Spring 2022
About the Program
ACTION! is a youth-centered + youth-taught media program that challenges leaders living in the San Diego region to draw from local experiences and move towards action through the power of documentation.
Drawing from radical student movements of the 60s-70s, Third Cinema, guerrilla filmmaking practices, and the revolutionary spirit of our communities, we will be learning how to make our own videos as WEAPONS OF CHOICE for social change.
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Youth organizers and activists in SD-TJ region. Ages 16-21 years old.
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Virtual and In-person.
April 9 to May 14, every Saturday 11am - 3pm @ AjA Office and Zoom.
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ACTION! supports youth ages 16-21 based throughout the San Diego region who are interested in the intersections of activism and media-making.
Great for young community organizers, storytellers, and/or creative change-makers that want to experiment with a hands-on filmmaking process, and who radically think and act outside the box.
No prior experience with filmmaking or organizing is necessary to participate.
We have capacity for just 10 students this season, so we encourage people to consider their capacity, schedule, and interest in being part of the program to apply.
Program Activities
Calling all culture-shifters, revolutionaries, and visionary thinkers!
The goal of ACTION! is to walk away from the class with the experience, resources, and tools to produce a self-directed documentary video project grounded in social change. This could look like anything from a 1 minute video to a short film, and anything else you make along the way!
What to Expect
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We will meet Saturdays, 11 AM - 3PM from April 9 to May 14, at the AjA Project office space in City Heights as well as virtually via Zoom. There will also be opportunities to visit and work alongside local community spaces via field trips scheduled during our regular class meeting time.
Please get in contact with winter at winter@ajaproject.org if you anticipate needing support with in-person transportation and we will do our best to accommodate you.
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You do not need a camera to participate in ACTION! We will provide all filmmaking equipment, including cameras, audio gear, editing software, hard drives, and rentable laptops.
ACTION! Studio Hours (official times TBD) occur outside of our regular meeting times, during which you’ll have access to the AjA office to edit and work on your projects. Teaching Artists will also be on-site to support you.
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You’ll get the chance to meet with community storytellers, historians and documentarians. We’ll be kicking off our program with a film screening in collaboration with the Liyang Network on March 26.
While it’s not required to attend every session, each was designed to cover an important aspect of documentary creation. Enrollment is available at any time! We hope you can take advantage of each session.
Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
Topics Covered
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![Hands holding a book open to be scanned]()
Archiving and Documentation
We’ll discuss the power of documentation for survival, advocacy and protest across a variety of forms.
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![Arms holding clapperboard in front of photo shoot]()
Filmmaking
Get access to AjA’s equipment library including film editing software, cameras, and a team of artists to help along the way.
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![Hands holding microphones to speaker]()
Activism
Learn the basics of creating a story arc and strategies for DIY media making.
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![Two young people greeting each other with handshake]()
Youth Organizing
Build your skills with a cohort of young artists ready to move audiences toward action through documentation and media making.
Meet Your ACTION! Teaching Artists
Saturday, April 2, 2022 • 6–9PM
ACTION! x Liyang Double Screening & Teach-In
Join the AjA Project and Liyang Network for a double film screening and teach-in, in support of the New Bataan 5 memorial fund. Experience radical documentary films selected by the Liyang Network film committee and explore how filmmaking can be used as a radical political tool.
