How One Filmmaker Can Change The Lives Of A Community by Alex Munoz [Founder of FYI Films]
Film Courage: FYI (Films By Youth Inside), that is your nonprofit?
Alex Munoz, Founder of FYI Films/Filmmaker: Yes.
Film Courage: Do you remember the day that you not just applied for the the nonprofit status but that you actually came up with the idea to do it?
Alex: Yes, I wish I could say I had this great idea to teach filmmaking to incarcerated youth but it actually was a result of as a consequence of my encounter with a group of community activists when I did my first movie about the LA riots [1992] for a short time which investigated the civil unrest following the Rodney King verdict. We screened the film at first AME Church and leaders from the Latino community, Korean American community, African American community and also LAPD [Los Angeles Police Department] people were there to have a panel discussion and the screening was shut down by a group of about 20 to 22 young black activists who said “F’ Hollywood! You guys don’t offer any jobs training or workforce development. We have all these young brothers and sisters who want to get in. You just come in here and make your films and don’t talk to us. What needs to happen for our people from our community to enter your industry?” And they shut the screening down for two hours and a lot of producers left. They said “You are discriminating against people of color and people from disadvantaged communities. This is nonsense. We want answers now!” So it was good that the producers heard this. It was important and finally Reverend Cecil Mary said “Let’s show the film and let’s talk more after.” And I went up to these young activists and I said “Hey, I don’t think it’s fair to depict all Hollywood filmmakers as uncaring. I’m interested in doing what I can.” They said “Well, prove it!” And I said “Well how do you want me to prove it?” And they said “Go to Herman G. Stark [a former Youth Correction Facility in Chino, CA] where they consummate the most violent youth offenders and tell them about your journey. Tell them about what you do, that you went to USC [University Southern California], that you’re a professional filmmaker. Be a role model…(Watch the video interview on Youtube here).
See Film Courage’s collection of Writing and Filmmaking and Acting videos on Youtube.
New videos 5:00 p.m. daily! Subscribe to the main Film Courage Youtube channel and our second Film Courage Youtube channel here…
