March 16, 2009

What do you end up with when you put eight inmates in a room with a video camera?

Find out when you watch "Judgement," a film project created by inmates at the Westchester County Jail. The 18-minute film was produced through a pilot program the Jacob Burns Film Center offered at the Westchester County Jail in partnership with Westchester County's Department of Corrections. The film was created by eight young men through the BOCES Incarcerated Youth Program. 

“Since film has such a profound effect on people’s life these days, we asked Jacob Burns if they could bring this program to our jail,’’ said Spano. “We wanted to give these young men an opportunity to use their personal experiences to create something lasting and positive. They learned a new skill and expressed themselves in a way they never had before – something we hope will help them in the future.”

The film enjoyed a special premiere March 9 at the Jacob Buns Film Center where it was followed by a Q&A with Commissioner of Corrections Joseph K. Spano, BOCES Principal Donnie Simmons, program instructors Mike Kraus and Sean Weiner, and Rory Rohan and Dekwan Clark, two of the former inmates in the class. It can now be viewed online at the Jacob Burns YouTube page.

“The program integrates core literacy skills with 21st century digital media tools to give students the opportunity for self-expression, communication, and tools to navigate today's workplace,” said JBFC Director of Education Programs Emily Keating. “We are very proud of the work produced by these students.”

The pilot class was integrated with the inmates’ full-day BOCES program including literacy for nonreaders, high school academics, GED preparation, life skills, career development and computer skills – all intended to help them function more productively during incarceration and after release. It was paid for with a grant from The Elias Foundation and not funded with taxpayer dollars.

The students met for two hours a week over the course of 12 weeks. They completed one collaborative 10-minute film and each student created a 1-minute individual piece. The group film is on the subject of judgment. Through a documentary-style approach, the filmmakers reflect on their own experiences being judged and judging others. The individual projects are brief first-person introductions. The students gained experience with digital video cameras, sound kits, conducting interviews, and editing with Final Cut Pro Express, the industry standard editing software.