Hello my name is Franklyn A. Strachan Jr. I go by Franklyn of Cypher Films. In the fall of 2001 I was hired to design the costumes for a junior high school production in an affluent Connecticut community. I was paid my standard rate and thought how amazing it is that these students could experience such a production. After the experience I thought about how students in New York City schools, the same school I went to, didn't have these chances. Not because people don't care... but in many schools art classes are the first thing to go in a budget crisis. Budgets are used to keep schools open instead of advancing these children's imaginations with new technologies and materials to create with. 

In the summer of 2002 I along with New York City school teacher, Frank Tavarez taught three classes of 6th graders from I.S. 129 of the South Bronx, how to write and produce a film. The classes each came up with a story and together we cast, costumed, and shot their creations.I then was able to edit them and give these children a piece of motion picture's romance. The mystery of film as a career no longer existed. Many of the students often discussed their new dreams of making films or designing costumes. Creating these films also gave us a window into the worlds of these children. Many social issues such as gang violence and social pressures were explored in the films. What I had thought would be a fun project turned into a life changing experience for everyone involved. 

I wonder what we could have done with a little funding. This idea can spread. If artists could afford to share their talents with the next generation then schools would not have to pick up the slack. The only way this can happen is with the support of generous private sponsors. I would like the Kid Flicks program to continue but this time put cameras into the hands of the students. This time around bring laptops that have editing equipment on them for the students to learn from. With every sponsored dollar...the level of production and education goes up. The amount of schools in the community that can be visited goes up. The amount of artists that can participate goes up. With your consideration we can achieve this. Please take a look at our previous "Kid Flick" projects. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oibu5uivV0A
You can vote for us to win funding from Pepsi athttp://www.refresheverything.com/kidflicks

Thank you very much

We are in the Pepsi refresh contest for June!!!!http://www.refresheverything.com/kidflicks This is a series of films we made in 2002. We are trying to get funding to do it again. Contact us at franklyn@cypherproductions.com if you would like to fund a project like this for your local school.