Brave New Films Launches Diversity Fellowship

Award winning documentary company partners with The Atlantic Philanthropies to train people of color in the areas of film and social media

Culver City, California (August 12, 2015) – Production Company Brave New Films, headed by award winning filmmaker Robert Greenwald has partnered with The Atlantic Philanthropies to launch the Brave New Fellows Program. The Fellowship is for racially diverse individuals from marginalized communities, who have traditionally been underrepresented in media and progressive organizations. This paid fellowship will be a one-year intensive in digital storytelling: campaigns, pre- and post-production, editing, outreach, distribution and social media. Upon completion, fellows will be trained for jobs in social justice, media and filmmaking. 

Major funding for the Fellowship is provided by The Atlantic Philanthropies in a five-year plan with Brave New Films to change the landscape of media. “We are thrilled that Atlantic Philanthropies has made this program a reality,” said Brave New Films Executive Director JIm Miller. “Because of their grant, men and women from underserved communities will have the opportunity to learn about film production and social media distribution in order to have their unique voices heard”. 

The Brave New Fellows Program will serve as a bridge between previous training and the next step to employment where fellows can use their unique voices to shift attitudes and tell the stories not seen in mainstream media. “This fellowship program reflects Atlantic’s commitment to investing in the future leaders who will help shift those narratives toward fairness, equity and normalization of those who experience systematic bias,” David Morse, Chief Communications Officer at Atlantic Philanthropies said. “Increasing the diversity of those behind the scripts, screens, memes, and cameras, as this program expects to do, will help to more effectively communicate and amplify the compelling stories of people and groups that too often have remained on the sidelines and have been excluded from participation in the game.”

Applications for the Fellowship are now available on the Brave New Films website (http://www.bravenewfilms.org/fellowships ) and will be accepted through September 15. Applicants will be interviewed over the following months. The Fellowship will begin in January 2016.

Brave New Films is a non-partisan, non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that carries out the Brave New Films mission by creating and distributing educational films. Its mission is to champion social justice issues by using a model of media, education, and grassroots volunteer involvement that inspires, empowers, motivates and teaches civic participation and makes a difference.