Empowering Young Blackmen
with the Ability and Skills to
Access, Evaluate, Analyze and Create Media
Storyboarding
Shooting Stills
AD, DP and Director Practice
MISSION
The Micheaux Project is dedicated to teaching Media Literacy and Filmmaking to at risk inner city youths. We believe that the influence of Mass Media and Pop Culture negatively impacts the development of our children in their fragile years. We believe that there is a counter balance to this bombardment from TV, Radio and Internet etc. Through mentorship, exposure to positive images in media, instruction in Media Literacy and the Arts we can build self esteem, teamwork and artistic expression skills.
PROBLEM
Modern philosopher Dr Wolfgang Schirmacher determined that “mass media” has effectively “mass brainwashed” society.
Kids & Media @ The New Millennium one of the most comprehensive national public on youth and media found that children between the ages of 2 and 18 spend an average of almost 5 ½ hours a day at home watching television, playing video games, surfing the Web or using some other form of media. Further they found that 65% of children have a television in their bedrooms and 85% have a radio in their bedroom. While marketing firms have admitted soliciting psychologist in their marketing campaigns giving them an unfair advantage, communicating directly to the human psyche (including children) whatever message they please. Psychologist at the University of Michigan over a 15 year study of Developmental Psychology, have concluded that the habitual childhood exposure to media violence impacts adulthood aggression. Study after study has shown that media plays a major role in child socialization and development into adulthood.
The reality is that media plays a momentous hand at shaping our children’s self concept, self esteem, morality, perception of beauty, view of manhood/gender roles and Americanism. As it stands those that control media (mainly old rich men in boardrooms and out of touch with the masses) have not been responsible and have focused their energies on “the bottom line”.
The problem is that our children are not equipped to adequately deal with the 24 hours a day bombardment of media. And they have not been giving the tools to use media to their own best ends (self expression, positive role models, education).
Kids & Media @ The New Millennium one of the most comprehensive national public on youth and media found that children between the ages of 2 and 18 spend an average of almost 5 ½ hours a day at home watching television, playing video games, surfing the Web or using some other form of media. Further they found that 65% of children have a television in their bedrooms and 85% have a radio in their bedroom. While marketing firms have admitted soliciting psychologist in their marketing campaigns giving them an unfair advantage, communicating directly to the human psyche (including children) whatever message they please. Psychologist at the University of Michigan over a 15 year study of Developmental Psychology, have concluded that the habitual childhood exposure to media violence impacts adulthood aggression. Study after study has shown that media plays a major role in child socialization and development into adulthood.
The reality is that media plays a momentous hand at shaping our children’s self concept, self esteem, morality, perception of beauty, view of manhood/gender roles and Americanism. As it stands those that control media (mainly old rich men in boardrooms and out of touch with the masses) have not been responsible and have focused their energies on “the bottom line”.
The problem is that our children are not equipped to adequately deal with the 24 hours a day bombardment of media. And they have not been giving the tools to use media to their own best ends (self expression, positive role models, education).
GOALS
1. Youths empowered with a critical eye of film/TV/radio/internet/media.
2. Youths armed with self defense from corporate marketing techniques.
3. Youth offered alternatives to the negative portrayal of black men and women in media.
4. Youths redefining their reality and destiny not modeled after negative images in media.
5. Youths skilled with technical knowledge of filmmaking.
2. Youths armed with self defense from corporate marketing techniques.
3. Youth offered alternatives to the negative portrayal of black men and women in media.
4. Youths redefining their reality and destiny not modeled after negative images in media.
5. Youths skilled with technical knowledge of filmmaking.
MEASURABLE OBJECTIVE
1. Increased knowledge of Media Literacy.
2. Increased awareness of marketing strategies employed in film, TV, music, magazines, video games etc…
3. Increased knowledge of black achievement in film and media- beyond hip hop artist and comedy/ action movie stars.
4. Increased exposure to positive images of African Americans in film.
5. Increase in self value/ self concept/ self esteem.
6. Increase in articulation and self expression skills.
7. Increase in teamwork and teambuilding skills.
8. Increase in self determination and personal reasonability.
9. Increase in community service and volunteering spirit.
10. Increased exposure to the arts.
11. Increased refinement and cultured taste of film and the arts.
12. Increased appreciation of artistic expression.
13. Increased knowledge of the technical aspect of filmmaking
2. Increased awareness of marketing strategies employed in film, TV, music, magazines, video games etc…
3. Increased knowledge of black achievement in film and media- beyond hip hop artist and comedy/ action movie stars.
4. Increased exposure to positive images of African Americans in film.
5. Increase in self value/ self concept/ self esteem.
6. Increase in articulation and self expression skills.
7. Increase in teamwork and teambuilding skills.
8. Increase in self determination and personal reasonability.
9. Increase in community service and volunteering spirit.
10. Increased exposure to the arts.
11. Increased refinement and cultured taste of film and the arts.
12. Increased appreciation of artistic expression.
13. Increased knowledge of the technical aspect of filmmaking
STRATEGIES
1. Teach Media Literacy through hands on activities, workshops and guest artist/performers.
2. Expose the youths to the many forms of film (documentary, experimental, foreign) films they would ordinarily never see. Being exposed to a wider range of films they will develop a more refined appreciation of film, art and culture.
3. Instruction of technical knowledge of filmmaking by supervising them in group film projects and individual self portraits. The self portraits will allow the youths to examine themselves and their community. Teaching them artistic self expression through the medium of film they will be empowered to communicate their dreams, fears, ideas etc... The self portrait has been utilized by filmmakers and is found to be useful in catharsis and building self esteem.
2. Expose the youths to the many forms of film (documentary, experimental, foreign) films they would ordinarily never see. Being exposed to a wider range of films they will develop a more refined appreciation of film, art and culture.
3. Instruction of technical knowledge of filmmaking by supervising them in group film projects and individual self portraits. The self portraits will allow the youths to examine themselves and their community. Teaching them artistic self expression through the medium of film they will be empowered to communicate their dreams, fears, ideas etc... The self portrait has been utilized by filmmakers and is found to be useful in catharsis and building self esteem.
EVALUATION
Each pupil of the Micheaux Project will complete a 3-5 minute self portrait film. Their individual projects will reflect the principles of media literacy, art and self expression they have studied and mastered. The self portrait film that they will direct, shoot and edit will also showcase the technical expertise in filmmaking they have acquired. The collection of 3-5 minute self portrait films will be arranged together on DVD to be premiered at a community screening in which the youths will be the stars walking the red carpet.
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