Swinomish youth pick up cameras, tell their own stories (fwd)

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Swinomish youth pick up cameras, tell their own stories

By Tina Potterf
Seattle Times staff reporter

Alcoholics. Drug addicts. High school dropouts.

Native American youth are aware of the stereotypes that taint their
heritage. Ask a group of Native kids from the Swinomish tribe near La
Conner, Skagit County, about what it means to be an American Indian,
and you may be surprised by their candor and insight:

"You probably think I'm another stoned Indian. Well, you're wrong. I'm
going to become a lawyer."

"You probably think that I've already dropped out of school. Well, I've
kept my grades up and plan to go to the University of Washington."

[text inset - Native Lens. Later this month, the short digital films
created by Swinomish youth will be available for viewing online at
www.911media.org. To learn more about Native Lens, or to bring a
workshop to your tribe, call 206-682-6552, ext. 18. For more
information about classes and other workshops at 911 Media Arts Center,
visit www.911media.org.]

"You probably think I'm a druggie or an alcoholic because I'm Native. I
plan to finish high school and go to college."

These statements, from a public service announcement created by
Swinomish teens, drive home a central message: Native Americans have
pride and, as is stated at the outset of the PSA, are "More than what
you think."

The PSA was created as part of Native Lens, a new program of Seattle's
911 Media Arts Center. The program's goal is to dismantle Native
American stereotypes and encourage youth to take on the role of
storytellers, whether through public service announcements or
documentary films.

Over the next two years, 911 Media Arts Center will present a series of
programs that center on media literacy and digital filmmaking for
Native youth. The project, funded by a grant from the Time Warner
Foundation, launched earlier this month with two days of workshops at
the arts center. More than two dozen Swinomish youth traveled by bus to
Seattle to learn the nuts and bolts of digital movie-making, from
handling a camera to framing a shot and lighting.

[photo inset - ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES. Travis Tom, left, and
Nick Clark set up backdrops.]

The teens and early twentysomethings also learned about collaboration
and how to work under the pressure of a deadline — in this case, they
had four or five hours to make either a PSA, an interview-intensive
documentary, or an animation short. The goal was to create tangible,
lasting works that educate and enlighten people about their tribe.

On top of developing a strong idea and executing it, the group learned
how to operate digital video equipment, from technical stuff, like what
buttons do what — to composition, such as framing a person's face and
editing a few hours of footage down to a few minutes. The young people
were divided into groups and teamed with instructors such as Roy
Wilson, who oversaw the making of the public service announcement.

"Your job is to make something small, say in 30 seconds," Wilson said,
"that will have an effect on people."

After a concentrated brainstorming session in a large, cool back room at
911 Media Arts Center, the kids decided to build the PSA around the
theme of "Native Pride," and one by one stepped in front of the camera,
operated by their peers, to state their accomplishments and
aspirations.

Getting tips from the pros

[photo insert - ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES. Nick Clark, center,
frames up a shot of Amanda Hansen for his 30-second video.]

In addition to learning how to make digital films, the group took a
field trip to the Experience Music Project and talked with rising young
Native American actors Eddie Spears ("Dreamkeeper," "Black Cloud") and
Cody Lightning ("Smoke Signals," "Manic"), who answered questions and
offered suggestions to the aspiring filmmakers. The students' finished
works were shown to a rousing reception at a Saturday evening screening
at 911.

The decision to partner with the Swinomish was a logical one because the
tribe has an existing outlet in the form of tribal cable station SWIN96
for the youth to take what they learn through Native Lens and apply it
in ways that benefit the whole community. The students' PSA and other
Native Lens short films will eventually be broadcast on the cable
station and be shopped to various youth film festivals.

"It was important to work with one tribe to create a model" for the
program, said Annie Silverstein, director of the Young Producers
Project and Native Lens. "We want to help them develop sustainable
media on the reservation." La Conner Middle School sixth grader Anna
Cladoosby, part of the PSA team, embraced the opportunity to learn more
about digital media.

"I want to learn the process and how hard you have to work to make a
movie," she said.

Through Native Lens, Cladoosby said, "People can learn more about our
culture."

Robert Williams was one of only a few participants with prior experience
in shooting and editing videos.

Sharing what they've learned

"I've tried sports, basketball and baseball, and it didn't work out,"
Williams said, "So I picked up a camera."

[photo inset - ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES. Nolita Bob is
interviewed by a friend and is also seen on the monitor at right, which
is for the video crew to watch so they have proper framing of the
image.]

Williams, 21, has a penchant for short documentaries, mostly of his
buddies playing basketball or hanging out, set to an underground
hip-hop soundtrack. He hopes to build on and pass along the experiences
gained through Native Lens, a program he said "gives us a chance to go
back to the tribe and tell them what we have learned and what we've
done."

Getting the youth to think critically and creatively, and to empower
them to share their stories with others, is ultimately what Native Lens
is about.

"These kids are really good storytellers... ," said Tracy Edwards,
Swinomish education director. "I hope that they continue with what they
learned here and bring it back to the tribe.

"And if they have a story to tell, they can get it out to the
community."

Tina Potterf: 206-464-8214 or tpotterf at seattletimes.com