Philly Chit Chat

The portraits presented in the First Person documentary are based on kids living in Philadelphia, in tough neighborhoods. Not unlike kids in the “better” neighborhoods, these teenagers also have obstacles such as lack of motivation and peer pressure, but while also battling the violence that sometimes permeates their world. Most of the kids parents were very supportive and encouraging, although some of the kids did grow up in different parental situations, with single parents, and with little structure, and discipline. What was truly brave of these kids was their candor regarding their situations, particularly Macho, who confesses that he puts on a tough exterior to get through the day, or Fresh who contemplates selling drugs on the street because he doesn’t ever want to work at McDonalds. First Lady Lisa Nutter; Scion rep, James Johnson, Director/Producer Benjamin Herold who received the Scion Award for Best Director of a documentary, First Lady of Philly, Lisa Nutter and Thom Cardwell, PFF Dir. of Development
Here are the kids again…A big obstacle for the kids was the school system. Either teachers didn’t seem to care, especially towards grading the students and just passing the ones that were getting the failing marks too or they were too overwhelmed with the responsibility of being the only parental force in the kids lives, which is really a losing battle. As it is teenagers don’t always have the respect for adults in any neighborhood, and without parents to enforce discipline, the kids can run amok. It was heartening to see the teens as dreamy eyed Sophomores and psyched by the prospect of college and becoming professionals; but as the years waned on, the motivation eased and only 2 out of the 7 profiled made it to college. (Although another one is studying Real Estate in jail, as he serves out his term for murder)

Ursula Rucker entertains at the after party at the World Cafe
As much as I was disappointed in the kids who for some reason or another dropped out of school, because of the lack of motivation, or hopelessness. The support of their parents was amazing, and really impressed me. In the end it just seemed that peer pressure was too much to overcome for most of them. How many of us would rather be accepted by our friends, then to study alone for a future that seems so far off.

What a shock it was for me and Malikka Saeed to find out that the key to college costs are out of reach for so many. I was wondering was she the only student to go to a non-coed school? Maybe taking the distraction of the opposite sex out of the equation was helpful to reaching her education goal.

The candor of the students was amazing, even with my blogs I don’t think I could be so brave and vulerable in admitting my fears in such a public way. Finally, come on, don’t you think it’s our responsibility to educate the kids of our future. College should be affordable. Thank you Steven Parr, Malikka Saeed, Kurtis Graves, Shalisa Ousley, Macho, Doug Fresh for your courage in sharing your stories. I do hope you live your best life, but you’d better start soon or you might become one of those people Sharlisa describe so perfectly “I see my friends basically just sitting at home, doing what they was doing when they was little kids, watching TV and eating cereal in the afternoon.” TO SUPPORT FIRST PERSON and to read more about the documentary:

http://firstpersondocumentary.org/ And thank you Ben Herold for the story.

Ok it’s not fair that I write about this event out of sequence, as I just attended it on Sunday, but the truth is I am exhausted. I have shot a lot of events, processed my photos to send to my Photo agency, and gotten little sleep. Tonight, Monday as it’s 3AM right now and I still consider it to be Sunday night, anyway no events Monday night for me, so I will begin the process of doing the festival in order, sending out the photos I promise, I think and hmm sleeping? BUT Ooh la la I met Wade from Sliders today. I will write more about the film she was in in sequence, but I love Sliders and was very excited. Silly me I never got to tell her how much I love that show, but we talked about other things. Hi Chelsea.

Ironically on the day that Director Tigre Hill held his wrap party of “The Barrel of A Gun”, a film about the murder of Officer Daniel Faulkner and Mumia Abu-Jamal, convicted of killing him in 1981, a ruling on the validity of the death penalty for Mumia was overturned. Here Tigre is with executive producer Kevin Kelly. Tigre says “This is a film with a lot of passion on both sides.”
Author of Black Brothers, Inc., Sean Patrick Griffin and Political Columnist Mary Patel at the wrap party of Tigre Hill’s “A Barrel of A Gun” held at Rae at the Cira Center. (Did I mention Mary’s film premiere at the Prince next Wednesday at 7PM “Electile Dysfunction”) – (Editors note: I think I have told you before, if I hear that a shot may be published, locally, I usually wait until after it appears in the paper before posting the shots on my blogs. On Tuesday a photo from this event did make the paper: http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/todaystalk/20080401_Inqlings__Nudist_worship__Check_your_calendar.html
and then today in Mary Patel’s column, which I have to say has a great write up of the party and is somewhat revealing:
http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2008/04/03/phillywood )
I love this shot, I really like a good candid. Here’s Sean Patrick in deep conversation with KYW’s Kathy Orr as Tigre and Al Griffin look on. At first I was going to hold this shot back, as well as Larry Mendte because they’re news people and I wasn’t sure if their appearance at the party was an ethical issue, but after speaking with several people in the field, they said that wasn’t my decision to make, and I am there to report it, not tamper with it. Then when I saw Dan Gross’ column (he was at the party too) where he names them and the other folks in attendence, that it was ok, I am just reported that they were there, as well as many other Phila celebrities, officers and friends. Including former Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson, District Attorney Lynne Abraham, CN8’s Greg Coy, CBS 3’s Lesley Van Arsdall, Larry Mendte and Kathy Orr, NBC 10’s Mike Strug, attorney Jimmy Binns, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Bill Colarulo Tigre introduces former Eagle Gary Cobb to Director of Development at the Philadelphia Film Festival, Thom Cardwell.

Larry Mendte looks exactly like he does on TV, and he is tall as heck
Mara Toukatly and Scott P. Sigman of Bochetto & Lentz, P.C (you know the offices on Locust Street with the boxing gloves on the sign)
Friends producer Tara Nurin and Sgt/ Ray Evers
Cinematographer Chad Jenkins, producer Tara Nurin, Producer Ed Kenedy, director Tigre Hill, Executive Producer Kevin Kelly and Art Director Matt Chom
(BTW Chad Jenkins was also the cinematographer on Mary Patel’s documentary, “Electile Dysfunction” [www.CHPproductions.com ]) Thank you Tigre for allowing me to come and cover this event. I am a huge fan of his from “Shame of the City” and I look forward to seeing “A Barrel of A Gun” when it’s released at the end of the year. Knowing Tigre and his last film. this documentary will be well developed, interesting and uncover the truth.

And I am so going to be covering it like no one’s business. I hope you will follow along as I capture everything possible. I am so excited that our little town has such a huge opportunity to present a lot of quirky fun films that you might never even have a chance to see if they didn’t come to Philly and the film festival. So a huge thanks to Ray Murray, Thom Cardwell and all the folks at PFF for bringing these nuggets to our City.

http://www.phillyfests.com/pff/home.cfm
Let me just plug my friend Mary Patel’s documentary on the state of our election process called “Electile Dysfunction”; it’s showing next Wednesday 4/9/08 at 7PM. Both she and co-director/producer Joe Barber will be there for a Q&A after the showing. I can’t get into it, but this little girl is really going to make a splash in the film industry, as she already has a few big names lined up for her next big movie. (read it here now, because when she sees this posting she’s going to make me pull this scoop off, inks not dried yet; but I am so happy for her I can hardly stand it)