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Black Public Media hosts several events annually. We also partner with a variety of organizations on professional development training and public screenings. Check out our upcoming events below.
CURRENT PROGRAMMING
Science Media Opportunity
A BPM-NOVA PBS COLLABORATION
WORKSHOP
JUNE 3, 2021
Black Public Media has joined forces with PBS' acclaimed science documentary series NOVA to present a workshop specifically for Black filmmakers who are interested in science media and storytelling. This first-of-its-kind workshop is open to media makers at all stages of their careers.
WHEN: Tuesday, June 3, 2021, 1 p.m. ET
WHO: Workshop presenters will include: NOVA executive producers, staff and producers of long- and short-form science documentaries.
African Diaspora Film Club
BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENT
FILM CLUB
JUNE 6, 2021
Join Black Public Media and San Francisco's Museum of the African Diaspora for an intimate conversation with filmmaker Loira Limbal about her film Through the Night. The film club conversation is facilitated by California Newsreel's Cornelius Moore. Film club participants are urged to screen the documentary prior to the June 6 gathering, as the film will not be show during the conversation. This is a virtual event and participants are invited to submit their questions using the chat feature on the video conference platform. Admission is free, but registration is required.
Through the Night is currently streaming for free on POV's website and PBS Video App.
TECHNICALLY BRILLIANT
FEATURING 360 INCUBATOR+ FELLOWS
ONLINE TALK SHOW
MAY 19
Alton Glass
The Technically Brilliant Show profiles filmmakers, artists, and execs who use virtual reality, augmented reality, and other technologies to tell Black stories.
Moderated by BPM Director of Emerging Media Lisa Osborne, Technically Brilliant streams every Wednesday during the lunch hour (11:30 a.m. CT/12:30 p.m. ET) on YouTube and Facebook Live.
This week, on May 19, Lisa's guest is filmmaker Alton Glass. He will discuss his XR project POV: Points of View.
Technically Brilliant is a collaboration between the Denton Black Film Festival Institute and Black Public Media’s #BPMplus initiative.
PitchBLACK AWARDS
FEATURING PitchBLACK FORUM WINNERS
AWARDS PROGRAM
APRIL 9
The PitchBLACK Awards ceremony is the culminating event of the 360 Incubator+ fellowship program.
At the PitchBLACK Forum, each fellowship team gets a chance to pitch their project to a panel of industry executives and prospective funders. The winning teams are eligible for up to $150K in funding to advance their projects. The announcement of winners is held at the PitchBLACK Awards ceremony. The ceremony also features presentation of the Nonso Christian Ugbode Fellowship and the BPM Trailblazer award.
In 2021, the PitchBLACK Awards event will be held virtually. The awards program is open to the public, but registration is required. Registration details will be posted shortly.
PitchBLACK Participants 2019
Michele Stephenson & Joe Brewster Trailblazer Award Recipients 2019
PAST EVENTS
BLACK MEDIA STORY SUMMIT
BIENNIAL NATIONAL CONVENING
VIRTUAL SUMMIT
JUNE 23-25, 2020
Biennially, BPM convenes a National Black Media Story Summit. Representatives from media networks, talent agents, content creators, and content distributors convene at these gatherings to discuss the state of Black stories across commercial media, XR, and public television. The Covid-19 crisis has forced us to re-design the 2020 Summit so that the conversation continues even though we anticipate most participants will still be sheltering in place.
The redesigned 2020 Story Summit is now a three-day virtual convening that includes an opening Town Hall (see below), a series of concurrent virtual panel discussions on the topic of distribution, and a Pride Month a clip and conversation salute to the work of documentary trailblazer Marlon Riggs. We'll close the summit with a celebration of our 40th Anniversary Game Changers at a virtual Dance Party.
40TH ANNIVERSARY HOUSE PARTY
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF MEDIA GAME CHANGING
VIRTUAL
PARTY
JUNE 25, 2020
Black Public Media will host an online house party in an experimental party venue you won't want to miss. Come visit with old friends, make new connections, and find out what BPM has in mind for the future of Black storytelling, all while bouncing to the beats of our virtual DJ. We've even got a special BPM 40th DIY menu from Celebrity Chef Ricky Moore of PBS' The Hook for you to whip up at home to enjoy while you socialize.
