This $125,000 Dunham Fund Grant will support the Dreaming Tree Foundation’s production of the 2014 teen film, Traveling Without Moving, through the mentorship of 300 at-risk youth in the Aurora area interested in learning the technical and life skills of film production as a collaborative art.
The program includes a one-week filmmaking apprenticeship for the teens, rotating them through every position on the film set, from camera to sound to costumes to film editing and continuity. The science adventure film will center on the 2013 Nobel science prize-winning Higgs boson particle and will be released in theaters and on DVD in May 2015. Aurora University will provide housing and a college-campus experience to the teens during their apprenticeships. The proximity to Fermilab, the support of hi-tech I-88 corridor companies, and the use of area vendors for housing, meals, locations and supplies will bring a positive economic impact and increased visibility to the Aurora area. The majority of the proceeds from the film’s distribution will benefit Boys & Girls Clubs educational programming. The remainder of the proceeds will support additional teen apprenticeships for future Dreaming Tree Foundation productions.