Script's editor Sadie Dean visits the Reel Works headquarters in Brooklyn, NY, and witnesses firsthand how the dedicated team has created a safe and nurturing space for young creative minds to explore and contribute their art to their community.

As part of this effort, NBCUniversal has forged partnerships with numerous creative non-profit organizations across the U.S, which operate as agencies and are comprised of student apprentices from under-resourced communities, many of whom aspire to be filmmakers, producers, directors, editors, or writers. These include: Spy Hop, Youth Design Center, re:imagine/ATL, PhillyCAM, Reel Works, Youth FX, Wide Angle Youth Media, and Free Sprit Media.

My name is Keisha Katz and I'm the Director of Workforce and External Partnerships at Reel Works. In my role, at Reel Works I lead their citywide workforce program, MediaMKRS, which aims to bring together industry leaders, educators, and local government to train and credential rising talent. Prior to coming to Reel Works, I worked in unscripted television for companies like NBCU, Radical Media and ABC. I'm a wife and a mother of a fun-loving toddler.

On May 25, 2022, the 2022 Reel Works ChangeMakers Gala was a night to celebrate future filmmakers and to honor Film Producer, Charles D. King and Actress, Regina Hall as changemakers in the industry this past Wednesday. The Gala took place at New York City’s Tribeca 360°and was hosted by Actor, Bryan Terrell Clark.

Reel Works, a non-profit organization founded in 2001, was created to provide opportunities to youth who are passionate about media. The organization offers mentorship annually from middle school to high school. Through this program, teens are paired 1:1 with professional filmmaker mentors.

May 25 marked the 2022 Reel Works ChangeMaker(s) Gala. The event honored producer and MACRO founder and CEO, Charles D. King, who received the organization’s Reel Works ChangeMaker award; and The Best Man and Little actor, Regina Hall, who received Variety’s Voice of Inspiration Award.

Hollywood actress Regina Hall was honored this month with the second annual Voice of Inspiration Award from Variety.

The ceremony took place on May 25 at the annual Reel Works ChangeMakers Gala.

Regina Hall receives the second annual Variety Voice of Inspiration Award at the 2022 Reel Works ChangeMakers Gala at Tribeca 360 in N.Y.C. on May 25.

Regina Hall was the picture of elegance on Wednesday, while attending the Reel Works ChangeMakers Gala in New York.

The Nine Perfect Strangers star, 51, looked incredible in a stylish long-sleeve black coat dress, which she paired with chic black sandal heels.

At the ceremony she was honored with the second annual Voice of Inspiration Award from Variety. Also being honored was MACRO founder and CEO Charles D. King.

Photo Credit: Derek Blanks

Hall is receiving the second annual Voice of Inspiration Award from Variety on May 25 at the annual Reel Works ChangeMakers Gala. Also being honored is MACRO founder and CEO Charles D. King with the Reel Works ChangeMaker Award.

On May 25, Reel Works 2022 Changemakers Gala will be hosted as a live and virtual hybrid celebration honoring both industry change makers and the brilliant young student filmmakers at Reel Works who are changing the face of media today. Charles D. King will receive this year’s Reel Works ChangeMaker Award, and Regina Hall will be honored with VARIETY’s Voice of Inspiration Award in-person at Tribeca 360°. Broadway’s Bryan Terrell Clark returns to host following the 2021 ceremony, which celebrated the organization’s landmark 20th anniversary of training and credentialing BIPOC emerging filmmakers. The Gala is a fundraiser for the organization, and also a chance to honor industry leaders who are paving the way in terms of diversity and representation.

As awareness over the need to diversify Hollywood’s hair and makeup trailers continues to grow, the union that represents those artists has teamed up with entertainment workforce development program Reel Works to help bring more BIPOC stylists into the industry.

As awareness over the need to diversify Hollywood’s hair and makeup trailers continues to grow, the union that represents those artists has teamed up with entertainment workforce development program Reel Works to help bring more BIPOC stylists into the industry.

Danny Durr is a lighting genius. He has worked on a variety of projects including Euphoria, The Good Place, Veep, Insecure, Little Fires Everywhere, Malcolm & Marie, and countless commercials, music videos, and short films.

Listen to this week's podcast episode to learn more about Danny's journey and some tips and tricks on how to succeed in the film industry.

Danny has chosen to dedicate his episode to Reel Works. Reel Works mission is to empower the underserved New York City youth to share their stories through filmmaking, creating a springboard to successful careers in media and beyond. To get involved you can go to reelworks.org.

Helsen Sanabia is just 15 years old, but he already has the knowledge and the credits of your typical college film student. When discussing his craft, you might find him referencing directors like Wong Kar-wai or speaking about his own film, which recently screened at the MOMA.

How is this possible? Much of it is a testament to Sanabia’s own curiosity and drive, as well as the encouragement of his father, who introduced Sanabia to many influential films. But a large part is due to a Brooklyn-based organization called Reel Works.

The story: “Hannah Ha Ha” is a hyper-realistic slice of life family dramedy that questions the story American society tells millennials about what constitutes success. The 30,000 foot view is full of cynicism, but the heart of the film is the relationships and connections to one’s immediate surroundings that bring comfort and fulfillment to our daily lives.

The film, “Hannah Ha Ha,” is produced by Roger Mancusi, a Brooklyn Heights resident, and co-produced by Emily Freire, from East New York. They met through a mentorship through the Brooklyn-based filmmaking program Reel Works, which matches teens with professional filmmaker-mentors.

ViacomCBS teamed up with Reel Works and its MediaMKRS workforce development program—which aims to build a talent pool that reflects the diversity of New York City by matching young professionals with job training opportunities across media organizations, including ViacomCBS—for its Content for Change Academy. The program provides entry-level creative and production roles to young professionals, without requiring enrollment or graduation from a traditional college or university, with the ultimate goal of full-time employment following the three month program.

Script's Editor Sadie Dean speaks with Reel Works co-founder and Executive Director John C. Williams about the initiatives and programs at the Brooklyn based organization, his passion to foster young and diverse voices, and the importance of preparing these young creatives for the creative industry workforce.

Reel Works has announced a first-time partnership with their MediaMKRS workforce development program and documentary film/TV production company Jigsaw Productions, helmed by Academy Award®-winning documentarian Alex Gibney.

ViacomCBS Announces Participants of Its Content For Change Academy! Seven First Time Participants in Partnership with Reel Works Have Been Selected For The Inaugural Class.