CHANGE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: A COLLABORATIVE STUDY
Ages 16-29
Spring 2021, Online
Look around your neighborhood and you’re guaranteed to find something new in the works. It could be the opening of a CVS, the closing of a corner store, a sudden flurry of rowhome rehabs. In this videography workshop student fellows will examine the impact of change on their communities, whether it be the reclaiming of an empty lot as a pop-up boutique or the multimillion dollar initiative to redevelop the “Superblock” around Lexington Market. They’ll consider gentrification versus economic empowerment, what gets torn down and what reimagined, questions of aesthetics and historical preservation, and how both small and large projects impact the city. They’ll work independently to collect material, then together as a team with the instructor to create a ten-minute film that looks at change from the personal to the communal point of view. They’ll refine storytelling skills and learn research and interview techniques, along with videography, including audio recording and editing. Limited to 8 student fellows.
Charles Cohen's recent documentary films include Riding Wild, which follows a group of BMXers into Baltimore's urban wilderness, and The Crooked Tune, an Old Time Fiddler in a Modern World. He holds an MFA in Film and Digital Media from American University and has written for The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, The Washington Post, and Baltimore City Paper.
Alisha Mona'e Coates graduated from Morgan State University with a B.S in Multi-Platform Media Production. A BYFA participant since 2016, she started her photography career at Edmondson Westside, and hopes to eventually open an art/photography studio.
Anishta Khan is a senior at Johns Hopkins, studying public health and writing, and a France-Merrick Civic Fellow with the Center for Social Concern. She is compelled by place-based storytelling through writing and the visual arts.
