News

Entertainment Industry Professionals Share Expertise

IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                  CONTACT: Lura Ball  |  PHONE: 213.400.3489

January 12, 2021

 

Entertainment Industry Professionals Share Expertise At

11th Annual BHERC Youth Diversity Film Festival

Award-winning experts from the IATSE Motion Pictures Editors Guild, the Animation profession and Costume Design provide insight and information in online panels during opening weekend at www.BHERC.TV.

 

(Hollywood, CA) – The Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center (BHERC) announced today that veteran entertainment professionals from the IATSE Editors Guild as well as professionals from both the animation and costume design industries will participate in special panels at the 11th Annual Youth Diversity Film Festival (YDFF) Opening Weekend Celebration. Traditionally brought to the public annually as a live event, this year the festival will make its online debut on BHERCTV.com due to the COVID – 19 pandemic. The BHERC Youth Diversity Film Festival (YDFF) opens Saturday January 16th, at 10:00AM PDT and runs thru Thursday, January 31st, 2021 midnight PDT.

As one of the longest running youth film festivals to focus on diversity, YDFF shares short narrative, animation, and docu-short films from a varied group. It goes beyond the definition of a festival continuing to provide guidance, continuous programming and life-changing experiences that go beyond filmmaking throughout the year.     A vital and critical component of the festival are the “real-life” panels led by professionals in the industry.  “We are honored to have the commitment and participation of these outstanding, “tops in their fields of expertise” and highly celebrated individuals who are committed to mentoring and teaching our future filmmakers,” elates Sandra J. Evers-Manly, BHERC President.  “Their impact is diverse and reaches across the globe.” Designed to provide tutorials, information and general knowledge as well as an exchange of “best practices” in the television and film industries, BHERC YDFF 2021 has scheduled the following industry panels:

  • 2PM Saturday, January 16, 2021 PDT – How Sound & Music Support Storytelling, Moderator: Frank Bennett Gonzalez, Executive in Charge of Diversity, Programs and Committees, Directors Guild of America, Inc.; Panelists Glenn T. Morgan, MPSE, Sound Editor “The Revenant”; Bobbi Banks, ADR Supervisor, “Men in Black: International” , “Straight Outta Compton”, (2006-2013) President of the Motion Picture Sound Editors (M.P.S.E); Jesse Dodd, ADR Mixer, “Chicago PD”,  “Queen and Slim”;  Joe Earle, Re-recording Mixer, Technicolor Creative Services, “American Horror Story”,  “Glee”; Greg Hedgepath, Supervising Sound Editor, “Coming 2 America”; Joel C. high, Music Supervisor and producer on over 150 films, television projects and videos, CEO at Creative Control Entertainment, previously, Head of Music for Trimark Pictures and Lionsgate Entertainment, an eight-time nominee (two-time winner) of Outstanding Music Supervisor awards and Founder and President of the Guild of Music Supervisors; DeVaughn Watts, Music Editor, “The Predator”, Jordan Peele’s “US”.

 

  • 2:00PM Sunday, January 17, 2021 PDT – Animation Panel, Moderator: Mary Jo Miller, Associate Director, Current TV Mastering, Studio Operations/Walt Disney Company; Panelist: Lyndon J Barrois, Sr., Artist, Animation Director, Filmmaker, member of the AMPAS (Oscars) Visual Effects Branch “The Matrix Trilogy”, “Happy Feet”, and “The Thing”; Ron Husband, a 38-year veteran of the Walt Disney Company, retired as a Character Artist from The Walt Disney Company Consumer Products Division, and Author. He holds the distinction of being the first African American animator & the first African American supervising animator for Walt Disney Studios. Authored the book “Quick Sketching with Ron Husband” published in 2013 by Focal Press, Burlington, MA and illustrated the award-winning book “Steamboat School” (author Deborah Hopkinson) that was named to several ‘best of’ lists; The Gibbs Sisters (Shawnee ́ Gibbs & Shawnelle Gibbs) an award-winning writing team from Oakland, California with backgrounds in television, animation, and comics currently Staff Writers for Warner Bros. Animation. and have written upcoming series for Dreamworks Animation and Mattel Studios. Producers of a brand of quirky, fun projects that have entertained audiences across the globe the Tribeca Film Institute-funded animated film, “Sule and the Case of the Tiny Sparks” and their debut “YA” graphic novel, “Ghost Roast”, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt / Versify to be released in Spring of 2022. The Gibbs Sisters are members of Writers Guild of America, West, The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and Women in Animation.

 

  • 5:00PM PDT Sunday, January 17, 2021 – Costume Design Panelist: Darlene Jackson, “American Gangster”; Provi Fulp, “Black Lightning”; Michelle Cole, “Black-Ish”; Betty Fenner-Davis, Costume Design Instructor, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Washington, DC, Fontella Boone, Costume Designer/Maker “Civil Brand”, and Rita McGhee, “Baby Boy”, “Empire” and “American Soul”.

In the past, the BHERC YDFF selected and screened more than 500 entries. This year, YDFF increased its outreach for submissions utilizing Film Freeway receiving more than 1500 submissions from the US and 13 countries. The 60 plus films selected are as diverse as the areas they hail from and the young filmmakers representing the US, the United Kingdom, Canada, Kenya, Russia, Estonia, Spain, Brazil, Australia, Bangladesh, Korea, India, Hungary, and Iran.  “This year is packed with compelling and emotional themes as well as laughter,” states BHERC YDFF Director Billie Green. “We continue to celebrate our young filmmakers and are delighted to provide this platform that spotlights their perseverance and determination as well as the connection to outstanding professionals who are working in the industry.

 

Other “Not to Miss” Special Events of the festival include:

  • 1:00PM – Saturday, January 16th, 2021 PDT Opening Celebration Hosted by Sandra J. Evers-Manly, BHERC Founder and President. Meet the filmmakers and get insight on how to take full advantage of the festival. 12:00PM – Monday, January 18th, 2021 PDT– Join in the conversation hear our young people’s perspective on Social Justice today and in the future. 3:00PM – Monday, January 18th, 2021 PDT – Conversation with Filmmakers: “Why Did You Choose your Subject” – Join young filmmakers in a candid discussion about their filmmaking process and selection of their story topics.

            To register log on to www.bherc.tv.  Admission for the online festival are $25.00 Festival Pass, $10.00 Adult Day Pass and Students $5.00 Day Pass.

###

 

            The Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center (BHERC)  

Founded in 1996 by Sandra Evers-Manly, BHERC is a nonprofit, public benefit organization designed to advocate, educate, research, develop, and preserve the history and future of African Americans in film and television. BHERC programs include film festivals, mentoring, book signings, script readings, film and animation contests, scholarships, and other programs and special events.