Documentary

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==== __Scrapertown __ Scrapertown Documentary  ====

Directed by: Drea Cooper & Zackary Canepari
Released on: 2/24/10 Running time: 7:32

"In order to become a member of the Original Scraper Bike Team, you must: Be a resident of Oakland, CA. Be at least 7y/o or older. Retain A 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA), Create your own Scraper Bike…(It Has To Be Amazing, Or Else You Can’t Ride.) A single-file line when riding. After 10 rides The Scraper Bike King and his Captains will decide if your bike is up to standards and if you can follow simple guidelines. After your evaluation we will consider you a member and honor you with an Original Scraper Bike Team Shirt. Only worn when Mobbin’ Stay posted to our website for all upcoming Scraper Bike Rides..." -- The Scraper Bike King

“Scrapertown” is a documentary from the website: californiaisaplace.com. Drea Cooper and Zackary Canepari are the two people who make all the documentaries on the website. This documentary is about kids who live in Oakland, California, where it is very ghetto and kids usually drop out of school or get involved in gangs before they are even introduced to another option. Scraper Bikes is kind of a club that any kid can feel like they belong in . It’s not a gang; it does not involve drugs or violence. It’s just a place that kids can express what they want to by decorating their bikes. Anyone and everyone is welcome to Scraper Bikes, as long as you follow the demanding, yet fun expectations that The Scraper Bike King and his crew have put into  play. It’s where the kids can just be themselves and maybe even re-live a promising, and happy childhood that they never experienced. One of the reasons Scraper Bikes is so popular is because there is no discrimination, violence, or plain hatred that they see around in their everyday lives.

The Scraper Bike King said himself that the reason why he has such high expectations is that the kids to  spend most of their free time thinking and working on their bikes, which keep  them from thinking about drugs and gangs. Most kids would want to be in Scraper Bikes, so they would make an effort to maintain the 3.0 GPA that is required, because they now have a reason to. “Scraper Bikes is a hobby, and as long as you take your time outta your day, to make that bike. And to put the correct material on the correct spot and you spray paint your bike a beautiful colour, whatever colour, put somethin that means something to you, you know in a decorative way, you’re a bicycle now. You’re a Scraper Biker.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Corbel','sans-serif'; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">The documentary “Scrapertown” is very empowering because it not only shows kids’ lives being turned around for the good; it shows that one person’s dreams can easily become a reality if you put your mind to it. Overall, Scraper Bikes saved and pulled many kids out of the darkness that is their everyday reality. “This is like, in East Oakland, somewhere in East Oakland, somewhere where these kids can come to a friendly and positive, and you know, fresh, global, savin the earth facility. Scraper Bikes.” Good choice of film and a well written review. 20/24