12/13/02

LC021213

VAL ZAVALA>> TONIGHT ON LIFE AND TIMES --

JESS MARLOW>> IT’S A REAL CHALLENGE TO FIND PEOPLE WILLING TO ADOPT OLDER CHILDREN. IT’S ALSO A CHALLENGE FOR THE KIDS.

CHRISTINE MILLER>> I KEEP TELLING HIM OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN -- IT’S LIKE A LITANY -- THAT IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOU DO. I’M GOING TO BE YOUR MOM FOREVER, SO YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT OR THAT YOU THINK YOU NEED TO DO, BUT IT’S NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE FACT I’M YOUR MOM.

VAL>> L.A. POLICE ARE TARGETING GRAFFITI AS PART OF THEIR EFFORT TO RUB OUT GANGS AND THEY’RE GETTING SOME HELP FROM FORMER GANG MEMBERS.

LAURA LING>> GIVEN THE STRONG LINK POLICE SEE BETWEEN GRAFFITI AND VIOLENCE, A NEW GOAL OF L.A. LAW ENFORCEMENT IS TO REMOVE GRAFFITI AND, TO GET THE JOB DONE, THEY’VE TURNED TO AN UNUSUAL ALLY, EX-GANG MEMBERS.

JESS>> IT’S A FAMILY TRADITION THAT HE ALMOST DIDN’T FOLLOW.

[FILM CLIP]

JESS>> BUT MILLIONS OF MUSIC FANS ARE GLAD HE DID. COMPOSER THOMAS NEWMAN IS PART OF WHAT’S BEEN CALLED THE FIRST FAMILY OF AMERICAN MOVIE MUSIC. TONIGHT WE’LL FIND OUT HOW NEWMAN WRITES THOSE MEMORABLE MOTION PICTURE SCORES.

VAL>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I’M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I’M JESS MARLOW. WHENEVER THERE’S A REPORT OF AN ABANDONED BABY, AUTHORITIES GET FLOODED WITH CALLS FROM SCORES OF WOULD-BE PARENTS, ALL OF THEM READY TO SIGN ADOPTION PAPERS, BUT IT’S A DIFFERENT STORY WHEN AN OLDER CHILD NEEDS A HOME.

VAL>> BY OLDER, WE MEAN A YOUNGSTER WHO’S REACHED THE AGE OF THREE. MANY SPEND VIRTUALLY THEIR ENTIRE CHILDHOOD IN FOSTER HOMES WITH NO PERMANENT MOM OR DAD. BUT THANKS TO A GROUP OF HOLLYWOOD ENTERTAINMENT EXECUTIVES, SOME STORIES DO HAVE HAPPY ENDINGS. PHILIP BRUCE HAS OUR REPORT.

JOSH MILLER>> LOOK AT MY J’S. THEY’RE BACKWARDS.

PHILIP BRUCE>> THREE YEARS AGO, JOSH MILLER BEGAN A NEW LIFE. AT THE TIME, HE WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD AND LIVING WITH A FOSTER FAMILY. HIS BIRTH PARENTS WERE UNABLE TO CARE FOR HIM, SO AT AGE FOUR HE HAD MOVED INTO FOSTER CARE. THEN ONE DAY WHEN JOSH WAS IN THE SECOND GRADE, HIS SOCIAL WORKER TOLD HIM HE’D BE GOING TO A CARNIVAL.

JOSH MILLER>> I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WOULD BE CRAFTS, GAMES AND A LOT OF PARENTS LOOKING TO FIND KIDS TO BE ABLE TO BE PARENTS FOR. I WAS VERY CONFUSED AT FIRST, LIKE WHY I HAD TO GO THERE.

PHILIP BRUCE>> BUT CHRISTINE MILLER WASN’T CONFUSED ABOUT WHY SHE WAS GOING TO THE CARNIVAL. SHE KNEW SHE WANTED TO BE A PARENT AND HOPED TO FIND AN OLDER CHILD TO ADOPT THROUGH L.A. COUNTY.

CHRISTINE MILLER>> I’M NOT A REAL PATIENT PERSON WITH REAL YOUNG CHILDREN, SO I WANTED SOMEBODY WHO WAS MORE INDEPENDENT AND SOMEBODY WHO I COULD BASICALLY PLAY WITH, TO DO THE SPORTS ACTIVITIES THAT I LIKE. SO WHEN I FIRST SAW JOSH, HE WAS RUNNING UP A SLIDE BACKWARDS AND HE WAS HELPING ANOTHER KID DO IT AND HE WAS LAUGHING HIS BUTT OFF. SO I KNEW THAT HE WAS A MISCHIEVOUS CHILD WHO WAS ACTIVE AND ALSO HELPFUL AND HAPPY. THAT’S WHAT ATTRACTED ME TO JOSH.

PHILIP BRUCE>> FOUR MONTHS LATER, JOSH MOVED INTO CHRISTINE’S HOME IN A WOODED TRAILER PARK IN AGOURA AND, AT JUST UNDER A YEAR, HIS ADOPTION WAS FINAL.

JOSH MILLER>> THE BEST THING ABOUT MY MOM IS HOW ACTIVE SHE IS AND HOW WE LOVE TO DO A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS.

PHILIP BRUCE>> IN MANY WAYS, JOSH HAD BEEN FORTUNATE. ALL FOUR OF HIS YEARS IN FOSTER CARE WERE WITH ONE LOVING FAMILY. BUT FOR MANY OLDER CHILDREN, THE OUTLOOK CAN BE GRIM. OFTEN THEY MOVE AROUND FROM ONE FOSTER HOME TO ANOTHER. IN ALL, ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, 134,000 FOSTER KIDS HAVE BEEN CLEARED FOR ADOPTION AND ARE STILL WAITING FOR A PERMANENT HOME.

JENNIFER PERRY>> THE NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS A KID HAS HAS A GOOD IMPACT ON THEIR WELL-BEING, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE.

PHILIP BRUCE>> JENNIFER PERRY IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CHILDREN’S ACTION NETWORK, A GROUP FORMED A DECADE AGO BY LEADERS IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.

JENNIFER PERRY>> THERE ARE 25,000 KIDS EVERY YEAR WHO AGE OUT OF THE SYSTEM. ONLY ABOUT FIFTEEN PERCENT OF THE KIDS WHO ARE ELEVEN TO FIFTEEN YEARS OLD WHO CAN BE ADOPTED ARE ADOPTED. KIDS WHO AGE OUT DON’T HAVE THE SUPPORTS LIKE FAMILY, THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO BALANCE A CHECKBOOK, THEY DON’T HAVE THE LIFE SKILLS THAT THEY NEED TO SURVIVE. I THINK ABOUT, SADLY, A THIRD OF THEM CAN END UP HOMELESS OVER TIME.

>> “JOIN IN A SPECIAL MUSICAL EVENT TO CELEBRATE ADOPTION...”

PHILIP BRUCE>> AMONG THE CHILDREN’S ACTION NETWORK ACTIVITIES, HELPING RECRUIT PROSPECTIVE ADOPTIVE FAMILIES. THIS WILL BE THE FOURTH YEAR THAT THE GROUP HAS SUPPORTED A TELEVISION SPECIAL TO DO JUST THAT. IT’S CALLED “A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS” AIRING ON CBS.

JENNIFER PERRY>> A LOT OF IT TRULY IS AN EDUCATION PROCESS. IT’S REALIZING THAT YOU CAN TAKE A CHILD IN WHO’S A LITTLE BIT OLDER, THAT THEY CAN IN FACT BE GIVEN THE PROPER SUPPORTS, THEY CAN FLOURISH.

PHILIP BRUCE>> THE PROGRAM TELLS STORIES OF ADOPTIVE FAMILIES. TWO YEARS AGO, CHRISTINE AND JOSH MILLER WERE PROFILED.

JENNIFER PERRY>> PART OF OUR ROLE IS TO PUNCTURE A LOT OF THE MYTHS AND THE MISCONCEPTIONS AND HUMANIZE THE KIDS.

PHILIP BRUCE>> JOSH SAYS EVEN HE LEARNED SOMETHING FROM THE PROGRAM.

JOSH MILLER>> THERE WAS THIS ONE BOY WHO WAS HISPANIC AND HE HAD BEEN TO LIKE NINE DIFFERENT FOSTER HOMES AND MOVED EVERY WHICH WAY. I FELT REALLY BAD AND THAT GAVE ME SORT OF A CLUE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE.

PHILIP BRUCE>> JENNIFER PERRY AND HER HUSBAND, ANDY SPANN, HAVE THEIR OWN STORY OF ADOPTING OLDER KIDS. A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, THEY LEARNED OF THE NEED FOR FOSTER PARENTS.

JENNIFER PERRY>> WE FELT THAT WE COULD DO SOMETHING TO FILL THAT GAP, SO WE TRAINED AS FOSTER PARENTS.

PHILIP BRUCE>> BEFORE LONG, TWO LITTLE GIRLS, SISTERS AGED SIX AND EIGHT, WERE LIVING WITH THEM.

JENNIFER PERRY>> WE’D FALLEN IN LOVE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, SO WE ENDED UP ADOPTING THEM. THEY WERE, WHEN THEY FIRST CAME TO LIVE WITH US, VERY NEEDY. THEY’D BEEN ABANDONED, YOU KNOW, IN EFFECT BY THEIR MOTHER, SO THEY NEEDED US AROUND ALL THE TIME. AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS, THEY STARTED TO REALIZE WE WERE THERE. WE SAID WE’D BE THERE AND THEN WE GOT TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE REALLY NEAT, LIKE TEACH THEM HOW TO SWIM, TEACH THEM HOW TO RIDE A BIKE, GIVE THEM THEIR FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY, THEIR FIRST CHRISTMAS.

PHILIP BRUCE>> TODAY ANGELA IS FOURTEEN AND CASEY IS TWELVE AND THEIR MOTHER SAYS BOTH GIRLS ARE DOING VERY WELL.

JENNIFER PERRY>> MY HUSBAND AND I WERE ACTUALLY REALLY DEBATING WHETHER WE WERE GOING TO HAVE KIDS AND I CANNOT IMAGINE IN A MILLION YEARS IF WE HADN’T. THESE KIDS HAVE GIVEN US SO MUCH AND THEY’VE PROVED THE RESILIENCE OF CHILDREN AND THE JOY. ALL IN ALL, BECOMING A FAMILY IS THE BEST THING WE EVER DID.

PHILIP BRUCE>> AFTER AN EASY START, THINGS HAVE BEEN A BIT MORE COMPLICATED LATELY FOR CHRISTINE AND JOSH. HE’S NOW ABOUT TO TURN TWELVE.

CHRISTINE MILLER>> HE’S DOING A LOT OF THE THINGS NOW THAT THE BOOKS SAID HE WOULD DO, THAT THE PARENTING CLASSES SAID HE WOULD DO. HE’S TESTING WHETHER I LOVE HIM, TESTING WHETHER I’D RETURN HIM, HE’S CALLING ME NAMES, TELLING ME THAT I’VE RUINED HIS LIFE BY ADOPTING HIM, YOU’RE NOT REALLY MY MOTHER.

JOSH MILLER>> IT’S JUST LIKE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THAT WE DON’T GET ALONG AND I’D HAVE TO SAY THAT THE ONLY TIMES WE DON’T GET ALONG IS WHEN I’VE DONE SOMETHING WRONG AND I DON’T AGREE WITH HER ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OR SOMETHING.

PHILIP BRUCE>> BUT CHRISTINE SAYS SHE’S READY FOR THE CHALLENGE.

CHRISTINE MILLER>> I KEEP TELLING HIM OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN -- IT’S LIKE A LITANY -- THAT IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOU DO. I’M GOING TO BE YOUR MOM FOREVER, SO YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT OR THAT YOU THINK YOU NEED TO DO, BUT IT’S NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE FACT I’M YOUR MOM. HE’S NEVER HAD THAT BEFORE AND THAT’S WHAT’S REAL IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO UNDERSTAND, THAT I’M NEVER GOING TO GO AWAY.

JESS>> THERE ARE SOME 3,000 CHILDREN JUST IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY WHO ARE WAITING FOR ADOPTION. THE CHILDREN’S ACTION NETWORK IS PART OF A NATIONAL ADOPTION CAMPAIGN TO INCREASE THE NUMBERS OF CHILDREN WHO FIND PERMANENT HOMES. THEIR ANNUAL TELEVISION SPECIAL AIRS NEXT FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, ON CBS.

VAL>> MONDAY ON LIFE AND TIMES, A LOOK AT HIGH-TECH GADGETS THAT MIGHT PROTECT A CHILD FROM A PREDATOR, BUT ARE PARENTS PUTTING TOO MUCH FAITH IN TECHNOLOGY?

>> IF IT BRINGS JUST THAT ONE LITTLE BIT OF REASSURANCE TO ONE PARENT, THEN IT’S WORTH IT. IF IT CAN FIND JUST ONE CHILD THAT’S MISSING, THEN I THINK THAT IT’S A VERY WORTHWHILE PRODUCT.

JESS>> GRAFFITI IS A DIRTY WORD TO L.A. COPS AND CHIEF BRATTON HAS MADE GETTING RID OF IT A TOP PRIORITY AS PART OF HIS WAR ON GANGS.

VAL>> A GROUP OF FORMER GANG MEMBERS PLAYS A PROMINENT ROLE IN THE GRAFFITI REMOVAL EFFORT. TONIGHT WE GO ALONG IN A MISSION TO ERASE THE STAINS LEFT BY THE TAGGERS, COURTESY OF OUR FRIENDS AT CHANNEL ONE NEWS.

LAURA LING>> SO ARE THESE JUST TAGGERS OR IS THIS GANG GRAFFITI?

DEPUTY A. BRAVO>> NO, THIS IS PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH. LIKE I SAID, WE JUST HAD A SHOOTING HERE, SO THEY ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN VIOLENT CRIME.

LAURA LING>> YOU JUST HAD A SHOOTING RIGHT HERE ON THESE STEPS?

DEPUTY A. BRAVO>> YES. IT WAS ACTUALLY ON THIS SIDE AND THE SIDE OVER HERE WITHIN THE LAST WEEK.

DEPUTY D. MITCHELL>> THIS IS HOW THEY MARK THEIR TERRITORY, BY COMING OVER HERE AND WRITING ON THE WALLS.

LAURA LING>> WE WENT OUT WITH A COUPLE OF DEPUTIES FROM THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RELATION BETWEEN GRAFFITI AND VIOLENCE ON SOME OF THE MOST DANGEROUS STREETS IN THE REGION.

DEPUTY D. MITCHELL>> THESE KIDS ARE AROUND HERE DURING THE DAY AND THEY HAVE TO COME AROUND HERE AND TAG. BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS, WHILE THEY’RE TAGGING, WHAT’S TO STOP ANOTHER TAGGING CREW OR A RIVAL GANG FROM COMING BY AND SHOOTING AT THESE GUYS WHILE THERE’S KIDS AROUND HERE. THAT’S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

LAURA LING>> FOR PEOPLE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, GRAFFITI ISN’T JUST PAINT ON THE WALL. IT CAN BE AN INVITATION TO WARFARE.

LAURA LING>> SO THIS RIGHT HERE, WHEN YOU HAVE A GANG NAME AND IT GETS CROSSED OUT AND SOMEBODY ELSE WRITES THEIR NAME ON THERE, THIS IS HOW GANG WARS GET STARTED?

DEPUTY A. BRAVO>> YEAH, THAT IS CONSIDERED A MAJOR SIGN OF DISRESPECT WITHIN THE GANG COMMUNITY AND, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SOMETHING AS SMALL AS THAT TO A LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN IS SOMETHING THAT IS CAUSE FOR MURDER WITHIN THE GANG WORLD.

LAURA LING>> GIVEN THE STRONG LINK POLICE SEE BETWEEN GRAFFITI AND VIOLENCE, A NEW GOAL OF L.A. LAW ENFORCEMENT IS TO REMOVE GRAFFITI AND, TO GET THE JOB DONE, THEY’VE TURNED TO AN UNUSUAL ALLY, EX-GANG MEMBERS. ALL THESE GUYS ARE FORMER GANG MEMBERS AND EVERY MORNING THEY’RE OUT REMOVING GRAFFITI THAT, JUST A YEAR AGO OR A MONTH AGO, THEY COULD HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR. WE FOLLOWED THIS GRAFFITI REMOVAL CREW ON ONE OF THEIR ROUNDS.

ALBERTO LOPEZ>> STUFF LIKE THIS? WE DON’T EVEN READ IT. WE DON’T CARE WHAT IT SAYS. WE JUST WANT TO TAKE IT OFF. WE GOT COLORS FOR ALL THESE. THIS IS CALLED METAL POLE PAINT.

LAURA LING>> AS WE FOLLOW THEM, WE JUST KEEP STOPPING TO REMOVE LITTLE BITS OF GRAFFITI ON WALLS EVERYWHERE. YOU CAN SEE RIGHT ON THIS WALL RIGHT HERE THERE’S ANOTHER ONE. WHAT WAS THAT?

ALBERTO LOPEZ>> THIS COLOR IS CALLED BRICK RED.

LAURA LING>> DO YOU FEEL LIKE THIS GRAFFITI HAS ANY RELATION OR CONNECTION TO GANG VIOLENCE?

ALBERTO LOPEZ>> THERE’S PEOPLE THAT GOT KILLED FOR JUST CROSSING OUT SOME OTHER PEOPLE’S NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW?

LAURA LING>> AND WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE ACCOMPLISHING BY BEING OUT HERE AND REMOVING THIS GRAFFITI EVERY DAY?

ALBERTO LOPEZ>> NOW? BEFORE, JUST MAKING MONEY. NOW, MAKING THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK BETTER AND MAKE MONEY.

LAURA LING>> SO JUST IN THE LAST YEAR ALONE, OVER THIRTY MILLION SQUARE FEET OF GRAFFITI HAVE BEEN REMOVED IN LOS ANGELES AND IT’S IN LARGE PART DUE TO GUYS LIKE THESE GUYS RIGHT HERE WHO COME OUT EVERY MORNING AND PAINT OVER ALL THIS GRAFFITI DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY. FOR THE GRAFFITI REMOVAL CREWS, THE TRICK IS TO AVOID THE GANG MEMBERS WHO PUT UP THE GRAFFITI.

LAURA LING>> SO THE PEOPLE WHO DID THIS GRAFFITI ARE PROBABLY FROM THESE PROJECTS RIGHT HERE, RIGHT?

DANIEL TREJO>> YEAH, THEY ARE FROM THESE. THEY’RE FROM THIS GANG RIGHT HERE AND THEY’RE REALLY ACTIVE.

LAURA LING>> SO DO YOU GET NERVOUS COMING OUT HERE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT DID THIS COULD BE LIVING RIGHT IN THOSE APARTMENTS ACROSS THE STREET?

DANIEL TREJO>> YEAH, SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS JUST HANDLE IT, YOU KNOW, AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE AND JUST GET OUT OF HERE.

LAURA LING>> SO THIS IS RIGHT NOW SOME GANG GRAFFITI. YOU CAN SEE THE LAST PART OF THE WORD “EIGHTH STREET” WHICH IS THE TERRITORY THAT WE’RE IN RIGHT NOW.

ALBERTO LOPEZ>> DANGEROUS.

LAURA LING>> WHAT DID YOU SAY?

ALBERTO LOPEZ>> DANGEROUS TERRITORY.

LAURA LING>> THIS IS DANGEROUS TERRITORY?

ALBERTO LOPEZ>> YEAH, THIS IS A HOT SPOT. IT’S LIKE THE PROJECTS, MAN. YOU GOT TO BE CAREFUL.

LAURA LING>> SO THE HOPE IS TO REDUCE L.A.’S HOMICIDE RATE BY GETTING RID OF GRAFFITI, BUT CAN YOU EVER REALLY GET RID OF GRAFFITI WHEN IT SEEMS TO BE SO PERVASIVE? SO HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WILL BE BEFORE YOU COME BACK AND YOU SEE THIS POST --

ALBERTO LOPEZ>> -- ABOUT TWO MORE DAYS, IT’LL BE HIT AGAIN.

LAURA LING>> DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE IT’S A WASTE OF TIME?

ALBERTO LOPEZ>> NO, I DON’T THINK SO BECAUSE, IF YOU THINK LIKE THAT, THEN THERE’S NO PROGRESS. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY GET TIRED AND THEY STOP FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND THEY DO IT AGAIN. GRAFFITI WILL ALWAYS BE THERE AND WE WILL ALWAYS BE THERE TO TAKE IT OFF.

JESS>> CHANNEL ONE’S LAURA LING JOINS US NOW, ALONG WITH THE CO-PRODUCER OF THE PIECE WE JUST SAW, MITCHELL KOSS. IT SOUNDED -- HIS FINAL NOTE WAS THERE WILL ALWAYS BE GRAFFITI. MUST THERE BE?

LAURA LING>> WELL, HE ALSO SAID THAT HE’LL ALWAYS BE THERE. FOR US WHO LIVE IN L.A., WE SEE IT ALL THE TIME. THESE GUYS ARE OUT EVERY DAY TRYING TO FIGHT IT.

VAL>> NOW THEY’VE BEEN DOING THIS LONG BEFORE OUR NEW POLICE CHIEF, BILL BRATTON, MADE IT SUCH A PUBLIC PRIORITY. WILL THEIR EFFORT NOW BE BOOSTED IN ANY WAY OR WILL WHAT THEY DO CHANGE?

MITCHELL KOSS>> I THINK THEY’RE JUST GOING TO HIRE MORE PEOPLE THAT WILL GO TO MORE NEIGHBORHOODS. NOT EVERY PLACE HAS GRAFFITI REMOVAL THE WAY THAT THEY DO IT IN PARTS OF EAST LOS ANGELES. THIS WAS IN BOYLE HEIGHTS AND LINCOLN HEIGHTS, BUT I THINK HE WANTS TO TAKE IT OUT THROUGH THE WHOLE CITY.

JESS>> IS THERE A SIGNIFICANT DISTINCTION BETWEEN TAGGING AND GRAFFITI?

MITCHELL KOSS>> WELL, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THE GRAFFITI MARKS THE TERRITORY OF GANGS, BUT SOME OF THE TAGGERS THEN BECOME GANGS AND HAVE THE SAME ISSUES THAT THE GANGS DO WHEN YOU REMOVE THEIR GRAFFITI.

VAL>> BUT IF I UNDERSTAND IT RIGHT, A TAGGER IS JUST A NAME OF A PERSON, IS THIS CORRECT? AND A GANG IS MORE, YOU KNOW, COULD BE A WARNING OR SOME OTHER MESSAGE?

LAURA LING>> RIGHT, AND THEY HAVE TAGGING CREWS ALSO. SOMETIMES THOSE TWO CAN BLEND, SO A TAGGING CREW CAN TRY TO INSERT ITSELF INTO A GANG AND THEN BECOME PART OF THAT GANG OR TRY TO THEN BECOME A GANG. THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE THE TWO CAN START TO BLEND.

JESS>> MITCHELL, FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH GANGS, IS GETTING RID OF GRAFFITI GOING TO MAKE ANY REAL DENT IN THE GANG POPULATION?

MITCHELL KOSS>> I DON’T THINK IT MAKES A DENT IN THE GANG POPULATION, BUT YOU HAVE TO SORT OF THINK OF IT FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE. LAST YEAR, LAURA AND I PRODUCED AN HOUR ON GANG VIOLENCE FOR MTV, PART OF WHICH WE SHOT IN L.A. WHEN YOU SEE NUMBERS OF GANGS FAIRLY ACTIVE, THE THING THAT STRIKES YOU MOST IS THAT THEY THEMSELVES ARE VICTIMS OF GANG VIOLENCE. IN FACT, THE PRINCIPAL VICTIMS OF GANG VIOLENCE ARE OTHER GANGSTERS. SO FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, THEY’RE VIOLENT TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND IT MAKES YOU THINK THAT YOU NEED SOME KIND OF OUTSIDE INTERVENTION, REMOVAL OF GRAFFITI, SOMETHING TO BREAK THAT KIND OF A CYCLE. INSIDE, THEY CAN’T DO IT THEMSELVES. IT MAKES SENSE FOR THEM TO BE ARMED.

VAL>> NOW THEY SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE IN DANGEROUS TERRITORY WHEN THEY WERE RIGHT AROUND THEIR PROJECT. DID THEY SAY IF ANYTHING BAD HAS HAPPENED TO THEM? HAVE THEY GOTTEN INJURED OR ATTACKED IN ANY WAY DOING THIS?

LAURA LING>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DO IS START REMOVING THIS GRAFFITI AT FIVE IN THE MORNING BEFORE GANG MEMBERS WAKE UP. THERE’S A REASON FOR THAT (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) GANG MEMBERS AREN’T MORNING PEOPLE?

LAURA LING>> (LAUGHTER) WE WERE OUT IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AT AROUND ONE P.M. WE MADE THE MISTAKE OF HAVING LUNCH BEFOREHAND, SO THAT’S WHY THINGS GOT A LITTLE TENSE. THEY TRY TO DO THEIR BEST TO AVOID, YOU KNOW, COMING INTO CONFLICT WITH GANG MEMBERS.

VAL>> MITCH KOSS, LAURA LING FROM CHANNEL ONE NEWS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR WORK WITH US. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

LAURA LING>> THANKS SO MUCH.

MITCHELL KOSS>> THANK YOU.

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JESS>> OUR NEXT GUEST IS A MEMBER OF A MUSICAL DYNASTY AND, BESIDES THAT, THOMAS NEWMAN IS KNOWN AS ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE FILM COMPOSERS IN HOLLYWOOD.

VAL>> NOW EVEN IF YOU DON’T RECOGNIZE HIS NAME, YOU’LL RECOGNIZE THE MUSIC HE’S COMPOSED FOR DOZENS OF MOVIES FROM “LITTLE WOMEN” TO “THE GREEN MILE”. HERE’S A SAMPLE OF THOMAS NEWMAN’S WORK.

[FILM CLIPS]

JESS>> JOINING US NOW IS EMMY AWARD-WINNING FILM COMPOSER, THOMAS NEWMAN. IT RUNS IN THE GENES, NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT, BUT WERE YOU UNDER PRESSURE TO GO INTO THE FAMILY BUSINESS?

THOMAS NEWMAN>> I DON’T THINK MY PARENTS WANTED US TO GO INTO THE BUSINESS SO MUCH. THEY WANTED US TO KNOW MUSIC AND TO PLAY MUSIC, SO WE DID FOR MOST OF OUR YOUTH.

VAL>> AND YET YOU WERE A LITTLE BIT LATE TO IT, RIGHT? IT WASN’T AS IF YOU WERE PLAYING PIANO AT AGE THREE OR SOMETHING.

THOMAS NEWMAN>> I MAYBE STARTED PIANO AT THE AGE OF EIGHT. I WAS NEVER QUITE GOOD ENOUGH TO REALLY PURSUE PIANO AS ANY KIND OF THING. SOMETIMES NOT DOING CERTAIN THINGS WELL LEADS YOU TO PATHS LIKE COMPOSING, SO MAYBE IT WAS A BLESSING THAT I WASN’T SUCH AN AMAZING PIANIST.

JESS>> BUT YOUR FATHER HEADED THE TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX MUSIC DEPARTMENT FOR, WHAT, TWENTY-FIVE YEARS?

THOMAS NEWMAN>> I THINK TWENTY, FROM 1940 TO 1960.

VAL>> SO YOU REALLY, THOUGH, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, HE DIED AND THEN YOU REALLY GOT INTERESTED. THERE WAS A TURNING POINT THERE, RIGHT?

THOMAS NEWMAN>> YEAH, HE DIED WHEN I WAS FOURTEEN. I WAS KIND OF A PRE-CREATIVE PERSON IN THOSE DAYS. IT KIND OF OCCURRED TO ME LATE THAT I COULD ACTUALLY BE A CREATIVE PERSON MYSELF AND SO MY PURSUITS BEGAN AFTER HE DIED.

VAL>> BUT WHEN THEY TOOK OFF, THEY TOOK OFF. ONE OF YOUR MOST RECENT WORKS WAS THE MUSIC SCORE FOR THE MOVIE, “ROAD TO PERDITION”, WHICH IS A FANTASTIC FILM AND WE’RE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THAT. HERE IT IS.

[FILM CLIP]

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) WHAT’S GREAT ABOUT THAT IS THAT NORMALLY IT WOULD BE A VERY SERIOUS -- I MEAN, HE’S HOLDING UP A BANK, AND YET THE MUSIC JUST CHANGES THE TONE. IT BECOMES ALMOST HUMOROUS.

THOMAS NEWMAN>> YEAH, I THINK SAM MENDES REALLY FELT THE NEED FOR THAT, THAT IN THIS MOMENT OF THE MOVIE THERE WAS A CHANCE JUST TO VAUNT A LITTLE BIT AND FOR FATHER TO ENJOY SON AND FOR SON TO ENJOY FATHER. HE WAS VERY ENCOURAGING ABOUT BEING MORE EBULLIENT IN THE MUSIC AT THAT MOMENT.

JESS>> WE MENTIONED IN THE INTRODUCTION THAT YOU’RE NOTED FOR YOUR VERSATILITY. WHEN YOU CONSIDER THINGS LIKE “THE GREEN MILE” OR “THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION” AND “LITTLE WOMEN”, THAT’S QUITE A STRETCH.

THOMAS NEWMAN>> IT IS. IT’S FUN. IT’S ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT WRITING MUSIC FOR MOVIES. YOU JUST GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADAPT TO THE KIND OF DRAMATIC CHARACTER OF WHAT’S THERE AND ALLOWS YOU TO EXPAND SOME BOUNDARIES MUSICALLY.

JESS>> THOSE OF US WHO DON’T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT THE BUSINESS, HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT COMPOSING FOR A FILM?

THOMAS NEWMAN>> FOR ME, I TRY TO HAVE IDEAS AND THEN PUT THEM UP AGAINST AN IMAGE AND JUST LOOK AT THEM AND LISTEN AS PASSIVELY AS I CAN AND SEE IF I’M MOVED LEGITIMATELY BY HOW THE MUSIC EFFECTS THE IMAGE SO THAT I’M NOT CAUGHT UP IN WHAT I’M THINKING ABOUT AS MUCH AS HOW I’M HEARING AND HOW I’M PERCEIVING.

VAL>> BUT IN THE END, IT IS THE DIRECTOR’S MOVIE AND THE DIRECTOR HAS THE FINAL SAY OVER WHAT THE MUSIC IS LIKE. DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD JUST LOVE TO HAVE YOUR OWN FREEDOM OR JUST DO YOUR OWN PIECE WITHOUT ANY KIND OF VETO POWER FROM THE DIRECTOR?

THOMAS NEWMAN>> MEANING MUSIC THAT’S NOT FOR FILM?

VAL>> POSSIBLY.

THOMAS NEWMAN>> IN TERMS OF MOVIES, IT’S A COLLABORATIVE ART FORM, OBVIOUSLY, SO IT’S KIND OF A GOOD THING TO WANT TO COLLABORATE AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE ACTORS AND SO MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED THAT YOU REALLY DO HAVE TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING. WHEN THE DIRECTOR IS SMART AND CREATIVE, THAT’S A GREAT THING. THERE ARE MOMENTS WHEN MAYBE THEY’RE NOT AS SMART OR AS CREATIVE AND THAT CAN BE MORE CHALLENGING.

VAL>> WE WON’T ASK YOU TO NAME NAMES (LAUGHTER).

JESS>> IT SEEMS TO ME THAT A COMPOSER OF MUSIC FOR A FILM WORKS AS HARD AS ANYBODY ON THE FILM AND YET IT’S A SUPPORTING ROLE.

THOMAS NEWMAN>> IT IS AND, FOR ME, I THINK I LIKE THAT. I THINK I LIKE THE FACT THAT NO ONE’S REQUIRED TO PAY ATTENTION. IT KIND OF LIBERATES ME TO FIRST FULFILL A REQUIREMENT, A DRAMATIC REQUIREMENT, AND THEN TO KIND OF SNEAK IN ANY KIND OF WONDERFUL MUSICAL ELEMENTS I CAN, AND WHO CARES?

VAL>> NOW YOU HAVE WRITTEN NOT JUST FOR FILM, BUT FOR TELEVISION. IN FACT, YOU JUST RECENTLY WON AN EMMY FOR THE THEME FOR “SIX FEET UNDER”, THE HBO HIT. WE’RE GOING TO TAKE A LISTEN TO THAT. HERE IT IS.

[FILM CLIP]

JESS>> THAT’S NOT A FUNERAL DIRGE YOU’RE COMPOSING THERE.

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) NOT A REQUIEM AT ALL.

THOMAS NEWMAN>> AND CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW ODD IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HAD IT BEEN, SO IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT IT COULDN’T BE DARK AND AWFUL, THAT IT HAD TO FIND SOME HUMOR AND RIDICULOUSNESS WITHIN THE PATHOS OF HUMAN EXISTENCE, FORGIVE ME (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> I HAVE TO ASK YOU WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS TREND IN MOVIES TO, YOU KNOW, PUT A WHOLE BUNCH OF POP SONGS THROUGH IT. I GUESS THEY DO THAT SO THEY CAN CREATE A CD AND SELL IT, BUT --

THOMAS NEWMAN>> -- SOMETIMES THEY DO IT AND IT’S ALL FOR THE WRONG REASONS. BUT THERE ARE MOMENTS WHEN SONGS ARE JUST FANTASTIC. IN FACT, THEY BECOME MUCH BETTER CHOICES BECAUSE THEY’RE MUCH LESS THOUGHT OUT IN TERMS OF MOMENT TO MOMENT. IN WRITING MUSIC FOR MOVIES, YOU TEND TO THINK ABOUT THINGS DRAMATICALLY IN A LINE. IN A SONG, IT JUST SAYS A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING AND SOMETIMES THAT CAN BE GREAT.

JESS>> BUT MOVIE MUSIC IS ALSO PRETTY SALEABLE NOW. A LOT OF CD’S OF MOVIE MUSIC.

THOMAS NEWMAN>> THAT’S TRUE, THAT’S TRUE.

VAL>> SO WILL YOU EVER WRITE JUST YOUR OWN SONGS, STAND ALONE, NOT BEHIND ANY MOVIE?

THOMAS NEWMAN>> SURE, AND I HAVE. I MEAN, I WROTE A PIECE THIS LAST YEAR FOR BASS AND ORCHESTRA THAT THE PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY PREMIERED LAST JANUARY.

VAL>> OH, FANTASTIC.

JESS>> THOMAS NEWMAN, THANKS FOR THE MUSIC AND THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

THOMAS NEWMAN>> THANK YOU.

VAL>> AND IF YOU WANT TO HEAR SOMETHING THAT YOU’VE MISSED, WE INVITE YOU TO TUNE INTO OUR WEBSITE AT KCET.ORG FOR STREAMING AUDIO.

JESS>> AND THAT’S TONIGHT’S PROGRAM. NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

VAL>> BYE-BYE.

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