Training.Creating.Mentoring.
Shoot With Cameras
Not Guns
What is SWCNG?
Shoot With Cameras Not Guns (SWCNG) is a transformative initiative dedicated to empowering underprivileged youth ages 14–29 through the art of visual storytelling. By offering hands-on training, mentorship, and creative opportunities, SWCNG helps underprivileged youth find purpose and express their voices before violence takes root. Our mission is to prevent violence by providing a constructive outlet for creativity, guiding young people to use cameras, not guns, to reshape narratives and tell impactful stories. SWCNG aims to inspire change, uplift communities, and offer a positive alternative that helps youth build brighter, violence-free futures.
Our Values
Civic & Social EngagementÂ
SWCNG promotes civic responsibility and community engagement through film and photography. We integrate lessons utilizing the power of visual storytelling to effect positive change in society.:
– Encourage participants to explore and document issues within their community, promoting awareness and dialogue.
– Organize projects that allow them to use photography as a tool for advocacy and civic participation
Skill Development & Technical Proficiency
SWCNG equips participants with the technical skills necessary for effective cinematography and photography for Free.
SWCNG offers workshops and training sessions covering fundamental photography techniques, composition, lighting, and post-processing. We provide access to cameras and editing tools, allowing participants to practice and refine their skills in a supportive setting.
Business Literacy and Education
SWCNG introduces participants to the business side of cinematography + photography, fostering entrepreneurial skills and a mindset for potential career paths. We provide workshops on the business aspects of cinematoggraphy and photography, including marketing, branding, client relations, and basic financial literacy. Encourage participants to develop a portfolio and explore potential entrepreneurial opportunities within the field of cinematography and photography. Foster skills that can translate into potential careers or entrepreneurial ventures.
Community Safety and Crime Prevention:
 Empower participants to use photography as a tool to promote community safety and contribute to crime prevention efforts. We engage participants in projects that highlight positive aspects of their community, promoting a sense of unity and shared responsibility for safety. Encourage the documentation of community initiatives, local heroes, and positive changes. Collaborate with local law enforcement or community organizations to explore how photography can contribute to crime prevention campaigns. Use visual storytelling to inspire a collective commitment to building safer neighborhoods.
Programs
he SWCNG program is designed to equip youth with valuable skills in media production, storytelling, and business. Over the course of four engaging workshops—Filming & Audio Production, Storytelling, Editing & Story Refinement, and Final Presentation & Showcase—participants will gain hands-on experience in creating powerful content and refining their skills.
The program runs seasonally, with workshops taking place every other month in March, May, and July. Each session builds upon the previous one, starting with the basics of filming and audio production, moving into storytelling, followed by editing and refining the projects, and culminating in the final presentation of their work.
he SWCNG program is designed to equip youth with valuable skills in media production, storytelling, and business. Over the course of four engaging workshops—Filming & Audio Production, Storytelling, Editing & Story Refinement, and Final Presentation & Showcase—participants will gain hands-on experience in creating powerful content and refining their skills.
The program runs seasonally, with workshops taking place every other month in March, June , and August. Each session builds upon the previous one, starting with the basics of filming and audio production, moving into storytelling, followed by editing and refining the projects, and culminating in the final presentation of their work.
Filming & Audio Production
- Objective: Teach practical filming techniques and how to use the music studio for audio production (soundtracks, voiceovers).
Topics:- Hands-on practice with cameras: how to shoot a video, set up basic lighting, and use angles to tell a story.
- Music Studio: Introduction to sound recording (voiceovers, basic music production, and sound design).
- Hands-On Activity: Youth will film short scenes and record a basic audio clip (e.g., background music or voiceover).
Outcome: Youth will have hands-on experience creating both video and audio components.
StoryTelling
Introduce storytelling as a powerful tool for business, personal branding, and communication:
- Â Â Â Storytelling Basics: Understanding how storytelling is used in business, media, and customer service.
- Introduction to the basics of video production (camera handling, framing, lighting
- Business Application of Storytelling: How brands, businesses, and individuals use storytelling to create strong identities and connect with audiences.
- Soft Skills: Importance of storytelling in improving communication, empathy, and building relationships (essential for customer service).
- Hands-On Activity: Participants develop a personal or brand story that they can use to introduce themselves, their business ideas, or a product they want to promote.
Outcome: Youth will understand how storytelling is central to both creative work and business communication and will leave with a personal story that they can refine and use in a variety of contexts.
Editing & Story Refinement
- Objective: Teach basic video editing techniques and how to refine their stories.
Topics:- Introduction to basic editing software (Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, etc.).
- How to organize footage, cut scenes, and integrate audio.
- Refining the storyline and adding special effects or transitions.
- Hands-On Activity: Youth will start editing their videos using footage they filmed during Workshop 2, adding sound and text overlays
Outcome: Youth will understand how to take raw footage and turn it into a polished piece of content.
Final Presentation & Showcase
- Objective: Allow youth to present their work, reflect on the process, and share what they’ve learned.
- Topics:
- Preparing for the final showcase (how to present your work, what to say, how to engage the audience).
- Youth finalize their videos, make any last-minute edits, and prepare a brief presentation about their project.
- Final Showcase: Each youth will have the opportunity to show their video, share the story behind it, and discuss the impact of storytelling for social change.
Outcome: By the end of this workshop, youth will have completed their projects and be ready to share them with the community, family, and peers.
The Ultimate SWCNG Film Fest in October will be the grand finale, where the best projects from the season are showcased. This event provides a platform for youth to present their projects to the community, family, mentors, and local partners—celebrating their progress and the power of storytelling in a professional, inspiring setting.
This seasonal structure allows participants to develop their skills at their own pace while working toward a meaningful final event, setting them up for success in the creative and business worlds.
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