The class, Community Filmmaking, is an official University of Michigan course offered through the Screen Arts and Culture Department at the University. It incorporates professors from outside the department as well as professionals from the film industry, including Jim Burnstein, Rob Hess, Steve Kopera, and Janet Maylie. High-school students are also integrated into the class based on interest and enthusiasm for filmmaking,. All students participate in discussions, hands-on film assignments, and community outreach to build support for the project. This includes location scouting, speaking with vendors, and recruiting support and sponsorship from area businesses. In the fall of 2009, we hope to begin a regular fall/winter course partner UM students with metro Detroit High school students.

Student and community crew are supplemented with professional crewmembers. The projects are shot on location all over the metro-Detroit community as well as any other necessary locations, such as Bay City.  Past shoots have involved over 260 people both on and off camera. The core of the crew consists of a 30-person crew comprised of qualified U-M students. Students not only perform the duties of a professional film crew, but also serve as mentors to participating high-school students. We strongly believe that the collaboration of students from different backgrounds offers a diverse and informed perspective on several aspects of filmmaking.

The cast on the latest project, Bilal’s Stand consisted of actors from southeast Michigan, including Julian Gant, Angela King, Sabrina Quinn, Angela Roberts, and Charles Usztics. Some of these actors had over 15 years of experience, while others were making their acting debuts. Additionally, hundreds of community members came out to participate as extras, show their support, and learn about the filmmaking process.

The script for Bilal’s Stand was written by U-M alumnus, Sultan Sharrief, and is based loosely on Sultan’s real-life experiences. The film focuses on the life of an inner-city high-school senior, Bilal, and his family’s long-owned taxi stand. “The Stand,” as they call it, has been the sole source of income for the family for the past sixty years, and it seems as if Bilal is about to carry the torch. But after secretly submitting a college application and taking up ice carving in order to win a university scholarship, he is forced to decide whether to continue working at The Stand, or pursue a higher education and personal empowerment. The film embodies the themes of social mobility vs. community abandonment, while confronting issues of class, race, and public and personal responsibility. In both content and form, the film addresses issues faced by high-school students from economically depressed communities.

Although the camera is no longer rolling, work is still being done to make this project a success. In addition to editing and planning for distribution, we are also in the process of collaborating with community youth and independent musicians to produce the score and soundtrack.