Homework Boy

Homework Boy: A Collaborative Music Video Project, 2008
By: Christopher Metzger, Jenna Frye and Ysem Brown

The first of four such projects (so far), Homework Boy is a collaborative music video project involving myself, Jenna Frye and Ysem Brown, along with students from Maryland Institute College of Art and Govans Elementary School. As is the case with all of our music videos, musical genius Mr. Brown tricks...ahem...I mean teaches his students to rewrite popular, less positive songs and turn them into age appropriate songs with a message. The bulk of the project took place over a day long Saturday workshop with fourth and fifth grade Govans students working directly with the MICA students to storyboard, film, act and edit the video.

As artists and educators, we believe in the trans formative power of art and technology and the importance of media literacy in the 21st century. By empowering Baltimore City youth to become media producers rather than consumers, it's our hope that they'll become more critical of the media they encounter on a day to day basis.

Shout out to MICA alumni Craig Herndon, Rassaan Hammond and Jimmy Powell for their participation and mentornship.