Philadelphia-based Video & Theatre Comapnies Join For Educational Series For Teens

Real Arts Media- a Philadelphia-based arts, education and documentary video Production Company- is working in association with B. Someday Productions/Walking Fish Theatre on a groundbreaking video series project slated for U.S. distribution in 2011. The team will be shooting parts of the video series Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at Walking Fish Theatre, 2509 Frankford Avenue.

"Combating Conflict With Character" covers critical ground: it explores hot-button issues like bullying, prejudice, peer pressure, anger, and conflict resolution in a half-hour educational video format that is specially designed to illuminate and inform.

Centering on a tight ensemble of teen actors, the series brings conflict situations to life- on a bare stage with no frills or scenery - so that teens will see themselves as they really are. The five-part series of programs combines realistic depictions of conflict situations with "teen on the street" interviews, and expert commentary from renowned teen behavior psychologists and other thought leaders.

Dr. Charles Williams of Drexel University's School Youth Violence Program has agreed to serve as a leading on-camera expert and advisor to the series.

Paul Shannon, founder of Real Arts Media feels that this series will make a real difference in troubled times.

"Bullying, prejudice, anger management - these are issues that are incredibly important for today's adolescents and parents. Recent events - like in Boston, here in Philadelphia, and all around the country - are proof that the problems teens face today are not the same ones faced by teens 20 years ago," states Shannon. "Today's adolescents have to be concerned with classic issues such as peer pressure, but they also face modern-day issues like multi-racial prejudice, media bias, cyberbullying, and more."

The series producers had a vision from the very start: work together with a local Philadelphia Theatre Company, and a local community of teen actors to bring realism, art and fresh ideas to subjects that particularly affect teens today. Michelle Pauls, Managing Artistic Director of B. Someday Productions was hired to help audition the teens, gathered from Philadelphia and the surrounding counties, and act as Artistic Associate during the video shoot.

Philadelphia filmmaker and Real Arts Media principal Margie Strosser thinks the series will transform how teens behave, and how they see themselves and their peers. "The work we're doing is transformative in so many ways. We're changing, our ensemble of teen actors is changing, and its because this work is vital to us all, and vital to the youth of America," states Strosser. We're building a reality hour by hour, day by day, as we work collaboratively with the teen ensemble on some really exciting scenes."

About the Project:
"Combating Conflict With Character" will be a five-part video series on teens and conflict situations, with show titles including: Bullying, Prejudice, Peer Pressure, Dealing With Anger, and Managing Conflict Resolution. The series is slated for national distribution in 2011 by Films Media Group (Princeton), a subsidiary of Facts On File (New York).

About the Real Arts Media - www.realartsmedia.com
Real Arts Media is a Philadelphia-based video and interactive media Production Company specializing in educational subjects. Founded in 2003 by filmmaker Paul Shannon, and headed by Shannon and Margie Strosser, the company is dedicated to producing high-quality, culturally relevant programming that make a difference in the lives of teens across America. The company also produces documentary films, video webcasts, interactive and interpretive programming, arts and non-fiction programs and films for businesses and non-profit organizations.

About B. Someday Productions - www.walkingfishtheatre.com
B. Someday Productions/Walking Fish Theatre is a non-profit theatre and arts organization located in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. The theatre specializes in youth theatre education for the local community, offering live shows, workshops, and classes in playwriting and acting. The company is headed by Michelle Pauls, Managing Artistic Director and Stan Heleva, Producing Artistic Director.

About Dr. Charles Williams
Charles Willams, or "Dr. Chuck," has been featured in the Associated Press, AOL News, C-SPAN and in every major regional media outlet, including the Philadelphia Daily News, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Philadelphia Tribune. He has also been featured on Fox 29, NBC, CBS, ABC and WB 17, as well as other local and national news and public affairs programs. Williams earned a Ph.D. in educational psychology from Temple University and a dual master's degree in counseling and organizational dynamics from MCP-Hahnemann University.

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