Supported Projects
Outreach and Video Editor & Youth Media Coordinator
Alli Shaughnessy
9/2004 — 9/2006
Alli, working as a VISTA volunteer, has filled a huge void for BNN by assisting in promotions and outreach to the community. Through her first six months at BNN she has assisted not only the organization, but BNN producers in getting their message out.
In Alli’s second year at BNN she held the position of Youth Media Coordinator. Her duties included organizing a teen media club and producing a monthly program with the teens in the club.
She is currently helping to organize, write, and format BNN’s quarterly newsletter, our most important piece of literature sent to our members. The newsletter introduces new equipment in our facilities, editing and production tips, and production class schedules. BNN has been unable to produce a newsletter since last winter, due to lack of staff and time, so Alli’s assistance in this is especially crucial. Once the newsletter is completed it will be mailed to approximately 500 members and BNN typically receives a positive response from a large number of recipients.
Another example of Alli’s reach to the community is BNN’s Neighborhood Network News Program Highlights which Alli has been in charge of for the past six months. The Program Highlights require Alli to be in close contact to all of our producers and to contact various shows on a weekly basis. The Highlights also require her to send out a bulk mailing each month encouraging producers to contact her and let her know about their show, so that BNN can assist them in reaching as many people in the community as possible.
Not only is Alli reaching out to community members, but during the next six months a lot of her attention will go to reaching out to community organizations. BNN provides non-profit organizations in the Greater Boston area a chance to produce a PSA highlighting their organization’s cause. Alli will be responsible for the production and editing of these PSA’s, and she will assist BNN’s Education/Outreach department in contacting the organizations through phone calls, mailings and most importantly a “Get Your Message Out” seminar.
Over the last six months Alli has been a vital part in increasing BNN’s reach to the Boston community. She has kept daily communication with many of our producers and the productions that she has assisted on have gotten her out into the community and aided BNN in delivering community messages.
Marketing and Outreach
Scott Hillier
8/2002 — 8/2004
• Implement plans to increase BNN’s membership and client base.
• Help write publicity and design flyers, brochures, and newsletters.
• Help organize and produce special outreach activities including video promotions, community oriented TV programs, and public service announcements for non-profit organizations.
• Implement plans for targeted outreach to special populations (e.g. youth, elders, ESL groups, disabled).
• Help implement BNN’s training programs by developing curriculum to meet members’ and client’ needs. Teach workshops to youth and adults in video and digital media at BNN and off-site at member organizations.
• Assist with maintenance of digital editing equipment at CityPlace.
• Complete PSAs
Scott came to BNN in September 2002. He quickly became a valuable member of the BNN team, assisting with Ed/Out projects that promote BNN services, teaching video production, assisting members with non-linear editing, troubleshooting edit equipment, and producing public service announcements. Scott has raised the production standards of BNN with his excellent editing and shooting skills. He has also assisted with print promotions such as newsletters and flyers.
Due to Scott’s excellent production capabilities he was able to complete a number of PSAs, instructional videos, and community based programs for BNN. Such programs included the 10 part series “Sister Talk 2,” a program aimed at African American women to raise awareness of cardiovascular health. Scott assisted Barbara Barrow-Murray, BNN’s Roxbury Studio Manager, with editing the series. Scott also played a large role in helping to modernize the look of the channel, creating promotional spots, and helping to improve the channel’s graphics.
“Scott’s presence at BNN has greatly improved our ability to do projects we had wanted to undertake but didn’t have the resources to do. He has improved the look of the channels, which increases the value of BNN. His enthusiasm for teaching has allowed us to offer more digital media classes at low rates to members and others.”
- Wendy Blom, BNN Director of Education and Outreach
Youth Digital Media Training
Derek Hixon
4/2002 — 4/2003
During his year-long VISTA assignment, Derek Hixon devoted most of his time to working on multimedia training for youth, media production and nonlinear editing assistance for producers, which has helped the Center move forward with the mission to provide Boston area residents of all ages with quality training and access to digital communications.
Derek has played a principal role in the planning and facilitation of the DigitalArt Youth Program, particularly in regard to working with youth ages 10-18. He developed and implemented multimedia activities for participants, including extra-curricular activities such as field trips and showcases around the city. At the same time he has produced several multimedia projects that have been used to educate people about the benefits of joining BNN. Also, he assists in helping BNN members produce digital video programs for the channels.
He created a web site for the BNN DigitalArt Youth Program and played a major role in updating and maintaining it: http://www.bnntv.org/day/index.htm. He also takes the lead in regard to developing content for programs at the BNN Multimedia Center, including digital video production for PSAs and multimedia presentations that are seen by BNN members and Boston public access TV viewers.
In addition to his major project activities, Derek has been more than willing to attend and participate in several center-related training sessions for community media and technology centers in the northeast region as well presenting at youth fairs and conferences. Near the end of his assignment, Derek contributed to the monthly First Tuesday TV/Web program produced by the Commonwealth Broadband Collaborative and he continued to work with CBC and BNN for several months after his assignment ended.
Youth Media Coordinator
Julie Bohnlein
1/2007 —
Julie will be working with youth to build a youth-lead media production club. Her role will be to help the youth members to establish a program structure, volunteer mentoring and instructional, and production guidelines for youth lead video projects. She will be working closely on these activities with our Multimedia Coordinator. Part of the position requires that she assist in the development of new media/technology curriculum based on past participant evaluations. A major goal is to increase youth participation and leadership to the point that the club is able to produce a once a week program made by teens for cablecast on our channels.
- Assist in further development of BNN’s youth media arts and technology services and training, including assessment, curriculum development and coordination of instructional offerings.
- Outreach to Boston teens, especially at-risk youth, to recruit interest in media-making at BNN. Work with other youth-serving organizations, develop promotional materials (print and video), survey past participants, and assist with planning improvements.
- Develop youth media club to provide regular opportunity for sustainable involvement of youth participants beyond duration of workshops.
- Help identify potential funding sources for club, mentors and training scholarships
- Provide individual assistance to youth and other BNN members as they develop the technical and creative skills necessary to assume leadership roles within the program
- Collaborate with and support youth-based initiatives with community partners and organizations
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