Black Filmmakers' MFA: African Roots, Global Experience

Access to tech and creative industry employment

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

The school targets Black creatives pursuing careers in the cinematic arts, where Black directors and producers are significantly underrepresented. Only 5.1% of directors of the top 1,000 grossing films from 2007-2016 were Black—27 Black directors out of a group of 1,114, with Black women directors nearly invisible. There has been no meaningful change in Black representation behind the camera (USC’s Media, Diversity & Social Change Initiative). A strong talent pipeline is crucial.
Our unparalleled curriculum will focus on the Black experience and history as essential foundations for cinematic arts, offering unmatched global learning experiences. We aim to produce transformative leaders for the entertainment industry with artistry and skills informed by Black traditions and global perspectives and relationships. Uniquely preparing Black industry leaders with a globally focused curriculum in our transnational media environment builds representation behind and in front of the camera.

The scarcity of Black storytellers and leaders in the cinematic arts hurts everyone, from practitioners to viewers. Representation matters for our present and future; research shows the best way to amplify Black voices is by having Black professionals in decision-making positions. CBSGC’s MFA program prepares filmmakers for leadership roles, examining screen industries as art and business. CBSGC’s distinctive pillars are experiential learning and global focus: YEAR 1: MFA Foundations—Black Experience & History, Producing (with industry mentorships), Masterclass Workshops, Sundance Film Festival
YEAR 2: Experiences in filmmaking and festivals around the world—France: Cannes Film Festival (European cinema May-July); Korea: Busan Int'l Film Festival (East Asian cinema September-December); India: Bollywood & Indian Art Cinema (Jan. term); South Africa & Nigeria: FESPACO Festival & Market (African Cinema February-May)
YEAR 3: Hollywood & the Business of the Business—LA internships, final MFA project (including the option of making a feature film).
Students take a Production Workshop every semester to build skills and experiment with techniques/aesthetics learned from filmmakers around the globe. At the world’s most prestigious film festivals, students will experience diverse film cultures, examine how films and other screen content are pitched and marketed to funders and distributors and have unprecedented opportunities to network with and learn from other filmmakers.

Long-term Impact: GSBCA will be the first standalone graduate film school to prepare Black filmmakers, uniquely resourced by their cultures and traditions. Locally, success includes engaging in the Leimert Park and Hyde Park communities. We have connected with Stocker Street Creative and hope it will develop into a long-term relationship. With the Vision Theater’s renovation and other planned developments, GSBCA will bring Leimert Park and South LA new life, youth, and economic growth. The curriculum includes global experiences in filmmaking (see #7). We aim to uniquely prepare Black filmmakers (soon Diaspora and Africa) to enter the film industry at a level beyond other graduate programs. Ultimately, we strive to bring new perspectives to the industry and build a more equitable and inclusive landscape within the Hollywood film industry and beyond.

Defining success for October 2024-2025: Success will be defined by achieving the BPPE license to operate, funds to employ a part-time to oversee the licensing process, conducting fundraising activities, raising the budgeted amount for that year, and $250,000 to prepare for upcoming expenses. These achievements will determine if the school opens in Fall 2026 (succeed) or will be delayed (a postponement, not a failure). Preparing for success: Funding for the BPPE application and initial funding/hiring the process administrator must be obtained before December 1 to begin the process, allowing it to conclude promptly so that the school can open on time. The remaining salary must be raised by February 2025. Fundraising activities will be spaced to ensure the financial goals for the year succeed. Evaluating the 2024-2025 plan is straightforward: Are funds raised adequate for BPPE and 2 part-time positions, with additional funds raised to meet the year’s budget?