I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has read and participated in this column, because today is the last installment. In the coming weeks, I will move to the Star-Bulletin's city desk. Though I will (thankfully!) continue to cover significant entertainment stories, including “;Lost”; through the end of the series in May, my primary focus will shift from celebrities and filmmakers to catastrophes and politics and the general news of the day, as I once did for the other newspaper in town.

When my editors first suggested I write a column, I must admit that I was hesitant. It felt a little too close to blogging, with the unpleasant addition of my photo at the top. But I discovered that I thoroughly enjoyed following Hawaii's entertainment industry, which included, in my broad definition, anything related to Hawaii, here or on the mainland. It's amazing how many people from the islands are making an impact on the national scene with their creative efforts, and how much of Hollywood connects with our shores in some capacity ...

There are many people I wanted to profile before “;Screen Time”; folded, but a few news items will take precedence this week.

In its effort to launch the first statewide student news network, PBS Hawaii invites all public, private and charter middle and high schools in Hawaii to start building Hiki No, which will air student newscasts and other content on television and PBS's Web platforms. Beyond the initial grant of $200,000 from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and $100,000 from Hawaii's Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation, PBS will seek further funding through grants and private donations. They're shooting for $900,000 in three years.

“;Hiki No will create a network of student storytellers to take us into their communities and humanize the issues that concern them,”; Susan Yim, managing editor for Hiki No, said in a statement. “;I'm looking forward to facilitating the collaboration among participating teachers and schools and ensuring editorial and technical standards as students introduce us to new ways to deliver news.”;

PBS hopes to launch the first Hiki No inter-school newscast in early 2011. Approximately 33 schools on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island already have expressed interest in participating in the program, which could serve as a platform for schools nationwide ...

The American Film Institute's Phillip Linson will teach “;Exploring the Editing Process”; through UH-Manoa's Outreach College and Pacific New Media this weekend. Linson will lecture and show film clips to explain how to turn original footage into a final product. This includes an analysis of each scene and how to sequence them to create the story. He'll also talk about fine-tuning with sound effects, music, sound mixing and color correction.

Linson, whose editing career includes a wide variety of television and movie projects, is the director of the AFI Sony Digital Arts Center. He also oversees production and post-production for the American Film Institute Conservatory.

The class will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in Krauss 012 (Yukiyoshi Room). The fee is $200. To register, call 956-8400 or visit www.outreach.hawaii.edu/pnm ...

Filmmakers, get your cameras ready. A new Showdown in Chinatown contest awaits on Saturday at Next Door, 43 N. Hotel St., in Chinatown. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., and screenings begin at 8:30. For more information about what's involved in this monthly underground short film challenge, visit www.showdowninchinatown.com.

Contact Katherine Nichols at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).