Magic Markers Film Training

The room was packed with friends and neighbors curious to witness what the hive of filming and singing and editing bustle has finally produced, and nobody was more excited than the cast and crew themselves. The group who had been in on Magic Markers film training program’s latest session enjoyed their own seating area, and it was a delight to watch them observing audience reactions to their music video, “Stop the Violence,” filmed on Glass Street.

We are often incredibly proud of what various community partners produce with and for young people in this and surrounding neighborhoods, and this proved an exceptional evening in that regard. It was the opening ceremonies night for the Rio Olympics, but no one in the audience could help buzzing about the authenticity and energy behind “Stop the Violence,” and the whole Magic Markers crew. Following the screening of the original music video and community interviews about creating a safe, vibrant neighborhood, they all formed an incredibly professional panel to introduce themselves and field audience questions before being presented with participation certificates.

One of the project leaders, Alli Dozet remarked that one of the unique features of the sessions this summer has been the way kids from different neighborhoods pooled together to share ideas and create meaningful work. Mark Making (funding organization) collected participants’ feedback, and consistently hear good reports about the fun of meeting new kids, often from various backgrounds, to collaborate and create something they are proud of. The distinctive feature with Magic Markers is the artistic freedom given to the kids themselves. The equipment is checked out from the Chattanooga Public Library, and computers from the Baylor School, but the teens are let loose to make work they find exciting and relevant.

Magic Markers was inspired by programs such as Green Screen in Atlanta, where the focus is getting digital resources spread out appropriately to document where creativity is burgeoning. One feature of the Magic Markers website we love is their link to copying the entire curriculum to replicate in another location. Spread the magic!