Derek Newman Designs Online

Thought I would intro this section.

From August 2004 till November 2008, I was the “Youth Program Coordinator” at the Sudbury Action Centre For Youth (SACY), a non-profit agency that helps out at-risk youth (and adults, the name can be misleading). I am also the writer/director and creator of the “What We’ve Learned” documentary series.

Back in 2004, SACY was asked to create a 30 second commercial by the Ontario Chief of Police and, after the person in charge of the project left (a couple months into it), I was given the project. I kept remembering how boring drug presentations were in highschool and now I was given the opportunity to create something for youth. I realized that I have access to clients here at the centre who have lived through real addiction issues and I thought that messages to youth, coming from youth, would be the best delivery system. So I put my friend’s inexpensive camera (no iris control or focus control) in front of them, along with some bar lights and a music microphone (I swear had two plug-ins to make it fit in the microphone) and asked them to talk about their experiences.

That led to the first in the series, a documentary about drug misuse. I never felt creativity comfortable with the first one. Although I had no budget and was rushed to get it done, I felt I could better. As soon as I sent in the first one to be pressed, I knew I wanted the sequel to be on sexual assault. SACY got the funding and the project was a go. This time, I had a better camera, a real microphone and some lights. I also had the project from the get-go which allowed me to story board this project and visual it from the beginning. I am very proud of both films but especially the second one. I feel the documentary feels like a real film because of the youth’s messages, the talents of the editor Darrel Dupuis and the soundtrack composed by Matt Yzereef under the direction of myself and classical guitarist Alan Yzereef Jr. The first film, in less than 3 years, had passed 2000 reviews with films reaching as far as Africa, the United States and western Canada.

The second film, as I type this in July of 2008 (released in March 2008), has been viewed by over 500 people and purchased by over 50 sexual assault treatment centres across Canada. My hope is that youth who are battling with addiction or a sexual assault will hear the voices of the youth in the videos, realize they are not alone and recovery is possible. Please have a look the documentaries below.

Thank you - writer/director, Derek Newman