmmakers creative input in developing their stories and the “hands-on” experience of live video production.
Tiara Masso
Tiara’s love for filmmaking, like most kids, started by making movies with her siblings. She graduated from Boston University with a degree in Film and Television, where she honed her skills in screenwriting and production. There she helped produce two reality game shows and created many of her own short films. After college, she participated in training programs in New York that offered her the opportunity to learn more about animation and editing. Tiara believes that everyone is innately creative, and education provides structure and room to grow in that creativity. She has worked with kids since high school, and now Tiara is beyond excited to combine her love of storytelling with her passion for education.
Colby Thompson
Colby's filmmaking journey began like many kids enrolled in Film Kids. When he was eight years old, his mom enrolled him in a filmmaking summer camp that created a love in him for movie-making. He was mostly self-taught until high school, where he got the opportunity to intern and create video content at a marketing firm. Colby went on to earn a degree in Creative Media Production from Arkansas State University. While in school, he directed two game shows and created Aluminum Man, a silly comedy short that he loves showing to the kids. As an instructor, Colby loves teaching kids not only the art of filmmaking but also how to work collaboratively with others.
James Ross II
James is a filmmaker who studied at Florida State University’s College of Motion Picture Arts, where he honed his skills in writing and directing. Over the past five years, he has made five short films and a feature, Parasomnia, which premiered internationally after his short Don’t Blink won the Gotham and Focus Features Student Showcase Award. Originally from the Washington, D.C. area, James has shared his love of filmmaking with kids at the Boys and Girls Club in Florida, and he’s excited to continue bringing his passion for storytelling and collaboration to the next generation of filmmakers.
Will Carroll
Will Carroll is an artist from Irving, TX. As a RTF graduate from Austin Community College, he has been working for the past eight years to help bring various projects from across the Austin area to life. Will fell in love with movies at an early age and is thrilled at the opportunity to help assist and inspire those whose creative journeys are only just beginning.