UPDATED 9/16/2014

Monday September 8th, 5:30pm to 8pm the Black Film Advisory Committee Documentary Panel

On Monday September 8th from 5:30pm to 8pm, I was on a panel about documentary filmmaking organized by the Black Film Advisory Committee, sponsored by Councilman David Oh’s office. The event was at Drexel University 3140 Market Street. We discussed various means for financing and distributing documentary films. The event was co-sponsored by ReelBlack, Scribe Video Center and the Greater Philadelphia Film Office.

Images courtesy of @ForCommunities and Dr. Joan May T. Cordova. Top image is the filmmaking panel: clockwise top left starts with Nadine Patterson, then Sam Katz, Maori Holmes, and on lower left Tigre Hill. Two-shot is Dr. Joanie May T. Cordova and Councilman David Oh.

Over the years, small grants have made a critical difference in whether or not we would be able to start or complete a film project. In 1996 “Moving with the Dreaming” received a grant of $3,000 from the Philadelphia Foundation to cut a trailer, which enabled us to get a $27,000 grant from the National Black Programming Consortium to complete the film. Unfortunately in today’s cultural landscape, those kinds of grant are not readily available to filmmakers in our region.

Other regions have film funds that help sustain media artists. For example, The Berkeley Film Foundation  has “a mission to nurture, sustain and preserve the thriving Berkeley film community while attracting the next generation of filmmakers”.

Do you think a regional film fund is needed? What other kind of support for filmmakers would you like to see created? Come to the panel on September 8th and let’s talk about it and plan a course of action.

If you are a company or cultural donor who is interested in supporting film and media work of high quality and diverse perspectives please read more about the fund by clicking here.