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BRATTLEBORO -- Brattleboro Community Television has been recognized in a national video competition for two shows that were produced at the community-run station over the past year.
The Alliance for Community Media recognized BCTV in two categories for its Hometown Media Awards, which will be handed out at an awards ceremony in Chicago on Aug. 1.
BCTV won an award for a 19-minute video created during the station's summer camp last year.
"Double Trouble" won for Best Original Teleplay for videos created by youth under 18.
Roland Boyden, a BCTV staff member who worked with the camp last year, said the award-winning video was particularly noteworthy for the script and plot that the campers developed during the camp session that was held in August 2011.
The 10 children, who were aged between 10 and 12 years old, work on the script throughout the week.
Boyden said children are surprisingly comfortable shooting video, and posting on YouTube, and technology makes it relatively easy to produce a short film.
But he said the children's ability to come up with an engaging and cohesive story, and produce an entertaining video, caught the attention of the judges who recognized "Double Trouble" as one of the strongest short films produced by youth at community television stations around the country.
"This video was my favorite thing that was produced here all year," Boyden said. "I still watch it and crack
Getting 10 young students to discuss and agree on a plot, within a few days, can be a challenge, Boyden said, though last year the group was professional and creative from the start.
"Double Trouble" tells the story of a scientist from Brattleboro that comes up with a formula that clones people.
The idea was brought up because a pair of twins attended the camp and the children decided to come up with a film that used that "special effect."
"It was amazing to watch the kids work, and fill in the gaps and develop the story as they went along," said Boyden. "The technology basically makes it so all they have to do is point a camera and push a button, but they won for best original teleplay because the story is so good."
Amelia Graff, 11, attended last year's video camp and is going again this year.
Amelia admits to being mostly interested in being in front of the camera, and said she likes to act.
She thinks it might be fun to do a musical this year, though she says she is not necessarily expecting to take home another national award.
"Some of our special effects were a little cheesy, but it did all come together in the end, and I though it was good," she said. "I don't expect to win another award. That's a once in a lifetime thing."
The Alliance for Community Media is a national advocacy group that represents more than 3,000 stations.
The group works to strengthen community television stations and increase access to community media around the country.
BCTV's two award winning videos were selected from more than 1,000 entries in youth and professional categories.
This is the first time BCTV has been recognized on a national level, station Director Cor Trowbridge said, though the station has won regional awards before.
"Brattleboro Community Television's 2011 Year in Review," won top honors in the About Access category, which highlights video productions that inform the viewer about an access center or about the concept of public access television.
BCTV's year in review, a seven minute piece, was presented at the station's annual meeting. It highlighted the work done at the station by volunteers throughout the year, including during the Brooks House Fire and Tropical Storm Irene.
Trowbridge will be going out to Chicago with another BCTV staff member to pick up the awards.
For more information on BCTV, and to view the award winning videos go to www.brattleborotv.org and click on "news."
