DREAMING TREE FOUNDATION
1611 21ST STREET, ROCK ISLAND, IL 60660 dreamingtreefoundation.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: DREAMING TREE FOUNDATION DBA FRESH FILMS' (THE ORGANIZATION) MISSION IS TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF UNDERSERVED YOUTH THROUGH ENGAGING THEM IN THE CREATIVE AND TECHNICAL PROCESSES OF FILMMAKING; FILMMAKING IS OUR VEHICLE FOR MENTORSHIP, LEADERSHIP, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AMONG TEENS. THE PROGRAM SERVES DIVERSE UNDERSERVED TEENS OF ALL ETHNICITIES (MORE THAN 50% YOUTH OF COLOR), GENDERS (53% WOMEN), BACKGROUNDS (53% FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH), AND EXPERIENCE LEVELS.

FRESH FILMS WORKS WITH UNDERSERVED TEENS TO BUILD THEIR TECHNICAL SKILLS, CAREER AND LIFE SKILLS (21ST CENTURY SKILLS), CONFIDENCE AND REALIZATION OF THEIR OWN FUTURE POTENTIAL THROUGH ACTIVELY INVOLVING THEM IN THE COLLABORATIVE, CREATIVE AND TECHNICAL PROCESSES OF FILMMAKING- FILMMAKING IS OUR VEHICLE FOR MENTORSHIP, LEADERSHIP AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AMONG TEENS. THE PROGRAM SERVES DIVERSE UNDERSERVED TEENS OF ALL ETHNICITIES (MORE THAN 60% YOUTH OF COLOR), GENDERS (53% WOMEN), BACKGROUNDS (53% FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH), AND EXPERIENCE LEVELS.THE FRESH FILMS PROGRAM ENGAGES 15-25 UNDERSERVED TEENS EACH IN CHICAGO, MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, JERSEY CITY, AND THE QUAD CITIES IN A YEAR-LONG FILMMAKING CAREER PATH THAT INCLUDES A 70-HOUR APPRENTICESHIP WHERE THE TEENS WORK ON-SET OF REAL EMMY-NOMINATED FILMS, TELEVISION SHOWS AND DOCUMENTARIES UNDER THE CLOSE MENTORSHIP OF PROFESSIONALS AND COLLEGE INTERNS. FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THE TEENS IN THE PROGRAM PRODUCED TWO TELEVISION EPISODES, TWO PSAS FOR LOCAL NON-PROFITS, A CORPORATE VIDEO FOR A FORTUNE 200 COMPANY, SHORT VIDEOS FOR THE TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL AND A LONG FORM DOCUMENTARY CALLED "I AM ABLE" ABOUT YOUTH WITH MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. IN ADDITION TO THE APPRENTICESHIP, THE TEENS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN WEEKLY CURRICULAR WORKSHOPS THAT FURTHER PREPARES THEM TO BE PLACED INTO A PAID INTERNSHIP WITH A MEDIA COMPANY OR MEDIA DEPARTMENT. THE PROGRAM GOAL IS TO BUILD CAREER PATHWAYS, JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND COLLEGE READINESS FOR THE $771B MEDIA/ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY THAT IS GROWING RAPIDLY DUE TO NON-TRADITIONAL VIDEO PRODUCERS, THE GROWTH OF TRADITIONAL PRODUCERS FOR DIGITAL DEMAND AS WELL AS THE GROWTH OF VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER PLATFORMS.ADDITIONALLY THROUGH A FUNDER PARTNERSHIP WITH HELLO SUNSHINE, 21 TEENAGE GIRLS WORKED FOR 80-HOURS ON A DOCUMENTARY CALLED "THE FILMMAKER LAB" THAT AIRED ON DIRECTV AND STARRED REESE WITHERSPOON AND OTHER HOLLYWOOD HEAVYWEIGHTS. OF THE 21 TEEN GIRLS, 12 WERE FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THE OTHER 8 FROM OTHER CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. LIKE OUR PROGRAMS IN OTHER CITIES, THE TEEN GIRLS ROTATE THROUGH ALL KEY POSITIONS ON SET LEARNING FROM PROFESSIONAL FILMMAKERS. FRESH FILMS ALSO DELIVERS GRANTS TO TEACHERS AND TEENAGERS TO SUPPORT THEIR DIGITAL FILMMAKING AND TECHNOLOGY/MEDIA MAKING IN THE CLASSROOM. FRESH FILMS REVENUE COMES FROM CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION GRANTS AND SOME PROGRAM SPONSORSHIP. PROGRAM EXPENSES TO ENGAGE, MENTOR AND TRAIN 100+ TEENS PER YEAR IN ON-SET FILM & TV APPRENTICESHIPS, WEEKLY WORKSHOPS, AND A PAID INTERNSHIP INCLUDE STAFF AND TEACHING ARTISTS, CURRICULUM CREATION, EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES, TRAVEL AND ALL PROGRAM COORDINATION WITH YOUTH AND THEIR PARENTS.STAFF INCLUDES 4 FULL-TIME STAFF, 3 PART-TIME STAFF, AND 5-7 PAID COLLEGE INTERNS. STAFF INCLUDES AN EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR/FILM DIRECTOR, MANAGING DIRECTOR/DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH OUTREACH, PRODUCER AND EDITOR WHO WORK ON ALL PROJECTS AND CURRICULUM AND TRAVEL TO THOSE THAT ARE OUTSIDE OUR HEADQUARTERS IN ROCK ISLAND, IL. FRESH FILMS HIRES FREELANCE FILM PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS A DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY FOR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS JUST LIKE OTHER FILM COMPANIES IN THE INDUSTRY. WE ALSO HAVE A LOCAL FILMMAKER/TEACHER ARTIST IN EACH CITY TO WORK WITH THE TEENS ON THE WEEKLY PROGRAM. EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES INCLUDE ALL CAMERA, SOUND, LIGHTING AND OTHER FILM AND EDITING EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS PROPS, COSTUMES, ON-SET FOOD, AND OTHER NEEDS NEEDED TO TRAIN THE YOUTH AND PRODUCE THE FILMS IN THE MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. SOME EQUIPMENT IS DONATED OR LOANED TO US AT NO CHARGE. TRAVEL IS BOTH LOCAL TRANSPORTATION TO HELP TEENS GET FROM THEIR HOMES TO THE FILM SETS AND/OR TO PAID INTERNSHIPS AND OUT-OF-TOWN TRAVEL (SUCH AS THE TRAVEL FOR THE 8 OUT OF TOWN GIRL FILMMAKERS AND THEIR PARENT CHAPERONES TO TRAVEL AND STAY IN LA FOR 8-DAYS DURING THE FILM PROGRAM.) EXPENSES ALSO INCLUDE THE PAID INTERNSHIP STIPENDS FOR THE TEEN FILMMAKERS. GENERAL EXPENSES INCLUDE ACCOUNTING, LEGAL AND INSURANCE ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS.

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