(Click on the image) Check out our progress on ” A Choice of Weapons”, our latest film project- entirely youth led and produced- sponsored in part by the California Council for Humanities Youth Digital Filmmakers Grant.

Last Casting Announcement: Actress Needed!!!!

Extraordinary opportunity to be a part of a youth produced feature film taking place in San Francisco's Bayview Hunters Point district!!!!! This unique and original story follows a young man as he faces the overwhelming changes in his community due to redevelopment as well as the dangers posed by toxic waste.

We are looking for diverse array of characters, please review the list below. Only lead roles will receive small cash compensation, non lead roles will receive credit and copy of final film. The film will be shot in March 2008 in San Francisco.

You MUST schedule your audition.
Each audition will last approx. 15 min.. Please be prepared to do a scene reading.

Extended Audition Schedule:

Audition #1 Tuesday February 26 at 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Audition #2 Thursday February 28 at 3:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

This is a Conscious Youth Media Crew production.
For more information, check our website at www.cymc415.org

PRESS RELEASE

Contact:
Debra Koffler, Executive Director, CYMC
phone: 415.250.5552 | email: cymc2000@yahoo.com
web: www.consciousyouthmediacrew.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Conscious Youth Media Crew in association with Mission Archives and Burning Wagon Productions with ColoredInk’s 
2 Generation, 1 Heartbeat Project presents:

A Brava Theater Film Premiere
Why I Ride: From Low to Show
April 19, 2007

Brava Theater
2781 24th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
Parking at 23rd and San Bruno (SF General Hospital)
$5-15 sliding scale
For more information call 415-621.5353
www.cymc415.org


San Francisco, CA –On April 19, 2007, The Brava Theater will premiere an entirely youth-produced documentary, “Why I Ride: from Low to Show” comparing the history, activism and policing of lowriding in the Mission District with the emerging scraper car culture in East Oakland. The community will come together with an artist’s exhibit, performances by Colored Ink, a panel discussion featuring local Chicano activists and youth scrapers and a very special DJ set by Sandy Cuadra of Frisco’s Finest.

From lowriders to scrapers, Northern California’s car culture embodies independent artistic expression and grassroots community empowerment. “Why I Ride: From Low to Show” is a youth-driven documentary that juxtaposes the history of the Chicano lowrider movement in San Francisco’s Mission District with the emerging ‘side show’ scraper culture of black youth in Oakland. This fascinating film explores how heavily policed subcultures can be starting points for community activism and challenges present day subcultures to find ways to emerge as organizers.

In the summer of 2006, young producers from Conscious Youth Media Crew went into the neighborhood to speak with some of the folks from the lowrider scene in the early eighties. Their interviews soon revealed the similarities between lowriders and today’s youngsters partaking in Bay Area sideshows. In the days of “low and slow,” the youth got together to dance to oldies and cruise down Mission street. After anti-lowrider traffic laws, police aggression, and stereotypes changed the dynamics of the community, lawsuits were filed and the lowrider hangout spot known as “the lot” was turned into Raza Park, more bureaucratically known as “Potrero Del Sol.” Though local government saw it as a fair replacement for freedom in the streets, it was a more concentrated end to public cruising in the mission.

Oakland’s scrapers come together in a Sideshow, where young people enjoy their community through cars, music, dance and organizing. These events have heavily influenced youth culture in the Bay Area, though they face the same kind of attacks on their street culture as the lowriders. The resulting film “Why I Ride: from Low to Show” compares the struggle of young people of color to claim public space as their own, while promoting cultural pride and tradition.

With CYMC, Raymond Balberan, a long-time community media activist, established the Mission Archives to revive old film reels he shot with Mission MediArts back in the seventies and eighties. Mission archivists and local filmmakers, Veronica Majano and Ginger Godines miraculously came upon a collection of reels featuring the streets and people of the lowrider era whose very lives the youth were documenting. This original 16mm footage gave a valuable community perspective of the essence of the time period, the energy of the youth and families that cruised the Mission and their community struggle against racism to save their culture from being shut down by the police.

The screening will open with an exhibit featuring the local artists involved with the project and include performances by Colored Ink’s CI’s 2 Generation 1 Heartbeat Project and will be followed by a Panel Discussion, Why I Ride: From Lowriders to Scrapers, including speakers Ray Balberan, Valerie Tulier, Robert Hernandez, Elliott McGregor, moderated by Debra Koffler.

Schedule:
Opening: 6:30 – 7:30 PM
(Photo and Art Exhibit in Lobby , Frisco’s Finest Lowrider Display)
Program Begins: 7:30
Welcome and Introductions: 5 Mins 7:30 – 7:35
Colored Ink: 10 Minute Performance 7:35 – 7:45
Film Screenings: 7:45 – 8:40
Panel Discussion: 8:45 – 9:15
Why I Ride, From Lowriders to Scrapers
Closing Performance: 9:15 – 9:30

Calendar Editors:

Please list under Event/Film/Panel Discussion

Title: Why I Ride: From Low to Show

What: The premiere of an entirely youth-produced documentary film, “Why I Ride: from Low to Show” comparing the history, activism and policing of lowriding in the Mission District with the emerging scraper car culture in East Oakland.

When: April 19, 2007
Where: Brava Theatre
2781 24th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
Tickets:$5-15 Sliding Scale
Info/Res: 415-621-5353 or cymc2000@yahoo.com
Web: www.cymc415.org

Panelists:

Ray Balberan is the founder of the Mission Archives, a MissionMediArts documentarian, formerly on the board of directors of Real Alternative Program (RAP) and Board President of Conscious Youth Media Crew.

Valerie Tulier was a member of the Frisco Queens car club and is now working as a community representative in the senator’s office.

Roberto Hernandez is the founder of the San Francisco Lowrider’s association.

Elliot McGregor is a Conscious Youth Media Crew documentarian who assisted in the direction and editing of “Why I Ride: From Low to Show.” He is also featured as a scraper enthusiast in the film.

Debra Koffler is the founder and Executive Director of Conscious Youth Media Crew. She is the Executive Producer of “Why I Ride: From Low to Show” and will be the moderator of the evening’s discussion.

About:

Conscious Youth Media Crew
Conscious Youth Media Crew is a San Francisco-based youth-driven, digital media production studio. We provide the technology and training necessary for inner city youth to create quality media that represents their experiences, stimulates meaningful dialogue, and promotes social change. Conscious Youth Media Crew participants become life long learners who gain workforce skills to help shape a successful future for themselves and their communities.

Youth practice positive self-expression, leadership, informed decision-making, advocacy, and community involvement while using the latest digital video production technologies. CYMC supports youth in developing their voices and sharing their diverse perspectives and rarely heard stories with a wider audience of peers and community members.

Each year, we produce, screen and broadcast over 25 short films written, directed and edited entirely by youth. All CYMC produced media is shared on the web, radio, television, and at film festivals, schools and community events.

Mission Archives
Mission Archives are a group of local San Francisco filmmakers and community activists dedicated to preserving and sharing the original 16mm film archive library produced by Mission Media Arts. To date, Ma have created an inventory and catalogue for all films included in the archive by producer, year, and subject. MissionMediArts was a diverse group of young filmmakers during the seventies and early eighties who documented community history of San Francisco‘s Mission District during a period of cultural re-discovery and expression, political formation, and self-determination.

Colored Ink
Colored Ink (CI) is a SF Bay Area based theatre company that explores contempirary issues through Hip-hop, theatre, and spoken word. CI’s mission is to inspire urban communities for social change.

CI’s 2 Generation 1 Heartbeat Project is a multi-generational collaboration bringing together members of the Colored Ink with our elders in the Bay Area’s progressive and highly diverse arts scene, including SF’s legendary beat generation.

Burning Wagon Productions
Burning Wagon Productions is a film and media production company comprised of professional animators, artists, composers and university professors. As a media arts services group, Burning Wagon Productions creates animation, Internet art, scripts for feature length as well as short films, radio and television programming, musical scores, and fine art installation. Founded 2005 by John Jota Leaños, Assistant Professor of Art and Chicana/o at Arizona State University, and Sean Levon Nash, San Francisco-based interdisciplinary indigenous artist, Burning Wagon Productions is dedicated to the creation of alternative and independent artwork for historical, entertainment and educational purposes.

For a PDF version of this press release, please go to www.consciousyouthmediacrew.org/file_download/12

DOWNLOAD THE PDF VERSION OF THIS PRESS RELEASE HERE

Conscious Youth Media Crew proudly presents “Why I Ride: From Low to Show,” our latest film documenting the unique car culture of the west coast from lowriders in the Mission District to the Oakland scrapers of today.

Join Conscious Youth Media Crew, Mission Archives, Burning Wagon Productions, ColoredInk's 2 Generation, 1 Heartbeat Project and the Brava Theater in the premiere of "Why I Ride: From Low to Show."

Come out and Celebrate!!!

Thursday, April 19th, 2007. 6:30 - 9:30PM

Brava Theater
2781 24th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-641-7657
Parking at 23rd and San Bruno (SF General Hospital)

Join us for a night of memories, reunions, and celebration!

The evening will feature…

• a street display of lowriders courtesy of Frisco’s Finest Car Club
• oldies from our ol’skool DJ Sandy Cuadra
• photos and art displays in the lobby
• spoken word by youth artists from Colored Ink, our feature film
• and a post-screening panel to meet the riders from the film!

Screening: 6:30 - 9:30 PM

Opening reception: 6:30 - 7:30
Photo and Art Exhibit in Lobby
Frisco’s Finest Lowrider Display
Program Begins: 7:30
Welcome and Introductions: 7:30 - 7:35
Colored Ink performance: 7:35 - 7:45
Film Screenings: 7:45 - 8:40
Panel Discussion: 8:45 - 9:15
Why I Ride, From Lowriders to Scrapers
Closing Performance: 9:15 - 9:30

Don’t Miss The Party!

For more info email us at cymc2000@yahoo.com or call 415.621.5353.

$5-15 sliding scale at the door. Reprints of vintage lowrider photos, "Why I Ride: From Low To Show" posters and DVD's will be available for sale in the lobby.

To download a PDF version of the "Why I Ride: From Low to Show" flyer, click here

The Community Partnership Resource Center and
Conscious Youth Media Crew present:
Voices of San Francisco's Youth: A Dialogue through Film

Thursday, March 15
6:00pm

San Francisco General Hospital
Carr Auditorium
1001 Potrero Avenue
San Francisco

>>view poster

Join us for a screening of three short films produced by Conscious Youth
Media Crew, an organization that utilizes art and technology to elevate young minds.  These films are both an expression of the challenges that face our youth and a demonstration of the potential embodied by these young filmmakers and their peers.  Following the screening, the filmmakers, a panel of community activists, and the audience will dialogue about shared experiences around violence, poverty, and other challenges to the health and well-being of our young people.

Introductory comments by Andre Campbell, MD, UCSF/SFGH Trauma Surgeon

Our panel includes Javier Antezana of The Wraparound Project
and Mitchell Salazar of Street Intervention Coalition.

Free Screening. Open to the public.

Co-sponsored by the UCSF/SFGH Department of Family and Community Medicine
and the Community Partnership Resource Center as part of the Cross-Training
for Peace Series

------------------

For further info or questions, please email rmcentee@fcm.ucsf.edu or call (415) 206-6493 ext 4.

Carr Auditorium - 22nd St at Potrero

CYMC is proud to join POCC Block Report Radio in presenting "Audio Rebellion," a revolutionary independent documentary about the movement and political work of the POCC: Block Report Radio show. With major buzz in political circles around the country, Audio Rebellion has been shown in Washington DC, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, New York, Memphis, Chicago, New Orleans, and Philadelphia.

Hip Hop journalist Davey D says "Audio Rebellion reminds us that in the face of all this oppression impacting the hood, the average everyday person is not simply turning the other cheek and taking the abuse." Check it out. For more information call 510-395-2341. 

Pre-screening short "Straight Pistol Play"
directed by Devin Melvin, Conscious Youth Media Crew

Straight Pistol Play shares real youth perspectives on why kids feel the need to carry a gun in violence-ridden neighborhoods. Hear from one youngster who faces the dangers of guns on a daily basis.

The filmmakers will be present for a post-screening Q&A.

For more information on AUDIO REBELLION visit the BLOCK REPORT MYSPACE

For more info about CYMC, e-mail us at cymc2000@yahoo.com or call 415.621.5353.

CYMC is proud to join ITVS and KQED to present "HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats & Rhymes," a film by Byron Hurt which explores issues of manhood and media in hip hop culture today. CYMC intern Justin Pasene will present his short film "Trendsetters Or Fakers" before the Beyond Beats & Rhymes screening. Both films ask hard questions about the influence of hip hop music videos and media on young viewers.

CYMC and ITVS are offering community and school screenings followed by youth facilitated discussion based on the themes listed below. Each panel will feature young people speaking up about the state of hip-hop today. Our first community screening will be held at Conscious Youth Media Crew on Friday March 2nd, 2007 at 6:30 PM.

CYMC will offer screenings Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays in March and April. Schedule a date now as openings are limited.

Please refer to the available dates below. Start a conscious dialogue through media engagement and set up a screening at your school site or neighborhood center. Please contact Debra Koffler or Maria Gonima at 415.621.5353 or e-mail cymc2000@yahoo.com

Pre-screening short "Trendsetters or Fakers"
by Justin Pasene, Conscious Youth Media Crew