A significant improvement in the quality of life for all citizens of New Orleans will only be achieved by creating occupational training and employment options for today’s at-risk youth.  It is through investment in programs that provide training to develop a marketable skill set that we empower the children of today to become the self-sufficient tax base of tomorrow.

Louisiana is currently ranked third in the nation for film production volume, following California and New York.  As a result of the innovative tax credit incentive created by the State of Louisiana in 2002, it is now common for a dozen or more film productions to be underway across Louisiana at any given time.  The number of crew members employed on an annual basis has increased dramatically – from 160 in 2004 to 776 in 2008 - and the demand for trained and experienced crew members continues to increase.  High school students seeking alternatives to a college preparatory curriculum are able to find viable career options in the film industry.  Entry-level positions start at $18,000–$25,000 per year, and experienced crew member positions commanded an average annual income of $52,500 in 2008.

The goal of the YRI Film Production Program is to expand the local workforce in a city whose economy is strongly tied to the film and entertainment industry.  Under the direction of Scrub Brush Productions, YRI’s program partner, approximately thirty students at Warren Easton High School will receive training in film production and produce a student-based bi-monthly talk show, affording them the opportunity to develop skills and forge relationships within the burgeoning film industry in the New Orleans region.

Hosted by an adult facilitator, both a responsible role model and someone to whom the youth culture can relate and view as a mentor, the show will feature topics created by teens, addressing the issues they believe are most relevant to their lives and those of their peers.  The structure of the show will allow these issues to be resolved in an educational and entertaining manner, with an emphasis on the recurring theme of positive conflict resolution.  The show will then be distributed in a variety of forums, including viewing by New Orleans public school students during break periods, webcasts with discussion forums, and the potential for broadcast on Channel 1, the national school broadcast network.

There will be two phases in the production of the show.  Phase One, to be completed during the Fall 2010 semester, will deal with pre-production and planning of the shows.  During this phase, the students will learn the fundamentals of television production, ranging from camera operation and technique to presentation of one’s self for the camera.  The youth hosts will be selected, crew positions and guests will be decided, the set will be constructed, and the topics of each show will be planned.  This will occur every Thursday during the Fall 2010 semester, for two hours immediately after school.

Phase Two will involve production and post-production of each episode and will occur during the Spring of 2010.  Each show will be produced over a two week period, with the initial taping of the show to commence at the Warren Easton Studio.  The second Thursday will involve the taping of the “man on the street” segment of that week’s episode.  After the first year, we are looking forward to expanding this program to other area schools.

In New Orleans, specifically since Hurricane Katrina, young adults have experienced a significant increase in the number and severity of behavioral and mental health problems.  Lacking a forum to voice their struggles and concerns, teens may turn to negative outlets.  Research shows that creating an open dialogue is a very effective method to address these problems.  By producing a teen-created bi-monthly talk show, these young adults will be able to express their fears, concerns, opinions, and hopes in a supportive environment.  Additionally, they will learn to work in the creative, structured atmosphere of television and film production, offering them a skill-set and potential career path for the future.

Additionally, YRI has partnered with Scrub Brush Productions to produce a documentary, “Through the Eyes of a Child: A Documentary about Coming of Age in Post Katrina New Orleans”.  Following seven teens as they film their lives to expose the problematic social issues faced by at-risk youth in a post-Katrina New Orleans.  Selected from various areas around New Orleans, they have entered an intensive documentary study where they will be trained and assigned umbrella topics (community, traditions, social trends, etc.) to be discussed as they make their own films.

The Youth Rescue Initiative’s Film Production Program is a comprehensive endeavor designed to achieve success for individual students as well as the community at large.  Students will cultivate interpersonal skills focused on positive conflict resolution, ultimately providing them with non-violent alternatives to complex life situations.  It cultivates a skill set for students that is congruous with statewide economic development efforts in the film and entertainment industry.  Less violence, increased skill sets, and an expanded local workforce will all work toward improving the quality of life for all citizens of New Orleans, but we must begin by empowering the children of today.