Shawn Strong directs -- and does it all in media production.
By Nancy Peckenham
Meet Shawn Strong. He’s a filmmaker with a drive to make movies in Newburgh about life on the real gritty streets. He’s got a proven track record producing music videos and shorts but he wants to build a community of folks who are willing to put their own creativity to work.
Meet Shawn Strong this Saturday, when he is bringing together an emerging group of people who want to start something here. Digital filmmakers, crew members, writers, directors, actors, financial backers, online media wizs – anyone who has got an itch to create is invited to join the Newburgh Media Group and explore what is possible.
Strong knows what he is talking about. He has been behind the camera, set up the lights, edited the footage and delved into what it takes to be a success in the business. Strong says he often goes to New York City, where he works with people who know how energy happens when people with skills come together and he wants to create that vibe in Newburgh.
Strong shoots a scene from the short film "Scarred Pavement."
“The Hudson Valley has a lot to offer and it has something different from the city,” Strong said in an interview on Tuesday. “You can stand and see the Hudson Valley and then turn and see the ghetto – it is different from the fast-paced city with all the buildings.”
Drugs, hanging out, and desperation are themes in some of Strong work that reflect life in parts of Newburgh that he experienced growing up. A 1994 graduate of Newburgh Free Academy, Strong studied communications at St. John’s University and SUNY Orange, focusing first on music production then video. His work has been recognized and he recently won a grant to purchase a high definition camera that he uses in productions.
In New York City, he works with the group Directing Actors, whose executive producer, Miles Maker, will be on hand this Saturday to talk about what it takes. So will David Ford, the owner of Gotham Digital, who wants to share what he has learned about media production.
“I am trying to collect crews and people who do different creative things and boost people’s morale,” Shawn said. “People die out cause there is really nothing going on but hopefully these speakers will motivate people and maybe they can do the same things I did.”
Shawn says that if 100 people show up on Saturday, he would expect that five of them will make it through the long haul of media production, enough, he said, to pursue a vision of an independent media production center in Newburgh.
If you or anyone you know is curious about what Shawn is up to, check out the meeting of the Newburgh Media Group this Saturday, December 4, at 2 pm at Masjid al-Ikhlas, 25 Washington Terrace in Newburgh. Or give Shawn a call at (845) 321-9409. You also can sign up here: www.meetup.com/Newburgh-Media-Group.
Meanwhile, check out some of his director’s work at Vimeo:
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