Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Kathleen Bertrand.
Founder and Executive Producer of the BronzeLens Film Festival, about the festival’s mission, its impact on filmmakers of color, and the importance of storytelling in social justice.
🔑 Key Themes & Highlights
The Mission of BronzeLens Film Festival
- The festival was created to connect and uplift filmmakers of color, providing a platform for networking and showcasing talent.
- Atlanta was chosen as the festival’s home due to its growing influence in film production, competing with Hollywood and New York.
Social Justice & Film
- Bertrand emphasized that film is a powerful tool for social justice, helping to educate and inspire change.
- The festival hosts Cinema and Social Justice Sunday, featuring films that highlight civil rights, activism, and human rights issues.
Celebrity Involvement & Industry Recognition
- The festival has attracted major industry figures, including Jamie Foxx, Jamie Lee Curtis, Morris Chestnut, and Ben Crump, who have backed films showcased at BronzeLens.
- BronzeLens is an Academy Award-qualifying festival, meaning winners in the Best Short Film category can submit their work for Oscar consideration.
Filmmaker Support & Community Engagement
- The festival provides workshops, panels, and mentorship opportunities for emerging filmmakers.
- Bertrand highlighted the importance of relationships and hospitality, ensuring filmmakers feel welcomed and supported.
📘 About Kathleen Bertrand & BronzeLens Film Festival
Kathleen Bertrand is a visionary leader in film and entertainment, dedicated to amplifying diverse voices in cinema. The BronzeLens Film Festival, founded in 2010, has become a premier event for filmmakers of color, offering screenings, awards, and industry networking.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, I'm Rashan McDonald. I host the weekly Money Making
Conversation Masterclass show.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
The interviews and information business show provides off for everyone.
Like I tell you all the time, it's time to
start reading other people's success stories and start living your own.
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please visit our website, Moneymaking Conversations dot com and click
the be.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
A Guest button. Chris submit and information will come directly
to me. Now let's get this show started. My guest
is a visionary. She's the founder of the Bronze Lands
Film Festival based in the Latta, Georgia. Over the last
fifteen years, Bronze Lands has promoted the work of independent
filmmakers of color from Atlanta, the Southeast region, the nation
and the world. This film festival advised networking opportunities that
(00:45):
will develop the next generation of filmmakers.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Now let's hear the founder.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Please work with the Money Making Conversation Masterclass, Kathleen Bertrand
how you doing, my.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Friend, I'm wonderful, so delighted to talk to you any time.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Well, first of all, what is then my brief story?
Speaker 2 (01:05):
In the intro I mentioned what the Bronze Lens Film
Festival represent what is the mission of the Bronze Lens
Film Festival based in Atlanta, Georgia.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
We have always wanted to be this platform for connecting
filmmakers of color. We wanted that to happen in this
place called Atlanta, Georgia because at the time that we started,
Georgia was really rising on the scene as a major
(01:37):
production site in competition with New York and Hollywood. And
now it just depends on which month of the year
one of them. One of those three is either number
one or number two, either Georgia, New York, or California
in film and television production. Our reason for being starting
(02:01):
this platform is to make sure that people that looks
like me were included in whatever the process might be.
Is this new to Atlanta, If it is, how do
I get in? How can I become a part of it?
As if I'm a creator, how do I get my
work shown? Or maybe I don't know that I want
(02:22):
to be a creator, but I have a great story.
What are the tools that I need to tell my
story or to tell the stories that I have been
thinking about? So with all of those things, brons Lenz
wanted to be that pivot point for people to say, Hey,
me too, I can do this kind of work, or
(02:42):
I'm interested in this kind of work and why not Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
The event starts August twenty first and runs through August
twenty fifth.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Can the everyday layman attend these these greetings?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
Absolutely, we have price and attractions and interest for everyone.
The film prizes are the general cost of a film
fifteen dollars, But if you come and you want to
see a group of short films, you may see five
(03:18):
or six films at one time, one after the other,
for that same fifteen dollars. So the website breaks it
down with the different blocks that we have, but the
average person would really enjoy finding out the various stories
that we have to tell, and you find yourself in
(03:40):
these stories. In addition to that, every year we have
programming that is open. We always pick at least two
films that really reflect our journey or our struggle when
it comes to social justice, and nothing really tells those
stories better than seeing them on film, seeing them on
(04:04):
a big screen, and so we do that every year
since we've started. We make Cinema and Social Justice Sunday
open to the public.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Then you have the Cinema and Social Justice Sunday, which,
like you said, all those will be screened at to
Tara Atlanta Theater. But it's part of your DNA. Why
is it so important for Bronze Lyns Bronze Lynz Film
Festival to feature these type of independent and sometimes commercial productions.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
Yes, Bronze Lenz Film Festival has from its beginning recognize
the fact that we are Atlanta born and then intricate
and all woven into the Atlanta DNA is the story
of civil rights and the civil rights movement. Atlanta's often
(04:57):
been called the cradle of civil rights. And so how
better to stamp our identity and how better to make
something unique that is particular to Atlanta than a day
that honors those films that uplift, that talk about, that
(05:21):
educate around the area of social justice and human rights.
We had to me it was like a no brainer.
We have to do this. This is what Atlanta is about.
Because we do have people that walk among us legends,
so to speak, the late Congressman John Lewis, Martin Luther
(05:42):
King Junior, of course, the late Joseph Lowery, C. T.
Vivian and still among us Andrew Young and Zornoa Clayton.
In fact, last year, Bron's Lens began the Andrew J.
Young Cinema and Social Justice Award, and that is going
(06:03):
to one of those films. I can't say, but we
wanted to do something that honored Andrew Young. Did you
know that he was a filmmaker, a documentarian. Yes, he
has won Emmys for films that he has created, and
so what better way to honor Andy than to have
(06:23):
an award that really recognizes his skill and talent as
a documentarian, but also recognizes the vast work that he
has done in this area of human rights. And so
that's what that Sunday means to us and why it's
a significant part of our programming. Sunday evening when we're
(06:46):
at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center at Morehouse College,
we'll get a chance to award all of the top
filmmakers in the various categories of films that we have.
So not only will someone receive that Andrew Jay Young Award,
but we will also honor the best Short Documentary, the
(07:08):
best Documentary, the short film, the feature film, the web series,
the dance video, the music video, best Actor, Best Actress.
All of those are awards that will come that night
at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Right, you know, it's really important that when you hear
or something like this good everybody has a bright idea.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Kathleen, Okay, everybody, I want to do this. I've dreamed.
How did you take this idea?
Speaker 2 (07:37):
It made in the reality the Bronze Lands Film Festival
and we come back, We're going to really get into
detail a lot of the celebrity names who are associated
with a lot of the projects that are being produced
and presented. But how did this idea come to you?
And then how did you eventually execute it?
Speaker 4 (07:54):
The idea came to me from the CEO at the
Atlanta Convention in Business Bureau, where I was vice president,
maybe I was senior vice president at that time. I
had a long career with the Convention in Business Bureau,
and my area was diversity marketing, making sure that people
(08:19):
outside Atlanta knew all of the greatness that this city
had and why this city could handle their meeting or
their conference or anything like their tour or anything like that.
So diversity marketing was my area. The new person in
charge was a gentleman by the name of William Pate.
He had just started in the role, and he had
(08:42):
a meeting and encouraged me to come to a meeting
in his office, and he asked me, why didn't Atlanta
have something like a sun Dance for the African American community.
He says, when I go out to Utah, I noticed
that everybody's talking about Sun Dancer. Everybody's talking about what
(09:04):
they're doing or where they're going, and you see people
on the streets, and he says, why doesn't Atlanta have
something like that? Because his fallback was, you know, after all,
we have Tyler Perry's studios here and it just seems like,
you know, this community should have more. So I took
his words. His words were, why don't you see what
you can do with that? That was my direction that morning,
(09:28):
and so I spent that was two thousand and eight,
And so I spent the early part of two thousand
and nine doing research, really looking into what were film
festivals and other places for people of color, specifically, what
did they do, who came, why did they come? And
(09:49):
then I began to talk to the community here because
there were some small film festivals, but nothing really that
it didn't get pressed, didn't get airtime, no advertising just
if you knew you knew kind of events, and I
wanted to do something bigger. So I started talking to
(10:11):
those people. And then I called on a friend that
I had known that you had a chance to meet
uh from my days at Spelman College, Cheryl Gripper, who
at that time was with the eleven o'live Television as
vice president of Community Affairs. And Cheryl then and she
was also had a master's in film. As she called
(10:34):
on a good friend of hers who worked with her,
and that friend was Dedra McDonald who is our current
and was then artistic director. And Ddre is an Emmy
Award winning producer. But not only that, she was an
instructor in the area of film production at Clark Atlanta University.
(10:58):
And so with those likelies giving input expanding the vision,
Ron's Lens began and had our first presentation in two
thousand and nine. Now this is where friends of friends
are important. Remember I'm at the Convention and Visitors Bureau,
(11:19):
and the Convention and Business Bureau had a board of directors.
One of the persons on the board of directors was
with Turner Network and she took a liking to me.
As people would say and gave me the opportunity to
make a presentation about Bron's Lens to the Turner family.
(11:40):
So at that time that included Turner Network, Television, Turner Classics,
the Cartoon Network, the Super Channel, TVs, all of that.
All of those people were actually in the room when
we see at CNN. Of course, when we made our
first present and they gave us their feedback, they thought
(12:04):
it was a good idea for Atlanta, and then the
feedback after the meeting was that they didn't like the name.
The name that we presented was the Bronze Jubilee Film Festival,
and that was really based on an event that Cheryl
had produced in some years previous that was an awards
(12:27):
show honoring great people in the community. But the people
at Turner just didn't like that name for this event.
And so my contact there at Turner said, well, I
know a naming company. I had never heard of a
naming company before. RuSHA okay, like people get paid to
(12:49):
name things, Yes they do, and she knew a naming company.
So she said, let me have them talk to you
and let's see if we can come up with just
a better name. And so I sat down with the
name me company. Cheryl sat down with them as well,
and we just gave that broad vision of what we
thought Bronze Lens well, but we thought the film festival
(13:12):
could look like and about it was. It was Bronze Jubilee,
also known as looking for another name. So they came
back about four about four six weeks later, and the
name was Bronze Lens. They actually had about six names
on a page, but I can tell you when I
(13:35):
saw Bronze Lens, I don't remember seeing anything else on
the page because just nothing struck me like that. The
coloration of it, so to speak, gave us a broad
reach to bronze people, people of color across the diet
book around the world, and then the lens just talked
(13:57):
about everything that we did, both in front of and
behind the lens. That was exactly who we were. So
that's where the name came from in that process. And
our first festival was twenty ten. We had twenty three films.
Will Packer came by, Rob Hardy made us a video
(14:22):
that we put on our website. We got a welcome
message from the Mayor of Atlanta, Cassim Reid, and that's
how we launched Bronze Lens under the guys of the
Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau. It really was the incubator
for what we were doing. But the festival has always
(14:43):
been a separate five oh one C three organization with
its own bank accounts, et cetera, et cetera. The film
that you brought to Bron's Lens was the Steve Hardy
film Please.
Speaker 5 (14:57):
Don't Go Anywhere. We'll be right back with more money
Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money Making Conversations
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(15:22):
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Speaker 2 (15:26):
Well, you know that's one from Bras Jubilee Na's bros
Lands Film Festival. Now some of the celebrity names associated
with some of the production. There's producers Jamie Fox, Jamie
Lee Curtis, Yeah, More's Chestnut civil rights attorney Being Crup
each producer of a film called How to Sue the Klan.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
That is so typical. Attorney Bing Croup, very good friend
of mine.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Now, when you how do these films get selected and
how they will submitted because you know, if you want
the big names associated with that's what brings the media
that week gets people excited about seeing the projects where
you see and hear by the Jamie Fox film of
Ben kromp A, Jamie Lee, Curtis, Jebor, Riley Draper, Morris Chestnut.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
But how do they get submitted.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
Well, we have a submissions process that opens each year
in October. We broadcast that both through our social media
as well as with a newsletter that we send out
to filmmakers both current and previous, in anybody else that's
interested in what we do. And there is a film
(16:37):
portal that most film festivals use call film Freeway, and
so that is how a filmmaker would submit their film
to Bronze Lens. We put our link in our communication
and the filmmaker would submit their film through the portal
and they start in October and we receive films all
(16:59):
the way up through April. Over the course of this
six month period, those films are being judged and screamed
so that we know what has a chance of being
in the film festival. You know, as you screened through
and in the process of viewing the films. That's when
(17:20):
you get the backstory of who's part of the crew.
And so many of the names. In fact, all of
the names, with the exception of just a couple that
you mentioned, were a surprise to us as we went
through the films and you go through the entire crew
and you go, oh my god, you know, you're just
(17:40):
looking at a name. It's just like, well, Mar's chestnut, right,
and he had come to Bronze Lens years ago when
they did the Malcolm Malcolm Little movie Best Man Holiday
brought that to Bronze Lens as a closing film. And
so to see that he's producer on a film, or
(18:04):
to see the name of Jamie Lee Curtis, or to
see the name of Ben Crump and Ben Crump is
actually associated with two films that we have. And what
that says, though, what that says is there are people
that are out there that don't mind putting their time,
energy or dollars behind these credible stories that need to
(18:30):
be told. That's really what it says.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
The other the two movies you're saying like how to
Sue the Klan and the other one is The Warner Boys. Yes,
civil rights attorney being crump is tied to Yes, let's
let's let people know some important dates here, like April
twenty first, I'm excuse me, August twenty first through the
twenty fifth. That's where you be doing the selections and
the daily screenings and all panels in the workshops. That's
(18:55):
the twenty first and that's going to be the Tower
Atlanta Theater.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Correct, Is that's correct? Okay, that's correct.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
On Saturday twenty four brons Lynn's inaugural Filmmakers ball.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Tell me about that.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
Yes, we used to have the Women Superstars event on
that Saturday part of the festival, and we appealed that
off to a different time of the year so that
we can celebrate all of these amazing women and just
do that. And so I wanted, yes, that's right, that's right.
(19:29):
So I wanted to do something on that Saturday, and
I started thinking about a ball. Now this is me.
Of course, I had these young team members, and so
it got skewed into a sneaker ball, which is great
because people get excited about that. But the primary thing
(19:50):
was this is year fifteen, and we wanted to do
something in celebration of ourselves that Yes, we made it,
but we also wanted to celebrate our amazing filmmakers, both
those from this year and those from previous years, and
so we have extended an invitation to all the filmmakers
from whom we had contact information to come out and
(20:14):
join us in this celebration. It's the Sneaker Ball at
City Hall, and we are excited that the Mayor's Office
of Film, Entertainment and Nightlife is hosting us to be
at City Hall on the evening of August twenty fourth.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
When you start talking, when you start talking about the
secrets to success, you know, being able to pull this off.
You mentioned in early relationships they being tied to the
visitors bureau. Sitting down and somebody recommends to go to
a naming company.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
What is the.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Secrets of your success of being the sustained itself for
fifteen years and also to come with significant participants as
producers Jamie Fox, Ben Crump, Jamie Lee, Curtis, Boris Chesnut.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
What's the secrets?
Speaker 4 (21:02):
Well, I can't take credit for the Jamie Lee, Curtis, etc.
Stand of those names, because, as I said to you,
those names as part of the crew were a surprise
to us. But the fact that the filmmakers thought enough
of us to submit their film to us. Says everything.
And so I'll give you a couple of things. Number one,
(21:25):
Bronx Lens is an Academy Award qualifying film festival for
the short film. We've been awarded that since twenty sixteen.
That means that the kind of film that submits as
a short film a short narrative, the film that wins
in that category gets to submit their film to the
(21:48):
Academy Awards for consideration for next year's awards. It's huge,
It really is huge, and so that's one reason that
filmmakers look at us. Another reason that filmmakers look at us,
and I would say this is part of our key
to success is we treat everyone well so well. The
(22:12):
hospitality component of Bronze Lens is something that comes from
me naturally from my years thirty two years in hospitality industry.
But knowing how to treat people and make them feel
welcome and when they get here, having a quality and
excellent experience for them. That's what Bronze Lens is known for.
(22:33):
And if you go back and read the experiences or
the reviews that the filmmakers write, they always mention how
well they were treated. I have a quick story I'd
love to tell if I could. There was a young
man that came to Bronze Lens from California a student film.
He brought a student film. He was looking for the
(22:55):
room where his film was going to be screened, and
he passed the registration desk. One of the gentlemen at
the registration desk came out from behind the desk and said, son,
I'll show you where the room is, but here, let
me help you. The young man was having trouble putting
his tie on. He wanted to have a tie and
jacket before he walked in the room to say I'm
(23:17):
the filmmaker. And so one of our gentlemen came around
and made sure that that young man looked presentable to
go to the next screen, go to his screening. And
I came along right at that time, and I walked
him to his screening, and he was just so overwhelmed
with the kindness because that's not what he expected. And
(23:38):
after it was over, the fact that everyone came up
to him and talked to him about how great his
film was and that people recognized him throughout the weekend,
that was important to him. But we tried to treat
each of our filmmakers the very same way. We have
a huge group of volunteers. Last week we did an
(23:59):
orientation for over one hundred people that want to volunteer
for Bronze Lens this year because they've heard about what
a great experience it was. And so many of our
volunteers go on to make connections because some of them
are filmmakers or budding filmmakers themselves, and so that becomes
(24:19):
a great experience. So having a great volunteer team is
part of success. And then I would say the final
piece is always always relationships, relationships knowing people, knowing people
that know people, but it's just not a connection. I
never really used that word, because if we're doing business together,
(24:42):
I want you to know me. I want you to
know about my integrity, about the integrity of my organization.
I want you to know about mad Lattic history and
the things that we've done, so that you know who
you're doing business with. And so that's why people that
have done work with us don't mind refer bring us
on to other people that could possibly collaborate with us,
(25:04):
because they know we have that kind of reputation of
really sitting down and trying to build those relationships.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Awesome.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Now the last day, which is Sunday, August twenty fifth,
we've already talked about Sneak of Ball, we talked about
twenty first to the twenty fifth. You can see the
screens at the Tara Atlanta Theater, but on the campus
of more House campus at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center,
you're going to have the Cinema and Social Justice Sunday.
You said from Jump that's always been a major role
(25:36):
that Bronze Let has played. This is not an in
our role, this is something this is part of your DNA.
Why is it so important?
Speaker 4 (25:42):
Well, seven social Justice Sunday. Those screenings will take place
also at the Tara, and then we'll move to the
Ray Charles Performing Arts Center for the Bronze Lens Awards.
But let me speak on Cinnemon Social Justice Sunday. This
is Atlanta. This is Atlanta, that place that was known
before film as the cradle of the Civil rights movement.
(26:05):
The home of doctor Martin Luther King Junior, the home
of John Lewis, the home of Joseph Lowry, CT Vivian
Zernona Clayton Corretta Scott Coretta, Scott King. We had legends
walking among us.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
Hey, can you tell them how the website and how
we can reach out to them for tickets and more
information on the event.
Speaker 4 (26:29):
Yes, Tickets and everything that you need to know about
the film festival are all at our website www dot
Bronze Lens dot com, b r O n Z E
L E n s dot com. We're on Facebook, Instagram,
(26:50):
TikTok x and just at Bronze Lens and you'll find
us on all of those platforms. And those platforms also
give you a lot of information about the various panels
that will have There are eleven panels that we will
have panel discussions with all kinds of topics from creating
(27:12):
a film with your iPhone to getting your film green lit,
and we have one hundred and forty films over the
course of those five days Rashan and topics is varied
as women and history, relationships and mental health and comedy,
and religion and spirituality. All of that information is on
(27:34):
that website for you to dig through and find the
things that are of interest to you. That's Bronze Lens
dot com.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
Awesome. I really appreciate you taking the time, we're gonna
get this out here.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
You know, I had to contact you because I have
history with this outset on panels for Kathleen.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
She know, come on, did you forgot about that? Did
you forgot?
Speaker 4 (27:56):
I just do panel for you, and I remember that
I interviewed you. I'd interview you were my first You're
my first interviewee. Thank you so much, thank.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
You, and I thank you for allowing you to me
to interview you and also welcome you into fifteen years
and fifteen more years and when you get the fifty
we're gonna interview for the fiftieth anniversary of the Brinelands
Film Festival. We ain't going no where, Kathleen. Okay. We
might be talking a little bit slower at the fifty
year adversary, but we're gonna be talking. Okay.
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
Though she didn't know at the time, but you fouled
out the research.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
Jamie Fox, Yes, sir, Jamie Curtis Devil, Riley Draper, and
my man Morris Chestnut.
Speaker 4 (28:38):
Yes, sir, yes, sir, yes, yes, sir. You know what
she did rushon for us. You had us come and
do the we we didn't curate, but you had us
produce the Film Festival pod of the Steve Harks Neighborhood
Awards for two years.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
It's so many absolutes. That was in twenty fifteen. That
was a twenty feb two years.
Speaker 4 (29:01):
Absolutely yes, sir, Oh my god, you're part of us too,
so we just don't forget what our friends have done.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
This has been another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass
hosted by me Rushaun McDonald. Thank you to our guests
on the show today and thank you listening to audience now.
If you want to listen.
Speaker 6 (29:20):
To any episode I want to be a guest on
the show, visit Moneymakingconversations dot com. Our social media handle
is money Making Conversation. Join us next week and remember
to always leave with your gifts. Keep winning.
Hi, I'm Rashan McDonald. I host the weekly Money Making
Conversation Masterclass show.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
The interviews and information business show provides off for everyone.
Like I tell you all the time, it's time to
start reading other people's success stories and start living your own.
If you want to be a guest on my show,
please visit our website, Moneymaking Conversations dot com and click
the be.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
A Guest button. Chris submit and information will come directly
to me. Now let's get this show started. My guest
is a visionary. She's the founder of the Bronze Lands
Film Festival based in the Latta, Georgia. Over the last
fifteen years, Bronze Lands has promoted the work of independent
filmmakers of color from Atlanta, the Southeast region, the nation
and the world. This film festival advised networking opportunities that
(00:45):
will develop the next generation of filmmakers.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Now let's hear the founder.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Please work with the Money Making Conversation Masterclass, Kathleen Bertrand
how you doing, my.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Friend, I'm wonderful, so delighted to talk to you any time.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Well, first of all, what is then my brief story?
Speaker 2 (01:05):
In the intro I mentioned what the Bronze Lens Film
Festival represent what is the mission of the Bronze Lens
Film Festival based in Atlanta, Georgia.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
We have always wanted to be this platform for connecting
filmmakers of color. We wanted that to happen in this
place called Atlanta, Georgia because at the time that we started,
Georgia was really rising on the scene as a major
(01:37):
production site in competition with New York and Hollywood. And
now it just depends on which month of the year
one of them. One of those three is either number
one or number two, either Georgia, New York, or California
in film and television production. Our reason for being starting
(02:01):
this platform is to make sure that people that looks
like me were included in whatever the process might be.
Is this new to Atlanta, If it is, how do
I get in? How can I become a part of it?
As if I'm a creator, how do I get my
work shown? Or maybe I don't know that I want
(02:22):
to be a creator, but I have a great story.
What are the tools that I need to tell my
story or to tell the stories that I have been
thinking about? So with all of those things, brons Lenz
wanted to be that pivot point for people to say, Hey,
me too, I can do this kind of work, or
(02:42):
I'm interested in this kind of work and why not Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
The event starts August twenty first and runs through August
twenty fifth.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Can the everyday layman attend these these greetings?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
Absolutely, we have price and attractions and interest for everyone.
The film prizes are the general cost of a film
fifteen dollars, But if you come and you want to
see a group of short films, you may see five
(03:18):
or six films at one time, one after the other,
for that same fifteen dollars. So the website breaks it
down with the different blocks that we have, but the
average person would really enjoy finding out the various stories
that we have to tell, and you find yourself in
(03:40):
these stories. In addition to that, every year we have
programming that is open. We always pick at least two
films that really reflect our journey or our struggle when
it comes to social justice, and nothing really tells those
stories better than seeing them on film, seeing them on
(04:04):
a big screen, and so we do that every year
since we've started. We make Cinema and Social Justice Sunday
open to the public.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Then you have the Cinema and Social Justice Sunday, which,
like you said, all those will be screened at to
Tara Atlanta Theater. But it's part of your DNA. Why
is it so important for Bronze Lyns Bronze Lynz Film
Festival to feature these type of independent and sometimes commercial productions.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
Yes, Bronze Lenz Film Festival has from its beginning recognize
the fact that we are Atlanta born and then intricate
and all woven into the Atlanta DNA is the story
of civil rights and the civil rights movement. Atlanta's often
(04:57):
been called the cradle of civil rights. And so how
better to stamp our identity and how better to make
something unique that is particular to Atlanta than a day
that honors those films that uplift, that talk about, that
(05:21):
educate around the area of social justice and human rights.
We had to me it was like a no brainer.
We have to do this. This is what Atlanta is about.
Because we do have people that walk among us legends,
so to speak, the late Congressman John Lewis, Martin Luther
(05:42):
King Junior, of course, the late Joseph Lowery, C. T.
Vivian and still among us Andrew Young and Zornoa Clayton.
In fact, last year, Bron's Lens began the Andrew J.
Young Cinema and Social Justice Award, and that is going
(06:03):
to one of those films. I can't say, but we
wanted to do something that honored Andrew Young. Did you
know that he was a filmmaker, a documentarian. Yes, he
has won Emmys for films that he has created, and
so what better way to honor Andy than to have
(06:23):
an award that really recognizes his skill and talent as
a documentarian, but also recognizes the vast work that he
has done in this area of human rights. And so
that's what that Sunday means to us and why it's
a significant part of our programming. Sunday evening when we're
(06:46):
at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center at Morehouse College,
we'll get a chance to award all of the top
filmmakers in the various categories of films that we have.
So not only will someone receive that Andrew Jay Young Award,
but we will also honor the best Short Documentary, the
(07:08):
best Documentary, the short film, the feature film, the web series,
the dance video, the music video, best Actor, Best Actress.
All of those are awards that will come that night
at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Right, you know, it's really important that when you hear
or something like this good everybody has a bright idea.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Kathleen, Okay, everybody, I want to do this. I've dreamed.
How did you take this idea?
Speaker 2 (07:37):
It made in the reality the Bronze Lands Film Festival
and we come back, We're going to really get into
detail a lot of the celebrity names who are associated
with a lot of the projects that are being produced
and presented. But how did this idea come to you?
And then how did you eventually execute it?
Speaker 4 (07:54):
The idea came to me from the CEO at the
Atlanta Convention in Business Bureau, where I was vice president,
maybe I was senior vice president at that time. I
had a long career with the Convention in Business Bureau,
and my area was diversity marketing, making sure that people
(08:19):
outside Atlanta knew all of the greatness that this city
had and why this city could handle their meeting or
their conference or anything like their tour or anything like that.
So diversity marketing was my area. The new person in
charge was a gentleman by the name of William Pate.
He had just started in the role, and he had
(08:42):
a meeting and encouraged me to come to a meeting
in his office, and he asked me, why didn't Atlanta
have something like a sun Dance for the African American community.
He says, when I go out to Utah, I noticed
that everybody's talking about Sun Dancer. Everybody's talking about what
(09:04):
they're doing or where they're going, and you see people
on the streets, and he says, why doesn't Atlanta have
something like that? Because his fallback was, you know, after all,
we have Tyler Perry's studios here and it just seems like,
you know, this community should have more. So I took
his words. His words were, why don't you see what
you can do with that? That was my direction that morning,
(09:28):
and so I spent that was two thousand and eight,
And so I spent the early part of two thousand
and nine doing research, really looking into what were film
festivals and other places for people of color, specifically, what
did they do, who came, why did they come? And
(09:49):
then I began to talk to the community here because
there were some small film festivals, but nothing really that
it didn't get pressed, didn't get airtime, no advertising just
if you knew you knew kind of events, and I
wanted to do something bigger. So I started talking to
(10:11):
those people. And then I called on a friend that
I had known that you had a chance to meet
uh from my days at Spelman College, Cheryl Gripper, who
at that time was with the eleven o'live Television as
vice president of Community Affairs. And Cheryl then and she
was also had a master's in film. As she called
(10:34):
on a good friend of hers who worked with her,
and that friend was Dedra McDonald who is our current
and was then artistic director. And Ddre is an Emmy
Award winning producer. But not only that, she was an
instructor in the area of film production at Clark Atlanta University.
(10:58):
And so with those likelies giving input expanding the vision,
Ron's Lens began and had our first presentation in two
thousand and nine. Now this is where friends of friends
are important. Remember I'm at the Convention and Visitors Bureau,
(11:19):
and the Convention and Business Bureau had a board of directors.
One of the persons on the board of directors was
with Turner Network and she took a liking to me.
As people would say and gave me the opportunity to
make a presentation about Bron's Lens to the Turner family.
(11:40):
So at that time that included Turner Network, Television, Turner Classics,
the Cartoon Network, the Super Channel, TVs, all of that.
All of those people were actually in the room when
we see at CNN. Of course, when we made our
first present and they gave us their feedback, they thought
(12:04):
it was a good idea for Atlanta, and then the
feedback after the meeting was that they didn't like the name.
The name that we presented was the Bronze Jubilee Film Festival,
and that was really based on an event that Cheryl
had produced in some years previous that was an awards
(12:27):
show honoring great people in the community. But the people
at Turner just didn't like that name for this event.
And so my contact there at Turner said, well, I
know a naming company. I had never heard of a
naming company before. RuSHA okay, like people get paid to
(12:49):
name things, Yes they do, and she knew a naming company.
So she said, let me have them talk to you
and let's see if we can come up with just
a better name. And so I sat down with the
name me company. Cheryl sat down with them as well,
and we just gave that broad vision of what we
thought Bronze Lens well, but we thought the film festival
(13:12):
could look like and about it was. It was Bronze Jubilee,
also known as looking for another name. So they came
back about four about four six weeks later, and the
name was Bronze Lens. They actually had about six names
on a page, but I can tell you when I
(13:35):
saw Bronze Lens, I don't remember seeing anything else on
the page because just nothing struck me like that. The
coloration of it, so to speak, gave us a broad
reach to bronze people, people of color across the diet
book around the world, and then the lens just talked
(13:57):
about everything that we did, both in front of and
behind the lens. That was exactly who we were. So
that's where the name came from in that process. And
our first festival was twenty ten. We had twenty three films.
Will Packer came by, Rob Hardy made us a video
(14:22):
that we put on our website. We got a welcome
message from the Mayor of Atlanta, Cassim Reid, and that's
how we launched Bronze Lens under the guys of the
Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau. It really was the incubator
for what we were doing. But the festival has always
(14:43):
been a separate five oh one C three organization with
its own bank accounts, et cetera, et cetera. The film
that you brought to Bron's Lens was the Steve Hardy
film Please.
Speaker 5 (14:57):
Don't Go Anywhere. We'll be right back with more money
Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money Making Conversations
Masterclass hosted by Rashaan MacDonald. Money Making Conversations Masterclass continues
online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and follow money Making Conversations
(15:22):
Masterclass on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Well, you know that's one from Bras Jubilee Na's bros
Lands Film Festival. Now some of the celebrity names associated
with some of the production. There's producers Jamie Fox, Jamie
Lee Curtis, Yeah, More's Chestnut civil rights attorney Being Crup
each producer of a film called How to Sue the Klan.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
That is so typical. Attorney Bing Croup, very good friend
of mine.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Now, when you how do these films get selected and
how they will submitted because you know, if you want
the big names associated with that's what brings the media
that week gets people excited about seeing the projects where
you see and hear by the Jamie Fox film of
Ben kromp A, Jamie Lee, Curtis, Jebor, Riley Draper, Morris Chestnut.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
But how do they get submitted.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
Well, we have a submissions process that opens each year
in October. We broadcast that both through our social media
as well as with a newsletter that we send out
to filmmakers both current and previous, in anybody else that's
interested in what we do. And there is a film
(16:37):
portal that most film festivals use call film Freeway, and
so that is how a filmmaker would submit their film
to Bronze Lens. We put our link in our communication
and the filmmaker would submit their film through the portal
and they start in October and we receive films all
(16:59):
the way up through April. Over the course of this
six month period, those films are being judged and screamed
so that we know what has a chance of being
in the film festival. You know, as you screened through
and in the process of viewing the films. That's when
(17:20):
you get the backstory of who's part of the crew.
And so many of the names. In fact, all of
the names, with the exception of just a couple that
you mentioned, were a surprise to us as we went
through the films and you go through the entire crew
and you go, oh my god, you know, you're just
(17:40):
looking at a name. It's just like, well, Mar's chestnut, right,
and he had come to Bronze Lens years ago when
they did the Malcolm Malcolm Little movie Best Man Holiday
brought that to Bronze Lens as a closing film. And
so to see that he's producer on a film, or
(18:04):
to see the name of Jamie Lee Curtis, or to
see the name of Ben Crump and Ben Crump is
actually associated with two films that we have. And what
that says, though, what that says is there are people
that are out there that don't mind putting their time,
energy or dollars behind these credible stories that need to
(18:30):
be told. That's really what it says.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
The other the two movies you're saying like how to
Sue the Klan and the other one is The Warner Boys. Yes,
civil rights attorney being crump is tied to Yes, let's
let's let people know some important dates here, like April
twenty first, I'm excuse me, August twenty first through the
twenty fifth. That's where you be doing the selections and
the daily screenings and all panels in the workshops. That's
(18:55):
the twenty first and that's going to be the Tower
Atlanta Theater.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Correct, Is that's correct? Okay, that's correct.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
On Saturday twenty four brons Lynn's inaugural Filmmakers ball.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Tell me about that.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
Yes, we used to have the Women Superstars event on
that Saturday part of the festival, and we appealed that
off to a different time of the year so that
we can celebrate all of these amazing women and just
do that. And so I wanted, yes, that's right, that's right.
(19:29):
So I wanted to do something on that Saturday, and
I started thinking about a ball. Now this is me.
Of course, I had these young team members, and so
it got skewed into a sneaker ball, which is great
because people get excited about that. But the primary thing
(19:50):
was this is year fifteen, and we wanted to do
something in celebration of ourselves that Yes, we made it,
but we also wanted to celebrate our amazing filmmakers, both
those from this year and those from previous years, and
so we have extended an invitation to all the filmmakers
from whom we had contact information to come out and
(20:14):
join us in this celebration. It's the Sneaker Ball at
City Hall, and we are excited that the Mayor's Office
of Film, Entertainment and Nightlife is hosting us to be
at City Hall on the evening of August twenty fourth.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
When you start talking, when you start talking about the
secrets to success, you know, being able to pull this off.
You mentioned in early relationships they being tied to the
visitors bureau. Sitting down and somebody recommends to go to
a naming company.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
What is the.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Secrets of your success of being the sustained itself for
fifteen years and also to come with significant participants as
producers Jamie Fox, Ben Crump, Jamie Lee, Curtis, Boris Chesnut.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
What's the secrets?
Speaker 4 (21:02):
Well, I can't take credit for the Jamie Lee, Curtis, etc.
Stand of those names, because, as I said to you,
those names as part of the crew were a surprise
to us. But the fact that the filmmakers thought enough
of us to submit their film to us. Says everything.
And so I'll give you a couple of things. Number one,
(21:25):
Bronx Lens is an Academy Award qualifying film festival for
the short film. We've been awarded that since twenty sixteen.
That means that the kind of film that submits as
a short film a short narrative, the film that wins
in that category gets to submit their film to the
(21:48):
Academy Awards for consideration for next year's awards. It's huge,
It really is huge, and so that's one reason that
filmmakers look at us. Another reason that filmmakers look at us,
and I would say this is part of our key
to success is we treat everyone well so well. The
(22:12):
hospitality component of Bronze Lens is something that comes from
me naturally from my years thirty two years in hospitality industry.
But knowing how to treat people and make them feel
welcome and when they get here, having a quality and
excellent experience for them. That's what Bronze Lens is known for.
(22:33):
And if you go back and read the experiences or
the reviews that the filmmakers write, they always mention how
well they were treated. I have a quick story I'd
love to tell if I could. There was a young
man that came to Bronze Lens from California a student film.
He brought a student film. He was looking for the
(22:55):
room where his film was going to be screened, and
he passed the registration desk. One of the gentlemen at
the registration desk came out from behind the desk and said, son,
I'll show you where the room is, but here, let
me help you. The young man was having trouble putting
his tie on. He wanted to have a tie and
jacket before he walked in the room to say I'm
(23:17):
the filmmaker. And so one of our gentlemen came around
and made sure that that young man looked presentable to
go to the next screen, go to his screening. And
I came along right at that time, and I walked
him to his screening, and he was just so overwhelmed
with the kindness because that's not what he expected. And
(23:38):
after it was over, the fact that everyone came up
to him and talked to him about how great his
film was and that people recognized him throughout the weekend,
that was important to him. But we tried to treat
each of our filmmakers the very same way. We have
a huge group of volunteers. Last week we did an
(23:59):
orientation for over one hundred people that want to volunteer
for Bronze Lens this year because they've heard about what
a great experience it was. And so many of our
volunteers go on to make connections because some of them
are filmmakers or budding filmmakers themselves, and so that becomes
(24:19):
a great experience. So having a great volunteer team is
part of success. And then I would say the final
piece is always always relationships, relationships knowing people, knowing people
that know people, but it's just not a connection. I
never really used that word, because if we're doing business together,
(24:42):
I want you to know me. I want you to
know about my integrity, about the integrity of my organization.
I want you to know about mad Lattic history and
the things that we've done, so that you know who
you're doing business with. And so that's why people that
have done work with us don't mind refer bring us
on to other people that could possibly collaborate with us,
(25:04):
because they know we have that kind of reputation of
really sitting down and trying to build those relationships.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Awesome.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Now the last day, which is Sunday, August twenty fifth,
we've already talked about Sneak of Ball, we talked about
twenty first to the twenty fifth. You can see the
screens at the Tara Atlanta Theater, but on the campus
of more House campus at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center,
you're going to have the Cinema and Social Justice Sunday.
You said from Jump that's always been a major role
(25:36):
that Bronze Let has played. This is not an in
our role, this is something this is part of your DNA.
Why is it so important?
Speaker 4 (25:42):
Well, seven social Justice Sunday. Those screenings will take place
also at the Tara, and then we'll move to the
Ray Charles Performing Arts Center for the Bronze Lens Awards.
But let me speak on Cinnemon Social Justice Sunday. This
is Atlanta. This is Atlanta, that place that was known
before film as the cradle of the Civil rights movement.
(26:05):
The home of doctor Martin Luther King Junior, the home
of John Lewis, the home of Joseph Lowry, CT Vivian
Zernona Clayton Corretta Scott Coretta, Scott King. We had legends
walking among us.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
Hey, can you tell them how the website and how
we can reach out to them for tickets and more
information on the event.
Speaker 4 (26:29):
Yes, Tickets and everything that you need to know about
the film festival are all at our website www dot
Bronze Lens dot com, b r O n Z E
L E n s dot com. We're on Facebook, Instagram,
(26:50):
TikTok x and just at Bronze Lens and you'll find
us on all of those platforms. And those platforms also
give you a lot of information about the various panels
that will have There are eleven panels that we will
have panel discussions with all kinds of topics from creating
(27:12):
a film with your iPhone to getting your film green lit,
and we have one hundred and forty films over the
course of those five days Rashan and topics is varied
as women and history, relationships and mental health and comedy,
and religion and spirituality. All of that information is on
(27:34):
that website for you to dig through and find the
things that are of interest to you. That's Bronze Lens
dot com.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
Awesome. I really appreciate you taking the time, we're gonna
get this out here.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
You know, I had to contact you because I have
history with this outset on panels for Kathleen.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
She know, come on, did you forgot about that? Did
you forgot?
Speaker 4 (27:56):
I just do panel for you, and I remember that
I interviewed you. I'd interview you were my first You're
my first interviewee. Thank you so much, thank.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
You, and I thank you for allowing you to me
to interview you and also welcome you into fifteen years
and fifteen more years and when you get the fifty
we're gonna interview for the fiftieth anniversary of the Brinelands
Film Festival. We ain't going no where, Kathleen. Okay. We
might be talking a little bit slower at the fifty
year adversary, but we're gonna be talking. Okay.
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
Though she didn't know at the time, but you fouled
out the research.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
Jamie Fox, Yes, sir, Jamie Curtis Devil, Riley Draper, and
my man Morris Chestnut.
Speaker 4 (28:38):
Yes, sir, yes, sir, yes, yes, sir. You know what
she did rushon for us. You had us come and
do the we we didn't curate, but you had us
produce the Film Festival pod of the Steve Harks Neighborhood
Awards for two years.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
It's so many absolutes. That was in twenty fifteen. That
was a twenty feb two years.
Speaker 4 (29:01):
Absolutely yes, sir, Oh my god, you're part of us too,
so we just don't forget what our friends have done.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
This has been another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass
hosted by me Rushaun McDonald. Thank you to our guests
on the show today and thank you listening to audience now.
If you want to listen.
Speaker 6 (29:20):
To any episode I want to be a guest on
the show, visit Moneymakingconversations dot com. Our social media handle
is money Making Conversation. Join us next week and remember
to always leave with your gifts. Keep winning.
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