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Urban Arts MediaLab

MediaLab Update: 'Type Cast' Goes Into Production

22 Jul 2010, 11:33 AM by Elizabeth Rodd

Story by Kenya Zeigler, Producer
Photographs by Courtney Gayle and Eduardo Luna
Producers Kenya Zeigler and Viandra McCarthy

My name is Kenya Zeigler, and this is my first summer in MediaLab. I’m having a great time, learning lots of new things and getting a lot done. I joined MediaLab because I want to pursue a career in journalism, and I feel this program is the perfect place to sharpen my media production skills. Currently I am one of four fantastic producers.

During week two of the program we began the production phase for Type Cast, a documentary about diabetes. Our objective was to capture footage to illustrate our concerns about the diabetes epidemic, so we spent the week focusing on first-hand accounts from people either living with or treating patients with the disease.

Mentor Cristina Guerra leads the set design.

Early in the week while our set designers worked on the backdrop for our interview with Joshua Ramos, a teenager with Type 1 diabetes, the producing team developed interview questions for both Joshua and his doctor. First we focused on becoming experts on the topic. We did tons of research online and even took a trip downtown to the Bodies Exhibit with volunteers from Virgin Mobile USA. There we had the opportunity to examine the human body up close and learn about body systems that are affected by the disease.

The Sprint Prepaid team enjoyed working with the MediaLab students on their nutrition projects, and we talked in detail about the impact of a healthy lifestyle on different biological processes and organs. They are very well-informed about complex biology and chemistry!

Our triumph of the week was a visit to the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, located in New York’s very own Washington Heights. The Center is committed to helping youth cope medically and emotionally with having diabetes. Our film crew captured some amazing establishing shots of the Center, b-roll of Joshua, and an interview with Dr. Ileana Vargas.

Joshua Ramos at the Naomi Berrie Research Center.

We had twenty minutes for the sit-down with Dr. Vargas, so the producers had to pick out only those questions that seemed most vital. This was no problem: we made content decisions on-the-spot, asking only the most important questions and listening attentively to detect whether Dr. Vargas had already answered questions on our list. Thankfully, the doctor was incredibly open. She shared with us her extensive knowledge of diabetes and gave us some background on her work with Joshua.

I am enjoying my time in MediaLab, but I still want to learn more about the camera and go deeper into my role as producer.

That's all for now. . . . Stay tuned for more updates from our producers.

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MediaLab Summer Program 2010: Here We Go!

16 Jul 2010, 12:12 PM by Elizabeth Rodd

Story by Wilmar Castillo, Cinematography Team

Photographed by Ihor Hrynivetskiy, Cinematography Team

Hello, my name is Wilmar Castillo and I am a new member of the Urban Arts Partnership MediaLab film crew. I joined the video production class because I wanted to try something new and meet new people, and my goals are already being achieved. We began the summer program on July 7, and in just three days I’ve already learned so much.

We are currently in pre-production for a documentary about diabetes, which will require good research, hard work and dedication. We chose the topic of diabetes because we are concerned about the high rate of diabetes in the United States. We feel it’s a social justice issue because access to healthy food and healthcare is related to income. The students in my session will interview a teenager diagnosed with Type I diabetes who has limited access to healthcare. In the process, we’ll learn how to utilize a professional video camera, editing equipment, and much more.

MediaLab producers prepare interview questions

Our class is divided into four groups: one of producers, one of cinematographers, another group of editors, and the director. The producers will be in charge of preparing interviews, researching our topic, and overseeing the budget. I’m in the cinematographer’s group: we will be in charge of the video equipment, lighting, and making sure the audio is precise. The editors will be in charge of cutting the footage, graphics, music and animation into a ten-minute short. The director will oversee the production crew and the set. We will use all of these skills to complete our project.

So far the producing team, led by mentors Cristina Guerra and Nick Mendez, has taught us about two of the different types of diabetes and the role insulin plays in the disease. Robert Matos, the cinematography and editing mentor, has taught us how to maneuver a camera while filming and how to scout a location for potential sound issues.

The Cinematography Team preps for their first interview set-up

Video production is very exciting and fun. Everything I’ve learned so far is really helpful and fascinating to me. I’m looking forward to everything this class has to offer. My goal right now is to learn more about editing in Final Cut Pro.

Thanks for reading about our latest production and stay tuned for more updates from the MediaLab crew!

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Meet the Filmmaker: Shamrod Lockwood

01 Jul 2010, 1:04 PM by Elizabeth Rodd

Story by Omar Cyrille, Cinematographer, Ghetto Talks II

Name: Shamrod Lockwood

Grade: Rising Senior

School: Heritage High School

Neighborhood: Harlem

Role: Cinematographer

Favorite color: Navy blue

Favorite activities: Skateboarding and playing video games

Besides New York City, where else would you like to live? California

What did you gain from the Media Lab program?: I gained experience with cameras and expanded my knowledge of the film industry.

What would you like to take up as a career?: I plan to be a video game designer specializing in character development.

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Meet the Filmmaker: Nicholas Mendez

24 Jun 2010, 1:01 PM by Elizabeth Rodd

Story by Robert Matos, Editor, Ghetto Talks II

Photograph by Daniel Familia

Name: Nicholas Mendez

Grade: Graduating Senior

School: The Facing History School

Role: Producer, Interviewee

What is your experience with the word ghetto?: It’s been said that I grew up in the ghetto for 17 years, and the African-American side of my family considers themselves to be “ghetto”.

Have you ever referred to anybody as “ghetto”?: I refer to many people as “ghetto”. I label you as I see you. If I see you in a negative light then I will refer to you as such.

How do you feel about the word?: I feel it’s a mindset, but you don’t have to give it a negative connotation. You can come from an underprivileged neighborhood, but it’s what you do with your experience that matters.

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Meet the Filmmaker: Marlin Almonte

21 Jun 2010, 3:55 PM by Elizabeth Rodd

Story by Robert Matos, Editor, Ghetto Talks II

Photograph by Cristina Guerra