April 2021 Newsletter

Well, Would You Look at That!

April 30, 2021

APRIL 2021 Issue VII, Vol. 1

Would you look at that!

*Webbys, and trailers and Film School, oh my!*

"UCLA's annual Hollywood Diversity Report, has found that in 2020, films with casts that were made up of 41 - 50% minorities took home the highest median gross at the box office, while films with casts that were less than 11% minority performed the worst." But this is no breaking news to you, obviously, because you already know that dynamic stories born from culturally and socially competent productions can make bank!Speaking of bank, this month MiFILM has joined Genero to participate in the Video Ad Creative Program launched by Google, where we help Google's SMB brands create best-practice content for Youtube. Over the next year select members will be given the opportunity to pitch and produce high-performing spots to help small businesses grow. Also, a new mentorship program, launched by our partners at AICP, allows for continued growth for aspiring talent, regardless of age or tenure. The questionnaire takes only a few minutes and is open until May 10th.

Ever wanted to get into narrative podcasting? Well, we're partnering with The Gotham (again!) to help you do just that! Our community is up to some amazing things this month, our Founders included. Find out more below. Brittany + Ian + RonaldThe MiFILM Collab Team

Announcements

The AICP Mentoring Program is designed to promote the growth and development of our Members and Mentees, through a one-on-one, nurturing and mutually stimulating environment. Please click here for more information about AICP.

This nine-month long program connects experienced leaders with aspiring talent. The pair will work together to pinpoint and resolve core challenges that can best benefit from the Mentor’s experience. Regardless of age or tenure, each participant has something of value to offer. This dynamic allows for real-life wisdom and experience to inform the real-life challenges faced by our up-and-coming Mentees.Click below to participate in the AICP Mentoring Program – the deadline for mentees is now May 10th.

Member Spotlights!

Joshua J. Williams is a New Orleans based actor and filmmaker most commonly known for his role in the Amazon series "WAYNE". At just 18, we're excited to support him as he debuts his for short film, 659. Click on the image below to watch.

Boson Wang is one of the newest members to join our community. He is currently enrolled in USC's MFA in Film & Television production, and has a wealth of experience in narrative driven work. Click below to see his latest short form piece,

The Dictionary.

Join Our Community

If you identify as a BIPOC-Differently Abled professional in FILM/TV and Media click here to join our private Slack group.

Upcoming Events

April 30th, 2021 at 2 PM (EDT)

AICP Commitment to Change: The Importance of Mentorship

This April installment focuses on the importance of mentorship in building careers, achieving goals, and gaining access. Brittany Franklin and Ian Grant, Co-Founders of Minorities in Film (MiFILM) along with Gloria Pitagorsky (Heard City) and Christa Thompson (KNUCKLEHEAD), the co-chairs of the AICP Equity & Inclusion Mentorship subcommittee, will discuss how AICP members and the industry at large can embrace mentorship opportunities to create change.

Find out more about becoming a mentor to a MiFILM participant, and how you can work with the AICP Mentoring Program to make a difference, at today's webinar.

May 12th, 2021 @ 7 PM (EDT) - From Film to Podcast As a valued partner, The Gotham Film & Media Institute (formerly IFP) is partnering with MiFILM Collab as part of their Expanding Communities Series. Join us as we discuss How to pivot and turn your film project into a podcast.

ICYMI...

This month, we teamed up with

Poolhouse

-a global community for producers, by producers- to share a little about MiFILM and how Producers can support our initiatives to accelerate the careers of our collective.

Our Founder,

Brittany Franklin,

celebrated her big 3-0 this month with an awe inspiring photo carousel of what it means to turn 30.

Follow her on Instagram

to experience her portrait photography and mini-essays as a Stonehenge Artist in Residence. Her first spotlight is on a very handsome and familiar face.

Happy Birthday Britt!

Our Branded Lab Fellow,

Okema T. Moore

, has been inducted into the PGA!

Her first short film,

Shh,

screens in the 2021 Micheaux Film Festival, and The Webby Awards has selected UNLADYLIKE2020, of which she also served on the production team, in the Video Series/Documentary category!

Congrats, Okema!