Experienced Filmmakers mentoring Aspiring Crew Members while serving Philadelphia.

• Crews Control: Teaching the skills
• Lights/Camera/Interaction: Production
• Direction Philadelphia: Projects that serve the Community

The Tripod Initiative is a program that matches professional filmmakers with students to produce projects that serve our community. By the creation of these videos and interaction with the mentors, the students learn more about jobs in film and video production, while strengthening their production skills.

Joan Bressler, Director of Greater Philadelphia Filmmakers, supervises the program and Rob Kates, of Kates Media, is the Program Producer.

This year's teams are: Drexel University with faculty advisor Karin Kelly, mentored by Dianne Thompson, client: Pegasus Riding Academy. The University of the Arts, with faculty advisor Michael Wellenreiter, mentored by Brian Gannon, client: Community Conservatory of Music. Widener University with faculty advisor Tim Scepansky, mentor Bill Nicoletti, client: Access Sports.

Last year, we piloted a team of Emerging Filmmakers, the first independent Tripod team (not been affiliated with a school). This took us one step closer to bringing this program to students of all ages. The Emerging Team, mentored by J. Palmer Enfield: Shawn McMullen, Producer; Andrew Harmon, Co-Director; Steve McCann, Co-Director; Francesco Pinna, Director of Photography; Maria Briones, Assistant Camera; Melissa Pastras, Location/Post Audio; Bill Garvey, Editor; Joe Moser, Composer/Audio Post. The Emerging Team produced three videos for the Greater Philadelphia Film Office- a locations video, the "Green"launch and an overview of Greater Philadelphia Filmmakers services. Expansion of Tripod beyond college film students will continue next year.

The Background

We piloted this program in the spring of 2004, with the support of the Commonwealth of PA Department of Community and Economic Development, The Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center and The Brownstein Foundation. The focus was on career awareness and student teams explored Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering, Information Technology and Health Services in our region. But that was just the beginning.

Phase 2 of the program, from fall 2005-spring 2006, reached out into the business and non-profit communities. Students were assigned companies which have real audio visual needs and served as the “clients” for the program. The client defined the videos in terms of goal and content. This was the foundation of things to come.

Last year, we continued to produce projects for non-profits.  Student teams were from Arcadia University, Drexel University, St. Joe's and Widener University and delivered projects to their "clients" last spring. Arcadia University, with mentor Leslie Birch, produced a video for the Education Works, which supports free academic and recreational programming for public school students. Drexel University, with mentor Brian Gannon, produced a video for Open Arms Adoption Network of Jewish Family and Children's Service of Greater Philadelphia, which nurtures and supports children, youth, families and adults in the five-county Greater Philadelphia region through a variety of individual and group services. St. Joe's University, with mentor Bill Nicoletti, produced a video for Philadelphia Futures. which helps low-income students attending Philadelphia's neighborhood high schools achieve the dream of a college education. Widener University, with mentor Mark Forker, produced a video for Philabundance, whose mission is to mission is to fight hunger and malnutrition in the Delaware Valley by collecting food and distributing it to local nonprofit agencies serving people in need. We were delighted with the results and focus of Tripod '07-'08, and will continue working with non-profit organizations in in the '08-'09 season. Projects from past years include: The Clay Studio, Fellowship Farm, Smith Playground and Playhouse, Center for Human Integration, Architecture in Education and October Gallery.

The Plan

Our 2008-2009 focus is continuing in the non profit world. We reached out once again to this community and had an enormous response, with almost 100 organizations responding with projects to consider. Our teams have made their client choices, are gearing up for production and will deliver their projects in the spring of '09.

The Goal

Ultimately, we envision a database that includes student filmmakers and professional mentors who team together on an on-going basis to produce work at a reduced rate for non-profits that could not otherwise afford it.

The Impact

The Tripod Initiative fills many needs. It helps the community by producing a product for which there is a real need. And, it gives student filmmakers the experience of creating their videos and exposes them to the "real life" practice of producing a project for a client with specific requirements and a real budget. It also gives professional film/video makers an opportunity to give back to the community by working at a reduced rate on these projects.

This project is financed in part by a grant from the Commonwealth of PA Department of Community and Economic Development, The Brook J. Lenfest Foundation and Drexel University, Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design.