The 19 New York City public school students selected to participate in the 2007 Summer Arts Institute Filmmaking Workshop have been hard at work on this year’s installment of youth-made media. As in previous years, students are working with state-of-the-art cameras and editing equipment while learning the ins-and-outs of filmmaking. By the end of the summer, they will have created five short films, but this year there is a new focus—our environment.

Students have been working in teams to create films that use a variety of filmmaking styles to talk about what the environment means to young people in this city. Ranging from documentaries about clean water in New York to comedies about the conservation of energy (or lack thereof) in NYC homes—the SAI filmmakers are not only learning how to use their voices, but how to make a difference with them.

This summer, Tribeca Film Festival alum Jeremiah Zagar and Tribeca All Access alum Vee Bravo will also drop in to give students some insight into making a career out of filmmaking, as well as offer some pointers on students’ films.

Watch the completed 2007 Summer Arts Institute Filmmaking Workshop student projects here!