YOUTH ON THE AIR: CHILDREN'S TELEVISION PRODUCTION WORKSHOP offers students a practicum structure where they will participate with youth groups to produce media for young people. This semester students will create with The Fearless Theater Company a series of public service announcements based on the members' ideas and experiences. These PSAs will be part of "Count Me In!", a national advertising campaign designed to raise consciousness about "access" — the needs of people with disabilities to be provided with all the services and benefits of community life. During the first six weeks of the semester or the pre-production stage of the project, the students will assist The Fearless Theater Company members in forming scripts as well as teaching them production techniques. The next four weeks of the semester will include the production stage, in which both groups will be on location and will use class time and public school half days for videotaping the PSAs. The last three weeks will be the post-production stage where other elements, such as voice-overs and music will be added, and the PSAs will be edited together as rough-cuts. The final cuts or completed PSAs will be edited during the month of January and will be broadcast on WNYE, channel 25, in Spring, 1998.

Suggested readings: Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol, 1991; Children and Television, ed. by Gordon L. Berry and Joy Keiko Asamen, 1993; "Annals of Childhood: Writing Down Secrets", by Sara Mosle, article in The New Yorker, September 18, 1995; "Shameful Bequests to the Next Generation" by Nancy Gibbs, article in TIME magazine, October 8, 1990. Creative Drama in the Classroom by Nellie McCaslin, 1990; Giving Form to Feeling by Nancy King, 1975; Toward Civilization, National Endowment of the Arts, 1988; To Teach by William Ayers, 1993; Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire, 1996; Power of their Ideas by Deborah Meirer, 1995; Playbuilding by Errol Bray, 1994; and Playmaking by Daniel Sklar, 1991; Moving Violations by John Hockenberry, 1995.

Suggested videos: "King of The Hill", directed by Stephen Sondberg, "Hope and Glory", directed by John Boorman, "The Secret of Roan Innish", directed by John Sayles, "Los Olvidados", directed by Luis Bunel, "Pixote", a Brazilian documentary, and "11400 Blows", directed by Francois Truffaut. Additional videos will be assigned for home viewing.


COURSE OUTLINE
Week One: The first session will be lecture and discussion with Ms. Louise Tiranoff, the Co-Director and founder of The Fearless Theater Company, which will set up future meetings with the Company members. The focus will be on understanding the young people's lives, issues they face, and how to create media with them. Examples of past Company projects will be shown and heard.
Assignment: One to two page paper on your perceptions of physically handicapped young people when you were an adolescent.

Week Two: Introduction of the Fearless Theater Company members. Both students and members will share their backgrounds and begin developing a team relationship. All will engage in dramatic warm-up exercises. Production teams will be formed. Previously created storyboards of PSAs will be evaluated for possible production.

Weeks Three through Six: These sessions will focus on the scripts, production techniques, production schedule and casting. Parts of the sessions will be videotaped and tapes used for script development.

Weeks Seven through Eleven: This is the production stage where students will videotape the show with members of the drama group assisting in production positions. After each videotaping of a both groups will screen and critique footage.

Weeks Twelve through Fourteen: This is the Post-Production stage where other elements suchas voice-overs and music will be added. Segments will then be edited together by student editors assisted by The Fearless Theater Company members on the editing team.

Week Fifteen: Screening of program and celebration party.

THE PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATION
See attached material.

SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept. 12th: First meeting of The Fearless Theater Company and NYU members; set up production team.
Friday, Sept. 19th: Work on script for lst PSA and discuss camera and lighting techniques.
Friday, Sept. 26th: Finalize scripts for lst PSA and begin planning dance scene from "Satchmols Gang".
Friday, Oct. 3rd: No class.
Friday, October 10th: Continue working on scene and discuss location sound recording techniques with guest lecturer, Ms. Annette Danto.
Friday, October 17th: Finalize script for scene; discuss casting techniques for PSA and scene.
Friday, Oct. 24th: Casting for PSA and scene.
Sunday, Oct. 26th: Rehearsal for PSA from 10AM to 4PM in Teaching Sound Stage; lunch will be provided.
Friday, Oct. 31st: Rehearsal and set up for PSA.
Sunday, Nov. 2nd: Shoot PSA from 10AM to 4PM; lunch will be provided.
Friday, Nov. 7th: Rehearse and shoot dance scene from 8:30AM to 3PM (approximate times) at Louis Armstrong School.
Friday, Nov. 14th: View footage of PSA and scene; discuss editing techniques.
Friday, Nov. 21st: Post production session.
Friday, Nov. 28th: No class. Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday, Dec. 5th: Post production session.
Friday, Dec. 12th: View rough-cuts of PSA and scene AND PARTY!
NOTE: Unless otherwise indicated, the class will begin for the NYU members at 3:30PM in room 842 and at 4PM for The Fearless Theater Company members. At 5PM all members will go to the Teaching Sound Stage on the first floor until 6:30PM.