VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Billy Lynn found his love for videography and photography during a challenging time in his life. His journey inspired him to try and keep other youth from going down a bad path.
"I was locked up a couple [of] times," Lynn said. "I wanted people to see life through my lens."
That inspired him to create the 'Teach Them How to Shoot' program.
"People are [going to] think that we are shooting guns," Lynn said. "We keep children out of the streets, and we teach them how to shoot cameras instead."
The Virginia Beach-based program is open to all youth but targets children considered at-risk.
"[We gravitate to] the kids who, you know, have these problems, you know, acting out in school, behavior issues," Lynn said.
Professional mentors help youth learn film and media production skills.
"They can do something creative, you know, that cultivates the creativity inside of them," Lynn said.
The program provides all the equipment to produce videos, films, and other media content.
"We start them off with basic cameras," Lynn said. "They're actually learning these things about the cameras and growing as the cameras grow."
Kids and teens are also encouraged to explore various roles in media like producing, directing, writing, and acting.
Lynn wants the program to be a safe space for young people.
"I want them to see that their feelings are valid... [and] that they should follow me as I follow Christ," Lynn said. "They don't have to be afraid to talk about anything."
He also hopes to help redirect their focus from crime to career.
"I'm [going to] fight for them like [they're] my own kids," Lynn said. "I want to be that light to them, you know what I mean, that shows them something different."
You can support the Teach Them How to Shoot program by donating through PayPal, using the email address TeachThemHowToShoot@gmail.com. You can also donate through Cash App at cashtag $TeachThemHowToShoot.
The group is accepting donations of working media equipment like cameras, computers, and drones.
Media professionals can also volunteer as mentors.