Youth Education at Echo Park Film Center
Since moving into the Alvarado Arts Building at the busy intersection of Sunset and Alvarado on January 1, 2002, our instructors have facilitated 22 film and video-making classes free of charge to more than 400 students between the ages of 12 and 19. Classes culminate in a community potluck dinner and a screening of all films completed by the students; films made by our students have been featured in local, national and international festivals.
EPFC students learn the fundamentals of filmmaking, including such components as research, interview technique, storytelling, lighting, cinematography, sound recording, special effects and editing. Hands-on experience is gained through the creation of collaborative self-produced short documentary and experimental films that examine and celebrate individual interests, family histories and shared experiences as members of a vibrant urban youth community. We incorporate the knowledge, resources and skills of established local and international filmmakers in the form of guest lectures, workshops and artists in residence to provide the broader perspective of filmmaking and media arts. The majority of our students continue to participate in Film Center activities and have used skills and experiences learned here to gain access to educational programs, jobs and filmmaking in the larger community.
In our predominantly Latino working class neighborhood, we have students born abroad, students of mixed ethnicities/cultures, and students whose families made great sacrifices to come to the United States. For years Echo Park has been challenged by crime, gang activity and decreased funding for educational and social programs; many of our local youth are labeled “at-risk” by local government agencies. Increasing gentrification and a struggling economy are new realities. We believe our students become more pro-active and articulate members of society when they are given the means and the forum to express their ideas, their experiences and their dreams. Our students’ films stand as documents of our rich cultural diversity and heritage while providing the opportunity to learn, grow, and participate in a safe and supportive creative environment.
By offering no-cost classes that combine hands-on technical learning, the facilitation of the production and exhibition of individual and group film projects, and one-on-one ongoing mentoring for each student, our approach is both unique and effective in a city where focus on filmmaking too-often centers on product rather than process. Echo Park Film Center programs promote self-esteem, originality, and independence; we encourage new filmmakers to discover their own strengths and voices in actively becoming the storytellers, activists and visionaries of the next generation.
For more information on Echo Park Film Center programs and services, click on the link below or call 213-484-8846.
