SOUTH-CENTRAL : Women Filmmakers Lend Hand to Teens

Michele Ohayon and Tyis Conners had little reason to meet before last month. Separated by distance, money and age, the two shared little in common except for a vision of women in film.

These days, Ohayon, a 34-year-old film director from Los Feliz, and Conners, a 14-year-old 10th-grader, spend at least two hours each Saturday discussing filmmaking as part of a series of workshops aimed at giving South-Central teen-agers a taste of Hollywood.

“I just felt that we live in a community and we can’t just isolate our fears,” said Ohayon. “There are a lot of people whom we have the power to help.”

Ohayon, whose credits include “It Was a Wonderful Life,” a documentary about homeless women in Beverly Hills, is a member of Cinewomen, a group of women filmmakers who assist women in the industry.

Last month, Cinewomen launched a free eight-week course for teens that includes acting, directing and post-production editing workshops, as well as visits to a special-effects studio. About 15 members of Cinewomen are working with the youths at the Challenger Boys and Girls Club, 5029 S. Vermont Ave.

Ohayon conceptualized the workshop program while researching South-Central youth film programs for a documentary. “I realized there were no hands-on programs to teach youths about films,” she said. “I decided I wanted to do this.

“I may feel a little awkward as a white woman, and I’m not trying to be their role model, but we can’t wait until there are black filmmakers coming here. Because it’s a Catch-22: There are so few.”

In February, Ohayon and other women filmmakers approached Kenny Rogers, a project coordinator for the leadership training program at the Challenger Club, about the workshops. He agreed to help select a dozen 13- to 17-year-olds to participate.

The results have been great, according to Rogers, who said the would-be filmmakers are learning that Hollywood needs them.

“I think that what Cinewomen is trying to tell them is that there is room for them in that industry,” Rogers said.

“We want them to know that the film industry is not a closed world, just for white people in Hollywood,” Ohayon said. Ohayon added that while many of the students may not pursue film careers, they will learn basic skills, such as improving their writing, which will help “give them the tools to express themselves.”

For Tyis, the purpose of the workshops is simple: to fine-tune her writing skills. “This has given me a better outlook on how to develop story-lines and the characters, and the tone I want to put in the script,” said Tyis, who is working on her second script.

Ohayon said Cinewomen members hope to continue the program this fall, but its future is uncertain.

The program runs without any funding other than the donations of Cinewomen members.

“We approached many companies about donating equipment,” Ohayon said, “but (they) didn’t want to give us equipment when they heard it was going to South-Central.”