November 20, 2020

In this episode, I speak with educator, filmmaker and former co-chairperson of BADWest: Black Association of Documentary Filmmakers - West, Denise Hamilton, In our conversation we talk about BADWest, her latest doc/interactive project Race Relay, and what it’s like to be educating the next generation of international documentary filmmakers at the New York Film Academy. Because Denise and her family has deep ties to the Black liberation movement that go all the way to Mary McLeod Bethune, the song for this episode is Mavis Staples rendition of the Civil Rights anthem, “We Shall Not Be Moved.”

[Image Description: Denise Hamilton is pictured from the torso up. She was an aqua colored button down shirt, tortoise-shell glasses, and a black folded scarf around her head that has white lettering and pink, blue, and yellow graphics. She smiles slightly as her chin rest on her hand.]

[image description: Race Relay logo. A Picasso-inspired images that features five to six human like figures standing next to each other. The figures are designed with vibrant, multicolored, geometric shapes.]

[Image description: BADWest logo. A yin/yang inspired circular symbol with black, red, and white swirls. The letters “BW” are imprinted in white towards the bottom of the image.]

Denise’s Bio

Denise has over 30 years experience as a writer and producer for NBC, ABC and PBS network specials and
syndicated programs. In the area of documentary and broadcast journalism, she was writer and field producer for four internationally-shot documentaries, including NGONE’S STORY: A Tale of Africa’s Orphans, which aired on NBC affiliate stations; as well as the feature Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History which screened at the Palm Springs Film Festival and as a 4-part series for PBS. She was the coordinating producer on For Peace Sake, the 2-hour NBC-TV special which won four Emmy’s, as well as the Motown 40: The Music is Forever documentary special for ABC-TV, and has been a segment producer for Discovery Channel, Fox TV, E! Entertainment, and the Odyssey Channel. She most recently served as series producer of Where Cultures Collide, a 5-part web series for KCETLink. She has served on the selection committee for the International Documentary Association Awards, presently teaches documentary film production at the New York Film Academy, and is the former co-chairperson of the Black Association of Documentary Filmmakers-West.

Race Relay’s Mission

The mission of RACE RELAY is to demonstrate – story is medicine and sharing stories with empathy at the core can be healing. So the healing begins with the process of hearing stories having a common thread; a thread that ties all human beings together – through our desires, our fears, and our racial biases. The intention of RACE RELAY is to dissolve disunity among those who are seated together, enable them to see a pattern to our biases, and perhaps go beyond tolerance to understand the commonality of our frailties.

BADWest’s Mission Statement

The Black Association of Documentary Filmmakers West (BADWest) is a professional organization providing people of African descent working in documentary film, video or other media the opportunity to network professionally, share resources, exchange ideas and meet socially in order to enhance the development, production, promotion and exhibition of documentaries. BADWest also advocates for the recognition and professional advancement of Black documentary filmmakers.

BADWest’s History

BADWest was formed in July of 2003 as a collective of documentary filmmakers of African descent working and residing on the West Coast. Founded by the late St. Clair Bourne, the organization has continually held monthly general meetings providing industry speakers, information on resources for production, funding sources, festivals, and distribution; as well as screening works-in-progress and completed docs for feedback and discussion. The members are diverse in experience, and range from recent film-school grads to experienced documentary filmmakers with award-winning features produced for major broadcast outlets.

In the summer of 2004, BADWest hosted its first major event, a seminar on grants and proposal writing conducted by ITVS. Held at Raleigh Studios, it was attended by over 130 experienced and novice filmmakers,and was extremely successful. BADWest’s second major event was hosting a reception at the Writers Guild of America West in December 2004 honoring noted documentary filmmaker William Greaves, which was attended by more than 100 members of the film-making community. In 2005, the organization hosted invited Leslie Fields-Cruz of Black Pubic Media to teach a production seminar at KCET.
In 2006, BADWest hosted its first DAY OF BLACK DOCS, a celebration of the Black documentary and its filmmakers, at the American Film Institute. Films screened included Kevin Willmott’s mockmentary, CSA: Confederate States of America; Michele Stephenson’s Faces of Change; Yoruba Richen’s Promised Land; and Mario Van Peebles’ Poetic License.

2007 unexpectedly became a watershed for the organization, for December marked the sudden, untimely death of its founder, St. Clair Bourne. To honor his memory, BADWest partnered with the Director’s Guild of America and planned a memorial tribute for St. Clair. BADWest also a co-hosted a series of screenings and panels of St. Clair’s work during that year’s Pan African Film & Arts Festival. In honor of the late founder, BADWest leadership and members created the “St. Clair Bourne’s Fourth Mondays” Screening Series. This free documentary film series is a monthly gathering for arts enthusiasts and artists actively working in film, television and theater to stimulate discussion on culture, political principles, and creative techniques.

Websites & Social Media

Race Relay’s Mission

The mission of RACE RELAY is to demonstrate – story is medicine and sharing stories with empathy at the core can be healing. So the healing begins with the process of hearing stories having a common thread; a thread that ties all human beings together – through our desires, our fears, and our racial biases. The intention of RACE RELAY is to dissolve disunity among those who are seated together, enable them to see a pattern to our biases, and perhaps go beyond tolerance to understand the commonality of our frailties.

BADWest’s Mission Statement

The Black Association of Documentary Filmmakers West (BADWest) is a professional organization providing people of African descent working in documentary film, video or other media the opportunity to network professionally, share resources, exchange ideas and meet socially in order to enhance the development, production, promotion and exhibition of documentaries. BADWest also advocates for the recognition and professional advancement of Black documentary filmmakers.

BADWest’s History

BADWest was formed in July of 2003 as a collective of documentary filmmakers of African descent working and residing on the West Coast. Founded by the late St. Clair Bourne, the organization has continually held monthly general meetings providing industry speakers, information on resources for production, funding sources, festivals, and distribution; as well as screening works-in-progress and completed docs for feedback and discussion. The members are diverse in experience, and range from recent film-school grads to experienced documentary filmmakers with award-winning features produced for major broadcast outlets.

In the summer of 2004, BADWest hosted its first major event, a seminar on grants and proposal writing conducted by ITVS. Held at Raleigh Studios, it was attended by over 130 experienced and novice filmmakers,and was extremely successful. BADWest’s second major event was hosting a reception at the Writers Guild of America West in December 2004 honoring noted documentary filmmaker William Greaves, which was attended by more than 100 members of the film-making community. In 2005, the organization hosted invited Leslie Fields-Cruz of Black Pubic Media to teach a production seminar at KCET.
In 2006, BADWest hosted its first DAY OF BLACK DOCS, a celebration of the Black documentary and its filmmakers, at the American Film Institute. Films screened included Kevin Willmott’s mockmentary, CSA: Confederate States of America; Michele Stephenson’s Faces of Change; Yoruba Richen’s Promised Land; and Mario Van Peebles’ Poetic License.

2007 unexpectedly became a watershed for the organization, for December marked the sudden, untimely death of its founder, St. Clair Bourne. To honor his memory, BADWest partnered with the Director’s Guild of America and planned a memorial tribute for St. Clair. BADWest also a co-hosted a series of screenings and panels of St. Clair’s work during that year’s Pan African Film & Arts Festival. In honor of the late founder, BADWest leadership and members created the “St. Clair Bourne’s Fourth Mondays” Screening Series. This free documentary film series is a monthly gathering for arts enthusiasts and artists actively working in film, television and theater to stimulate discussion on culture, political principles, and creative techniques.