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Boy recognized by TIFF for his Lego Christmas video He's made 11 videos, nine using Lego and the other two using clay, but he prefers using the colourful building blocks because At just 12 years old, Austin Amaral already they're easier to use. "It's hard to make good looking clay peohas a pretty good idea what he wants to do when he's older and is getting a good head ple," he said. Before he started making his videos, start too. The Grade 7 Falgarwood Public School Amaral had no intention to enter them into student recently received an honourable contests; however, he was encouraged to do mention for his three-minute stop-motion so. "My teacher told me film at the Toronto about these competiInternational Film Festival's "I made a Lego village on tions and said maybe I Jump Cuts. He was in the Christmas Eve where everyshould enter. I said `OK' Grades 7-8 category for one is getting ready. Each so I entered them," he amateur filmmakers. person is doing what they said. "I was really excited For both TIFF and when I got the honourable like to do." Eddies, he used The mention. I didn't really Connolly Christmas expect it," The Oakville Austin Amaral video. Beaver carrier said. "The video is about my mom's side of the Additionally, the lifelong Oakville resident picked up two Eddies Awards (best ani- family," he said. "They come over each mation and best overall for the elementary Christmas. I made a Lego village on division) at the Halton District School Christmas Eve where everyone is getting Board's Eddies Awards Ceremony, which ready. Each person is doing what they like to do. For instance, my cousins like to bake so awards filmmakers. "I didn't expect to win it at all. It was a they are at the bakery and they're baking." The video took about two weeks to comreally big shocker when I won," he said of his plete working on it two hours a day. To film Eddies awards. When a parent might think a child has it, Amaral used a webcam. He's already started working on a new too many toys, in Amaral's case, it has led to something positive. The youth admits to video and intends to enter more competihaving a lot of Lego and uses the building tions. "I want to do this in the future, definiteblock pieces to film videos, frame by frame. He was inspired by similar videos on ly," he said. Dominik Kurek can be followed on YouTube and his mom sent him to film Twitter at @DominikKurek. camp where he learned the craft. By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Artscene 23 · Wednesday, June 6, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com Marta Iwanek / oakville beaver / @halton_photog making film: Austin Amaral, 12, is pictured with the Lego film set he created in his room at his Oakville home. The fledgling filmmaker has already received some accolades for his work. EvEnt OrganizEr Rotary Club of Oakville Trafalgar Sheridan College, trafalgar road Campus June 22-24, 2012 FREE ADMISSION Ribbers Musical Acts Kid's Activities Crafters & Vendors Lots of parking & great transit MOrE dEtailS: www.oakvillefamilyribfest.com