Season 4 was an exciting season for DROP TV production. High school aged youth participating in the Take Another Look program created short videos that creatively addressed the importance of developing various life skills. These videos will be highlighted on DROP TV Season 4. Some of these students continued to work with DROP TV mentors during the summer months with a total of 14 high school-aged youth participating in a six-week intensive DROP TV Media Lab to learn video making and media literacy skills. This season's youth producers were a talented and diverse crew with a wide range of experience - from novices making their first videos, to advanced filmmakers and seasoned veterans of the DROP TV team. Working collaboratively in production crews, these youth produced segments for the fourth season. Our team tackled the entire spectrum of the video production process, from researching and writing scripts, to directing, shooting and editing video segments at CMP. Video segments ranged from personal illustrated video poems to candid editorial-style segments in the Poughkeepsie community. In the Fall/Winter months, a small crew of DROP TV producers focused their energy on post-production, finalizing Spring and Summer videos, selecting other youth produced content, and creating original music for the show.

This season, our Youth Producers also participated in several off-site experiential learning field trips. The crew challenged themselves at the Flying Trapeze School in New Paltz and on a whitewater tubing adventure on the Esopus Creek. They also went to New York City to produce a series of themed segments in Central Park. While in New York City they also met with the programming staff of the Hamptons International Film Festival to learn about the festival programming process. Several youth took part in an internship with the Hamptons International Film Festival over the summer months, helping to program the Youth Media Program of the festival. In October, two youth producers traveled with staff to the festival, where they interviewed actors and directors (including Sidney Lumet, Harvey Keitel, and Marcia Gay Harden).

A Community Fellow's Perspective: Angelic Sosa, Vassar College Fellow

As a Community Fellow interning at Children's Media Project I had the opportunity to take part in the DROP TV Summer Media Lab, which was one of the best things I've ever done. I wasn't preparing coffee or rearranging file cabinets like other internships. At CMP, I was able to participate in educating and mentoring high school students interested in film work. As a film major, working with students interested in my field went beyond my expectations. Organizations such as CMP work to open the eyes of the people and show them what media is all about. I had such a great experience that I continued my internship into the Fall!

A Youth Producer's Perspective: Julius Mann, DROP TV Producer

I have always had a close tie to CMP and to the growth of this one of a kind community organization. After joining the Take Another Look program, I developed a larger interest in filmmaking and enjoyed producing my own films. From that program, I went on to join the DROP TV crew, which was an amazing experience for me in the growth of my cinematic skills. I developed new skills for my filmmaking and learned new tools and procedures for editing my film. I was lucky enough to be able to go down to the Hamptons for the Hamptons International Film Festival and interview some world famous actors and actresses. That is an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.

Send us your videos!

We want youth-produced work for DROP TV! Send your videos to Children's Media Project, Lady Washington Firehouse, 20 Academy St, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601, attn: Tim Sutton (do not send Master copies, tapes/DVDs will not be returned).

Airing on:

New York