Active teens take classes, join clubs and enter competitions to create popular media. They move from spectators to screenwriters and songwriters. 

Tenth grader Keziah Saditya joined a movie club at her school to explore a world she never knew before. She goes to Saint Laurensia high school in Serpong, Tangerang.

“Making a movie is fun. I can hang out with my friends while I’m doing it. I get to learn how to make something I’ve loved since I was a kid — movies!” she said.

Keziah’s a fan of dramatic films, but she explained that she and the other club members have made mostly short documentaries on whatever is interes
ting in their surroundings.

“We’re just trying to capture moments in our lives. For equipment, we just use stuff we have, or borrow from friends. Our production costs aren’t too high,” Keziah said.  Her role in the club is usually film editor.

Her current project is the club’s first feature film about friendship. The idea for the movie has been developed: the concept, basic plot and characters.  Now her team is working on recruiting the cast and writing the script.

Club members have already made a film about the Rubik’s cube craze and efforts to tackle global warming. Their environmental film, Reusing Grey Water, won second place recently in a climate change short movie competition.

“Mostly we have a good time, but sometimes we get frustrated, like when we’re coming up with the story. I think plot is the most important thing in a movie. Who wants to watch a film with a bad story line?  It’s no fun for the audience,” she said.

Many young people are clamoring to make movies because they are familiar with the technology, said Gotot Prakosa, dean of the film and television faculty at Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ).

He said the many new film competitions for young filmmakers went hand in hand with the spurt in creative activity.

“We see young people grabbing the chance to get their work evaluated by joining the competitions. They also benefit from the nerve-wracking experience of watching an audience watch what they have put together,” he said.

Gotot said filmmaking was a special medium, it is a window into all kinds of cultural expression.

“In a film, we don’t just see a way of life, we also can see other art forms, be they dance, music, even poetry.”

Gotot suggested that aspiring filmmakers start by watching many different kinds of movies, and evaluate films to sort out the good from the mediocre.

“The next step is to imitate, the good films of course, then add your own style and ideas,” he said.

Just like movie-making, music offers youngsters the chance to express themselves with a group. Many young people form bands, play instruments or sing their hearts out.

Music critic Denny Sakrie said teenagers today learn to play and create music so easily thanks to new technology.

“Usually young people are jumping in and trying things. They don’t worry about quality in the beginning. Then those who love it, stick with it, and get better,” he said.

Denny said he got excited when we saw something unusual and creative coming from teenagers amid the standard sound of popular music young musicians are putting together.

But for teens starting out, they are not always focused on innovation or excellence.

For Randy Gosal of SMAK 3 in Penabur, having a relationship with music gives him indescribable pleasure.

“I started playing music in elementary school. I took up guitar and I haven’t been able to stop playing ever since,” he said.

He first learned the guitar with his cousin and took lessons for several months. Randy now gives private guitar lessons to children.

“Along the way, I also learned how to write lyrics. I usually start with the tune and the words come to me naturally,” he said. He has composed more than 10 songs.

With some of his friends, he plans to rent time at a recording studio to make a demo that he can send to schools.  He is hoping to apply to the department of music at the University of California, Berkeley, in the United States.

Tenth grader Avia Athalia of  SMA 8 in Jakarta is also bitten by the music bug.  She joined Elfa’s Music School to become a better singer.

“From singing I’ve gotten self-confidence. There’s this special sense of accomplishment when I finally managed to break through and develop my high notes, for instance.”

Avia, who also plays piano, has participated in several international music competitions with Elfa and local contests with her school.

What spurs all this passion?  We’ll let the critic have the last word:  “Music is a catalyst, it’s like a vitamin in our lives.  Music shapes our attitudes and our sensibilities,” Denny said.