An inspiring Pitch from the 2022 BAVC MediaMaker Fellows!

Published On: December 21, 2022 |

2022 MediaMakers: Pitch Event

On Tuesday, December 6, the exceptional cohort of 2022 BAVC MediaMaker Fellows were gathered for one final time in San Francisco where they presented their works in progress to an intimate audience of friends, peers, industry supporters, and potential funders at the KQED Headquarters. Executive Director Paula Smith Arrigoni welcomed us in and introduced Fellowship Co-Director’s, Dawn Valadez and Rodrigo Reyes who hosted the show. They began the night by talking bout the power and importance of mentorship. Each fellow then shared a new sample and pitched their project to a panel of four (Debra Wilson, Keri Archer Brown, Marcia Jarmel, and Masashi Niwano) who provided commentary, feedback, and words of encouragement. BAVC Media Director of Community Engagement, Isa Nakazawa, closed out the evening by going off script, responding to the complexities in each project, and thanking the filmmakers for challenging us to ask questions for which there is no easy answer. The event was followed by a reception celebrating the accomplishments of the nine filmmakers.

This annual culminating event is often a highlight of the year and this was no exception. Watching even a short piece of these astounding projects on the big screen was invigorating. Guests said they came away inspired to dive into their own work and eager to watch all nine of the films when they are completed. BAVC Media is deeply honored to play a small part in the journey of nine filmmakers and is eager to continue our support however we can. It is our sincere hope that everyone who watched the pitches, either in person or the recording after, is inspired to find direct and sustained ways to support both the films and filmmakers you want to see in the world.

Finally, thank you to the 2022 BAVC Media Fellows for your dedication to your stories, your artistry, your participants, and each other.