♪ ♪ This program is brought to you by the members of WCNY.

Thank you.

♪ ♪ This educational programming was made possible in part by the following organizations.

The John Ben Snow Foundation and Memorial Trust.

Investing in people, investing in community, investing in the future.

The Gifford Foundation, fostering growth, encouraging change, supporting our community since 1954.

Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield, working every day to create better places to live, work, play and raise families.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Dr.

Juhanna Rogers: This year on "Behind the Woman", guests from previous seasons mentor high school students interested in turning their passions into promising careers.

Today we are exploring the raw truths of navigating the media industry.

Our mentor is Joanne Yarrow, a powerhouse who knows exactly what it takes to build great stories and claim space in the entertainment industry.

♪ ♪ I want the audience to hear from you from Syracuse, right?

Over the last six years, because you had also just arrived.

what are maybe two or three projects that have really are standout projects for you that you have the opportunity to lead or be a part of since 2020.

>> It's so amazing that you say that six years.

And you're right.

I had just arrived here in Syracuse, and now it's like my home.

I can't even imagine being anywhere else.

So the first project, I think, is Kyle Bass's Citizen James, which I did with Syracuse Stage.

It was a Syracuse stage production.

This is about the young James Baldwin, talking about young people.

And be able to show James Baldwin, not as the great James Baldwin, who was an incredible author, but this young man who was still searching for himself, who was just still trying to grapple with the world around him, as we were trying to grapple with the world around Us, with what was happening this country with the pandemic, and with so much going on.

And to see this young man kind of meet his own general just and not to know exactly what to do with it, and so that was an incredible experience.

We did that at Syracuse Stage for Baldwin's 100th birthday.

And then it has since gone on to go on a national tour.

And then the other thing that happened during the pandemic, which was crazy, was I got to teach acting for animators, and then later on, help produce animations in Africa, in five African countries, primarily Kenya, but Zimbabwe, Tanzania, South Africa, and be able to work with these incredible young animators coming in and finding their stories African stories.

Which made it so unique and distinct, and there is so much need right now for their stories.

They're like diamonds.

And then, finally, I think, working with Black Cub Productions, and be able to do a documentary about the housing crisis here in Syracuse, and really looking at how we take care of our neighbors, how we Syracuse is an incredible city.

It has so much potential.

And that sometimes things fall through the cracks.

So to be able to work with the housing authority and really being able to tell people's stories, that are here, that are local, that's a couple of things.

>> Just a couple.

>> Just a couple.

>> Because I'm sitting here in awe, because when I think about the young people that you're going to get to interact with.

I mean, even the mentors coming on other episodes, It's like, you're wonderful.

doing game changing work in your industry, which happens to be theater and entertainment.

and they get to interact with you here where one of the young ladies talks about, right, oftentimes, we don't talk about Syracuse with a sense of talent, and admiration in the way that empowers young people to think about this place called home, as a resource.

>> I think one of the things that's really important, no matter where you are on the planet, a global community.

So we are living both locally and globally.

I can get on a Zoom call and be on a Zoom with somebody from Australia, somebody from Kenya, somebody from Colombia.

And we can all be in the room together creating.

From our place, from our experiences, from what locally drives us.

And then we can also take that global information and feed it into our community that we live in.

So we're living in a very special time, I believe, where our communication is expansive, and at the same time, very localized, very, you know, being able to up giving us the tools to uplift our own communities.

>> Now, meet our mentees, a potion, Amelia, and Jewel.

They are here to explore their dreams and share aspirations about entering the media field.

>> My name is Jewel.

I go to Nottingham, and I'm here to see these how everything works here and experience new things.

>> My name is Amelia Capizolo, and I go to Institute of Technology, and I want to just see, like, how this kind of stuff works.

>> My name is Apotiom, senior at Institute of Technology, aka ITC.

And the reason why I'm here is that I feel like I'm reigniting a sort of flame or spark for my appreciation of stuff related to media.

>> Talk to me about what story what series or what's out there on any media platform that kind of draws your attention, that captivates you.

>> I feel like my obsession currently is just anything that's very nostalgic for me.

So any, old, I wouldn't say old school, but any movies that capture, like, that childhood, feeling, such as, like home alone, I feel like that cat really captures that, childlike feeling for me.

And I'm a big fan of, like, digital cameras, because I have I have a little like, a digital recorder that I take everywhere, and I take pictures of my friends, my family, and the scenery around me.

So, anything around that.

>> I think right now, I think it would be anything by Trey Parker and Matt Stone in the creators of South Park.

I really like their work.

my favorite movie, of, I think my second favorite movie of, all time is the movie Alferd Packer: The Musical, a.k.a.

Cannibal the Musical.

It's a little strange, but it's really good.

They made it in college.

They had, like, a very small do it, and I was able to see their musical, the Book of Mormon, with my dad, and it was a really good musical.

>> Jewel, how about you?

What stories, short, long films?

>> I love watching people dance.

Because I've been really, encapsulated by it recently.

I just started dancing again.

over the summer.

I started taking ballet classes again.

So I've been kind of drawn back into it.

I've started watching ballets.

I started watching movies about dance.

I started watching classes online of tapes of people doing their dance classes.

So it's kind of all come back to me really quickly, and I think that's really cool.

>> It's time for the creation challenge, where the students take over.

Joanne is testing A potion, Amelia, and Jewel with an analog storyboarding drill, pitching a commercial.

They must execute this task while navigating the realities of the business.

This specific skill is critical for survival in the media industry.

forcing them to think quickly and communicate clearly.

>> So for today, we're going to be working on here at workers' compensation, and as you know, we're doing this "Behind the Woman" series, and there's two other series coming up.

We get to design the promos for the next two series, which I think is going to be really cool.

So in order to do that, I've John, if you can come.

All right?

>> Hello, ladies.

>> Welcome.

>> So awesome.

>> So tell us, they got a little bit of a tour.

So tell us about the next two episodes and what we should be listening for.

>> So, the next two episodes tie in kind of holistically with everything that we're doing.

So you guys are obviously the media.

This is like the production side of things.

And so we're going to map out what we're going to do in these next two episodes.

Now the next two episodes are culinary, and they are fashion.

So culinary, meaning they're going to be eating something, they're going to make something, they're going to plate something, and then the fashion, they're going to actually design a fit for Dr.

Juhanna.

>> Ooh.

>> So, all of that said, we have two spaces that are a little bit different from what we're at right now that we're going to be shooting those in.

So it's going to be up to you guys to really plot out everything from our camera angles to maybe some of the design and the seating, or the arrangement of where people are going to be standing, as well as how all of that's going to integrate together with the finale.

So I know the fashion track, in particular, has, I believe, three models.

And they have two to three students, just like you guys as well.

>> So I wanted to ask if there would be any audio behind the commercial if, will that be, like, royalty free music, or, like... >> So, yeah, we will have to use royalty free music.

There's a couple of different platforms that we'll be able to have.

But what I want you guys to focus on is what the vibe of that music is going to be.

Stylistically, is it just a straight instrumental of guitar, piano bass?

Is it more upbeat and modern?

So all those questions, you know, those are things that you guys can think about.

Because that will inform the tone of the commercial itself.

>> Yeah.

>> Great.

>> What about the setting?

Like, where are we filming?

>> What about the setting?

No, I'm kidding.

so we're going to be filming the fashion one in one of the large conference rooms here.

It has a giant conference table.

So the conference table is probably about twice the size of this.

It'll fit, I'm guessing, about 20 people around it.

And then there's some wonderful backlit windows that are showcasing our beautiful city behind it.

So it'll be a big conference room.

There's going to be, actually, you know what?

Wait right there.

I've got in there as well >> Style and form.

>> Oh.

>> The mannequin.

Oh, fantastic.

>> That's great.

>> we're going to use in there, too.

Oh, fantastic.

So, if we were to think about our day here today, right, And what would be part of our PSA today.

We would think about, we want that shot with Juhanna.

We want the shot, maybe, of us talking by the piano.

We want the tour, right?

Maybe us arriving here for the first time, going through those doors.

Maybe that's... How did you feel going through those doors?

Was your heart beating, really, a lot?

Like, Oh, my God, I made it here, right?

so, what were some of the feelings and emotions that you felt coming here?

I bet 9 out of 10, the other mentees are also feeling the same thing, and maybe having sharing that with other people so that they want to apply for this program and be the next source of mentees as well.

So just thinking about, like, not just we're here, but this whole area here, everything from being dropped off here, going through the doors, coming through here, meeting new people.

All the cameras that are around us right now, meeting John, meeting Francesca.

I almost called her Florencia.

>> That's her last name.

[ Laughter ] >> Thinking about all of these elements, if you were to encapsulate today in just five images, what would be the five images of today?

Actually, that's a great question.

In front of you, all three of you have, and I'm going to take your idea right now, because this is what we're going to do.

>> I'm going to step out and let you drive this.

You're in much better hands than me.

♪ ♪ You can write it or draw it.

Either one.

If you were to encapsulate today, what would be six images, like I said, from even leaving your house, you can go far as back as that, to this moment right now, what would be six images that would be important for you to share?

It's whatever works for you.

If you want to draw... I like to do a little bit of both.

So you can draw, or you can write.

It doesn't matter.

There's no... no way of thinking about it.

In fact, I'll do mine here, right?

>> Wait, that one makes sense.

I see the which one?

>> Which one?

>> Finish up your last one and I'll talk to you through this one.

Because this is what I would also give to John to the camera folks and the editing folks, right.

This is my idea.

All right.

And again, I did it fast, sloppy.

This is about the extent of my artwork.

Look, I didn't even know it was upside down.

And here you go.

So, before you guys got here, I was sitting in the dressing room, which is where Juhanna walked in.

And we sat, and we talked about the show, and we talked about our lives, and how exciting this is.

So for me, this is an important moment, right here, right?

This is the three of you by the piano.

Remember when you guys all came in, and you were all kind of sitting in your own separate chairs?

I thought, Oh, I really like this, because this is a moment where we don't know each other, and I'd like to kind of get a sense of that, I'm not sure what I'm doing here, kind of feeling, right?

♪ ♪ So, I'm going to invite John back in, and we're going to ask him some questions about whether we can make any of these shots work or not work.

Come on.

Hi, John.

>> This is amazing.

you guys did all this?

>> Yeah.

>> Okay, you're hired.

So, what have we got?

What are we looking at here.

Are these individual?

Are you going to combine them?

>> These are individual.

And you can combine them or figure it out.

You get to keep this for your team, and then you can say to yourself, because for example, I really love the fact of her tagline.

I think it's really important.

It's sometimes the most obvious thing that you forget about, Right and that's really important.

I love the fact that she had words coming out, like, imagine, and things like that.

>> That's cool.

>> I love over here the beginning shots happening and I think you have a lot to work from here.

I don't know if you can do all the shots or not.

But at least you have something to work with, and maybe talk to your team about how it can happen.

>> I love it.

Am I going to I'm going to be able to hear these ideas,.

>> Okay, because that would be very helpful.

Jewel, why don't you go first?

>> So mine starts with fabric laid out on the table and art supplies all around the table.

And the students, or the mentees, walk in and they're reacting to seeing everything laid out.

And the second shot would be the mentor walking in, and, like, greeting them, and getting to know them a little bit.

The third shot would be interviews with students and mentors, and everyone just, getting to know each other a little bit.

The fourth shot would be draping fabric creating the pieces, thinking about what the outfit is going to look like, how they're going to create it, and how they're going to work together to do everything.

And then the last shot would be the models getting to try on the clothes, getting to see them, and then their reactions to seeing the models wearing the clothes.

>> That's awesome.

Okay, great.

>> Oh, okay, okay.

I was thinking, I don't know, my mind works in fragments, so I was just thinking of particular scenes.

So the first scene was sort of a close up on the fabrics, tools, and the sound of a sewing machine.

And I also had the idea of when you're doing fashion, when you're making these clothes, typically hurt yourself when you poke yourself with your needle, so I was thinking, like, maybe having somebody say, like, ouch, to bring people in.

And then my second shot was... earlier, Jewel got scared by seeing Francesca, and I thought that would be really funny if Francesca was maybe jump scared.

The mentees and the mentors and like the mentor comes behind, out of Francesca, and I think that'd be a really nice moment just to bring everybody in.

And this would happen in the conference room.

My third shot would be the mentor introducing the to the mentees, and it cuts to the mentee's face, and I'd, like a really specific line from one of the mentees saying, like, one of the mentees saying something along the lines of, like, let's do this, or, okay, or, I don't know, something, something, something mind blowing.

>> It's very that's very kinetic, a lot of action in that, that's kind of fun.

Awesome.

>> my first shot would be of like, an introduction to the mentor, so it'd be, like, a voiceover and, like, a picture of her, and I would say the mentor will be on behind the women, and that voiceover would lead into the second shot, which would, the voiceover would be to have young women learn from her.

and that would have, Joanne had him an idea of an aerial shot of all the high schools.

Oh, so I do know the actual drone operators from WWE, so... >> Oh, so I do know the actual drone operators from WWE, so... >> And my, my third shot would be, like, the mentees dressing up Francesca, and that voiceover would be, like, mentees will make an outfit for Juhanna.

And my 4th shot would be, like, a background on the mentor, what she did before she came into fashion, and that voiceover would be, like, mentor worked for YMCA, but now she's pursuing fashion.

My 5th shot would be maybe a clip of the interview with the mentees, and that would be, mentees, and that would be, an actual, like, clip of it, and there would be a voiceover that said Mentees will be interviewed by Juhanna.

And then the outro, my last shot would be, like, when the episode would air and I'd have text, just, like that said, "Behind the Woman", and then obviously text to say, when the episode will air.

>> It's fantastic.

That's amazing.

You guys did all this, huh?

>> Yeah, it's one of the things I really like about doing this is that I can come up with my own ideas, but bouncing off of each other.

I love the idea that you said, I just see a word coming out, and I'm like, Oh, yeah, love that.

And sometimes, we just need to say it out loud, and trust me, I have my friends who are, I call the Velveeta meters.

If I have a really cheesy idea, and they're like, Velveeta, Velveeta, cheddar, cheddar.

That's not too bad.

Swiss, right, but it's okay.

sometimes when I need to get all my cheesy ideas out first in order to get to the diamond at the end.

>> Oh, it's awesome.

I see a lot of diamonds today.

Well, thank you guys so much, thank you all.

This is awesome.

I'm going to step out.

You can close it out.

You guys are in good hands.

>> We should all hug each other.

>> Well, I just wanted to say think of a word or words or something you would like to take away from here that you think might be helpful for you?

>> I thought we were going to... >> Just anybody.

>> I have one.

Perspective.

>> Perspective.

I like that.

Word or words?

>> I can't think of it.

Okay, we'll give you a second.

> I Have one.

What is it?

>> Solving.

>> Yes.

I think, for me, I was very inspired by all of you.

And I loved, I loved your ideas, and I love that you have my idea in pink over there.

It was like, no, that was Joanne's idea in case you don't like it, right?

But I love that you even incorporated my idea, that you didn't say -- you didn't tell me no.

You said, okay, I'll put it here, we'll see how that goes.

Did you think of a word or words yet?

>> I just look fun.

>> Fun?

Awesome.

This intergenerational exchange produced more than just a finished media project.

It built a blueprint for our community.

By passing the torch, we ensure that the next generation is ready to claim their space.

Thank you for joining us for "Behind the Woman".

I'm Dr.

Juhanna Rogers.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ This educational programming was made possible in part by the following organizations.

The John Ben Snow Foundation and Memorial Trust.

Investing in people, investing in community, investing in the future.

The Gifford Foundation, fostering growth, Encouraging change, supporting our community since 1954.

Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield, working every day to create better places to live, work, play and raise families.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪