This week, Indeed, the world’s number one job site, in partnership with Emmy-winner Lena Waithe and her company, Hillman Grad Productions celebrated Season Two of the Rising Voices filmmaker initiative at Tribeca Festival in NYC. The festival hosted the world premiere of the 10 Rising Voices Season Two short films created by BIPOC filmmakers about the power and impact a job can have on someone’s life.
Lena Waithe was in attendance as well as Hillman Grad Productions President of Film/ TV Rishi Rajani, actress Cynthia Erivo, filmmaker, Stacy Pascal Gaspard, Ventureland and PRETT
Inspired by the belief that talent is universal, but opportunity is not, Rising Voices was created to uncover, invest in and share stories created by BIPOC filmmakers. Indeed’s goal with the Rising Voices initiative, is to expand the creation of sustainable job opportunities for talented underrepresented creatives and through their partnership with Lena Waithe and Hillman Grad Productions, they have been able to accomplish that with over 1,000 jobs created through the program since its inception.
Indeed and Variety also hosted a panel discussion moderated by Clayton Davis, Senior Award Editor at Variety. At the panel, Clayton held a thought-provoking conversation with all 10 Rising Voices Season Two filmmakers.
Photos by: Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for 2022 Tribeca Festival
About Indeed’s Rising Voices Season Two
Each filmmaker was awarded a $10,000 writing fee, received a $100,000 production budget, a dedicated line production crew through Hillman Grad and 271 Films and had access to an additional $25,000 COVID budget to ensure the safety of the cast and crew. In the coming weeks, Indeed will select the filmmaker who profoundly showcased the power and meaning of work in their film, and they will receive an additional $100,000 to create new work for Indeed as a non-exclusive filmmaker in-residence.