Reel Works provides free fi lmmaking programs for NYC

youth. Using a unique one-on-one mentoring model, we

challenge at-risk youth to tell their stories and have

their voices heard. In turn, they build vital skills of

literacy, leadership and self-confidence to create

productive futures.

REEL WORKS MISSION

The Digital Media Revolution & Impact on Reel Works

YOUTH MEDIA IS DEAD

Centered on video, music or journalism.Often collaborative, project based learningArts enhancement opportunities beyond the school

day.Audience limited to friends, family and fi lm festivals.

Reel Works Innovations

Mentoring model Individual StorytellingQuality of workWide audience

OLD YOUTH MEDIA MODEL

Educational Video Center (EVC)Global Action Project (GAP)Downtown Community Television (DCTV)Ghetto Film School Manhattan Neighborhood NetworkBay Area Video Arts CoalitionTribeca Film Institute

OUR PEERS - BEFORE

• Digital technology has sparked a sea-change in how media is created and consumed.

• It has impacted education – creating a 24/7, participatory, learning anywhere/anytime culture.

• It has sparked new education paradigms and ideas of what it means to be educated today.

• Out of school learning becomes more important, creating new opportunities for programs like Reel Works.

• Explosion of media platforms: video, music, web design, app design, game design, podcasts, blogs, transmedia…

DIGITAL MEDIA REVOLUTION

Tribeca Film Institute CoLab at CultureHubGlobal PotentialGhetto Film SchoolMOUSEDreamyardThe POINTEyebeam Girls Write Now Iridescent LearningGlobal Kids Institute of PlayThe Lamp

Radio RookiesUrban Word NYCMake the RoadYouth CommunicationCity LoreDigital Me (UK)BAYVACDCTVPeoples Production HouseNew York Hall of ScienceGlobal Action ProjectEVCGirls Write Now

OUR PEERS - TODAY

21s t Century Skills: Knowledge is Over. Critical Thinking Collaboration Communication Creativity

Connected Learning (Hive) A model of learning that draws on the power of technology to fuse

young peoples interests, friendships and academics through hands-on production, shared purpose and open networks.

Active. Relevant. Real World. Effective. Hands-On. Networked. Innovative. Personal. Transformative.

Maker Movement Tech-influenced DIY community. A wellspring of innovation, creating new products and producing

value in the community. Interest-driven. Innovative. Entrepreneurial. Hands-On. Learn by

Doing.

DIGITAL LEARNING PARADIGMS

Chris Lawrence

The media landscape has undergone a sea-change. Digital and social revolution has created a participatory culture. What youth expect from media is different. When organizations fail to grasp changes in the culture, they

can get flattened. To stay relevant, youth media groups must have participatory

values. Education is not immune to new paradigms - 24/7 learning is

everywhere. More permeable boundaries of what education is and where it

occurs. After School becomes part of learning anywhere/anytime

culture.

WHAT OUR FUNDERS SAY

MOZILLA FOUNDATION/HIVEFY12: $87K FY13: $50K

Phil Sanchez

Great storytelling is platform agnostic.Media is changing, we must adapt.Fluidity in arts disciplines is necessary as new media

platforms emerge.Be where young people are. International is popular among corporations like Time

Warner.What Reel Works does best: helping youth tell their

stories.Communicate scope of new programs and connect to

fi lmmaking core.

TIME WARNER FY12: $50K FY13: $100K

Miguel Salinas

Very focused on building international partnerships and incubating cross cultural collaborations with new online tools.

New Creativity Scholarship Fund to address need to support career readiness.

Some agencies are changing to stay relevant, some are doing the same model the always have.

Very few have the capacity to take on projects that are not local.

Outcomes do not change: building 21 s t century skills through creativity.

Scale is a challenge: too many schools are not embracing new models or lack technology resources.

Media making process is inherently individual and unscalable.

ADOBEFY13: $20K

Supports programs like Reel Works because they target an audience that is hard to reach.

Jobs that require technology skills are among the fastest growing sectors.

Sees growth in video production, web design, app building, game design, etc. in youth programs.

Loves Hive NYC model – would fund projects incubated through Hive partnerships.

Collaboration is positive. Don’t invent when you can partner.

If Reel Works were to expand other media off erings, it should always link back to fi lmmaking.

Reel works is about storytelling and youth development.

PINKERTON FOUNDATIONFY12: $50K FY13 $70K

21s t Century skills are what we teach.Connected Learning is what we do.Partnerships with schools create opportunities to be seen

as essential educational partners.Youth centered learning in our classrooms will lead to

new programs – like the music program – that will be relevant to teens.

Workforce development programs create stronger ties with corporate funders & industry.

Hive Membership creates opportunities for innovation and partnership with other agencies locally and internationally.

Close partnerships with City of New York & WNET make us highly visible.

Our brand is quality storytelling and innovative programs.

REEL WORKS IS POSITIONED TO LEAD

Before Today

We Teach Filmmaking. Vs. We are digital media educators who teach 21st century skills through filmmaking.

We are educators who partner with schools to provide in school and after school media

workshops that engage at risk youth.

We Make Student Films Vs. We are content creators of powerful peer-to-peer youth media that is seen worldwide across all platforms.

We are a Brooklyn organization. Vs. We are a Brooklyn based organization that serves NYC youth citywide.

We are local organization that has an outsized impact on the field through our

innovative programs and the quality of our student work.

PARADIGM SHIFT

Program Serves Earns Growth

Core After School Programs: The Lab, The Summer Lab, The Master Lab, New Initiatives.

200 $400K Limited in our current space.

New Location?

Reel Works In Schools 100-200 $120K Unlimited if we invest in fundraising and staffing capacity.

Includes Professional Development for teachers.

Reel Works Productions 20 $210K Unlimited if we invest in marketing and staffing.

Reel Futures 15 $65K Limited by funding and availability of work-ready youth and industry partners.

Reel Impact/Distribution 1 Million $0 Unlimited if we invest in outreach.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH

Youth experience media across multiple screens and platforms every day of their lives. They consume entertainment - videos, music, games, web sites – in fl uid, participatory continuum of experiences and share them through social media. Teens create and share without consideration of boundaries between media.

Reel Works can continue to be leader in the fi eld without sacrifi cing out core fi lmmaking identity. But we have to listen to our students, our education partners and funders and recognize that no one just makes stand-alone movies anymore.

Innovation is multidisciplinary, collaborative and welcomes failure.

FINAL THOUGHTS