Teen Producers Project began since 2001 under the direction of Ethan van Thillo, Executive Director/Founder of Media Arts Center San Diego (MACSD). Since 1994 youth media has been submitted from across the United States to the organization’s annual San Diego Latino Film Festival. Viewing these works, MACSD always believed that similar media art could be produced successfully by youth right here in the San Diego County region.

In 2001, the organization applied for a grant to the San Diego Foundation, and with an initial $9,500 from the foundation, MACSD was able to purchase the initial video cameras and laptops to begin the Teen Producers Project.  With the needed equipment in-hand, MACSD then sought to build partnerships with larger community and educational organizations that would be interested to sponsor Teen Producers Project sessions at their facilities and for their clients.  The first two partners for Teen Producers Project were the MAAC Project and the San Diego County Office of Education’s Migrant Education Region IX.  The first Teen Producers Project took place in the Summer of 2001 at the MAAC Project’s President John Adams Manor apartment complex in Southeast San Diego.

Intro Teen Producers Project
(Intro to Documentary Filmmaking)

Students will learn basic lightening techniques, storyboarding, camera skills, and how to edit their projects in Adobe Premiere Pro

This program is only for teens from 12 to 18

Here is a short video for this program:

Advanced Teen Producers Project
(Narrative Filmmaking)

The advanced TPP class is designed for teens who already know the basics of filmmaking and want to take their skills to a new level.

They are going to learn about following skills:  DSLR camera system, a boom microphone, audio field recorder, and Adobe Premiere Pro.

This program is for teens from 14 to 18.

Here is a short video for this program:

Meet Our Team

TEEN PRODUCERS PROJECT FUNDERS:
California Endowment, California Arts Council, City of San Diego Commission for Arts & Culture, Wells Fargo, SDG&E.