*“Get outside and do something. Be productive,” said Anthony Michael Hobbs, a Baltimore prodigy multi-award winning actor and filmmaker, about why his company, Imagination Lunchbox, LLC, host annual community events to inspire youth. “These days a lot of kids sit in the house and watch Youtube and don’t want to go out.”
Anthony said he has no problem with kids playing video games or being a Youtuber fan, in fact he loves video games and is a Youtuber fan too, and he just feels that youth need more. Now 14 years-old, Hobbs began acting around the age of five appearing in national marketing campaigns for USDA’s Healthy Kids; Finish Line Athletics (in-store and catalogue); Charles River Apparel (in-store and catalogue); Villa Sportswear (in-store and catalogue), and ToysRUs. He stars in television segments for Comcast Xfinity, Sprout Network, and Claritin Kids Allergy. He co-starred in films for DreamWorks documentary “How to Train Your Dragon: Dragons and Dinosaurs” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bekKOmfsWfc); United Way‘s PSA (https://vimeo.com/54017197); Norwegian Cruise-Line’s commercial, and the national classroom program called KinderRhyme – which appears in over 2600 school programs. His acting role at age 7 playing a young Frederick Douglas in the PBS mini-series “The American Experience: The Abolitionist” (https://video.pbs.org/video/2321796209), resulted in him attending the Emmy Awards in 2013 to represent the nomination received by PBS for the mini-series. He also garnered six Global Stars Network awards for his acting.
At the age of around 10 Anthony decided to write, direct and produce his own films. After attending and winning at many film festivals for his short films he decided to host his own annual film festival to screen and award short films made by youth. He is currently preparing for his 4th year in 2020 for the “Imagination Lunchbox International Children’s Film Festival” (ILICFF). This year will be the first for his “Filmmaking Workshops for Youth” to coach young people in the process of writing and producing their own films. Both events are held in partnership with The Baltimore Times Foundation, Times Community Services, Inc. and the Eubie Blake Cultural Center.
“Start a business, play basketball and even if video games are your passion, don’t let it consume you – get exercise! That’s just all I try to do,” Anthony pointed out about the motivation for his community service.
Anthony Michael Hobbs’ first film One Nation was screened at film festivals across the country, which includes the Gold Coast Film Festival (Port Washington, NY); the Gary International Black Film Festival (Gary, Indiana); the Aurora Picture Show Extremely Young Film Festival (Houston, Texas); the Alhambra Theatre Film Festival (Indiana); the West Chester Film Festival (Pennsylvania); the Montclair Film Festival (New Jersey); the San Diego International Kids Film Festival, and the Ocktober Film Festival (New York). To date, Anthony Michael Hobbs has garnered the “Spirit Award,” “Grand Prize for Kidz Shortz Award”; “Best Youth Filmmaker Award,” and “Best Youth Short Award.” His second film Naga Pixie was screened at the Sunrise Film Festival in Nova Scotia, Canada and garnered awards from Gary International Black Film Festival, Bonita Springs International Film Festival, and The Alhambra Theatre Film Fest – to name a few. This third short film Agent Hollywood, garnered even more awards for his filmmaking, which includes the West Chester Film Fest, the Blackstar Film Fest, the Hayti Heritage Film Festival, the Realtime International Film Festival, the Ocean City Film Festival, and the Gary International Black Film Festival. In addition, Anthony Michael is a motivational speaker who has appeared as a guest speaker for former NFL player Joel Gamble’s “Joel Gamble Foundation: Career Scholars Program”, the Junior Academy, the Black Writers’ Guild “Youth Presentation,” and for the Root Branch Academy’s “Youth Film Festival.”
The “Imagination Lunchbox International Children’s Film Festival” has awarded young filmmakers from the U. S., Spain, South Africa, Canada, Australia and Japan. The next ILICFF is in Baltimore Saturday April 11, 2020 at the Eubie Blake Center and his first annual “Filmmaking Workshops for Youth” will be Saturday/Sunday November 23 & 24, 2019 from 12 – 3pm each day. Admission for both community projects is free. www.Anthony-Michael.com www.ImaginationLunchbox.com
SYNDICATED COLUMN: https://eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/NoahHaiduTrio_BusterWilliams_NoahHaidu_LennyWhite-1.jpg, has an estimated weekly readership of over ¼ million with The Pulse of Entertainment. She is also a Public Relations Strategist and Business Management Consultant at Freelance Associates, and is Promotions Director (at-large) for The Baltimore Times. www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com. EVENT: Eunice is founder of the annual “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference (ULMII), into its 20th year. Next event dates include Los Angeles Saturday, November 9, 2019 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (511) and Baltimore Saturday April 18, 2020, held in partnership with Security Square Mall and The Baltimore Times. The free conference offers an Entertainment Business Panel and a Talent Showcase and Competition (vocal, songwriting, dance and acting) with over $15,000 valued in prizes/product/services to selected artists. Log onto www.UpliftingMinds2.com for more information or to participate as a panelist or talent call 562-424-3836.
www.GoFundMe.com/Uplifting-Minds-II-Entertainment-Conference
