The LIFT Project was an annual summer media making workshop for teens in New York City. Stemming from Ed Radtke's work as a filmmaker and his continued desire to make community based media, the workshop was conducted in partnership with several community organizations such as DCTV, The Point, Harlem Community Justice Center, The Door, and The Film Society of Lincoln Center.
Initially conceived as an integral part of Radtke's feature film The Speed of Life, the workshops enabled youth to record moments of their lives by employing simple documentary, narrative, and experimental techniques. The idea was to create a series of stand-alone projects as well as works that can be incorporated into the The Speed of Life project, now complete. These outstanding short works premiered annually at The Film Society of Lincoln Center's prestigious Walter Reade Theater every August.