Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO)and Akaku: Maui Community Television (Akaku)are partnering with the Hawaiian Partnership for the Prevention of Underage Drinking (HPPUD) to create a specialized youth video training program.  The training will meld MEOʻs Youth Services Program and Akakūʻs Educational Media Training Program. Through this 3-day course students will develop a “Prevent Underage Drinking PSA” project-based production. The goals of this project are:

• To build on and strengthen the existing programs that MEO and Akakū have each established in service to the Maui County Community.
• To add value to the MEO Youth Services “underage drinking prevention” program by providing youth participants the opportunity to take part in a customized project-based youth video training at Akakū and giving student participants the opportunity to become Akaku Certified Producers.
• To promote the outreach and education activities of both organizations as they relate to this project, using television, radio, online, and print outlets.

This is the third year MEO and Akakū have partnered on this project. Prior years have been successful in educating the community and raising awareness of the dangers of underage drinking.

The Akakū Media Lab is hosting a Media Training Program for the Maui Economic Opportunity Youth Program on Tuesday June 5th through Thursday June 7th from 8am to 4pm, Stations will be available from 4pm -6pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and from 10am - 6pm on Monday and Friday. This summer the lab will be extremely busy, please call Peter King at the Akakū front desk and reserve your edit time at least 24 hours in advance.

Akakū: Maui Community Television is hosting a Media Salon with the writer and director of "I Am Not A Hipster", on May 25, 2012 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.

Destin Daniel Cretton is a writer/director of several short films and now his feature film directorial debut, "I Am Not A Hipster," which was recently screened at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Destin was born and raised in Haiku, Maui and graduated from Maui High School. He took his first class at Akakū when he was in high school and remembers shooting a short piece on the Maui Humane Society.

"I was instantly addicted and spent way too many hours in those dark edit rooms with blood-shot eyes, cutting camp videos for my church or surf footage of my older brother.  That's kind of where it all began," says Cretton.

When he moved to San Diego to attend Point Loma Nazarene University, his interest in video and film making was still brewing. After graduating, he began making short films and sending them to fesivals. Some did well while others didnʻt but he continued to do what he loved. Eventually one of his short films, "Short Term 12," was chosen to be in Sundance and went on to win the Jury Prize. Now three years later, he is premiering again at Sundance, this time with his first-ever feature length film, "I Am Not A Hipster." Since its premiere, the film has also played at festivals in Cleveland, Nashville, Newport  Beach, Philadelphia, and will soon play in Arkansas and Seattle.

It all began with a simple request from producer, Ron Najor when he approached Destin and simply said, "I want to make a movie with you. I donʻt care if it sucks, I just want to make something." Those two simple sentences allowed Destin to let his creativity run wild.

Akakū will offer itʻs intro to public access on Monday, May 21st at 5:00 pm in the Akakū Media Lab. Sign-up now for this introduction and orientation class on the policies and procedures at Akakū. The orientation also includes a complete overview of the production process, from pre-production to final delivery. There is a minimum enrollment of 3. Class may be postponed due to lack of enrollment. Please Call 871-5554 to register and confirm the class. This class is required  to use the equipment and facilities at Akakū. The cost is $20 for one 3-hour course.

Drew's expertise and advice in film, media, web video and marketing has resulted in contracts and consulting agreements with dozens of companies around the United States. Along the way he's addressed thousands of people through workshops and presentations he's given, throughout the U.S. and Canada. Drew is one of the pioneers in the live streaming field. Realizing early on that streaming would grow to have a significant impact on the world he began to research and learn about it. Along the way he was fortunate to be hired to live stream some significant events and quickly became a recognized expert in this emerging field.