VCU news

By Mike Porter

Richmond’s East End is a long way from Hollywood, but visitors and residents of the community may come face to face with teenage film crews this fall as part of "Peep This,” a VCU program designed to engage African American male adolescents through the practice of documentary film-making.

“The idea is to target young men who, based on their demographic status, are at risk and to inspire them through film-making,” said Shawn Utsey, Ph.D., Department of African American studies.

Utsey was inspired to create “Peep This” after Ethiopian-born independent filmmaker Haile Gerima presented one of his films at VCU last February as part of the university’s Black History Month celebration. Gerima, who now lives in the United States and is a professor at Howard University, has directed and produced more than a dozen films that focus on the African and African American experience, including “Sankofa,” a film about slavery.

Utsey proposed a joint effort by the department of African American studies; The Department of Photography and Film; Media, Art and Text program and Richmond-based Family Resource Center to identify and work with at risk teens.

Last spring, Utsey received financial backing for his proposal with the award of a VCU Council for Community Engagement 2008 Community Engagement Grant. Bank One has provided additional financial support.

“Peep This” began August 30 and runs for 11 weeks. There are five participants, ranging in age from 13 to 16, who meet for three hours every Saturday to learn about filmmaking, research, interviewing techniques and ethics.

Utsey said every class offers teaching moments in which students consider how to portray and respond to people whose viewpoints are different from their own.

In addition to classroom instruction and working with the camera and editing equipment, participants will hear from guest speakers in the film industry and take field trips to New Millennium Studios in Petersburg and Howard University.

Each student ultimately will create a five-minute documentary focusing on historical issues relevant to the Richmond area and pertinent to Virginia’s Standards of Learning. All the documentaries will be linked in a single film that will be screened for the community before the end of the program.

“We want them to tell a story from their perspective. It’s centered around them and their families. It’s a way to give them a voice,” Utsey said.

Utsey said similar film-making programs in other cities have resulted in positive youth development and a reduction in delinquent behavior.

“Film-making gives the kids a sense of control. They are responsible for the finished product. And they can apply that sense of being in control to other areas of their lives,” Utsey said.

Utsey hopes exposing the young filmmakers to the college experience at VCU and having them work with VCU student mentors will help them to consider college as a path to a better future.