The Bronx, New York

Six middle school students from MS 325 in the Bronx, New York were taught the fundamentals of film making from story-boarding to editing in a semester long after school program.  They showed us what “The Bronx is” through interviews in the community, self-portraits, playful camera techniques, and serious discussion of violence in their schools and in their communities.  We see the Bronx as a spectrum of beauty and chaos through the eyes of these inquisitive youth.

 

“The video presentation by students who participated in the New School Global Video Letter Project was stunning.  While I’ve passed the self-effacing crews as they passed to and fro, weekly, after-school, I was not prepared for the quality of their edited work.  It was compelling…a sort of rough but honest portrayal of the Bronx by young videographers.”  –Mr. Kelly, Principal of MS325

 

The Bronx project (January, 2010) was the first official “Global Video Letters” project and the foundation of our organization as it exists today.  This project began as a Practicum in International Affairs (PIA) at The New School in New York. Over the course of a semester, eight graduate students developed curriculum and facilitated youth media workshops in the Bronx.  The project became a Clinton Global Initiative commitment in 2010 and was awarded the Outstanding Practicum Award from The New School.

 

Designers, facilitators and producers of the first Global Video Letter (Bronx, 2010):

 

Christoffer Næss
Flannery Miller
Scott Miller
Hanna Zin
Nadia Claudi Peterson
Ximena Maroto
Ayelet Vardi
Sean Thomas

 

With special thanks to Professor Peter Lucas to advised, mentored, and inspired us to create this project.

 

http://globalvideoletters.org/wp-content/themes/press