By Gretchen Webster

WESTPORT — At Staples High School, and schools in neighboring towns, summer programs bring arts to the forefront, teaching children about acting, filmmaking photography, poetry and more. 

But more important than specific skills they learn, these classes are teaching children how to think creatively, according to Patrick McCullough, a filmmaker, producer, photographer and actor, who has led classes on topics like “Artists Create!” and “Filmmakers Ink” at Staples for more than a decade. Both classes are part of the Westport Continuing Education summer program.

McCullough, a graduate of Staples High School, at one of those classes last week was teaching children how to take action shots on film, including “pan whip” shots (camera shots that “pan” or jump quickly from one shot to another).

His students, all between 8 to 10 years old, gave instructions for  “all quiet on the set” and “roll the cameras” before taking turns to film classmates throwing a tennis ball as a way to learn how to take action shots.

At one point as McCullough’s assistant Javier Smith —a filmmaker himself — was directing a film shoot in the hallway, McCullough was having a serious discussion on how to angle a camera in a particular way with Adelaide Ormsbee, 9. It was important to try out Adelaide’s idea, McCullough said. He called it “problem solving … when you’re solving a problem it becomes easier to learn.”

His class includes listening and focusing exercises, which he said help children learn how to trust their own thought processes and understand that they can be creative.

“It’s trusting in their ability to create — to use their imagination,” McCullough said.

One of his students, Olivia Gagnon, 9, a fourth grader at Greens Farms Elementary School, liked McCullough’s advice to channel her creativity.

Although her main goal is to play pro soccer or basketball “and go to the Olympics” when she grows older, Olivia loved the class and learned about taking photographs, photo editing, improvisational acting and writing poetry — her favorite part. 

But she also learned something that will help her plans to pursue professional sports. she said. “Patrick talks about how you can take your mind off yourself. That’s important.” 

Others in the class thought the class was just plain fun.

“I like making movies, and doing art stuff, and writing haiku,” said 10-year-old Ella Davis of Fairfield, who had a chance to direct filming on Friday. 

Theo Sontheimer, an 8-year-old from Weston and a student at Greens Farms Academy, liked the day the class spent learning animation the best. 

And Harper Shaw, a third grader at Long Lots Elementary School, said she “made a lot of new friends,” in the class. Wednesday, the day that Pit Pinegar, a published poet from Connecticut, visited the class “was my favorite day,” Harper said.

McCullough brings other artists to the class “Artists Create!” as well as teaching the students himself. 

The father of two teenage children, McCullough wants his students to be exposed to various arts during their week-long class at Staples. 

This week he will be teaching “Filmmakers Ink,” a class focused on screenwriting and filmmaking, at Fairfield Warde High School. He taught the same class earlier in the summer at Staples and also at Darien High School.

McCullough has also been busy this summer preparing to produce a World War II-themed movie in France. He recently procured the rights to the film and will begin raising money for the film, “Invisible,” his first with a large budget, he said. 

He is also an actor, and recently won a role in a television series, but said he is not yet able to divulge the program.

McCullough, who says he has a “Renaissance” frame of mind, hopes the classes he teaches will help his students become more open to creative ideas, especially in an era when many young people just become absorbed by their digital devices.

“Anything we can do for our kids, when they’re creating in real time — off line — is a wonderful thing,” he said.

Freelance writer Gretchen Webster, a Fairfield County journalist and journalism teacher for many years, was editor of the Fairfield Minuteman newspaper for 10 years and currently teaches journalism at Southern Connecticut State University.