Video Production Team Brings Teen-Centric Vignettes to Competitions
Mr. Mei and the team pose at the NYC Public Schools Film Festival at the Museum of the Moving Image on April 29. Photo: Midwood Video Production Team
By NINA CHEN and WINNIE WANG
The Video Production Team has been up and running with their devices in hand, bringing new film-tastic vignettes to life. This is where Hornets specializing in graphic design, cinematography, and editing gather together after school to merge their artistic skills.
The team was selected as a finalist in the 7th Annual New York City Public Schools Film Festival on April 29 at the Museum of the Moving Image. They showcased their newest anti-bullying awareness film “Beyond the Sidelines.”
Created during midwinter break in collaboration with the NYPD’s 70th Precinct and Community Affairs Department, the short piece is about a teenager (Selina Liu ‘28) being bullied at school. Conflicted, she consults some friends (Shawn Bennett ‘26 and seniors Abigail Khazan, Leviathan Alijanov, Nicole Lin) and they come up with a solution by building a local organization for a teen space.
Additionally, the team placed sixth nationally in the Edit Spring 2025 Contest, a digital storytelling challenge launched by NBCU Academy and Adobe where students develop a video news report covering either physical, mental, or financial well-being.
Led by senior Emma Sit, the team focused on teen sleep deprivation and featured an interview with Midwood’s social worker Ms. Janelle Stanley. The report used statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website to cover the reasons why students are prone to sleep deprivation and the effect it has on their brains. The one and a half minute report was meant to spread awareness on how a lack of sleep can negatively impact school performance and social life.
In June, the team will participate in the 2025 Citywide Graphic Arts Competition at the New York City College of Technology.
Typically, the team works on a documentary and a film project each year. “This year though, we sort of shifted our focus to do more competitions and festival stuff to expand our team’s capacity beyond just being a production crew at Midwood,” said CTE Media Arts teacher and Video Production Team advisor Mr. Henry Mei.
Students interested in becoming a part of the team are required to take any one of the prerequisite electives: Graphic Design, Media Technology, or Video Production.
“When you apply, you’re applying for a specific role on the team,” said Mr. Mei. “The technical skills students have learned in class, they apply those skills in festivals, competitions, and real world opportunities.”
“I’ve definitely gained a lot of digital proficiency, like how to edit with Premiere Pro and Adobe Photoshop, and how to work a camera,” said Sit. “Still, the best part of making films to me is planning and writing because I really like screenplays and scripts.”
Companionship also motivates the team to work hard and produce their best results. “It’s a matter of working with the people you like because we all kind of bounce off each other’s ideas,” said Nicole Lin ‘25, the head of graphic design.
“I enjoy being a part of the team community,” said Jahvion Flanders ‘25, who specializes in cinematography. “Working together with everyone is very interesting because there’s different types of people.”
Within the school, the team is also in charge of filming events like Asian Fest, Latin Fest, and Caribbean Fest so they are recorded into the school’s long and vibrant history.
Other compositions are uploaded onto the team’s Instagram (@midwoodvpteam), and shared on the school’s YouTube channel (@midwoodhighschool2839). Senior Abigail Khazan, another one of the producers, said they also do vlogs of school events that are posted regularly online.
“If you would like to pursue a career in film, media design, and arts, this is a great option for you,” said Mr. Mei. From films and movies to short clips, Midwood’s Video Production Team is a hidden gem within the Humanities and Liberal Arts programs.