By Lola Sherman
May 30, 2003
ENCINITAS -- Curiosity enticed José Espinoza, 18, a senior at Fallbrook High School, to join a group of 105 children of migrant farmworkers who were making movies about their experiences.
At 6:45 tonight, at Oak Crest Middle School here, Espinoza will view the fruits of his labors, a five-minute film on "the culture of Fallbrook." "It was fun," he said.
Espinoza is hoping his team's film will win an Oscar at the second annual Estrella Awards of the Tu Cine Teen Producers Project.
The project involves Latino students from eight high schools from Anaheim to San Ysidro, an area populated, according to project sponsors, by an estimated 7,000 migrant laborers.
Ricardo Favela, project instructor, said half the students were born in this country.
Five of the high schools -- Carlsbad, Fallbrook, San Marcos, Vista and Escondido -- are in North County. Awards tonight will reward everything from special effects to best film. Espinoza said his team's film depicted the contributions that people of Mexican heritage have made in the culture of Fallbrook and focused on the part Mexican food plays in that culture.
Since September, students have learned how to use digital cameras, edit on computers, scan photographs and set up lighting.
The team interviewed restaurant owners about why it's important for Mexican food to be served in the community.
Espinoza said the interviews were the best part of the project. "The interaction with people in the community -- the way they responded to us. They liked working with us," he said.
He also enjoyed including a segment on the local celebration of Mexican Independence Day in the film.
Ethan van Thillo, director of the Media Arts Center in San Diego, has big plans for the films, once they are fleshed out into half-hour programs. The center is coordinating the project in conjunction with the migrant-education services department of the County Office of Education.
Van Thillo said he hopes the films will be shown -- one a week -- on public television and then distributed to local classrooms to become part of curriculums.
The Teen Producers Project is one of 10 in the "Communities Speak" program sponsored by the California Council for the Humanities. Favela is the instructor at all eight schools.
He has reason to understand the students with whom he works. Favela, born and raised in Fallbrook, is the son of migrant workers. He is a graduate of California State University San Marcos with a degree in visual and performing arts.
Now that Espinoza's appetite for film has been whetted, the teen plans on following in a similar track. He said he'll study media at Palomar College.
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