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SPECIAL PROMOTION OFFER "Back To School Promotion" - Book a TEEN TRUTH LIVE program today and receive 500 free MAKE A DIFFERENCE wristbands!!! Click For Details » |
This summer the TEEN TRUTH LIVE: BULLY tour made a stop in San Jose, CA and TEEN TRUTH creators Erahm Christopher and JC Pohl were able to sit down with the Bay Area's Fox News affiliate KTVU. Read More » |
Book a 2008-2009 TEEN TRUTH LIVE program today and receive 500 free MAKE A DIFFERENCE wristbands!!!
Promotion Period: August 1st – September 30th
Promotion Rules: A promotion can only be redeemed for bookings that are made during the designated promotion period. Promotions will be listed on the main page of TeenTruthLive.com throughout the designated promotion period and will also be sent out periodically via email. Promotions are not valid with any other discount or promotional offer. Contact us at info@teentruthlive.com or 310.779.3881 to book a presentation today!
July 22, 2008The two filmmakers were featured on the "Mornings on 2" news show. To see the interview click on the link below:
Dates for the 2008-2009 tour are booking up fast. Presentations for both the BULLY and DRUGS & ALCOHOL programs have been scheduled across California, Nevada, and Quebec. In addition, TEEN TRUTH LIVE: BULLY has recently been booked to present to students in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
If you would like to book a date or know someone who might be interested you can contact us at info@teentruthlive.com
We need your help to make a difference.
May 28, 2008This award honors an exemplary artist, community advocate, and/or groundbreaking leader from the local community - who endeavors: to promote cross-cultural appreciation; to catalyze the creative arts; to utilize the power of various types of media; and to contribute to the quality of life for the greater community and beyond. Christopher will be recognized along with jury-awarded and audience-awarded filmmakers from around the world at the 1st International SJ Film Festival Finale and Awards Gala, to be held on June 8, 2008 at 6:30PM, at Faye Spanos Concert Hall on the campus of University of the Pacific.
During the film festival, Erahm Christopher will be featured among four dynamic filmmakers in the "Conversations with Filmmakers" forum series. Christopher's forum will be held on June 6, 2008 at 10:00AM at the Pacific Theatre at University of the Pacific.
Three of Christopher's short films are part of the festival's 2008 Official Selection: EDMUND (West Coast Premiere), THE INK DRINKER (USA Premiere), THE PIANO LESSON: A COMEDIA OPERA (Central Valley premiere).
For showtimes and tickets, visit www.sjccm.org/sjff08
May 23, 2008We would like to congratulate the teams at Human Relations Media, B1 Films, Horizon Intertainment, and all the students and crew who worked hard to make TEEN TRUTH: DRUGS & ALCOHOL.
We are proud of this award and are excited to see TEEN TRUTH: DRUGS & ALCOHOL reach students across the nation through HRM's distribution network and our new TEEN TRUTH LIVE: DRUGS & ALCOHOL school assembly program.
March 31, 2008In an effort to raise awareness about the harmful effects of eating disorders, TEEN TRUTH Director Erahm Christopher created a unique Promo Film for Hopewell, a Non-Profit organization based in Ottawa, Canada. The film combines live action, animation and story telling to help educate their clients about eating disorders.
If you would like to view the PSA or learn more about Hopewell you can visit:
http://www.hopewell.on.ca/en/content/me-and-ed-true-story
February 15, 2008The speaking program is delivered in the same interactive style as TEEN TRUTH LIVE: BULLY. It includes an introduction about Erahm Christopher's TEEN TRUTH: DRUGS & ALCOHOL, a screening of the film, followed by Fernandez's moving discussion.
The program will eventually be priced at $2,000, but during its pilot period through June 2008, we are offering it at a discounted rate of $1,000 (modest travel & lodging fees may apply). This also includes a 35-page teacher's workbook & curriculum.
Please contact us if your school is interested in this powerful program. With the end of the school year and prom quickly approaching, we feel that it is important to talk to students about the serious affects of drug and alcohol abuse.
You can visit TeenTruthLive.com to learn more about our program or contact us at 818.237.5082 to receive our TEEN TRUTH LIVE: DRUGS & ALCOHOL FAQ document.
In addition you can view a trailer for the TEEN TRUTH: DRUGS film at:
http://www.teentruthlive.com/TT_DRUGS/Trailer.html
February 1, 2008(3 out of 4 stars)
Shortly after the school shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., filmmakers JC Pohl and Erahm Christopher decided to tackle the problem of violence in the classroom. In 2006, they completed the highly praised documentary short "Teen Truth: An Inside Look at Bullying and School Violence." Since then they've reached more than 250,000 students with their message by visiting schools, screening the film and discussing the issues.
While their efforts on the subjects of school bloodshed continue, the award-winning duo hopes their new film is able to inspire and save lives in a different way. Their follow-up looks at the important topic of substance abuse. Though it doesn't have quite the power as their first production, "Teen Truth: An Inside Look at Drug & Alcohol Abuse" does pack an effective combo punch by entertaining and educating its viewers.
Christopher's quick-paced film covers the downward spiral of an addict with great results. Instead of having some authority figure say "Drugs are bad, mmmkay" like "South Park" counselor Mr. Mackey, "Teen Truth: Drugs" uses a subjective journalist approach and presents facts and various points of views without ever getting preachy.
Like "Teen Truth: Bully," this film uses music of Darren Fung, statistics, real 911 phone calls and footage shot by teenagers with great results. "Teen Truth: Drugs" also features visuals depicting illicit drug use, photos of car crashes caused by alcohol, as well as candid interviews with addicts, emergency room doctors and an undercover narcotics officer. All of the footage is weaved together to reveal the slow and unpleasant picture alcohol paints.
It all begins the same way for every addict - just one sip. Many say their friends or parents were doing it, so they wanted to give it a try. "Monkey see, monkey do," one of the recovering addicts in the films states. Whether it was by sneaking a wine cooler from Mom, being given a brewski from big Brother or offered beer at an underage keg party, 65 percent of the youth who drink say they get alcohol from friends or family.
It doesn't take long after that first taste for an individual to become a user of alcohol. Once they do, beer becomes as common as soda when hanging with friends. Recreation then grows into need. Once a week becomes twice a week. Then it becomes every day till eventually everything is about getting high. Nothing else matters. The alcohol more often than not progresses into marijuana, which then leads to cocaine, crystal meth, crack or heroin.
But like the old anti-drug campaigns used to declare: "No one ever says, 'I want to be a junkie when I grow up.'" Nobody intends to become an addict. "It won't happen to me." "I'm not an addict." "I can control it." "I just drink to have a good time." This is what they all say at some point. Each and every one of them that eventually ends up losing control of themselves. As a result they risk and often times lose their dreams, their friends, their family, their health and their future.
The lucky ones make it to a treatment center with physical, emotional and mental damages that are irreversible. They live out the rest of their lives fighting addictions, overcoming their physically deteriorating bodies and trying to heal the wounds they've inflicted on their loved ones. The unlucky ones end up homeless, in jail, in prison or institutions. The unluckiest - 135,000 people a year to be exact - just don't make it at all and are laid to rest in a cemetery.
What led Christopher and Pohl to make the first "Teen Truth" film was the absence of a teen perspective in the media when in comes to school violence and bullying. To truly open the lines of communication on an issue, you have to make sure the voiceless are heard. Christopher and Pohl achieved that and the final result was the most understanding portrayal of school violence ever captured on film. "Teen Truth: Bully" went on to be a winner at the 2007 Golden Eagle Awards, which are known for excellence in documentary and other informational film and video productions.
With "Teen Truth: Drugs" they took a similar approach. They incorporated not only the perspectives of teenagers, but also those of recovering addicts, which ends up giving the film its power.
All of the addicts express that if they could to do it all over again, they would not have gotten involved with alcohol and drugs. "It starts off fun. but when it's all over, the only person that's paying the price is you," one woman explains. Another female addict states: "A lot of my life is down the drain and I could never get it back."
Even more touching are the words of another recovering addict. "You don't realize, maybe when you have just a beer or just a hit of a joint where that's going to take you," she says near the end of the film. "Just one hit or one beer can change your whole life." The film closes with her breaking down. "It's so hard," she states. "I just want to cry. It's just hell. It's a life of hell and it never goes away. Even when you stop, it doesn't go away. Don't ever start. Then you won't have to stop." Sometimes it is hard to believe it is that simple, but it is.
- CCF, January 2008
January 4, 2008We would like to thank our state leaders for working together to further this important issue.
To help highlight this important week you can use our film, TEEN TRUTH: BULLY, or you can bring one of our speakers to your school to present our motivational program TEEN TRUTH: LIVE.
October 8, 2007Community Matters offers a nationally recognized program called Safe School Ambassadors that has taught over 20,000 4-12th grade student leaders in nearly 600 schools to use non-violent communication skills to reduce emotional and physical violence among their peers.
This program compliments our TEEN TRUTH: BULLY film and our TEEN TRUTH: LIVE speaking series perfectly. With our new partnership we have packaged a unique program that pairs the TEEN TRUTH: LIVE presentation and the Safe School Ambassadors program together.
Horizon and Community Matters are currently offering the TEEN TRUTH: LIVE Safe School Ambassadors Solution Program at a 5% discount to schools that purchase both programs.
June 27, 2007Erahm and JC presented to an over capacity room and the film was extremely well received by the highly influential audience. The presentation also featured testimonials from 7 racially diverse California students that had seen TEEN TRUTH: LIVE, as well as TEEN TRUTH student filmmaker Teresa Armen and special guest speaker Ryan Belflower.
Senator Ridley-Thomas had this to say about TEEN TRUTH: LIVE... "Schools would be a much better and safer place if every elementary, and high school student had an opportunity to participate in this program. Today's event affords the State Legislature an inside and first-hand look at the disrespect and harm many kids face on a daily basis. My colleagues and I applaud the TEEN TRUTH: LIVE program for all the positive effects it is making throughout the nation."
Senate President pro Tem Don Perata was also in attendance and was so moved by TEEN TRUTH: LIVE he addressed the audience and said that this presentation is one of the best that he has ever seen at the Capitol.
Click Here to see pics from the event
June 1, 2007