Kansas City Museum wants to know

By LESLIE COLLINS
Northeast News
June 20, 2012

Kansas City Museum wants to show off a new piece of history: Your childhood memories of Kansas City.

For the first time, the museum is hosting a short film competition, asking both adults and youth to show off their creative skills and their favorite childhood memory.

“We’re hoping for unique entries,” said Rebecca Schroeder, Kansas City Museum’s curator of education. “There’s a lot of hidden gems in Kansas City, and I think people who grew up here know more about that than people who didn’t.”

Submitted videos must be five minutes or less and can range from being factual to a dramatization to a visual poem. It may also include live action, still images and found footage and sound.

“We’re really just looking for creative entries,” Schroeder said.

Those creative entries also come with a sizeable prize. A $250 prize will be awarded in the adult, youth and special jury award categories. Entries are due by Aug. 1 and an awards ceremony will be held Sept. 15.

Kansas City Museum plans to archive the video entries, making them accessible to the public and researchers, and possibly use clips in future displays.

Kansas City Museum Community Relations Specialist Andrew Mouzin said the videos will become oral histories detailing the richness of Kansas City.

“We can tell stories through artifacts, we can tell stories through photos and what not, but also hearing it really speaks to people,” Mouzin said. “When you hear someone actually speaking in regards to a certain memory, then you can understand; you can really feel it.”

Kansas City Museum Short Film Competition
Share your favorite childhood memory of Kansas City
• Top videos receive a $250 cash prize
• Entries must be submitted on a DVD by Aug. 1
• For entry forms and a complete list of rules, visit www.kansascitymuseum.org/shorts.html