Springs Charter Schools’ Flabob Airport Preparatory Academy (FAPA) in Riverside will work with 26 other California schools to help create The Wonder Grove Wizard of Oz, the first animated feature length movie ever produced by elementary and middle school students. Production beings January 2019; the modified Oz storyline involves Dorothy making the transition from elementary to middle school.
FAPA and the other participating schools will be adding “local touches” to the script, designing and drawing original background artwork, providing voice performances for Oz actors, singing songs, contributing to sound design and sound effects and puppeting the animated characters. The production company, Wonder Media, will create the script and edit the sequences together. When the film is completed, students will be invited to participate in a Red Carpet Movie Premiere Celebration in the local community. They will also be invited to a world premiere screening at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood in June 2019.
Robin Davis, Flabob’s principal, arranged the school’s participation in the film. She said, “It’s a first for us and a great way for our students to use the community as a classroom. Animation has world-wide applications and this opportunity allows our students to participate in a program designed to help other students.”
She continued, “This is a great way for our students to learn and practice 21st century skills, collaborate with other students and professionals in the animation field and increase their literacy.”
