What It Takes

What It Takes pits a resilient spirit against insurmountable odds. We bear witness to Julian’s journey as he learns the true definition of leadership from the unsung, everyday heroes all around. What It Takes is a film written and produced by Jefferson Arts High School students while in workshop with the Elizabeth Youth Theater Ensemble. It is an homage to their home-city of Elizabeth declaring you don’t have to leave where you’re from to be successful and they have interviews with five local organic intellectuals to prove it. The film is inspired by those interviews which include, Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, Principal Michael Ojeda, Luis Cespedes, Linda Flores-Tober, and students who founded the first LGBT Club at Jeff Arts High. Our culture is dogmatic about American individualism, manifest destiny and “leaving” home to attain success. What It Takes ultimately counte
- Directed by:
Gregory Markowitz, Ivy Passee,
and Cristian Rivera - Produced by
Nicole Guillermo - Director of Photography:
Ivy Passee
and Cristian Rivera - Edited by:
Cristian Rivera - Production Design:
Gustavo Mejia
and Raven Dozier - Teaching Artists:
Pierre M. Coleman
Angela Kariotis
Theo Perkins
and Mary Rivera
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