KNIGHTDALE - Rita Suiter has a vision for teenage girls to have a place to go where they can have fun, learn and maybe get some insight into a career choice.

Her nonprofit center called Nu Beginnings Resource Center, a nonprofit organization on Knightdale Boulevard, not only does this for teens through workshops, but for women as well. It's held workshops every week since it opened a year ago.

For her latest endeavor, Suiter is bringing New York independent filmmaker Zaire Bateese to the center for a free two-day teen workshop on film.

"It's not necessarily that the girls have this in their plans for their future, even though this might open the door for that," said Suiter. "It also gives them an opportunity to have fun and learn."

The workshops will be divided into four segments: two on Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1 to 4:30 p.m. and two on Nov. 28 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1 to 4:30 p.m.

As part of the program, the young women will learn how to make a film and will actually make a commercial for the center. The only condition for teens being a part of all this is that that they must attend all four workshops, Suiter said.

Suiter heard about Bateese by networking at an East Wake Partnership Network meeting.

"It's one of the workshops we're offering to try to help youth," she said. "We just want to do our little bit.

She's looking forward to working with Bateese, who also is a co-producer of the new project of Raleigh playwright Randy Forne. Forne is making a film "Bang No More," which has a gang prevention theme. It will be shot in Raleigh, and the young women at the center will get an option during the workshop to later audition for it, Bateese said.

Suiter said it's a good extension of the resource center's work to be affiliated with a movie with an anti-gang theme. The center is a partner of the Wake County Gang Prevention Partnership.

Bateese said he's looking forward to coming to North Carolina to work at the resource center. He's conducted similar seminars for teens in New York - for the New York City Housing Authority, and most recently for social change day at the Thurgood Marshall Academy in Harlem.

"I'm just excited to come down there," he said. "We're going to create a PSA by the time we're done. We're going to make that happen.

It's not Bateese's first creative work in North Carolina. He has produce music videos for underground hip-hop artists Mika Swain and Shelly B of Raleigh, Amtrak of Jacksonville and Eddie Rock of New Bern. And his work was represented at the Underground Music Awards in Winston-Salem.

Bateese isn't new to the music video industry. He's produced more than 300 music videos, mostly with hip-hop artists.

His production company Visualizer Filmz is about five years old and started as a vehicle for Bateese to use to showcase his acting abilities. He's acted in film and television, including roles on television soap opera "As The World Turns" and the Maury Povitch Show, but wanted an outlet to show the breadth of his abilities.

Bateese is still acting and has just completed two feature films, "Pesticide" and "Playing Doctor."

Girls who want to go can contact Suiter at 426-5894.