There was magic in the air.
Well, it sure felt that way as the Lil’ Filmmakers recently held a glorious Rox the Block fundraiser within the friendly confines of the Pocket Park in the heart of the Roxborough business corridor.
Everywhere you looked at the Philly summer block party style event, there were smiling faces.
The positive vibe and energy level was almost palpable on the skin.
The pulsating rhythms of Positive Movement were palpable as their drums echoed through the Pocket Park. (Photo by Rick Cawley)
The energetic and flamboyant ‘Smalls,’ of The Stoop tv series fame, was the perfect choice to host the fundraiser. (Photo by Rick Cawley)
Lil’ Filmmakers heart and soul founder Janine Spruill fervently promotes her dream enterprise at every opportunity. (Photo by Rick Cawley)
Kozi Karnival did the lion’s share of the food business with their delectable, crowd-pleasing offerings. (Photo by Rick Cawley)
The Positive Movement drum line corps was, well, positively spectacular. (Photo by Rick Cawley)
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The pulsating rhythms of Positive Movement were palpable as their drums echoed through the Pocket Park. (Photo by Rick Cawley)
Under the guiding hand of founder and director Janine Spruill, the Lil’ Filmmakers have been making a community impact after moving into the new digs on Ridge Avenue.
The organization, founded in 2009, has been providing young people from around the city a true pathway into the film and media industry.
Since their arrival in our community, they have provided an amazing resource that fosters not only creativity behind the lens, but also a foundation for developing personal growth, self-expression, and self-esteem.
Spruill hit the nail on the head as she summed up Lil’ Filmmakers impact on the youth by priding that “we aren’t just teaching kids how to pick up a camera. We’re handing them the keys to a billion dollar industry. When our youth step into our studio, they aren’t just students…they are directors, audio engineers, editors, and producers.”
Volunteer Ms. Ruby was on Cloud Nine after winning this exquisite Muhammad Ali drawing by a local artist in a raffle. (Photo courtesy of Lil’ Filmmakers)
Lil’ Filmmakers Director Janine Spruill can’t resist a photo op with the backbeat leader of Positive Movement. (Photo by Rick Cawley)
Jeantrix custom apparel designers was one of the cutting edge vendors getting a fair share of foot traffic from attendees. (Photo by Rick Cawley)
The Roxborough Development Corporation provided games and activities to keep the young ones fully engaged. (Photo courtesy of Lil’ Filmmakers)
This 250th Anniversary facsimile Liberty Bell near the entrance adds a certain charm to every Pocket Park event. (Photo by Rick Cawley)
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Volunteer Ms. Ruby was on Cloud Nine after winning this exquisite Muhammad Ali drawing by a local artist in a raffle. (Photo courtesy of Lil’ Filmmakers)
She further gushed that “we provide mentorship, professional equipment, and hands-on experience that turns passion for media into a real, sustainable career path.”
With the collaboration of the Roxborough Development Corporation, the event doubled not only as a fundraiser to finance the Lil’ Filmmakers lofty youth programming goals but to showcase the headquarters where the outfit gets to work its magic.
However, one thing that isn’t magic is making money appear.
Helping to raise funds to support the organization is where the community has to buy into the importance of their stellar media arts educational initiatives and lend its support.
Judging by the turnout that day and the funds brought into their tills, it’s safe to say that they have.
Event organizers followed a sure-fire recipe to attract a family-friendly crowd and make certain that they had a good time while they were there.
That would include upbeat music, delicious food, quality entertainment, interactive games, a chance to win appealing raffle prizes.
From what I could see, it was check, check, check, check, and check.
Before you even entered the Pocket Park, the pulsating sounds coming from DJ She’J Q’Dee would hit your eardrums and put you in the right mood for something magical to happen.
The ultra-positive vibe and upbeat music from DJ She’J Q’Dee had supporters hitting the “dance floor.” (Photo courtesy of Lil’ Filmmakers)
The fine folks from Lil’ Filmmakers warmly greeted arrivals as they filed past the gate, further heightening the positive vibe.
As one strolled past information tables and vendors like Jeantrix and Artiz My Gift, one couldn’t help but notice a young man with incredible energy, who goes by the name of Smalls, stirring up the crowd with equal parts showmanship and charm.
The charismatic Smalls was a great choice to be the emcee for such a high energy shindig.
Speaking of high energy, you couldn’t get more high energy than the two groups who dazzled the gathering with their precision drumming and overall pizazz.
Both the Urban Shamans and Positive Movement put on shows for the ages.
You would have to be comatose to not get swept up in their exotic rhythms and musicianship. My foot was still tapping a day after the event.
All that pulse pounding music worked up quite an appetite. Fortunately, on site were Catering by Cheffon and the Kozi Karnival, who had delicious offerings to satisfy most food palates while Clean Sips Juice Bar provided the younger set with donated water Ice and soft pretzels.
Both Acme and Whole Foods Market chipped in with refreshments as well. The younger set could also indulge in face painting by Tara or take advantage of the games and activities courtesy of the RDC.
Many of the attendees were all too happy to shed their bucks for a chance to win the silent auction or the raffle prizes.
Willingness to open one’s wallet usually depends on the quality of merchandise or services on display.
Along those lines, several businesses and organizations supplied the fundraiser with generously donated items, including LFM Services, Trunc, Jalina Evans, Multiverse, Acme, Crayola, and the Ensemble Arts Philly/ Philadelphia Orchestra.
Events like this don’t happen in a vacuum. They need organizers with vision and a “can do” spirit.
They also rely on volunteers taking up the reins for any number of logistical avenues that give the event its backbone and motivational spark.
The Lil’ Filmmakers were indebted to the more than 30 volunteers who stepped up to the plate and hit home runs for the cause.
Community member Natasha Kyler, who volunteered at the check-in table, imagined having Lil’ Filmmakers around during her childhood.
“I volunteer because I wish this existed when I was a kid. If someone handed me a camera and said “your story matters,’ I think I’d have found my path a lot sooner. Every dollar raised at Rox the Block is making sure some kid doesn’t have to wait as long as I did.”
First and foremost, the Lil’ Filmmakers owe a ton of gratitude to the Roxborough Development Corporation, who have been a beacon of light in providing a green thumb to enable Lil’ Filmmakers to take root and blossom.
Community backing and available resources are also key components in Lil” Filmmakers success equation as Janine Spruill and her staff are keenly aware.
Spruill mused that “when people donate or buy a ticket to events like Rox the Block, they aren’t just funding equipment or software, they are directly investing in a young person’s future. Every dollar ensures that our programs stay accessible and free for the youth who need them most.”
The final word comes from community member and Lil’ Filmmakers alum, Khalil Sinclair , who is the director for the tv show The Stoop. Sinclair would have an insider’s view of the impact that an outfit like Lil” Filmmakers can have on a young person.
He eloquently summarized his perspective saying that “as the Director of The Stoop, I know firsthand how important it is to have people and organizations that create space for your ideas to exist. Lil’ Filmmakers is doing more than teaching kids how to make films — they’re giving storytellers the opportunity to see themselves as filmmakers before the world ever tells them they can’t be.”
Sinclair was able to put the whole process in a nutshell stating that “supporting organizations like this means investing in the next generation of storytellers, and you never know which young person is going to walk through that door and create something that changes the culture.”