The New York Times reported that the C.D.C. Survey of the lives of teenagers confirmed that 1 in 5 students reported being bullied at school. Many had feelings of sadness and hopelessness and 17% considered suicide. 14% had actually made a suicide plan. On the upside 'There's strong data to show that family support and attention by your parents to what you're doing can make a difference in an adolescent's life.' Positive Psychologist and award winning selfie filmmaker Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein urges parents and grandparents to focus on making that difference.
"What does this report say to me as a psychologist/filmmaker? I see my role as a facilitator, an educator and a dramatist. By creating Selfie films that focus on the real life problems of tweens and teens, communication and understandings can happen. Once stirred up by the drama and reality of these films discussion and solutions can take place.
"I believe I have created the first Vertical Selfie Dramas intended to educate, provide psychological insight and inspire solutions to situations that have become bleak for so many of our kids.
"I'm excited to see that Instagram is starting a new app: IGTV that allows up to hour long videos that are shot vertically, so they fill your whole phone screen.
"My films are filmed vertically by the young actresses themselves who do much of the filming on their smart phones. When my films go off into festivals I weave B role film in. But for vertical viewing, the Selfies can stand alone as drama. Right now I am beginning to post on IGTV 'The Truth, A Vertical Selfie Drama'. Over the next several weeks 20 scenes will be shown. In this film, staring Cassidy Terracciano, the girl falls in love, has all sorts of dilemmas leading up to a special secret way to figures out to hold on to the best of herself. Based on my book, 'The Truth, Diary of a Gutsy Tween', this drama vividly portrays the emotions, frustrations and capacities to adapt of a teen."
In addition to her vertical selfie films for IGTV, Dr. Holstein is currently developing "The Selfie Project" to help kids share their feelings and thoughts in a meaningful way via Selfies that can reach millions. "The Selfie Project" provides a way for young people to go public on a number of subjects. Bullying is real, school violence is real, drama because of social media is real for kids. 'The Selfie Project' is giving voice to those subjects. A pilot TV show is in the development phase. Teens will have a chance to discuss via their Selfies and in discussion with Dr. Holstein, various topics that affect their lives, including friend drama, fear of assault weapons, opioids, feelings of anxiety and depression, issues around teenage suicide and more. As of this moment, teens can share a link to their Selfies and Dr. Holstein will consider them for inclusion on her website, SelfieFilmmakers.com.
Holstein's short films have won numerous awards and accolades.
The Truth A Short Film:
Garden State Film Festival Premier - Best Pop Song 2016
Golden Door Int. Film Festival - Official Selection - September 2016
Grove Film Festival - Showing - May 2017
Female Filmmakers Film Festival - Official Selection - 12th of 92 films
Roselle Park Shorts Film Festival - Official Selection - September 2017
The Truth A Short Short Film:
FilmOneFest Premier - July 2016
Chain Film Festival - Official Selection - August 2016
Jersey City Int. Television and Film Festival - Official Selection - November 2016
Hang On To Your Shorts Film Festival - Official Selection- May 2017
Secrets A Coming Of Age Selfie Film:
Alice Guy-Blache Women In Cinema Award - Nomination - October 2017, Golden Globe International Film Festival
NewFilmmakers, Manhattan- Official Selection, January 24, 2018
Brightside Tavern Shorts Fest Film Series - Best Experimental Film nomination - March 2018
Brightside Tavern Shorts Fest Film Series - Best New Jersey Short nomination - March 2018
Brightside Tavern Shorts Fest Film Series - Best Concept nomination - March 2018
Hang on To Your Shorts, Official Selection - April 2018, Nominated for Best New Jersey Drama and Best Experimental Film
Shown March 1 1018 as one of 6 outstanding women’s films at the Behane Center in Jersey City, for Women’s History Month by Golden Door International Film Festival.
Brightside Tavern Film Festival, Season 7 - Best Experimental Film - March 2018
Jersey Shore Film Festival, August 2018, Selected and Nominated for an award.
Falling In Love A Coming Of Age Selfie Film:
Brightside Tavern Film Festival-March 2017- Best Experimental Film Nomination, Second Place Award as Best New Jersey Film Short
Grove Film Festival, Official Selection-May 2017
Hang On To Your Shorts Film Festival - Best Experimental Film nomination - May 2017
Hang On To Your Shorts Film Festival - Best Concept Film nomination - May 2017
Hang On To Your Shorts Film Festival - Megan Brown Rising Star Award - May 2017
Love Shorts Film Festival - Official Selection - February 2018
Conflict:
Official selection premiered at the New Jersey International Film Festival at Rutgers University on June 9th, 2018
Semi-finalist in the JELLY Fest Film Festival, June, 2018
Official selection for the Brightside Tavern Film Festival, early August, 2018
'Secrets' was selected for inclusion in "Passages: Women in Transition," Women In Media - Newark's 2018 Women's History Month film festival, held on March 27 – April 5, 2018 at Rutgers University Newark, New Jersey, and at various satellite venues in the area.
'Falling in Love, A Coming of Age, Selfie Film, is detailed in a new ebook: 'A Selfie Film - Falling In Love' by Dr. Holstein. This ebook presents issues and stories behind the creation of Dr. Holstein's "selfie films", which utilize cutting edge New Media technology. Topics and questions for discussion can be used by a parent and a child, or a group of hundreds as universal subjects of growing up and handling tough issues are presented.
‘Secrets, A Coming of Age, Selfie Film,’ has been selected for screening at the Jersey Shore Film Festival in early August and has been nominated for an award.
Angst:
Official Selection for the Brightside Tavern Film Festival in early August, 2018
Dr. Holstein was featured as an Entrepreneur in the Asbury Park Press, June 11, 2018.
Dr. Holstein makes a number of her books and films available to be used as fundraising tools. She requests that any verified charitable organization interested in raising funds contact her via email. She is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at barbara.holstein@gmail.com. More information is available at her website at http://www.SelfieFilmmakers.com.
Profile:
Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein, internationally known Positive Psychologist is the creator of The Enchanted Self ®, a positive psychology method for happiness and a pioneer in Selfies as Film. Dr. Holstein's Enchanted Self website was included as one of the best websites in positive psychology. She is in private practice in Long Branch, New Jersey with her husband, Dr. Russell M. Holstein.
Dr. Barbara can be found on the web, interviewed, writing articles and posting video 'TED' style talks on Happiness, Positive Psychology, Relationships and Parenting.
She has been a contributor to Your Tango, Heart and Soul, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Redbook, Real Simple, The Wall Street Journal, Time on line, the Today Show and Family Circle Magazine.
Contact:
Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein
170 Morris Ave.,
Long Branch, New Jersey 07740
barbara.holstein@gmail.com
732-571-1200
http://www.thetruthforgirls.com
http://www.selfiefilmmakers.com
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