Making Off the Block—A Short Documentary
Screened at Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts (2023)
Produced, filmed, and edited by Steffanie A. Padilla
11 minutes 44 seconds

Off the Block is an annual month-long summer documentary filmmaking workshop organized by the University of California, Riverside. Off the Block exposes high school student filmmakers to the history of film and the documentary format as well as equipping them with the artistic concepts and technical skills necessary to complete their own documentary. Beyond learning practical filmmaking skills, students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and team building, as well as positive self-expression through the arts. The award-winning program was created in direct response to the profound need for youth arts initiatives in the Riverside, CA area and is the only summer media literacy and documentary filmmaking program in the region. It is offered completely free-of-charge and all necessary filmmaking tools and supplies are provided to students.

Off the Block staff, through their teaching experience in higher education, draw upon the California state educational curriculum to develop effective and dynamic workshops and activities to impart film and media training onto students. Beyond learning practical filmmaking skills, students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and team building, as well as positive self-expression through the arts. Over the past 10 years, the stories and projects that our high school students have produced have tackled difficult issues and revealed unique histories. These stories are told through a multitude of documentary techniques but have as their backbone stories from local citizens and community members.

To view documentary, click here.