Please tell us about yourself:  

My name is Charles Everett Tacker but everybody calls me Charlie. I am 9 years old and I’m in the 4th grade at John W. Decas Elementary School in Wareham, MA. My favorite things (besides acting) are riding my bike, hanging out with my friends, making short films on my Mom’s computer, and playing Mine Craft.

When did you start acting? What do you enjoy about acting?

When I was 4 I had my first audition, but I didn’t get the part. I was an extra in The Town when I was 5 and right after that I did my first student film. It was for Sean Goller who was going to Harvard. I really like acting because I get to be somebody else all the time and the sets always have a lot of cool people to meet. Then I get to go to premieres, which is a lot of fun too.

Tell us about your acting experience: 

I have done about 20 or more student and independent films. Last summer I was an extra in THE WAY WAY BACK. That was a lot of fun because they filmed at Water Wiz. My mom drives me all over the place, to New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine. We travel a lot. 

Can you tell us about some projects you’re working on right now? 

Right now I’m working on A PREDATOR AND ITS PREY, which is a really cool story about a little boy who has special powers and an evil snake. I just finished my scenes on PROVOKED, a feature film that is going to be really scary. I have 2 things I’m doing in Connecticut. One is a short film called FIREFLY JAR, which is a really cool film and the other is a web series that I can’t really talk about yet. Soon I will be working on HOPELESS, a 3D zombie movie and HENRY AND GRETA, a feature film that is kind of like Hansel and Gretel. 
                                                                                                                                           Charlie with his Runner Up For Best Actor award
                                                                                                                                           at the 2012 Boston 48-Hour Film Project 

Can you tell us about the auditioning process? 

Auditions are kind of fun I guess. Sometimes you get sides (the audition script) before but sometimes you don’t. If I do get sides, I practice them with my Mom or sisters but if I don’t I just go in and do what they tell me. You can’t get all the jobs-- but you really can’t get it if you don’t audition. And Skype auditions are pretty cool. You don’t have to drive anywhere but I have to keep my niece Hannah quiet and sometimes that’s hard. 

Do you have any tips? 

I would say to not be nervous about the audition. Just do your best and have fun. They (the casting directors) love that. 

What’s the funniest thing that’s ever happened while you were on set? 

The funniest thing that ever happened on set was when I kept tricking Arthur Wahlberg with the fart app on my iPhone. And when I was filming I FELL SILENT all of the crew guys were tossing me around like a basketball until my Mom caught us and made them stop. That was fun. 

What’s your method for “getting in character”? 

The best thing I do to get in character is to read the script and then figure out how I’m supposed to be. I pretend I’m not me but I’m the person in the story. That’s how I get into character. 
                                                                                                                                                Charlie on the set of THE LADY IN WHITE 
                                                                                                                                                 with Arthur Wahlberg

What was the hardest scene you’ve ever filmed? 

Kissing a girl!!! It was just last weekend and it was little peck of a kiss but it was hard! 

What advice would you give to young actors who want to pursue their passion? 

I would say to always make sure to have fun. My Mom asks me all the time if I’m having fun. It’s a lot of hard work but it’s worth it. 

Thanks for the interview! Become a fan of Charlie on his Facebook page. 

--Interview conducted by Audrey Larson

--By Audrey Larson

One year ago today, Fountain of Youth Productions was born. 

It all started at the movie theater. Shay and I saw Mission Impossible 4.  Afterwards,  we talked about movie-making. Funny thing, we discovered that we were both interested in behind-the-scenes and learning about filmmaking.  Shay and I already shared an interest in acting as we were in a drama class together. The more we talked about making movies, the more excited we got. Our imaginations went into overdrive.

 “I always wanted to put together a group of kids to make a movie," I told Shay.  "Wouldn't it be cool to have kids directing, filming, making costumes, doing make-up, acting? ” 

That night Shay called me.  “Why don’t we just do it?" she said. "Make our own movies.”  And here we are one year later, preparing to shoot our first short film in February. 

Then came our brainstorm name: Fountain of Youth Productions. And there it was. Our vision. 

In between then and now we've been meeting like crazy.  We designed our website, planned a kick-off event (see the pictures here), created our Facebook page, spread the word to email groups, wrote and revised three scripts (we chose the best one to film), held two open auditions, and cast our first project. 

Looking forward to new experiences and milestones in our second, fun year of FYP 2013!  

Ben Shelton, filmmaker at Shelton Films, shares his filmmaking journey and some advice for aspiring filmmakers. 

Please tell us about yourself:
My name is Ben Shelton and I grew up in Santa Barbara, CA.  I went to Santa Barbara High School, and my main focus as a kid was playing basketball.  But I also loved listening to music, writing and drawing.  It was always a balance of arts and sports.  I was never too much into science or politics.

How did you first get interested in filmmaking?
I lived right next to a Church growing up, and when I was 11 years old or so, they purchased video editing equipment to make movies for their youth program.  I learned a lot about how to edit movies that way.  And the more I did it, the more I loved it.

Is filmmaking your only job?
Along with being a father and a husband, yes.  Do those count?

What is your favorite part about making films?
It's hard to pick one.  The writing is so much fun, because it's limitless.  The production is great because of all the people working together.  The finished product is a mixed bag, because sometimes it turns out better than you expected and the feedback is amazing... and then other times the final product is a bit of a let down.

Can you tell us briefly about some of your projects-- past or present?
Right now I'm writing and directing a series called THE FLIPSIDE, which I'm very excited about.  It's produced by Rainn Wilson's company SoulPancake, and you can watch it on YouTube.com/SoulPancake.  Every episode is it's own self-contained story, so you don't have to watch it in order.  And each episode tackles one of life's big questions.

How do you get ideas for your films? Any tips?
Ideas are the easy part.  Everyone has an idea. The difficulty is turning an idea into a story that makes sense, and then financing it.

What’s one thing you wish you could have know when starting out as a filmmaker?
That's a tough question.  I would have loved to know more about cinematography and lighting.  My interest in filmmaking has always been from the storytelling side of things.  I was a theater major in college, and so I look at films from a writing side and an acting side, before I look at the camera work.  It took me a while before I started to really think about what the camera can do and how it can make you feel.

What advice would you give to young and aspiring filmmakers?
Learn from everyone around you. READ BOOKS.  Be nice to people.  Make projects that you love, and don't try to do something, just because you THINK it's what people want to see.

Anything you want to add?
Follow your heart.

You can find out more about Ben Shelton and Shelton Films at www.sheltonfilms.com. 

--Interview conducted by Audrey Larson

--By Audrey Larson

There is one filmmaking book that I can't live without. 

Filmmaking For Teens, by Troy Lanier and Clay Nichols, got me so excited and inspired that I called up Shay right away and told her, “You have to get this book!” 

Straight-forward, humorous, and practical -- this book will take you step-by-step through the making of your first short film. From brainstorming ideas, writing the script, auditioning actors, and making story-boards, to, scheduling your filming sessions, camera techniques, editing, and organizing a premiere for your finished film. Ever dream of making your own movie? This book will definitely inspire you to take action! 

Many filmmaking or screenwriting books I have read were really meant for adults. It’s hard to find good, practical, easy-to-understand books about filmmaking for kids or teens. When I chanced on this one, I knew I had discovered something amazing.  

I strongly recommend this book for kids ages 10 and up who are interested in making a film. If you want to make movies, this is the book to get. If you’re just interested in how movies are created you won't find it as helpful. 

This book has been my coveted manual since Shay and I started brainstorming ideas for our first project. Already getting a little dog-eared, this book will continue to stay in my hand every step of the way -- hopefully from my desk to the movie set and beyond! Stay tuned... 

What books or websites about filmmaking, screenwriting or movies do you like? I would love some new suggestions!

          I’m Audrey, 14, co-founder of Fountain of Youth Productions. This is the inaugural blog post for our new website. My co-founder, Shay, and I are excited to share our venture with you.

Here’s what we’ll post on our blog:

• Behind-the-scenes at Fountain of Youth Productions 
• Profiles/interviews with filmmakers, screenwriters, actors, directors, and others in the “biz”. 
• Reviews of books on filmmaking, screenwriting, and acting.
• Tips and advice to fellow young filmmakers
• Reviews of movies and TV shows we think are cool. 
• Examples of terrific short films.
• What we are learning along the way. 

And for those of you who have supported our efforts and expressed interest in FYP--a big thanks!  Yes, it has taken as a while to pull things together.  Here is what has been happening since our official kick-off event last June.

Designing our website and Facebook page, planning, and spreading the word out about FYP.  We’re also in the tedious and murderous stage of revising our first script (which you will hear about soon), scheduling auditions in November, AND completing our soon-to-be launched Indiegogo campaign. 

More-- I’ve been researching camera equipment, getting people on board, trying out filming techniques, and making a promotional video for Fountain of Youth. 

Calling all movie-lovers, actors, aspiring filmmakers, screenwriters, cinematographers. Please introduce yourself and subscribe to our blog!