The Game Changers Project
The GAME CHANGERS PROJECT (circa 2011-2019) is a national fellowship program for emerging filmmakers of color in partnership with community-based organizations dedicated to improving outcomes for boys and men of color and other many other under-represented groups. Note: Due to funding, the program is currently in hiatus.
The purpose of the fellowship was to catalyze “activist storytellers” across the nation who will regularly shoot, edit, and produce 6-minute “micro-documentaries” and narratives about males of color (and other underrepresented groups) in America who are “changing the game” in various areas such as education, technology and innovation, social equity, immigration reform, health and wellness, entrepreneurship, fatherhood, gender equity, etc.. During a six-month fellowship, Game Changer fellows were “embedded” within local community-based organizations and produce short films to advocate the organization’s mission. Fellows produce short films on the work of unheralded community heroes, technology innovators, health and environmental leaders, social justice advocates, ex-offenders, thought leaders, celebrities, professional athletes, and individuals working to improve outcomes for African American men and boys.
The Game Changers Project is a non-profit enterprise of Forward Ever Media and is/has been generously supported by the Heinz Endowments, the California Endowments, the Open Society Foundations and others.
Fellowship Requirements
Game Changers is not a youth media program. We attract experienced emerging filmmakers (21-40) who reside in (or grew up in) one of the eight Game Changers cities and have solid production experience, including, shooting, writing, editing, and producing short video using professional HD cameras. During a 6-month fellowship, fellows receive a paid stipend, orientation and training, cameras (when available/needed) and assignments with organizations and/or subjects to produce work.
Regions
The Game Changers Project was in production in eight US cities: New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Oakland.
GCP at Festivals
Filmmakers attended and submitted their work to both local and national film festivals and events such as the Sundance Film Festival. We pushed to change the conversation about inclusion and new audience development for underrepresented stories.
Game Changers on NPR
“Black Men on a Hero’s Journey.”
Armed with cameras as weapons, 10 black men are chosen each year for the Game Changers Project, a fellowship which highlights positive black male images in the media by promoting some of America’s emerging documentary film leaders. And many of those leaders come from Pittsburgh.
The Game Changers Project helps train black male filmmakers from cities like Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, to create shorts that focus on other men of color who are making a positive community impact and changing the game.
The official debut of the films takes place Saturday, May 11 at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theatre, including youth media workshops, a reception with the filmmakers, and a town hall discussion about how to better support Black males in Pittsburgh.
Listen to Radio Interview: https://www.wesa.fm/show/essential-pittsburgh-archives/2013-05-09/black-filmmakers-changing-the-game
Affiliated Media
Films produced by the Game Changer Fellows is broadcast on WQED-TV, the nation’s first community-supported television station (our official media sponsor), and published on various digital networks, including MSNBC.com and HuffPost.
Fiscal Sponsor
The Game Changers Project (GCP) is a non-501(c)3 fiscally-sponsored project of The Mentoring Center, a 501(c)3 organization located in Oakland, CA. The Mentoring Center provides financial and programmatic oversight of unincorporated nonprofit projects that allows those fiscally sponsored projects to receive grants and tax-exempt donations from government, foundations, and individuals.
