YouthFX

YouthFX seeks to empower and inspire youth from the most underserved communities of Albany, NY through a critical understanding and hands-on exploration of the creative and technical aspects of filmmaking and digital media creation. Although we have grown into a full year program, the focus of Youth FX remains our 6 week intensive summer program for youth ages 14-18. During the summer experienced media educators work with up to 25 teens to teach them the skills necessary to create short films, documentaries, PSA’s, experimental and music videos.

Over the past four years our films have won national and regional awards and screened at film festivals across the country. We also partner with the City of Albany’s Summer Youth Employment Program to offer 15 local teenagers the opportunity to earn a weekly stipend as they learn valuable job skills and acquire training in the emerging field of digital media. Youth FX puts the tools of media production in the hands of youth with guidance from skilled artists, enabling them to express their voice and create positive change in their lives and their communities. This Grand Street Community Arts sponsored programming is a prime example of positive youth development in the City of Albany.

Youth FX is about to celebrate our five year anniversary, during which time we have grown to become one of the most highly acclaimed programs for young people in the entire capital region. We want to give a special thanks to our most generous contributors who have helped make a difference in the lives of young people in Albany, NY by supporting and growing this valuable program. Youth FX has received grant funding from The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), The Touhey Family Foundation, Troy Savings Charitable Foundation and Stewarts Shops. Without the support of our friends, family and the community surrounding Grand Street Community Arts, programs like Youth FX would not happen.

Youth FX was founded in 2008 by Bhawin Suchak, who is the current program director. He co-facilitates the program with Gaetano Vacarro. Both are local artists, teachers and media educators.

For more information email youthfx@grandarts.org or call (518) 526-5586.
Check out our Vimeo page to watch YouthFX videos in full HD: https://vimeo.com/youthfx
For news, photos and updates go to our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/youthfx

YOUTH FX Awards & Festivals: PBS POV Project VoiceScape Finalist, Woodstock Film Festival, MovingMedia Film Festival, CineYouth Chicago, Ballston Spa Film Festival, Urban Victory Online Festival, WMHT TV Film, NY ShoutOut!, Proctor’s Media Arts Festival

YOUTH FX SUMMER 2012

The 2012 Youth FX program will be running from July 9 -August 10, from 10AM-4PM @ the Albany Free School, 8 Elm Street (between Grand and Phillip Streets).

RECAP OF PREVIOUS YOUTH FX SUMMERS:

SUMMER 2010

The Youth FX 2010 summer program was a huge success with more students participating than ever and the addition of a partnership with The City Of Albany’s Summer Youth Employment Program we were able to offer 8 young people the opportunity to get paid while learning hands on digital film and media skills. We produced more films than ever and some of our films were selected to screen at national and regional film festivals. Seeds Of Hope, a short documentary film produced by youth filmmakers from Youth FX, was selected as a finalist for Project VoiceScape, a national showcase for emerging teen artists curated by the PBS series POV and Adobe Youth Voices. Mohamed Gardner (age 13) and Imani Peterkin (age 14), who co-directed the Youth FX produced short documentary were selected as finalists for Project VoiceScape from among 250 submissions from youth filmmakers from across the country. They both traveled with their parents to Washington DC to accept the award.

TVFilm, which features the best independent short films from across upstate New York, also aired Seeds of Hope as well as The Third Rail, a short narrative film, written, directed, filmed and starring students from the Youth FX program. Both of those films were also selected to screen at the Ballston Spa International Film Festival and The Woodstock Film Festival which showcase selected films from around the world.

Check Out our Award Winning Films:
Seeds Of Hope

The Third Rail

SUMMER 2009

We had an incredible summer of fun and exciting filmmaking experiences, and both my program assistant, Gaetano Vaccaro, and myself were so impressed by the skill and talent exhibited by each and every one of the 15 young filmmakers we worked with this summer. After six weeks of YouthFX, we looked back with amazement at all the projects the group took on and completed. Counting our final documentary and short film projects the YouthFX crew produced a total of 9 movies this summer! This year in addition to teaching the creative and technical aspects of digital film production we introduced kids to the editing process, and in fact most of our projects were edited by them or with their assistance. In addition to making films this summer, we also offered the YouthFX kids a firsthand look at how television production happens with a visit to the WRGB studios (our local CBS affiliate). We got a tour of the country’

s oldest television station and even watched the live noon newscast in person from the studio. We also met with a WRGB producer, Greg Schmidt, who gave us an in-depth look at how many of their commercial and TV segments are created. Once again illustrating to the kids that in addition to all he fun they had at YouthFX, they were also learning important technical skills that can be applied to future careers in the field of film and television production. In the coming months Gaetano and I will be putting the finishing touches on the projects and will be setting up a event soon at a local theatre to showcase the work that these young filmmakers produced, so keep an eye out for that exciting event.
Check out this video about Grand Street Community Arts produced by Youth FX filmmakers during the 2009 summer program:

Our Final Short Film Project: GHOST

2008

In our first year of Youth FX we partnered with Upstate Independents and worked with 14 teens to explore the potential of digital filmmaking. We worked with a professional crew on a four day shoot of a short film called Four of a Kind, the video below is a behind the scenes glimpse of the 2008 Youth FX summer program, and captures the energy of the final shooting week.