Film project tells stories of Camden
By WILFORD S. SHAMLIN
Courier-Post Staff
A group of inner-city teens and young adults is using computer skills to compose stories that offer glimpses into their personalities, interests and struggles.
The 11 Camden residents will unveil their work Wednesday during the Winter 2010 Film Festival at the Walt Whitman Center for the Arts in Camden.
The digital stories were created through a program at Hopeworks ‘N Camden, a youth advocacy group that aims to prepare teens and young adults for technology jobs by teaching them a wide array of computer skills.
Students in the program present digital stories — complete with soundtrack and voice-over script — at film festivals three to four times a year, said Shawn Mack, Hopeworks’ literacy director. He said the project gives participants an opportunity to express themselves artistically.
By sharing her story, Zakkiyya Malik, 22, hopes to inspire others to pursue their dreams — even in the face of hardship.
Distraught over the death of her guardian grandmother, Malik was in the second semester of her senior year at Woodrow Wilson High School when she dropped out in December 2004, just months before graduation.
Her digital story is a three-minute piece set to slow-tempo music. In it, she gives viewers a glimpse into her childhood living in Lake City, Fla., and her time in high school. She contrasts the two school systems and says her Florida school districts did a better job of keeping students focused on graduating.
Malik is on the cusp of realizing her dream of attending college and is applying for financial aid to Camden County College, where she plans to study art and history. Right now, she’s working on earning her GED.
Her peers share their perspective on the state of Camden, their favorite sports team and other personal issues through their digital stories. All the participants are Camden residents from 14 to 22 and affiliated with Hopeworks training programs.
On Monday, they made final preparations for the film festival, either writing their biographies or editing and adding sound to their video.
“Oh God, it feels very good . . . a relief!,” Malik said.
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