COLUMBUS, Ohio — When you think about Hollywood, big shot actors and directors usually come to mind, but that's not stopping some inner-city teens in Ohio from making a movie of their own.
What You Need To Know
- A group of teens with the "Youth Over Us" nonprofit came together to make a short film called "Too Much To Lose"
- The film follows the story of a basketball star -who's torn between a promising future and the dangerous lure of gang life
- The teen tackle big issues in the film, like bullying, peer pressure, and mental health
Aaron Gordon, 17, participated in the making of the “Too Much To Lose” short film during the “Youth over Us” film summer camp.
The film follows the story of a basketball star who’s torn between a promising future and the dangerous lure of gang life.
While Youth Over Us CEO Mike Dean oversees the film project, he said the youth are the ones making it happen.
They’re learning about the fundamentals of moviemaking, while also tackling big issues in the film, like bullying, peer pressure, and mental health.
“Part of our thing was to deal with the violence and issues that’s affecting our community,” Dean said. “Most of our youth are coming from low-income homes, low-income communities, and they understand this, and the truth be told, they don’t want it, and they want to be part of a change.”
It’s giving teens like Gordon a voice in every scene.
“I’m just going to say this. ‘You’ve got to be yourself to just do a lot of things in the world. Don’t be that one follower in the back of the group. Be the front and be the leader,’” said Gordon.
The film is available to watch on YouTube and on Youth Over Us’ social media platforms.