History of the Festival
The Do It Your Damn Self!! Youth Video and Film Festival was initiated
by a group of Teen Media Program members, in 1996, who felt that
their voices and the voices of others like them were greatly
underrepresented and misrepresented in the mainstream media.
So instead of waiting for others to allow them the chance to
showcase their work, these teens took maters in their own hands,
and did it their damn selves! These TMP members gave birth to
the first festival directed by youth. Now in its ninth year,
the DIYDS Festival continues to be a beacon of light burning
brightly for the masses of youth producers.
The TMP members keep busy throughout the year contacting youth
video makers across the country, designing the various print materials,
previewing and discussing the videos which arrive over the summer,
designing the final program, and preparing for the many roles they
will need to play on the day of the festival. The TMP members;
act as facilitators during the festival, leading the audience in
dialog, while other members are busy behind the scenes working
in the projection booth, assisting the sound manager, and orchestrating
the reception of guests from Cambridge, Boston and cities across
the country. The Teen Media Program members pre-screen entries
in the categories of Animation, Public Service Announcement, Music
Video, Video Poetry, Documentary, Experimental and Narrative. These
program members, ages 11 - 18, discuss the merits of each video,
focusing on content, style, originality, creativity, camera work
and editing. The members always keep in mind one of the goals of
the festival: to give voice to youth who might not otherwise have
such an opportunity.
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