45 Years Of BAVC Media: Community Portraits
In celebration of 45 years of trailblazing media makers, and all of those yet to come, we’re excited to share a series of portraits highlighting our community. We hope you enjoy them! Please help us support more more media makers by donating to BAVC Media today.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: COLETTE GHUNIM
Photograph submitted by Colette Ghunim
Colette Ghunim’s passion lies at the cross section of social impact and visual storytelling. Her first documentary, The People’s Girls, received worldwide attention for its bold spotlight on Egypt’s issue of sexual harassment. Colette strives to be a changemaker for communities worldwide, documenting powerful stories of individuals that often go unnoticed. She is a 2020 BAVC MediaMaker Fellow.
What are you up to now – personally and professionally?
I am currently in post-production for my film, Traces of Home. BAVC was instrumental in getting where I am now – meeting industry connections, learning from my peers, and gaining beneficial skills for production and the edit itself.
Favorite BAVC story?
Hands-down was meeting at True/False! Getting to learn about everyone’s projects, building strong friendships in only 3 days was an incredible opportunity. I really missed us not getting to all meet in person after this! Thank you so much you do to uplift historically excluded filmmakers like myself! I feel so grateful for how much you have all advocated on my behalf.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: JOHN SANBORN
Photograph submitted by John Sanborn
John Sanborn is a key member of the second wave of American video artists. Sanborn’s body of work spans the early days of experimental video art in the 1970s through the heyday of MTV music/videos and interactive art to digital media art of today. Vanity Fair called him “the acknowledged genius in the field.” Sanborn’s recent works are media installations addressing questions of identity, cultural truth, memory, mythologies, and humanity’s compulsion to tell stories. John was a Spring 2016 Preservation Access Program Recipient.
Favorite BAVC story?
I was delighted to have a partner like BAVC, whose attention to detail and delicate care…brought PRISTINE new life to works usually seen in poor tape to tape copies. Discovered were works I thought long gone, and renewed were works known world-wide…And so, BAVC supported my transformation, at my age, from spectator to participant, once again.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: SOLITAIRE M.
Photograph submitted by Solitaire M.
Solitaire M. (they/she) is an Education Specialist, Public Access Television Producer, Early Childhood Advocate, Multidisciplinary Artist and settler raised on O’ahū, Hawai’i and based on occupied Ramaytush Ohlone Land, Yelamu (San Francisco) since 2003. Their mission is to provide diverse youth, especially in marginalized communities, a platform for authenticity, freedom and self-empowerment through curiosity and creativity. Solitaire M. joined BAVC Media between 2014-2016 as a Youth and Emerging Media Maker student and 2020-Present as an SF Commons Producer.
How did BAVC aid, inspire, or catalyze where you are today?
The support I have received from SF Commons has been indispensable and affirming as an Asian and Pacific Islander Genderfluid Abolitionist Educator, Multidisciplinary Artist and settler on unceded Ramaytush Ohlone land. I have been watching Public Access since I was a child in Hawai’i and Public Access in San Francisco since I was a college student back in 2003. The Producers of SF Commons TV continue to inspire me with their creativity, depth, community partnerships, passion and joy. SF Commons TV has been instrumental in allowing myself to develop a practice in which I have agency over my voice so that my program can be as free and as fluid as I am.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: JENNIFER HUANG
Photograph by Lara Kaur
Jennifer Huang is a director and producer who has worked as a writer, co-producer and associate producer for PBS, Anonymous Content, the Travel Channel, HGTV, TNT and AZN TV. She was a 2013 BAVC MediaMaker Fellow and developed the augmented reality project, Finding Sacred Ground, in the BAVC Producers Institute in 2010. As a cofounder of Hyphen, an Asian American news and culture magazine, Jennifer edited the investigative and film departments. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in Social Welfare and Ethnography through Cinema.
How did BAVC aid, inspire, or catalyze where you are today?
I have greatly benefited from the BAVC community — I am still in touch with many filmmakers who I met through its events and programs. I continue to attend the MediaMaker presentations whenever possible and find it a continued source of inspiration and connection. I took introductory editing classes at BAVC and I’m now editing my own films. (The Aesthetic of Editing class was helpful for this, as well.) I participated in the 4×4 program and discovered another participant was my neighbor. Years ago, I even introduced my workplace to the BAVC training program and several of my colleagues were able to get free training!
Favorite BAVC story?
There have been so many great moments, it’s hard to think of one thing. During the Producers Institute, I was putting together our pitch presentation, and we had a hard deadline to finish. I was sitting at the keyboard with multiple mentors and team members around me, peppering me with directions and suggestions and having to implement them as quickly as possible. We were able to complete it under the wire, and pulled off the pitch successfully (if nerve-wrackingly.) It was an amazing experience where I learned about augmented reality, social impact gaming, and other alternative platforms for media.
BAVC was the first place where I heard of self-distribution and having an impact campaign. During our MediaMaker fellowship, we had a presentation by Peter Broderick, who made community screenings and organizational partnerships seem like a viable alternative to waiting for a distributor. I am now in the midst of my first impact campaign, and my film will be at a drive-in later this month!
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: MARGARET M MCNULTY
Photography by Lara Kaur
Margaret M McNulty is an SF Commons Producer and hosts “The GO BABY! Show” every Wednesday at 5pm. She has been part of SF Commons since 2014.
How did BAVC aid, inspire, or catalyze where you are today?
BAVC inspired and supported me after a huge time-line break from participating in mass media. As my tale would have it, after raising my boys and getting divorced I had been out of the game for too long to just be able to jump back in! Due to the wonderful staff and comprehensive training and support as well as the great avenue towards networking in industry mixers and events, I was able to realize my true calling and get back on the air! BAVC trained me in Premier Pro editing classes and Refresher courses in camera work as well as Flash Studio training, where I’ve been able to Host & Produce a local San Francisco Empowering Interview Show called, “The GoBaby! Show”, where we feature “Start” stories from all walks of life, as well as recovery stories from those suffering from Mental Health challenges. BAVC has been an integral part of me getting back into my real True Love, TV Production, and I now see a brighter future before me than the one I left behind.
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Thank you to everyone who has been a part of BAVC Media’s legacy through the years – if you’re reading this, that means you!
The generosity of our community allows us to offer mentorship, training, preservation, equipment, and support to media makers at all stages of their careers. Big thanks and high-fives to our donors – we appreciate you! If you’re able to contribute today, hit that donate button, and you’ll receive our heartfelt gratitude.
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