Five Short Films by Young People by Creative Art Works

PUBLIC ART YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM SUMMER 2018

NOW PLAYING The Buddy System Capture The Dream The Park Changing Nests America Scores

WORLD PREMIERE OF FIVE FILMS 1

PUBLIC ART YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM SUMMER 2018 From Executive Producer CREATIVE ART WORKS In association with Sherwin Williams, Structuretone, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, and the NY City Council... A WORLD PREMIER OF FIVE SHORT FILMS! Thursday, August 9th, 6:00 PM A. Philip Randolph Campus High School 443 W 135th St, New York, NY 10031 Kevin Gay, Teaching Artist Barthelemy Atsin, Teaching Artist Assistant Jordan Campbell, Teaching Artist Assistant Eric Paul Crespo, Teaching Artist Assistant

Watch all the videos on Vimeo www.vimeo.com/groups/summerfilms2018

FROM BRIAN RICKLIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The so-called Generation Z has been described as disconnected and pessimistic, but that is certainly not the case with the 150 young people I’ve had the pleasure of working with in this summer’s Public Art Youth Employment Program. Our Youth Apprentices have a sense of purpose and are hungry to do something meaningful. Inside this brochure, you will meet our future doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs, accountants, scientists, social workers, and inspired artists. Most are still in high school; a few have started college. They have diverse interests that include poetry to politics, carpentry to computers, fashion to finance, and everything else one might find in our diverse city. For some, this was their first job. Many had little to no experience painting or producing a documentary short film. What they had in common was a commitment to creativity and an eagerness to rise to the challenge, making relevant and expressive public art. I am inspired by their remarkable individuality and all the genuine connections they made. I am also blown away by their perseverance. While their actions and their art speak volumes, I would like to highlight some of their own words, too. Below are a few of my favorite quotes from our summer series of “lightning interviews” (You can find complete versions on our social media outlets and blog): “A friend asked me, ‘Would you rather work hard all summer or would you rather have fun and paint?’ And I said, ‘I think painting sounds hard!’” – Kimani “I have executives, I have clients, I have people that I have to get approval from... It feels like there are high expectations.” – Marvin Kimani & Marvin, a creative job is tough – there was a lot of pressure, so congratulations on sticking with it! “I just want to create something that’s meaningful.”

– Britney

Britney, you certainly did! It’s been a privilege to be witness to yours and all the teams’ creative processes and personal growth. To all our supporters, thank you for making this possible. And to our readers and especially those in attendance today, thank you for joining in celebration of each and every apprentice and their collective art which is being revealed here today.

The Buddy System Written, Directed and Edited by Lean Back A joyful documentary about Sing for Hope, a nonprofit that places pianos in New York City parks and invites the public to play them. Keeping a musical instrument safe and in-tune despite bad weather and would-be thieves and vandals requires 24/7 vigilance by an unsung group of heroes known as the Piano Buddies.

“Will make you wish your mother had forced you take piano lessons!” – Xavier Munni, Time In New York*

The Park Written, Directed and Edited by Shutter Squad A grass roots organization is rallying residents of Hamilton Heights and lobbying the City Council to make changes they see as long overdue to Jacob Schiff Park, an urban oasis that must serve the needs of a diverse and rapidly changing population. Features interviews with civic boosters, urban historians, and City Council Member Mark D. Levine.

“A thoughtful look at the vastly under-appreciated role parks play in the urban jungle.” – Warren Peace, Stationary Boulder* *Not real reviews. 4

Capture The Dream Written, Directed and Edited by Capture the Dream What’s it like to spend six weeks pouring your heart and soul into a work of art, and then giving that work away to the community? Through candid interviews with Creative Art Works Youth Apprentices, this film captures the joys, humor and heartbreak of making something beautiful, loving it, and letting it go.

“Candid and touching. A love note to the creative process” – Pete Zaria, IndieHipster*

Changing Nests Written, Directed and Edited by the Blue Jays The Audubon Mural Project is a quixotic quest to create murals of 314 climate-threatened birds throughout John James Audubon’s old neighborhood in Washington Heights. Featuring interviews with muralists and the local gallery owner who conceived of the project, this story examines the surprising intersection of the urban and natural environment and the power of art to save our planet.

“Thought-provoking and uplifting!” – Paige Turner, Film Commentator*

*Not real reviews.

America Scores Written, Directed and Edited by Creed Productions Run more like a family than an organization, America Scores is a nonprofit that uses soccer and poetry(!) to engage the minds and bodies of young people in under-served urban neighborhoods. This short film deals with the difficulties inherent in running any nonprofit, including funding, outreach, and the challenges of finding greenspace in the concrete jungle.

“Invokes the pure joy of physicality and the optimism of youth.” – Tyrone Shews, Greenwich Gossip*

*Not a real review. 6

Delux CD Bonus Features Written, Directed and Edited by The Multimedia Team

The Making of...

Take a look behind the scenes of the making of the Multimedia Team films.

Skip to the Good Parts! All the excitement of all the mural unveilings in one clip!

Talk, Talk, Talk!

Stick around after each film for live presentations with the film-makers and the staff of Creative Art Works.

Watch all the videos on Vimeo www.vimeo.com/groups/summerfilms2018

Esther Gonzalez I decided to join the Creative Art Works Multimedia Team because I thought it would be interesting and I wanted to try something new. The first day I started, I was nervous. I only knew one person. While being in this program, I learned a lot of things. For example I know more about shots, angles and lighting. I didn’t know much about cameras, but now I do and I even know how to edit films. I feel like I changed a lot. Now when I watch movies I’ll be able to see the different shots and perspectives. I am grateful for this program and happy that I joined.

Genaro Castro Genaro was nervous doing something outside of his comfort zone; however, being able to try new art forms and gain new experiences has been a great experience for him. He has a growing passion for film that has translated into both his work and personal life, helping him creatively as well as financially. To be able to meet new people with similar ideas, motivation, and different points of view, helped him discover different activities and talents that he may not have discovered otherwise. Genaro says that on the first day, “I had an idea of what I was going to do, but not how or with who, but that has really changed now that I have more experience and have gotten to know my peers and co-workers.” 8

Justin Miguel Guzman There is no better feeling than getting behind the camera and getting lost in the vision that I’m trying to capture. I’ve been a still photographer for eight years, but this program taught me how to shoot and edit film, and I feel it made me better with a camera. Through Creative Art Works, I gained confidence to meet new people and speak in public. I mostly spend my time at work, taking pictures, brainstorming ideas with friends, or just hanging out with loves ones. I want to give big thanks to CAW and the Multimedia Team, especially my T.A.’s. Thank you for the knowledge and experience. I hope to continue this journey with you guys in the future.

Giovani Clarke Working this summer helped me mature and gave me a sense of the real world that’s ahead of me. At first, I thought I wasn’t going to like it here, because I’ve never been in an environment that’s all about creating film. Now I’ve learned how to work with people and to not be shy when doing my job. Using cameras and directing made me feel more comfortable with my dream of becoming a movie director or working in the movie business. Overall, I’m very happy with my job experience and the friends I made.

Michael Nathan-Archibald Michael was born in New York City and is currently a junior at Urban Assembly Gateway High School. This is his first year working with Creative Art Works and his first time meeting everyone here. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s managed to learn a lot about how professionals would use technology. It was intriguing to experience what they might go through in filmmaking. The reason he chose to be a part of CAW is because he felt that it was the closest he could get to dealing with digital art, which is something he feels passionate about and hopes to pursue as a career.

Nadiyah Timmons At first Nadiyah thought that she chose a job in which she would be able to show off her artistic skills. She was later notified that the job was for film and was pretty disappointed. That changed, because the more she learned about film and editing, the more she realized that there is more creativity involved in the process. She hopes to reach viewers of her film on a personal level. She aspires to take on a career in architecture or law, and knows that she must work hard to achieve her goals.

Lucienny Arias Lucienny graduated from Academy for Social Action High School in Harlem last June. She started her job with CAW not knowing anything about multimedia production, but as the weeks went by, she started learning how to edit videos and how to properly use a camera. She also learned how to make animations and do voice overs. She chose to work with Creative Art Works because she wanted to have a chance to be creative and learn about different techniques for making documentaries.

Sebastian Tulsiram I feel like this program gave me a new perspective on making a film. I understand now that it’s a long process that requires many resources. I had thought that it was easy to film things, but I didn’t realize how certain things affect the film, such as the weather, which can have a big effect with the lightning, especially if it’s raining. This job allowed me to learn Adobe Premier and experiment with film editing. On my first day of orientation, I thought I might have picked the wrong job, because I really didn’t understand how to film, but it all worked out in the end. Filming is actually fun.

Xavier Olivares Xavier Olivares is a 17-year-old, entering his first year at CUNY. His passion is filmmaking, so when he heard that Creative Art Works offered a documentary filmmaking employment program, it drew him in. He has learned a lot of new editing techniques, which will help him get a start in editing before he goes to college. During this program, he discovered his strengths, which are cinematography and editing. Xavier hopes to use these new-found skills to help him with his own projects.

Arkella Mack Arkella loves all things related to art and design, including, most importantly her loving, imaginative little boy, who, in her opinion, is art in itself. Being a mom changed her life in so many ways. Working for Creative Art Works offered her a way to provide for her son, while also enjoying her experience. Although she found it difficult at first, she had fun making and editing videos. She learned how to use a camera properly, how to choose the proper lenses for certain shots, how to cut and edit footage, how to animate, and how to do voice overs. CAW helped her achieve her goals for the summer and for that she will always be grateful.

Sandra Aghedo As a long-time artist, I strive to improve my skills. As long as I’m holding a pencil, I’m continue to try new art mediums and techniques to expand my creative world. My long-term goal is to start an animation production company with my twin sister that is devoted to all of our original works and characters. For years, we both immersed ourselves in the world of art, without even questioning what caused us to both learn how to draw and why. Joining the media team has given me a chance to shed light on the experience of fellow artists working on CAW murals.

Joely Regino Joely Is a 16-year-old who always showed interest in music and art. She is currently attending high school and is going to be a junior in September. She’s a very happy person who is always smiling and laughing with her friends. When she first applied to this program, she didn’t know what to expect, because she had never experienced anything that had to do with filming and it was also her first CAW job. The best thing about her summer was learning different filming techniques and how to use a camera properly. What makes her unique is that she’s always looking for the positive in everything, even when it might seem like the whole world is falling apart. 13

Simeon Coulter Simeon is a senior at Academy For Software Engineering. He worked on a mural team with Creative Art Works last summer, but this summer he joined the Multimedia Team in order to gain experience and learn a skill that could earn him cash on the side. Simeon mainly joined in order to gain more experience behind a camera, since he is working to be a photographer. Simeon is also trying to pursue other passions with the help of the side cash he earns at this job.

Jensly Portorreal Jensly is a 15-year-old student at Manhattan Bridge High School. He is from the Dominican Republic and he lives in The Bronx. This is his first year with Creative Art Works. He learned how to use a camera. Jensly hopes to further his skills in video editing software and is excited to show the final cut of his film to a live audience.

Allen Noboa Allen is a 16-year-old high school student in the High School of Health Professions and Human Services. He is from New York and is of Dominican decent. This is his first CAW job. The best thing about his summer job was learning how to use cameras and gaining some experience editing video in new editing software such as iMovie. He now has more confidence in his editing skills and camera work. He first became interested in this line of work when it was just a hobby; however, now he sees that this can actually be something greater.

Md Fazle Rabbi This is my first time working with Creative Art Works. This program is teaching me a lot about my career path. It has given me the knowledge to work with different types of clients, which has made me more fluent when talking to strangers. This program gave me hands-on experience with a professional camera and video editing equipment. I want to pursue a career in cardiology or neurology. The most important people in my life are my family members. They are the ones who encouraged me in the medical field. Without them I would never have made it this far.

Angely Flores Angely is going into high school this fall. This is her first year working with Creative Art Works. She decided to join this program to learn new things. She enjoys working with everyone, because it helps her think outside the box. In this program, Angely learned to be more confident in herself and her work. She also learned that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s okay to take risks, because they just might lead you to something good or even better.

Shirif Saka My name is Shirif and I work for the Creative Art Works Media Team. The things that changed is that I learned some computer applications like Adobe Premier. What I got out of the jobs was not only work experience, but leadership skills and communication skills, through going up to people and asking for their permission to interview them about Jacob Schiff Park. What is different from my first day is that I have a wider view of what media is and what it can do. It can help a community or build a business. I learned a lot though this short journey.

Karina Plata Karina is currently pursuing a degree in marketing & management sales at New York City College of Technology. Prior to this job, she attended Lower Manhattan Arts Academy, an all-arts high school on the Lower East Side. This is her first time with CAW. She is working on a film about a nonprofit organization called Sing For Hope. Upon entering this job, she was unfamiliar with filmmaking beyond the basics, but after only four weeks she has learned much more, ranging from different types of shots and camera angles, choosing the right lens and how the lighting can change the mood of a scene. She has always been very passionate about the arts, so what better way than to gain more experience through a job with Creative Art Works. Terrina Teasley Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m 24-years-old and still searching for my passion in life. Working at Creative Art Works as a film apprentice has opened up a new interest to me. I never thought that I would have so much fun and interest in having a handson experience in creating a documentary. This experience has inspired me to go back to school and study filming.

Shanya Cosme Shanya Cosme is from Manhattan. She is a music lover and is passionate about the world. Shanya loves to write poems and take photographs. She will be attending college this fall, and is ready to start her new journey. Creative Art Works has been a great way for her to express herself and share her ideas with her peers. Along the way, she was able to become more familiar with multimedia and is proud to be in a wonderful team this year.

Delmy Santana When I came to Creative Art Works I thought we were going to be painting, but instead, we were making films. I knew some technical words and some things about filming because of a media class I had taken before. It is still interesting, because I learn new things every day on this job.

Marvin Matias Marvin is just some guy living a simple life by going with the flow. Born in Manhattan and raised in The Bronx, Marvin attends CUNY York College, in Jamaica, Queens. He is entering his third year, making his final choice to study sociology. He really likes writing poems, mostly about personal thoughts on life and normal everyday things. This is his third job working in video, but his first job with Creative Art Works. He feels as if there are higher expectations on this job, because he has to get approval from executives and clients.

Nasir Morales I feel my job with Creative Art Works will help me in the future when I go back to school, because I will be taking a broadcasting class. I now know how to work with the camera a little bit better and I can edit my own work. The best part about this job was visiting all the different sites to record and meeting new people along the way. I liked being the boom-man for the audio. I feel like CAW offers one of the best working environments I have experienced â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it just gets you in your right state of mind. If you want to be in a creative field, this is the best place for you.

Teaching Artist Barthelemy Atsin Barthelemy is from Philadelphia but currently lives in Harlem. He is a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College and an alumni of SVA’s After Effects and Photoshop program intensive. Barthelemy continued his studies abroad at Balliol College, where he studied Shakespeare and performed live art throughout Oxford. He was commissioned for his artwork by Nicole Kidman. He’s collaborated with Elizabeth Swados on developing children’s books and creating backdrops for La Mama’s main stage performances. He also premiered his first animated children’s show, Kids Play on the BRIC Free Speech Network in Brooklyn throughout the summer. Barthelemy has also worked with Creative Art Works during the school year. This year, he taught fine art fundamentals to first and second grade students at PS 138.

Teaching Artist Assistant Jordan Campbell Born November 13th, 1993, Jordan is a NYC-based filmmaker, photographer and artist. On his first summer with Creative Art Works AW, Jordan says: “Never have I been in a classroom with so much love in it. This experience never felt like work – every day felt like being in the lab, creating something great that would outlive us, something we would be proud to put our names on. We all knew that the only way it would be possible was if we pushed, loved, and supported each other. We can all tell you how much we gave and took away from this experience, but I think the work speaks for itself.”

Teaching Artist Kevin Gay Kevin has been a teaching artist in NYC since arriving in 2002 and is constantly amazed at the innovation and creativity that youth bring to the table. This summer he has witnessed such inspiring risktaking and courage combined with fascinating artistry that it’s hard to believe it happened is such a short amount of time. “My greatest hope is that the youth in this program take away that they can take a step into the unknown and know they will emerge stronger on the other side.” His next project will be a film in his upstate hometown where he falls victim to a femme fatale. Thankfully there will be good wings.

Teaching Artist Assistant Eric Paul Crespo Eric was a CAW Youth Apprentice for three seasons before becoming a Teaching Artist Assistant. A Harlem native who now resides in The Bronx, Paul grew up watching works by the likes of Hanna-Barbera, George Lucas, and Gene Roddenberry. He is fascinated by the way a story can grip you, have you invested in its characters, and bring you along for an emotional roller coaster ride. Eric believes his previous experience as a Youth Apprentice, along with his love and passion for the moving image, makes him an asset on the Multimedia Team. Paul is an aspiring writer who wants to work for TV and feature films.

Creative Art Works hires Youth Apprentices directly and as a worksite manager with the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development Summer Youth Employment Program. Programs are implemented in partnership with Catholic Charities of New York Alianza Division, Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Aid Society, Inwood Community Services, and Police Athletic League. CAWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2017 Public Art Youth Employment Program is made possible, in part, by public funds from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council. Direct support is provided by Brookfield, Crowell & Moring Foundation, RBC Foundation USA, Sherwin Williams, Structure Tone, and by individual donors.

Alianza Division

About the Public Art Youth Employment Program

Public Art Youth Employment Programs give teens and young adults full-time summer jobs and part-time jobs after school to create large-scale public art and multimedia projects. Youth Apprentices are guided by professional teaching artists from the initial concept development through client presentation, to the final edit and public unveiling or premier. Along the way, they gain tangible employment and life skills such as leadership, teamwork, responsibility and the power of taking initiative. They are empowered by the enduring accomplishment in their work of art and its positive impact on the community.

About Creative Art Works

Creative Art Works (CAW) is a 32-year-old nonprofit that empowers young people through the visual and multimedia arts.Â Our programs equip children, teens, and young adults with essential tools and skills; connect them with community, academic success, and career opportunities; and inspire them to reach for new possibilities. Working in under-served neighborhoods of New York City, in public schools, community centers, parks, and libraries, CAW provides dynamic art-making experiences for youth who otherwise lack access. Our programs build confidence, unlock a love of learning, and teach valuable technical and developmental skills while creating profound connections between our young constituents, their art and their communities. Students are never charged for participation in our programs. www.creativeartworks.org Creative Art Works is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, EIN #13-3638436 Copyright ÂŠ 2017 Creative Art Works. All rights reserved.

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