Young Voices Rise Behind the Camera as NYC Youth Turn to Filmmaking to Rewrite the Story of Gun Violence

In the Shadow of Violence a New Lens Emerges

In a city long haunted by the rising tide of youth gun violence, an extraordinary effort is giving young lives a chance to reclaim their narrative — not through courtrooms or conflict, but through the camera lens.

A groundbreaking initiative in New York City is training at-risk youth — many of whom have been directly impacted by gun violence — in the art of filmmaking. The program isn’t just about learning how to shoot a scene, it’s about learning how to take control of your own story.

Where Guns Once Spoke Cameras Now Tell the Story

Between 2018 and 2024, New York City saw a staggering 136% increase in minors arrested with firearms. But amid the statistics, a quiet revolution is unfolding. A 40-week intensive training program is targeting young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 — many of them with prior gun charges — and teaching them how to craft powerful narratives through film.

These participants, primarily from communities like Brownsville in Brooklyn and the South Bronx, are paid a living wage while learning camera operation, screenwriting, editing, and storytelling. Beyond skill-building, the initiative offers purpose — and a second chance.

From a Jail Cell to the Director’s Chair

One of the young voices rising through this movement is 19-year-old KJ Campbell. After losing his father and two brothers to gun violence, Campbell found himself behind bars in 2023 on a gun possession charge.

During his time in jail, he experienced a powerful internal shift. “I see how people in there talk, the way they move. I don’t wanna be like them,” Campbell reflects.

Not long after his release, Campbell joined the filmmaking program. It quickly lit a fire within him. “I feel like this program could get me way farther than I'm supposed to be,” he says with a renewed sense of direction. Today, he dreams of becoming a film director.

Healing Through Storytelling

The program was launched in 2021 as a creative, trauma-informed response to the surge in gun and gang-related violence. It is rooted in a simple but transformative idea — that art can be a tool for healing and a platform for change.

Filmmaking allows participants to process trauma and explore complex emotions in ways traditional interventions often fail to reach. Each film becomes not only a project but a deeply personal act of expression and transformation.

Mentorship plays a vital role. Entertainment industry professionals mentor these aspiring filmmakers, equipping them with not just technical know-how, but also life skills — collaboration, leadership, resilience.

Aaron Jones, a mentor in the program, reminds his students daily: “It’s cool to be positive and to do something with your life, instead of just throwing it away.”

From Local Screenings to Global Dreams

This summer, the current class — a dedicated 12-person crew — is set to complete a short film centered on the realities and ripple effects of gun violence. The film will premiere at a local theater and be submitted to next year’s prestigious Tribeca Film Festival.

It’s not just a one-time effort. Since its start, more than 60 young people have graduated from the program, and an impressive 70% remain employed — some in creative industries, others in leadership or advocacy roles.

The vision doesn’t stop at employment. The long-term goal is to create a direct pipeline into the film and media industry, offering participants not just jobs, but careers — and not just a way out, but a way forward.

“I want to see them at the Academy Awards,” says the program’s creator, a sentiment that no longer feels like a distant dream, but a rapidly unfolding reality.

A New Script for the Next Generation

In a world quick to judge and slow to listen, this initiative gives young people the mic, the camera, and most importantly — the chance to be seen and heard on their own terms.

It’s a revolution of hope, one frame at a time. And in a city where too many stories end in tragedy, these young filmmakers are writing new endings — ones filled with purpose, power, and light.