	NEWSREEL	SPRING 2010

WATCH “REEL WORKS WITH BYRON HURT”
FRIDAYS @ 9PM ON NYCLIFE!

Reel Works is on the air! A unique half-hour series produced and directed by Reel Work teens, “Reel Works with Byron Hurt” is an authentic, unfiltered look into the lives of Brooklyn youth. The series was commissioned by NYClife (Channel 25) as part of the launch of the channel’s vibrant new primetime line-up which begins this week. The show draws upon our library of over 200 films produced in our award-winning Lab workshop.

Premiering on Friday, May 14th at 9 p.m., each week, the program will showcase three teen-produced short films on compelling and often controversial themes, along with a profile of one of the young directors. Hosted by acclaimed filmmaker Byron Hurt, the show guides the audience through a selection of films that explore deeply personal subjects for their filmmakers, but at the same time give a moving, powerful look at the issues, challenges, joys and fears that face kids today.

“Reel Works with Byron Hurt” is sponsored by Vivendi and produced by Reel Works Productions, our youth-run production company with the support and guidance of acclaimed production company, Washington Square Films. NYClife can be found on Channel 22 Cablevision, 25 Time Warner and reaches over 18 million homes all major systems in the tri-sate area. Episodes will also be available for streaming at http://www.nyc.gov/media.

LAB FILMMAKERS GRADUATE
AT GALA PREMIER

Ten filmmakers from Reel Works Fall 2009 Lab workshop presented their work to an audience of over 250 on April 17th at the Brooklyn Lyceum. “My whole family came.” Said Yanil Santana, whose film, Forever Young, is a visual poem saying goodbye to childhood. “My mom doesn’t speak English, but enjoyed the visuals. My sisters still talk about how great it was.”

“The highlight for me was seeing my movie on screen with a real audience,” said filmmaker Asfa Caleb. “I got to see all my hard work pay off. Wow… I can really do this. I can make a movie.”

Ileen Gutgarts, who bravely confronts her ex-boyfriend – and herself - about what went wrong in their “Euphoric Relationship”, said, “I learned that I have a voice. I have something to say and people actually want to hear it. I’m not just a teen who has a lot of growing up to do. I can make a difference too.”

Lab Instructor Rodney Evans was inspired to see the culmination of six months of hard work. “I saw joy, inspiration, pride and accomplishment in their faces as the filmmakers took the stage as they recognized the power of their films to move people.”

Most of the Fall 2009 Lab filmmakers have joined Reel Impact and are building websites and creating a DVD of their work.

LAB FILMMAKER ON STAGE
WITH QUEEN LATIFAH

Spring 2009 Lab filmmaker Kendra Williams (center) took the stage with Queen Latifah before 2000 educators at WNET THIRTEEN’s Celebration of Teaching & Learning at the New York Hilton on March 6th.

Representing Reel Works and panel sponsor Adobe Youth Voices, Kendra joined five other high-achieving NYC high schoolers to talk about how teachers can engage and inspire young people. “The whole experience was amazing. Not just being onstage with Queen Latifah. But to have educators from across the country listen to my opinion,” says Kendra, who will graduate from Benjamin Banneker Academy this June and will begin her film studies at Syracuse University in the fall. “ I told the audience that teachers shouldn’t just teach but they should educate. Education is something that prepares students for life and success in the future.”

The panel began with a five-minute clip of “Ripple”, Kendra’s powerful new documentary about the impact of President Obama’s election on the continuing struggle for racial equality.

REEL WORKS TEENS MEET
HAITIAN FILMMAKERS

In a moving and inspiring meeting, young Haitian filmmakers from the Cine Institute shared their documentary work and experiences in a roundtable session that included cross-cultural conversation, video sharing and a writing exercise lead by Reel Works/Urban Word NYC Writing Mentor Patricia Hicks.

"The process was an open, honest dialogue around the political and personal implications of the earthquake in Haiti and the difficulty of loss and how to rebuild lives in the face of myriad challenges in a young person's life," said Ms. Hicks. "The students told family stories and built much needed bridges of understanding with language. The youth of Cine Institute and Reel Works inspired one another, shared tears and laughter, and will continue to draw on this experience for a long time to come."

MOVIE NIGHT AT REEL WORKS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 12 @ 6:30PM

Love & Diane will be presented by Reel Impact Student Shalaun Nelson, whose film A Look Through My Eyes was mentored by Love & Diane director Jennifer Dworkin.

For more information about this and upcoming screenings visit : http://reelimpact.weebly.com



	Announcing the release of the Spring 2009 Lab DVD. From the struggle for racial equality, to the impact of teen pregnancy on families to the power of words to demean or uplift, here are the unfiltered voices of Brooklyn teens. Check our listing, find the channel on your cable system and stream episodes, visit: Support Reel Works! Apply for Summer Lab Check out the BRAND NEW Reel Impact site and view filmmaker webpages Read about Reel Works Mentor, Laura Poitras in the Sunday NYTimes!