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Director of 'The Wire' Filming CPS Grad's Movie on Being Gay and Black

 Janaya Greene, 18, wrote a story for a national competition that got picked up by Scenarios USA. She was able to return to her old high school, Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy on Jan. 24-25 for the filming. Director Seith Mann worked with her on the screenplay.
Janaya Greene, 18, wrote a story for a national competition that got picked up by Scenarios USA. She was able to return to her old high school, Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy on Jan. 24-25 for the filming. Director Seith Mann worked with her on the screenplay.
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Scenarios USA

ROSELAND — Childhood conversations about gay people have led to a new film written by an 18-year-old Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy grad.

The film, "Veracity," penned by Janaya Greene, wrapped up filming Sunday in Chicago, and included scenes shot at her old high school at 250 E. 111th St. using current students as extras.

The movie's director, Seith Mann, is an award-winning veteran of TV, having helmed more than 30 episodes of shows such as "The Wire," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Homeland."

How does a novice writer get linked to such an accomplished show business veteran?

During her senior year, the 2014 Brooks Prep graduate entered a homework assignment from her film studies class to the Scenarios USA’s Real Deal contest and was one of three winners. The national nonprofit accepted story submissions from schools in New York City, Cleveland and Chicago and paired the authors of the winning stories with Hollywood directors to make short films.

 Janaya Greene, 18, wrote a story for a national competition that got picked up by Scenarios USA. She served as an extra during the filming at her old high school, Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy, on Jan. 24-25 for the filming. Director Seith Mann worked with her on the screenplay.
Janaya Greene, 18, wrote a story for a national competition that got picked up by Scenarios USA. She served as an extra during the filming at her old high school, Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy, on Jan. 24-25 for the filming. Director Seith Mann worked with her on the screenplay.
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DNAinfo/Andrea V. Watson

Greene's "Veracity" tells the story of an African-American girl who finally finds the strength to tell her loved ones that she is a lesbian. Their responses are not what she expected. The film explores some of the challenges of being gay in the black community.

“The inspiration mostly came from a lot of conversations I’ve had, like we would have debates in my English class and one was about legalizing gay marriage,” said Greene, who is now a freshman at Ohio State studying journalism and was in town for the weekend filming, in which she also was an extra.

When she wrote the screenplay, the debate over legalizing gay marriage was raging. In the end, she said, the question is not whether being gay is right or wrong but how do people deserve to be treated.

The Brainerd Park native says the film is about lack of acceptance.

“I think religion is so ingrained in a lot of African-American communities that it’s hard for many to understand and [accept] because you’re taught that it’s wrong,” Greene said.

The message of the film is simple, she said: “Watch how you treat people and respect them.”

The Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Scenarios USA provides teachers in English, arts and social studies with a film-writing curriculum that helps foster youth leadership and self-expression. This is second year Scenarios USA has worked with Chicago Public Schools and is in nine schools.

Greene's screenplay was one of 328 submissions to the Real Deal contest. Other winners included Skyler Edge of Cleveland, whose story "House, Not Home" about his fears about coming out as transgender will be directed by Joshua Butler, who has worked on "State of Affairs" and "The Following." Also chosen was Nialani Pringle of New York City whose "Aleah" tells of a pregnant 17-year-old. That story will be directed by Laurie Collyer, whose most recent film, "Sunlight Jr.," stars Naomi Watts and Matt Dillon.

The winning films will become part of the Scenarios curriculum and past winning films have been shown on Showtime and Telemundo's mun2.

Eugene Hazzard, Greene's former film teacher at Brooks Prep, described her as "amazing."

“You take one kernel of a thought and you plant the seed and now it’s growing, it’s all blooming and blossoming right there in front of you,” Hazzard said.

Alyssa Vera Ramos, Scenario USA’s Chicago Media Corps Coordinator, said that the program sparks dialogue around current issues. "The curriculum is meant to start a conversation around different issues that are affecting young people today,” she said.

In addition to using Brooks Prep students as extras, all of the actors are local. A small group of the students are also working on the media campaign.

Bruce Zanca, a senior vice president with Bankrate who serves as Scenarios USA's board chairman, said funding is always a challenge, but he has worked on reaching donors outside of New York.

“I haven’t met a person yet, who once they heard the story of Scenarios, didn’t want to be supportive in some way,” he said. “Many of the kids who have participated in these programs have had an epiphany, a change on the outlook of life after they’ve gone through the program.”

Greene said that she always loved writing as a child, but never thought she would have a Hollywood director like her screenplay. She said the experience has motivated her to explore all forms of writing, along with photography.

"Veracity" and the other winners will premiere in May in New York City.

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