The Shoots Summit Hawai’i conference is known for uniting students, teachers, and industry professionals from across the state to celebrate their shared passion for digital media, creativity, and storytelling. Featuring workshops and competitions in photography, graphic design, film, and broadcast media, the event aims to nurture Hawai’i’s youth’s abundant talent and help it thrive. This year’s event took place over the weekend of January 17th to the 20th and was hosted here at Moanalua High School, where the keynote speaker was Kaua’i native actress Siena Agudong. Under their supervising teachers’ guidance, hundreds of students from across the state and neighboring islands chose to participate in categories like short film, music video, commercial, promotional video, NAT package, etc.
For the Moanalua High School team, the sense of community was undeniable, where the competing students looked out for each other like family members would. Under the guidance of Mr. Nishimura, Mr. Ikenaga, and Mr. Zavala, Moanalua students consistently demonstrated the importance of teamwork during the entire 3-day weekend. Despite many of the challenges they faced between the opening ceremony and closing ceremony, the Moanalua High School team showed incredible resilience and determination, embodying the Moanalua spirit.
Several students took the time to share their stories about their experiences at Shoots Summit, recounting moments of personal growth, meaningful connections, and challenges they overcame. It highlighted the impact that the Shoots Summit Hawai’i had on their perspectives, leaving a lasting memory.
One of the students representing Moanalua in the “Music Video” category was Brooke Beltran, a senior. Beltran attended Shoots Summit because it’s a way for her film team to practice for STN. STN stands for Student Television Network, which is a national competition where you make and produce a video in a span of six to eight hours, depending on the category. Although competing in the “Music Video” category, she is the most passionate about the “Film” category. Beltran enjoys having her own freedom and being able to get creative with her own work. She sets all of her shots into a cinematic vibe. It can be stressful to produce a film, but she says that it’s worth it in the end. Beltran learned a lot of new skills. Every time she edits a video, she learns something new every day. When she films a new film, she always wants to learn how to find new shots. During competition time she always likes to try new things out, and sometimes it goes well, and sometimes it doesn’t. She enjoys learning what her capabilities are and her limitations.
What inspired Beltran to participate was a music video she had done. She started off being in a music video with actor, director, and friend Chevy Cadiente. Courtney Abalos, an alumnus of Moanalua High School, directed Chevy and I in a music video. Working with them was a blessing. Beltran finds it fun making a story out of a music video, adding that, “You don’t have to focus on storytelling; you can focus on visuals.” Shoots Summit inspires Beltran to work faster and harder, to be more confident in herself, to stop doubting herself, and to stop getting in her head.
Beltran’s favorite part of Shoots Summit was bonding with people. She loved talking to people, meeting new people, and seeing other people’s work. Someone new she collaborated with is Cayla Tamura. She never got the chance to work with her on a project for film. Beltran got the chance to include Tamura in a music video she was doing and commented, “I learned how she is when it comes to competition, and being by her side fulfilled my heart because her presence is so amazing.” Dominic Domingo was also a big help with being her runner, always trying to book the rooms as soon as possible and grabbing light sticks. She loves her team, and they’re always there for her.
Stephanie Uy, a senior from Moanalua High School, competed at Shoots Summit for 3 years. The reason she attended this year is because she enjoyed her past two years attending and competing in Shoots Summit Hawai’i. She has learned so much, not only from just competing but also learning from so many industry professionals and different teachers, like media teachers all across the state of Hawai’i. Uy is the most passionate broadcast because in broadcast the motto is about giving voices to stories untold. Uy said, “Being a part of that process is just so special, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” One of Uy’s teachers, Mr. Zavala, is one of the members of the Hawai’i Creative Media Team, and they all come together to put together the Shoots Summit Hawai’i event. Uy said she couldn’t be more grateful because she and her team were given the great opportunity to compete in the very first Shoots Summit. It was experience that helped her and her team compete in their first year at STN, Student Television Network, back in 2023, as well as in Long Beach. She is forever grateful that Shoots Summit was an opportunity that opened so many doors for the team. Without the Hawaii Creative Media team and Mr. Zavala opening so many doors for her and her team, they wouldn’t have done what they’ve done these past 3 years.
Uy learned that if you don’t succeed, then you get back up and do it again, not only in media, but in life. She competed this year in the Shoots Summit “Promotional Video” category. Uy explains that in the “Promotional Video” category, you capture live footage that includes scripting and creating the storyline. She’s never done anything like it, and it was a completely new experience for her. You capture live footage, but it goes down to scripting and creating the storyline. Uy told us that one thing she’s gained from competing in this event was how amazing networking can be. She’s been able to meet with so many others across the state and make connections with them. Another connection was with HIKI Nō; they’re a station from PBS, and she likes to think of them as another teacher or another set of eyes. HIKI Nō allows for students to submit videos that they make and give you as much feedback as possible.
Uy’s favorite part of Shoots Summit Hawai’i has been getting back, working, and competing. She said, “It was cool to get back into that mindset of competing and working with others.” Uy has loved media for over the past four years; going back to freshman year, she’d apply the things she learned beyond media. Shoots Summit Hawai’i showed her what she loves doing: connecting with people. Even if she doesn’t pursue media, she’ll have a special place in her heart for it. She says that she doesn’t know what the future holds, but digital media will be a part of it.
The Shoots Summit Hawai’i convention in Hawai‘i brings together schools from Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Maui, and the Big Island and offered Matthew Barut a unique opportunity to connect and learn from peers across the islands. Reflecting on the experience, Barut shared, “Meeting other people from the different islands is truly amazing. I met someone from Maui and the Big Island; they’re really good people.” For Barut, his primary motivation to attend was the chance to deepen his understanding of digital media and explore the industry further. Barut emphasized his passion for storytelling through broadcast, stating, “Everyone in this world has a story, and for our department… one of our mottos is giving voices to stories untold.” This passion drives commitment to creating meaningful stories, like highlighting a local shop owner’s contributions to the community.
Barut attributes much of his inspiration to the upperclassmen he has observed and worked alongside in Moanalua High School’s broadcast program. He recounted, “I know a couple of upperclassmen in broadcast and film… they work hard, and it made me want to be like them and experience what they are experiencing.” Barut and his partner’s efforts paid off, as they won first place in the NAT Package category, a category that focuses on storytelling through natural sound. This achievement, part of a three-year winning streak for their school, emphasizes the value of key skills like time management and communication. Reflecting on the process, he said, “Time management is important because if you don’t manage your time, you’ll be really stressed out.” They credited their success to staying calm under pressure and teamwork.
Throughout the event, Barut embraced the spirit of collaboration and the sense of community unique to Hawai‘i. “We are one big Ohana, and we help each other out,” he shared, describing the supportive atmosphere during tight deadlines and the support for one another when nearing deadlines. A highlight for Barut was the closing ceremony, where Barut celebrated alongside classmates from Moanalua High School, cheering for every department’s achievements. While Barut remains uncertain about pursuing digital media in the future, he noted, “I’ve learned a lot of things such as communication, storytelling, story structure, and teamwork.” Whether or not he will return to Shoots Summit next year, he will carry these lessons forward in the future.
The Shoots Summit Hawai’i conference motivates collaboration, creativity, and resilience, bringing together students, teachers, and professionals to celebrate and elevate the art of digital media. For participants like Brooke Beltran, Stephanie Uy, and Matthew Barut, the event provided a platform for personal growth, learning, and meaningful connections. Through categories such as Music Video, Promotional Video, and NAT Package, students honed their skills, discovered their creative potential, and embraced challenges that pushed them to new heights. The spirit of teamwork and camaraderie was a defining element, with participants supporting one another like family throughout the competition.
