CURRENT PROGRAMS UNDERWAY:

Fall 2011- Afterschool Program

Guns and Violence Project           

Due to the strong work of our 2011 summer program, we have been asked by the District Attorney's office and Harlem Hospital to partner on a citywide initiative around the impact of gun violence in Harlem.

Harlem Hospital and the D.A.'s office are creating the first ever gun shot victim trauma center in this community. This center will combine resources from the medical field and law enforcement to educate the community around this issue and create tools to combat violence. Our students have been asked to produce a 15-20 minute film about the nature of gun violence in Harlem and the effects of this violence on the community.

In early October, students met with officials from the District Attorney's Office and Harlem Hospital to pitch their film idea and negotiate filming at Harlem Hospital and downtown offices. Over the next six months, students will work along side law enforcement officials, medical professionals, and families affected by gun violence to shoot, produce, and edit this film.

The finished project will be an integral part of the Harlem Hospital rehabilitation program. The film will be shown to victims of gun and knife violence in Harlem Hospital as part of their efforts to reduce deaths and repeat incidences of violence.

Fall 2011: Filmmakers Collaborative

In 2010 the Filmmaker's Collaborative developed as a response to the mounting interest of community residents to produce their own films. The Maysles Institute offers adults a 10-week documentary filmmaking course centered on story development and fundraising.  Participants learn the key ingredients in crafting the narrative arc in documentary filmmaking while developing a standard industry proposal for funding.  Since its inception, the Filmmakers Collaborative has mentored over thirty community producers, and as a result, is recognized and funded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 

Starting October 1st, two new classes of the Filmmakers Collaborative programs began at the institute. Students range from those who have years of experience in television and broadcast and those who have never picked up a camera before. Students will build the foundation of their documentary film projects through writing, peer reviews, and film screenings. They will also take master classes with documentarians including Albert Maysles, Vee Bravo, and Lynn True and Nelson Walker.

Other News:

Local and National Screenings

In addition to producing strong documentaries, our teen filmmakers screen their films at local festivals and workshops. In the past few months, films created by Roxanne Mauras, Samantha Ramos, Alejandro Rosario, Brittney Lopez, and Hatuey Rodruiguez have appeared at festivals in New York Area. Students show their films to diverse audiences and answer questions about filmmaking, production, editing, and story line for their particular films.

The next screening of student films will be on October 29th at the Media that Matters Presents Women and Girls Matter. At this day-long festival featuring women filmmakers, students will screen their most recent films and speak about the role of young women in documentary filmmaking. 

For more information visit: Media That Matters Presents Women and Girls Matter>

Please check back for information on additional screenings of Teen Producer Academy Films

ABOUT OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMS:

The Maysles Institute offers diverse, year-round educational programming for young people and adults throughout the Harlem, Northern Manhattan and South Bronx communities. This includes school-based partnerships where Institute staff facilitate media production classes through after school programs and direct classroom integration. In addition, the Institute hosts a summer filmmaking program for young people ages 13-17. Here, participants produce short films over an intense six-week period and screen before family, friends, and the larger community. The Institute also offers free and low-cost documentary production classes for adults from the larger New York City community.

For direct inquiries please contact Education Director Vee Bravo: veebravo@mayslesinstitute.org