BRIC Documentary Intensive Screening: 2024 Cohort

Join us to watch the incredible films produced during the 2024 BRIC Documentary Intensive! BRIC’s 2024 Documentary Intensive cohort learned the ins and outs of making a short, compelling film—from choosing a documentary subject and style, crafting a treatment and pre-production plan, and then overcoming the challenges of producing and editing a short documentary for the first time.

The films will stream live on the Brooklyn Free Speech HD channel (Spectrum 1993, Optimum 951 Verizon 47, BRICartsmedia.org/HD) through the end of January.

April Guscott

April Guscott is a queer, Jamaican-American writer and filmmaker from East Flatbush, Brooklyn. Raised by immigrant parents, her work examines the nature of multiple dueling cultural identities/cultural preservation, the concept of home, what aspects of self we inherit, and themes of memory and self-power.

With the assistance of science fiction and horror genres, what she finds to be natural settings for minority stories, April champions Black queer femme visibility, and representations of non-American Blackness, and women in her narrative work. With her foray into documentary storytelling, she seeks to share the contributions that immigrant women of color have made to this city through labor and personal sacrifice. April is in post production for her sci-fi narrative short At The Threshold, and short documentary Ten Elephants Remember Brooklyn.

Connor Bowen

Connor Bowen is a writer/director originally from Seattle, Washington. Connor moved to Brooklyn in 2014, where he studied TV Writing And Producing and began working in post-production. As an editor, Connor has contributed to brands such as Food Network, TLC, and StyleLikeU. Connor also directs sketch comedy through the independent comedy collective, Boogie Manja. Connor has taken his shows to Montreal Sketchfest, Austin Sketchfest, and DC Sketchfest.

DÉJÀ ANDERSON-ROSS

DÉJÀ ANDERSON-ROSS was born and raised in the south suburbs of Chicago, IL. She has a BA in Theater from Columbia College Chicago and has received her MFA in acting from The Actors Studio Drama School. She hopes to use her artistic abilities not only in acting but in writing, directing and producing stories that showcase the wide array of the human experience. She is excited to be making her documentary debut at Bric. www.dejaaross.com IG@dejaaross

Brandon Bain

Brandon Bain also known as Mister Bain is a writer, vocalist and visual storyteller. As a writer and videographer, his work has appeared in The New York Times, Newsday, AM New York, SCRATCH Magazine, Teen People and he was also a video director at Jazz at Lincoln Center. As a performer he has worked at the legendary Minton’s Playhouse, Apollo Music Cafe, Dizzy’s Club, Birdland, Carnegie Hall and at festivals in Sweden and Cuba. Born and raised in Flatbush, he created his own degree at Brooklyn College majoring in Journalism and Television and Radio. A passion for curation and traditional arts in music led him to capably create The Capsulocity Network, a video series which documented more than 100 up and coming artists in the New York Jazz community. He looks forward to sharing his journey and desire to promote talent, health, wellness and spirituality through his art and thanks BRIC for its support.

Jose Miguel Pareja

Jose Miguel Pareja is a conceptual documentary artist from Margarita, Venezuela. After a period of living in Europe and Asia, he returned to his homeland to document Venezuela’s political situation until his forced departure from the country in 2018. He was trained in psychology and trauma under the RIIHS model. He is an alumnus of the International Center of Photography (ICP) and the Eddie Adams Workshop. Currently, Jose works at the NYC Asylum Application Help Center, assisting immigrant families to navigate the US legal system. He attended The New York Times Portfolio Review 2023 and is a grantee of The Aftermath Project 2024 for his photographic work deconstructing US Immigration Archives.

Kaelyn Lynch

Kaelyn Lynch (she/they) is an independent multimedia journalist, writer, and documentary filmmaker. She’s a former editor at Outside and 5280 magazines, and has reported on everything from youth homelessness to the refugee crisis on the Thai-Myanmar border, with her work appearing in outlets such as National Geographic. As a videographer and filmmaker, she’s produced videos for publications, nonprofits, businesses, and performers.

While she prides herself on her ability to cover a wide range of topics, as a queer, chronically ill person, she has a special interest in correcting the narratives of marginalized communities often mis and under-represented in media. She’s also passionate about the ocean and wildlife, having worked in marine conservation and environmental education and as an avid SCUBA diver and sailor. Her circuitous route to journalism and filmmaking included stops in trauma psychology counseling and research, conservation science and sustainable tourism, underwater videography, and winemaking, over the course of four years spent abroad in over a dozen countries across Asia, Africa, and Oceania. She guided SCUBA divers in one of the most remote corners of Indonesia, traveled around Myanmar with Buddhist monks, drove the length of New Zealand while living out of a car, and sailed across the South Pacific. Nowadays, she’s finally unpacked her suitcase in Brooklyn.

Laura Fielder

Laura Fielder is a Brooklyn native writer/director. She is a graduate of the UCLA Professional Screenwriting Program. Her screenplays Affliction (2020) and Sistagrrrls (2023) placed in several screenwriting competitions. Her award-winning narrative films Milan’s First Day (2015) and The Company You Keep (2019) were screened in several film festivals across North America. A storyteller at heart, Laura is happy to be part of the BRIC Documentary Intensive and looks forward to creating engaging non-fiction films.

Lee Evans

Natalie “Lee” Evans is a Jersey born, Brooklyn based filmmaker. Influenced by black people, perspectives and experiences she uses her comedic instincts and creative vision to tell visual stories with impact.
Lee began her film career working as a coordinator and PA on independent films and commercials in the Philadelphia area. Upon moving to Brookly she trained as an Assistant Director on music videos, worked on the hit late night show Desus & Mero, and completed a fellowship with Award Winning Documentary production company Jigsaw while producing and creating independently. In the past year she has produced a comedy pilot Black Retail (2023) and feature documentary You Think You Grown:Dismantling Adultification (2024). Her short film The Lord’s Work (2023) was an official selection at Hip Hop Film Festival, Black Web Fest and New Faces New Voices. Lee is extremely happy to have the support from BRIC to create her debut documentary film Finding Jackie as part of the 2024 Documentary Intensive.

Magali Judith

Magali Judith is a video producer, journalist, and writer with extensive experience creating a wide range of documentary videos for digital and broadcast television. Born and raised in Paris, France, she holds Master’s degrees in political science and journalism from the Sorbonne University of Paris and ESJ Lille. With a French and Caribbean background, she likes to focus her storytelling on questions of identity and finding belonging.

Martha Sea

What I got to say about Martha Sea? Let’s Start A Movement: key ah key! I’m a photographer, bookkeeper and a keeper of history. Got an MBA from St. John’s University. Worked for Pan Am and flew around the world, literally then sat in a chair and counted dollars, figuratively. I’m a Mom to a beautiful daughter, gift to me from a Bajan son, where I learned my lessons about the Thus Come One.

Using poetry and photography I tell a story about 2 friends who set out to honor the legacy of Gil Scott Heron. The story unfolds over 7 months in the Gil Scott Heron Amphitheater located in St. Mary’s Park in the Bronx, NY. It seemingly ends on Gil’s 73rd birthday but gets followed up with a celebration of his 74th, in Washington DC. Hey Gil! On April 1, 2024, when you turn 75? Give me five on the black hand side!

Michele Avery

Michele Avery is a storyteller born and raised in the Republic of Brooklyn with a rising moon in Panamanian culture. She has over 15 years of experience as a writer and producer in entertainment and media, working with such brands as Food Network, Cooking Channel, OWN, and Warner Brothers. Her play The Crown of Times was performed in Boston recently to a sold-out crowd.

She’s excited to make her documentary debut at BRIC and looks forward to telling more engaging stories. http://micheleaverycreative.vids.io

Serrina Goodman

Serrina Goodman (She series), BRIC Community Producer since May 24, 2007, Serrina Goodman’s journey in the world of entertainment and media is a testament to her extraordinary talent and unwavering dedication. As a Director, Producer, and Content Creator, she has consistently proven her ability to create powerful and thought-provoking works that resonate with audiences around the globe.
Ms. Goodman’s impressive portfolio includes a diverse range of projects, spanning from award-winning films to captivating stage productions. Her storytelling skills are unparalleled, as she masterfully weaves narratives that not only entertain but also shed light on pressing social issues. Through her art, she has become a catalyst for change, using her platform to address important topics and challenge societal norms.

Ms. Goodman is an award-winning Director of the short film- “I’m Here for You” a faith-based film that allows the viewer to peek into the challenging life of a strong faith based family. Ms. Goodman is a two-time recipient of the B Free award, and the recipient of several awards for theater and community engagement. Ms. Goodman has hosted the B Free awards event twice. Ms. Goodman is the Executive Producer of “The Serrina Goodman Show” and “The Business of Marriage Podcast”. In addition, Ms. Goodman has Written and Directed eight stage productions and serves as a consultant on several project teams. In February 2024, Ms. Goodman also premiered the new sensational stage production” Grandma’s Chair”- chronicling memorable moments in Black history.

Additionally, in February 2024, Ms. Goodman and fellow BRIC producer Muse, launched BRIC’s newest production team- “The Phoenix Production Team”, a creative and super talented team of seasoned and new BRIC Producers who develop innovative productions and creative content. Ms. Goodman serves as Content Creator for the AfroSHARE Cancer Support Group providing information and resources regarding Breast and Women cancers globally. A twelve year Breast Cancer Survivor Ms. Goodman’s documentary “Travelin’ Pink” documents the challenges surrounding health care disparity and lack of access to quality healthcare for women diagnosed with Breast and women cancers across the nation.

Teresa Xie

Teresa Xie (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based journalist who reports on culture, politics, business — and the spaces where they intersect. She has written for publications ranging from Pitchfork to The Nation, worked on NPR’s Tiny Desk and Louder Than A Riot, and produced an audio story on the mispronunciation of Asian-American names as an AAJA Voices Fellow. Teresa is excited to make her first short film, which reckons with stories of family and immigration across generations. You can find her here: https://www.teresaxie.com/