THE HOPES AND DREAMS PROJECT

Cause Cinema: Hopes & Dreams Project offers kids an alternative

By John Esther

Since the dawn of cinema children around the world dreamt of becoming movies stars, basking under the public light of adornment, one day making that Oscar speech, and taking in the big bucks, but for some kids right here and now in California, cinema means something far more transcendental than fame. Faced with such unfortunate circumstances as a life-threatening illness or parental loss, making movies is a way to overcome obstacles no child should ever encounter.

Thanks to the Hopes & Dreams Project under The United States Entertainment Force, children who suffer from disease or family strife due to military service find solace and a renewed sense of self worth and larger purpose by making movies.

“Besides providing a positive distraction doctors say is so needed, the children gain leadership, research, organization, public speaking skills, confidence and developing informative presentations by being involved in the Hopes & Dreams Project,” said Jerry Payne, Founder of the United States Entertainment Force and the Hopes & Dreams Project. “Counseling is a very important part of our project and we are able to build trust by using art and film. In doing so we are able to ease suffering and provide comfort in those individuals whose lives are convoluted with disappointment and despair.”

Working with youth between ages 7-18, the Hopes & Dreams Project has already made nine G-Rated films in Central Valley, Ca., with Filmic Storyworks, Inc., of Fresno and is now making its way to Los Angeles to make more movies for more children in crisis.

“Being in Hollywood allows us to take the Hopes & Dreams Project to the next level and position ourselves for our national roll out,” said Payne. “We already have Tino Struckmann Productions, a movie production company in Los Angeles, and we are now working on raising money to start shooting on location in Los Angeles.”

For these children in crisis, the Hopes & Dreams Project is a four-week process. First there is the casting call and then participation in the Hopes and Dreams Actors Workshop where professionals coach the budding thespians. Then they go to wardrobe and makeup where they receive personal attention toward creating the character they will be playing in the film. Next is a photography segment where they will receive attention in shooting a professional headshot the child gets to keep. After this the young, aspiring actors are ready for the counseling sessions, which commence at the beginning of the fourth week. Once ready to make the movie the kids are escorted a lá limousine to location for a two day-shoot with professional filmmakers.

“We will embrace their creativity, hope, enrichment, and social interaction and personal growth,” said Payne. “Let the magic of moviemaking be absorbed by the young actor and provide a memory that will last for a lifetime.”

For each film, along with eight professional actors, 10 kids are given speaking parts written just for them. The feature film is then edited into six episodes, running approximately 10-minutes long each, where it will then appear on YouTube.

As fun as making a movie may appear, it is important to emphasize the project’s goal is not necessarily to create future actors -- although a few have now been bitten by the bug -- but open one’s eyes to her or his own potential in life vis-à-vis the many aspects of moviemaking/art.

“Once the movie has been shot and goes into post-production the children now know that they have the talents and confidence to go forward with a positive attitude,” said Payne.

The longer plan is to extend the Hopes & Dreams Project throughout California and beyond.

“As we grow and raise more money we will expand to all states and all children throughout the United States will have an opportunity to attend a casting call of the Hopes & Dreams Project,” said Payne. “We then want to fly them to Hollywood to be cast in a film shooting at a movie studio and receive all the magic of moviemaking, similar to American Idol, with a slip of paper from us they then can yell: ‘I am going to Hollywood!’ We then will have celebrities aboard to increase the excitement that is found in moviemaking.”

Beyond his general concern for children, the Hopes & Dreams Project hits close to home for Payne.

At the age of 18, Payne was the youngest commissioned army officer during the Vietnam conflict. He spent 18 years in service to our members of the Armed Forces. After that Payne served as the Producer of USO Entertainment for 11 years and on the board of directors. As the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns intensified, the needs and sacrifice of the military family had increased and the children were becoming the victims -- racked with confusion, hurt and stress due to the death of a parent, divorce, multiple deployments of parents and parents with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The Afghanistan and Iraq occupations have “increased the need of this project by 100 percent,” said Payne. “We have so many dependent children who are in need and waiting for the help we can give them. Without our help the kids are turning to crime, sex, and drugs instead of a positive plan for their future. We must get them onto the right road to success for themselves and their families.”

Of course, like most worthwhile filmmaking endeavors, the great obstacle is finding the money -- especially for a nonprofit organization in these times.

“It cost us $15,000 to produce each movie which then will affect hundreds of children who see what we are doing for their brothers and sisters,” said Payne. “We need to attract major donors who would love to put their time and money into the Hopes & Dreams Project.”

For more information, please visit theusef.org.