DocuMentorMe
The DocuMentorMe program is meant to engage underrepresented members of our community with an opportunity to explore the creative art of storytelling through documentary media production. We hope to empower BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color), traditionally underrepresented community members, and low-income or working-class residents of San José and Santa Clara County to share their own stories and experiences.
A small cohort of participants is accepted to the program each fall. Participants are encouraged to research an issue of personal and community relevance as they receive mentoring through the process of documentary filmmaking. Each participant completes fully produced short documentary about their chosen topic.
Across approximately 15 weeks, each participant will have access to our professional community media team and resources. This will include the production equipment, technical training, and mentoring needed to develop artistic and media-making skills so they might bring the spirit of innovation and empowerment home to their communities. Additionally, all participants will receive a small monetary stipend for their time and a free one-year membership to CreaTV San José. Applications for the DocuMentorMe program are made available in July each year.
Summer Documentary Institute (SDI)
Our Summer Documentary Institute provides meaningful opportunities for youth in our community who are looking for an opportunity to explore creative work opportunities!
This exciting 5-week program, in partnership with San José Works, provides documentary production and technology training, and leadership development, at no cost, for 10 underrepresented youth in San José. The Summer Documentary Institute encourages positive self-expression and social change through media making while inviting youth to explore technology-based careers.
The Summer Documentary Institute encourages participants to use this opportunity to tell the stories that are important to their lives through the creation of powerful documentaries. They will be fully immersed into the documentary production process from creating scripts and storyboards to capturing their stories using state-of-the-art equipment and editing tools. Our program will be led by our experienced Community Media staff, summer youth intern leaders, interns and volunteers. Participants discover how documentaries can raise awareness of issues and advocate for social change.
Participants in the SDI program choose three to four community topics that they wish to explore and divide into small groups. Each group will work together to produce a 5-7-minute mini-documentary on their chosen topics. Final projects will be debuted at a public screening at CreaTV, with a Q&A with the filmmakers.
CreaTV will provide all participants who complete the program with a one-year membership to extend the learning and continue the program participants’ journey of positive self-expression, increase their technology competence, and practice advocacy for issues that are important to them.
The Summer Documentary Institute is a program in partnership with San José Works. Job coaches are in direct contact with East Side Union High School District students who qualify to participate in the program. Any inquiries can be sent to Ivan Ramirez at ivan.ramirez@sanjoseca.gov.