At-Risk Summer

feature documentary

1 hour 23 minutes

Not Yet Rated By MPAACamera: Canon DSLR, GoPro, iPhone

Piñata Productions, LLCe.E. Charlton-Trujilloevents4rocktheword@gmail.com

AT-RISK SUMMERLog Line

After meeting a troubled Texas teen without access to creative mentorship, young adult author of Fat Angie packed her belongings into storage and set out on a hybrid, self-funded book tour across America to empower at-risk youth through writing at no cost to their programs for several months. From the road to the classrooms to interviews with some of the most awarded authors in YA lit today, At-Risk Summer explores bullying, belonging and never being counted out!

AT-RISK SUMMERSynopsis

Inspired by a small-town Texas teen without access to creative mentors, young adult author e.E. Charlton-Trujillo packed her belongings into storage, rented a Ford Focus and embarked on a unique book tour for her third novel Fat Angie. The goal: to empower youth on the fringe via writing and discussion. She did this at no cost to their programs. As she traveled America, she held writing workshops and discussions in libraries, alternative high schools, homeless shelters, juvenile detention, after school programs and traditional schools all in an effort to empower youth through writing. Often unable to afford a professional film crew, the kids became on the spot camera operators and sound recordists. All in an effort to capture how showing up has currency.

From the road to the workshops to meeting acclaimed writers for young people, At-Risk Summer is a film that allows young people to be seen, heard and never be counted out!

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Authors Featured In The Documentary

MEG MEDINA Meg Medina is a multiple award-winning Cuban American author who writes picture books, middle grade, and YA fiction. She is the 2014 recipient of the Pura Belpré medal and the 2013 CYBILS Fiction winner for her young adult novel, Yaqui Delgado Wants To Kick Your Ass.

In March 2014, Meg Medina was recognized as one of the CNN 10 Visionary Women in America. Known as a literacy revolutionary, she is an advocate for diversity in children’s literature, speaking honestly about bullying in America and supporting programs that empower youth on the fringe.

KATHY ERSKINEWinner of the National Book Award 2010 for her novel Mockingbird, Kathy was born in the Netherlands and has lived in South Africa, Israel, Canada, and Scotland. She was a lawyer for many years before pursuing her first love, writing. She presents workshops at the Writer’s Center.

A.S. KINGWinner of the 2012 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Ask The Passengers and a Michael Printz Honor for Pleas Ignore Vera Dietz, she is a critically acclaimed novelist and motivational speaker. After a decade living self-sufficiently and teaching literacy to adults in Ireland, she now lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and children.

MATT DE LA PENAThe first in his family to go to college, the one-time college basketball star now novelist and inspiration to young people has had eight books published. He also penned the book-to-screen adaptation of his first novel Ball Don’t Lie. His writing has also been featured on NPR and The New York Times. He currently is on faculty at Vermont College of Children’s Writing and resides in Brooklyn, New York.

ELLEN HOPKINSThe New York Times Bestselling author of fifteen novels in verse beginning with Crank, Hopkins recently established Sierra Ventanna, a 501c3 to empower homeless youth to finish high school and be supported while attending college.

PAT ZIELTOW MILLERPat received 126 rejection letters before her first book Sophie’s Squash was published in 2013 and made every major favorites list in America. That book earned starred reviews from Booklist,

Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal and a Golden Kite Award 2014. Pat has an eight book deal that will release in the next three years.

MICHELLE EMBREEA performance artist, feminist, activist and novelist, Michelle’s novel Manstealing For Fat Girls garnered her a Lambda Literary Award nomination. In 2013, she traveled much of America holding empowering workshops with youths and adults around the power of writing and importance of being heard.

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About The Filmmakers

e.E. Charlton-Trujillo . DIRECTOR/CAMERA/PRODUCER The small-town Texas native is “a force of nature” according to Kirkus Reviews. Her tenacity and teeth motivational speaking has inspired young and mature across America. Charlton-Trujillo is an award-winning novelist and filmmaker. She has directed, produced and edited multiple feature and short films, music videos, commercials and television pilots. She is also the author of four novels, Fat Angie, Feels Like Home, Prizefighter En Mi Casa and When We Was Fierce (2016). In the spirit of the documentary At-Risk Summer, Charlton-Trujillo recently co-founded the non-profit Never Counted Out. It is an organization that bridges the gap between artists and at-risk youth. Her second feature documentary for GLSEN-Cincinnati titled A Culture of Silence is in post production for completion June 2015. Website link.

James Bailey . EDITOR/SOUND DESIGNA self-taught, renaissance filmmaker, James Bailey has worked nearly every aspect of production and post production and directed three feature films (HOME, The Barren Spring, Videotape) before the age of thirty. He has specializes in editing and sound design working for feature films, music videos and commercials. Bailey is currently collaborating on a second feature documentary collaboration with Charlton-Trujillo for GLSEN-Cincinnati’s The Stories Project. The film will release in Summer 2015.

Rob Gokee . COMPOSERLos Angeles-based composer Rob Gokee studied Music Theory & Composition at the University of New Mexico, and then spent six months under the tutelage of world renowned composer Christopher Young (Spider-Man 3, The Grudge, Ghost Rider). Rob has scored 12 feature films, over 100 short films, and three dozen different TV series & pilots, including the National Geographic show “Known Universe,” SyFy’s “Fact Or Faked,” PBS’ “Roadtrip Nation,” Speed Channel’s “Car Science,” and TruTV’s “Police POV.” Rob has also scored commercials for Sony two years in a row, promoting their surround sound products.

Rob won back-to-back IAWTV (International Academy of Web Television) awards for Best Score in 2012 and 2013, for the shows “Night of the Zombie King” and “Cost Of Capital,” which also won Best Score at the 2013 Indie Soap Awards.

Rob is currently scoring the feature “Alice & the Monster” – a romantic comedy, music for several Discovery & SyFy shows, readying a new CD compilation of television & film scores, and writing his second book, about composing for television & film in the indie world, and how to make a living doing it. IMDB link.

Nicholas Matthews . ADDITIONAL CAMERA - LOS ANGELESHailing from the South and Midwest, Nicholas is an award-winning filmmaker based in Los Angeles and Cincinnati. Most recently, he has lensed two independent features in Southern California. As a director of photography, he specializes in story-driven commercial, narrative, and music video production, working extensively with modern digital cinema cameras including the Arri Alexa, RED Epic, RED MX, F55, C300. & HDSLRs. He thrives on collaboration in finding each film’s unique voice. Website link.

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Press

Publishers Weekly . LINK

MTV . LINK

Kirkus Reviews . LINK

The Huffington Post . LINK

School Library Journal . LINK

Meg Medina Blog . LINK

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Photo Downlaods

e.E. & Faces Without Places Youthhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/101736414@N08/9885229194/

e.E. & Faces Without Places Group Imagehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/101736414@N08/9885217526/

Fair View High School . Studenthttps://www.flickr.com/photos/101736414@N08/10609073086/

Fair View High School . Student Intervieweehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/101736414@N08/10053572593/

e.E. on The Road https://www.flickr.com/photos/101736414@N08/10544492003/

Post Cardhttps://flic.kr/p/pCFRUs

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Credits

PINATA PRODUCTIONS Presents

A Film bye.E. Charlton-Trujillo

Authors FeaturedMEG MEDINA A.S. KING KATHY ERSKINE PAT ZIETLOW MILLER MATT DE LA PENA

ELLEN HOPKINS MICHELLE EMBREE

Executive Producer

Produced by

Associate Producers

Cinematography Edited by Score by

Titles & Graphics Additional Camera

Sound Mixer Sound Recorders

Color CorrectionSubtitles

e.E. CHARLTON-TRUJILLO

e.E. CHARLTON-TRUJILLOELIZABETH BLUEMLESALLY DERBYKARL MILLERJENNIFER CROWRICK OLMOSDAVE WETZELJOHN LAWSONSONDRA MCCLENDONCHUCK BEATTYe.E. CHARLTON-TRUJILLOJAMES BAILEYROB GOKEERAVE, LTDNICHOLAS MATTHEWSTOM WATSONCHARLI HULLCHRISTIAN DAYSONDRA MCCLENDONMARGARET COBLEC.G. WATSONSHERRY KEMPJAMES BAILEYTYLER SHIRAC.G. WATSONe.E. CHARLTON-TRUJILLOJAMES BAILEYJAMES BAILEY

Special Thanks

Erin MurphyChris Van DusenKirstin Cronn-MillsAudrey PatrickPatricia GayleJimmi HarrodTracy KinneSally MillerAndi RobertsLee SnowMichelle EhlenMargaret CobleSimple DifferenceKarlita LindenCassandra WhetstonePatricia MillerEls De ClercqCynthia MinnichSandrea SchlaepferKevan A"eberryPenny KlostermannNancy LingNancy GrowLyn M LachmannDream GomezMollie BeaumontDeidre SlaterDream GomezJean GralleyKim Ward StorchRandom Acts of ArtNatale GammonTanya Bartle"

Kari Ann HoltLindsay LaneMike JungC.G. WatsonJanet FoxLaurie #ompsonTamara SmithTara LazarPeter SolomonDonna Bra"onHeidi LewisSuzanne NelsonAnna StaniszewskiKurt StruyfShirley KlockMeredith JaffeFrances GordonJoel WatsonDennis StephensAndrea CascardiJoan PowersAndi KrawczykSherry KempTrish Toney Lawrence Jennifer ZieglerRocket CatsAngela MartinCecil CastellucciErin Murphy's DogElly Pitasky SwartzRuth McNally BarshawLynda Mullaly Hunt

Ugly Dog BooksPowell's Books, Inc.Blue Marble BooksInscribed Books & Gi%sLyon Books#e Odyssey BookshopA"leboro Public LibraryStonewall ChicoWooden Nickel PressJoseph Beth BooksSkylight Books#e Li"le Bookstore #at CouldFair View High SchoolNew Avenues For YouthNew Orleans Main LibraryTehama County Mentoring ProgramSacramento River Discovery SchoolReuther Alternative High School SAFE Have of Racine, WisconsinIDAYY Program, Philadelphia, PAWisconsin Tonight, TMJ4 NBCErin Murphy’s DogGeroge West I.S.D.Racine Montessori SchoolTexas Book Festival 2013Boys and Girls Club Racine, WIDave Davis at the All Night PartyErin Murphy Literary Agency

Music

“Opening Offering Talking”Wri"en and Performed by Bitch

Courtesy of Short Story Records © 2014

“Run”Wri"en and Performed by Shiny and the Spoon

“Never Give Up”Wri"en and Performed by Melissa Ferrick

Courtesy of Right On Records © 2007

Serenade Wri"en and Performed by Rae Fehring

“DecisionWri"en and Performed by Jake Kolesar

“Bread and Bu"er”Wri"en and Performed by Shiny and the Spoon

“Come On Out”Wri"en and Performed by Jenny Kohls

I Don’t Want You To ChangeWri"en and Performed by Melissa Ferrick

Courtesy of MPress Records © 2013

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In Memory Of

Ned Vizzini & Linda Sanders-Wells

Piñata Productions, LLC © 2015