?What's Up?

1987, 33:11 min, color, sound

Nine young men from a juvenile court high school in Southern California, whose lives have been filled with drugs and violence, worked with Miller to produce this piece, which addresses their backgrounds, their present lives and future hopes. The opening and closing sequences are music-filled collages in which they attempt to come to grips with what it means to be a man. In the middle "where I am now" section, each was given two minutes to create his own video, complete with chroma-keyed visuals and music.

by the Masada/Taper Workshop Students with Branda Miller. Direction/Camera/Editing/Performances: Students of Masada High School. Supervising Video Director/Editor: Branda Miller. Directors of Photography: Jules Backus and Students. Audio: Dan Birnbaum, Mitchell Oda, Students. Line Producer: Gary S. Wong. On-line Editor: Gary McFarland. A project of the Mark Taper Forum and the L.A. County Juvenile Court School System.