| PROFILES IN MENTORINGNathan KitadaOccupation: DirectorYears with YSF: 2 Most Recent School: Cahuenga Elementary Favorite Movie: Get Shorty – Mobsters make movies in this Barry Sonnenfeld-directed adaptation of an Elmore Leonard novel. Awesome sauce. Favorite Book (or book recommendation): The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay or Carter Beats the Devil… Superheroes or magic, I can’t really decide. Name of your favorite teacher growing up: Mrs. Strub was an amazing English teacher. Her love of novels like The Great Gatsby was absolutely infectious, and (to the best of my recollection) she was four feet tall. It was like getting an education from an enthusiastic Hobbit. Why do you mentor? Because of their age, the kids YSF works with have these unique voices that you can see develop right in front of you – it’s almost magical to see a young man or woman discover this creative perspective that they hadn’t often accessed before Young Storytellers. What was the last script you mentored? What was it about? I mentored a script about a boy who helps the Ghost-Aliens who kidnap him find a new planet to colonize. It also had a space hurricane, which is super-cool. Is there a moment that stands out to you in your experience as a mentor? I think the first Big Show for which I was Head Mentor – at Cahuenga – really brought the YSF experience full circle for me. I had supportive, talented mentors, and the show went flawlessly. It was pretty perfect. What would you tell others about YSF? Young Storytellers is a mentoring program that takes kids at the perfect age and allows them to stretch their creative muscles – in addition to providing a wonderful creative respite from a busy week to just play. How does YSF affect you, and how do you think it affects other mentors?I think it allows everyone to really relax for an hour a week – when you’re helping someone craft their story, you can’t worry about the outside world. You’re too busy dealing with Ghost-Aliens and a space hurricane. What advice/trick of the trade would you offer other mentors? I’d advise them to follow the improv rule “Yes-and” … it doesn't matter what the question is, the answer is always “yes” – “and” a suggestion to add more detail. |
| About Us | Privacy Policy | Legal Disclaimer © 2010 Young Storytellers Foundation | site designed by citrus studios |