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Making marks of magic: Teens learn work skills by creating music video

Professional filmmaker Sam Doughty is being interviewed by the members of the Magic Markers program crew. The 10 teens in the program wrote and recorded a rap called "Stop the Violence"and, in addition, interviewed community members on camera about what Chattanooga and music means to them.
Professional filmmaker Sam Doughty is being interviewed by the members of the Magic Markers program crew. The 10 teens in the program wrote and recorded a rap called "Stop the Violence"and, in addition, interviewed community members on camera about what Chattanooga and music means to them. Professional filmmaker Sam Doughty is being interviewed by the members of the Magic Markers program crew. The 10 teens in the program wrote and recorded a rap called "Stop the Violence"and, in addition, interviewed community members on camera about what Chattanooga and music means to them.

By Barry Courter 7 min read

To watch more

The videos created by the teens in the Magic Marker program can be seen at magicmarkers.org or at youtube.com/magicmarkers2016.

photo Emrie Pinkerton, left, Sam Doughty and Aiyanna Jenkins take a break from filming.

‘Stop the Violence’

All I really care about is keeping it 100Any lil’ thing, baby, ask for itI ain’t worried about the moneyI’m just tryna feed the hungryEverybody get a lil’ piece of pie for itAll lives matter if you wanna get to itGotta stick together if you wanna get through itStrong, bright future is the wayyou gotta do itStaying in school and staying in booksKids to grow gotta stay off FacebookAll them happy days came and got tookGrow up from the ‘hood,Then you smarter than you lookBefore you have a kid,Turn the page in the bookWhen you see them words,You gonna take a close lookWhen you live that life,You gonna think you’re on a hook.Stop the violence,stop the madnessIt’s a shameEvery time I check my phone see RIPI’m so sick of seeing thisRepeated almost dailyThey fighting for powerBut don’t they knowPower is in a bookGain knowledge and confidence and really have ’em shookWhen I was 3 it’s lollipopsNow I’m 16 it’s gunshotsI just wanna get to a point where the violenceJust stop (me, you say together).When are we going to realizeThis word is not black and whiteWhen will we open up our eyesTo everything in sightWe’re killing all our people,It’s gotten out of controlHow can we push this movementIf we don’t even know where to goWe are the future of our nationSo let’s come together as oneLet’s bring awareness to our movementAnd put down all of our guns.— by Amari Johnson, Aiyanna Jenkins and Emrie Pinkerton

Inside the Mark Making facility in East Chattanooga, five teenage, would-be filmmakers are discussing the rap video called “Stop the Violence” they’ve been making for the last two weeks.

An equal number of teens are in the other room, setting up lighting and a microphone in preparation for doing some interviews with members of the community for a short film that will accompany the video.

The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. Guests are greeted with lots of smiles, handshakes and “Thanks for coming” comments from the teens.