Please join WeOwnTV in supporting emerging filmmakers in Sierra Leone as they embark on a journey of storytelling that will bring their stories to the world. Your tax deductible donation can be made via our fiscal sponsor BAVC.
donate
Donate: Make a Difference for Young Filmmakers Visualizing their Future
Please join WeOwnTV in supporting emerging filmmakers in Sierra Leone as they embark on a journey of storytelling that will bring their stories to the world. Your tax deductible donation can be made via our fiscal sponsor BAVC. DONATE Today »WeOwnTV: Providing Creative Space for a Future to Be Realized
Thanks to the partners and contributors that have generously supported the efforts of WeOwnTV and continue to encourage its further development, a youth-focused workshop that began just two years ago has blossomed into something larger than first imagined-and it's just the beginning.January 2009: With the support of Creative Capital, WeOwnTV is established and the team sets out on a scouting trip to Sierra Leone; 50 young men and women are interviewed and in-country partners come on board.
Fall 2009: WeOwnTV debuts its first filmmaking workshop for youth in Sierra Leone. The month-long workshop trains 18 young men and women.
- As a result of the workshop collaboration and continued engagement of its graduates many compelling short films and media projects have been created.
- The collaborative short-film productions Youth, Family and Charity, written and produced by WeOwnTV youth filmmakers, have garnered interest from broadcasters and exhibitors. The films have screened at numerous film festivals and are currently featured in a multi-media exhibit at the Intersection of the Arts in San Francisco.
Spring 2010: Engaged top Web-design firm, Zaudhaus, to expand www.weowntv.org and rebrand the organization's identity with a focus on developing a digital exhibition platform for ongoing content produced by WeOwnTV faculty and workshop participants.
Summer 2010: Fueled and inspired by the support and encouragement the media education program has received to date, WeOwnTV will opened the doors of a media center for its faculty and young collaborators in Freetown. To learn more about WeOwnTV: Sierra Media Center, click here ».
These efforts were made possible by the generous contributions and support from private donations ($61,000 and in-kind equipment); Creative Capital ($50,000); Freedom to Create ($43,000); Media Maker Award and partnership forged with The Bay Area Video Coalition/BAVC (in-kind support and fiscal sponsorship).
Join Us in Celebrating and Documenting 50 Years of Independence
Leveraging their remarkable and creative gifts, the young filmmakers of WeOwnTV continue to focus on developing a variety of production projects including a variety of documentary and narrative work. A major creative inspiration for 2011 is the nation's 50th anniversary of independence.WeOwnTV is currently in the development and funding phases for WeOwnTV: 'Meet Sweet Salone'--Celebrating and Documenting Sierra Leone's 50 Years of Independence. The project includes the production of a 12-episode documentary short-form series and a month-long experiential-learning production workshop in April 2011 to support the development of film and video projects sharing the Sierra Leone of today with national and global audiences as the country celebrates its Golden Anniversary.
WeOwnTV is committed to audiences discovering the Sierra Leone of today, so this new generation can move forward and not be burdened with the mistakes of the past. For this milestone production program, WeOwnTV is working to raise $75,000 ($25,000 for the series and $50,000 for workshop and other programs)--join us in making this a reality. Your donations will be put to work immediately in the development of young filmmakers in Sierra Leone. Make a tax-deductible* donation TODAY.
Equipment Donations
In-kind donations of new or gently used equipment are highly valued and needed to outfit and maintain the Media Center in Freetown. Specific needs include:- MacBook Pro and PowerBook G4 laptops to be used as video editing stations
- HD solid state camcorders
- DV Cameras (prosumer 3CCD models)
- Download complete Media Center equipment list needs, here.