City Teens Learn How To Edit Success
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It's never too early to learn a skill that can help you land a job, and Cityparks is doing its share with courses in video editing for teens. NY1's Asa Aarons filed the following Employment Report.Kids have spent long summers swimming or playing sports at the Red Hook Recreation Center for years. Now, there's another opportunity -- video.
"We reach out to underserved communities and remote areas. Kids who can't participate, who can't afford a Mac or a PC learn to use valuable equipment and document their own stories. Everyone has a story to tell," says Jaime Zelaya of Cityparks Productions.
Cityparks Productions teaches 13 to 19 year olds the the skill and art of video making.
"You need to like know how to set everything up before you do it. Because if you don't do it right then your film can get destroyed. Like certain ways with opening the camera, putting the film in. That's a big deal because you can actually destroy it if you don't put it in right," explains video student Yaniz Reyes.
The students are learning a lot more than handling a camera or editing video. Professional videographer turned teacher Shawn Smith says it's not just creating video, and that there's a real message behind it all.
"It's about them learning social skills. It's about them learning transferable skills. It's about them understanding that there's more to life than just, ya know, 'Oh I can hold a camera and do this.' But no, take it and make a positive message," says Smith.
Telling stories on video has opened up a new world for many students.
"Some people look at careers as you have to go and just get a job to make ends meet. This taught me that you can actually have a career and enjoy it, doing what you're doing at the same time. Because everyday I look forward to coming here and it's a career as well so you can have a life of fun in this," says video student Shane Vancooten.
Cityparks says a number of students have graduated the program to go on to internships and jobs at places like the Tribeca Film Festival.
The program is free and is being offered at select Cityparks centers in East Harlem, Manhattan and Queens.
For more information, visit cityparksfoundation.org.
If you have an employment story, a job, a new interview technique, or something you want to share with those looking for work or those doing the hiring, contact Asa Aarons at askasa@ny1.com.