On Friday, Dec. 20, the red carpet was rolled out at Caribbean Cinemas by Sunny Isle on St. Croix for young local artists who participated in producing two short films to raise community awareness about gun violence across the territory.
Blue Tarp Productions provided detailed information about the filmmaking project, a part of the Film Over Gun Violence Program, a yearly program put together by CFEG.
“The CFEG Film Over Gun Violence Program is an annual non-profit initiative designed to provide access to education and careers in the humanities and arts,” Blue Tarp Productions said.
“The Film Over Gun Violence Program was developed by CFEG, a non-profit virtual school that has been pioneering new programs and education systems as well as methods that build students up so they are active in impacting their communities and active in directing their own learning,” Blue Tarp Productions reported. “This program is CFEG’s 5th annual program,” the organization noted.
“[Our team] focused on using film to address the gun homicide rate in the U.S. Virgin Islands because young people between the ages [of] 13 [to] 28 are the most impacted by the violence,” Blue Tarp Productions revealed. “Our program aims to redirect the youth away from the guns [and, instead, focus on] the art of filmmaking.”
“[The program] accomplished this goal through teaching and providing teens and young adults a complete hands-on [independent] filmmaking experience,” Blue Tarp Productions stated. “Young people in the community learned how to write scripts that focus on the social issue of gun violence impacting their lives and create films addressing that issue,” Blue Tarp Productions continued.
Phases of the Filmmaking Project
Blue Tarp Productions said that the program had been divided into two parts and provided the following information:
“Humanities Education Civic Research & Monologue Presentation: The first phase [of the project] focused on researching [and] understanding the issue of gun violence in the Virgin Islands community and developing public speaking skills. The Film Over Gun Violence Program educated students on the historical context and devastating impact of gun violence by teaching them to research crime statistics, analyze data, and review newspaper articles for context and stories. Through this process, students learned about history, civics, and jurisprudence, equipping them with the tools to tell their stories through filmmaking and address the region’s high gun violence rates.
“Film Production: In the second phase [of the program], participants learned the various aspects of creating short [independent] films, from writing and producing to operating cameras and acting. From the [conception of the] story to the [film] shoot, participants learned to develop their very own short films in collaborative sessions in small class environments. Participants of the program [were able to] learn real-life skills and techniques used in film, broadcasting, and communication industries,” Blue Tarp Productions said.
Two Short Films Created
Blue Tarp Productions explained that two short films were created: one by a group of teenage students and another movie produced by a young adult student.
“Our program produced two short films: ‘Fall’ [which was created by the] young adult group, and ‘Bullet Proof Dreams’ [developed by] the teen group,” Blue Tarp Productions said.
“[The short film] ‘Fall’ was written by Angelina Lang, a talented young woman from the young adult group. We met her last year after one of our premieres, and she shared her passion for writing with us. It’s not every day that we [are] approached by someone eager to write, so we were excited about the opportunity. We loved her script, and the rest is history. ‘Fall’ tells the love story of two unexpected lovers, Jan and Isis, inspired by real-life events.
“‘Bulletproof Dreams’ was written by our younger teen group. It follows Tony, a young man faced with a difficult decision. Both films speak to the issue of gun violence, something that touches us all. We believe everyone will find something relatable in both stories.
A Positive Impact Throughout the USVI Community
Blue Tarp Productions wholeheartedly believes that the work that the CFEG students have created already has positively benefited the local community.
“We believe that the Film Over Gun Violence program has contributed to addressing the social issue of gun violence by offering young people another option, other than guns, other than being surrounded by violence,” Blue Tarp Productions declared. “Some of the historical statistics on crime show that school investment, access to more opportunities, and social connections reduce crime rates,” the production company said.
“[The slogans we use are] ‘changing the scene’ [and] ‘directing youth away from the gun violence to the act of filmmaking,’ and we mean that,” Blue Tarp Productions explained. “We believe providing access to more programs and talking about the issues of gun violence from [the younger] generation’s perspective can begin to not only heal the community from the effects of gun violence but, more importantly, also begin to [help promote a reduction in gun violence] as opportunities for our people [increase],” Blue Tarp Productions noted. “[Therefore,] we made investments and provided education and social connection opportunities,” Blue Tarp Productions continued.
“We’re most proud of the impact our program has had on the students and young people of this community and how that has grown our collective production of film and collaboration amongst the community who support film and the arts,” Blue Tarp Productions said.
Blue Tarp Productions shared gratitude for the numerous groups and sponsors who helped to bring the entire program to life, including Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts, Team Faktornize, Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, Virgin Islands Council of Arts, Caribbean Cinemas, Viya, Ocean Point Terminals, Heavy Materials, 1878, and GC Investment Management.
Looking Ahead
Blue Tarp Productions shared hopes about the film industry across the territory in the coming years.
“[The] students did an amazing job, and they show and prove that there’s talent on this island and interest in film and production,” Blue Tarp Productions acknowledged. “Our goal is to create a ripple effect. We are stronger as a collective, so we manifest in developing this film and art collective, where all colleagues in the camera and production industry collaborate,” the organization said.
“Ultimately, we want to produce the films you go see at the cinema, and we want to develop a strong, respected film industry in the Virgin Islands and [the] Caribbean, [and] we take great pride in the opportunity to give back to this community,” Blue Tarp Productions indicated. “We’re also incredibly proud to share the world of film and the numerous opportunities it offers. Not many people realize the wide range of career possibilities involved in a single film shoot, from the director and assistant director to photography, sound technicians, lighting crew, business, marketing, social media, communications, accounting, and so much more,” the organization continued. “Each role is vital to bringing a production to life.”
Blue Tarp Productions encouraged more young people to participate in the Film Over Gun Violence Program.
“We want more YOUTH!” Blue Tarp Productions exclaimed. “We started [the program] off with a small group of students, and next year, we want all the youth to be aware of what’s going on and join,” the production group said. “This program is for young people, and there are programs and opportunities being made available for young people. Come join us. Let’s make a difference and ‘change the scene,’” the group continued.
“We urge parents and elders in our community to keep encouraging and inspiring our young people to dream big,” Blue Tarp Productions said. “We also hope they can help create pathways for these young individuals to return home, so they feel that the Virgin Islands is evolving in a way that [excites them] to come back and contribute to our growth,” Blue Tarp Productions concluded.
Blue Tarp Productions noted that additional screenings like the one on Friday night will occur soon, and more information about the Film Over Gun Violence Program can be found on CFEG’s website and on the program’s donation page. Additional information about Blue Tarp Productions can be located on the production company’s Facebook page.
Red carpet interviews filmed at the event can be viewed on The Source YouTube Channel here!
