Law and Order
From time to time it happens: blessings stumble across your path or find their way to your doorstep. Things you'd like to see happen, do, without even trying. Friday, March 28th, was such a time for our kids. In conjunction with the launch of the Xcel Theater, Xcel After School has introduced a film program for our junior high and elementary students. The first project, a music video to Pink's song Family Portrait, will debut in June. In the meantime, the kids are in the field, learning about the television and film industries with scheduled visits to NBC Studios and a talk show. The one trip that was difficult to arrange was a tour of a location shoot in Manhattan. Then on Friday, production trucks lined the streets surrounding the Xcel Theater. Law and Order: SVU had come literally to our doorstep, as they were filming senes for an upcoming episode outside our building, and we had to stumble over them to get inside. The producer was amazingly gracious and agreed to allow our kids to visit that afternoon. Even though television shows and movies regularly film throughout the neighborhood, for many LES kids, they still seem unreal and distant. Only celebreties appear on screen, they reason, and we'll never be celebrities. What business do we have thinking we might ever make movies or create art? Visits like this one suggest differently, especially with the warmth and hospitality exhibited by the cast and crew. Special thanks especially to producer Peter Leto, stars Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni, and the director, who each took time to shake hands and answer questions.
(Clockwise, from top left) Talking with the producer and director; on set; questioning Mariska; autographing a thank you note. |
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