What Big Picture Alliance does

Big Picture Alliance (BPA) is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)-equivalent nonprofit founded in 1994 by Jared Martin and Jeffrey Seder to deliver digital filmmaking education and workforce development to underserved youth ages 12-24. The organization operates a portfolio of programs including Film Futures (a 9-month paid fellowship for ages 18-24 producing an original narrative film script-to-screen), Via Lux Youth Media Collective (a 9-month paid fellowship for ages 14-18), after-school and summer digital media programs, and the annual Big Picture Film Fest. Core technical infrastructure centers on industry-standard digital filmmaking equipment and Adobe Premiere Pro editing software, with a proprietary script-to-screen curriculum covering screenwriting, cinematography, audio, acting, directing, and editing that has been refined over 30+ years of operation and validated by a 2014 Rand Corp evaluation. The organization also operates GroundFloor Studios, a 2,000 sq ft production studio, digital media lab, and screening space in Center City Philadelphia co-launched in 2023 with ChatterBlast Media as a workforce incubator.

BPA's revenue model combines grant funding from foundations (William Penn Foundation, Comcast, NBC Universal Foundation, and other funders), individual donations processed through the Network for Good platform, workforce development contracts from city initiatives, and earned revenue from Big Picture Productions, an Emmy-Award winning wholly-owned social enterprise that provides paid apprenticeships to BPA alumni while delivering professional video production services to external clients. Programs are delivered free of charge to youth participants (with stipends for full participation in fellowships), professional services are quote-based, and part-time staff roles are paid hourly at $25-30/hr. The organization employs approximately 12-14 staff including an Executive Director, Program Manager, 5+ Teaching Artists, Production Supervisor, Production Coordinator, Communications Manager, Programs & Events Coordinator, and Associate Producer, and is governed by a Board of Directors that includes film and media executives, educators, and BPA alumni.

BPA serves customers across three segments: youth participants (free with stipends), schools and community organizations (program partnerships across 10 Philadelphia zip codes, anchored by a School District of Philadelphia partnership since 2013), and local B2B clients purchasing production services through Big Picture Productions. In 2024, the organization served 300 youth, delivered 100 hours of programming, provided 12 paid apprenticeships, produced 50 films, reached a 650K audience, and won both a regional Emmy Award (for the documentary 'A Hope That Lights the Way') and the NBC Universal Foundation's Local Impact Grant. Geographic reach is concentrated exclusively in Philadelphia, with no stated international or multi-state expansion signals.

Name

Big Picture Alliance

Legal name

Big Picture Alliance

Website

https://bigpicturealliance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Big Picture Alliance is a Philadelphia nonprofit founded in 1994 that delivers digital filmmaking education, paid fellowships, and workforce development to underserved youth ages 12-24, also operating an Emmy-winning production company and a co-launched production studio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Media Education and Creative Workforce Development

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211), Fine Arts Schools (611610), Photography Studios, Portrait (541921)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits (BPAGAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Photography & Videography Arts Programs (EDAMAAAC), Children’s & Youth Educational Entertainment (Edutainment) (EDAGALAK), Video/Film Creative Agencies (Concept-to-Creative) (MPAAAAAG)

Keywords

• Youth media education
• Digital filmmaking programs
• Video production services
• Nonprofit youth programs
• Workforce development apprenticeships

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Primary revenue from foundation grants and government funding including NBC Universal Foundation, William Penn Foundation, and public-private workforce development investments
2. Production Services: Big Picture Productions generates revenue by creating video content for local clients and community partners while employing youth through paid apprenticeships
3. Individual Donations: Charitable donations from individuals through Network for Good platform, supporting mission-driven programming
4. Workforce Development Contracts: Funding from city workforce development initiatives supporting paid apprenticeships and career pathway programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Big Picture Alliance offers a continuum of digital filmmaking education and career-pathway programs for Philadelphia youth ages 12-24, including after-school, summer, and workforce programs that teach script-to-screen filmmaking. The organization also operates Big Picture Productions, an Emmy-winning social-enterprise video production company that creates professional content for clients while employing youth through paid apprenticeships. Supporting offerings include the Big Picture Film Fest and GroundFloor Studios (a co-launched production facility and workforce incubator).

Product overview

Big Picture Alliance is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of youth media programs and production services. The core offerings include Digital Media Programs (after school, summer, and workforce programs teaching digital filmmaking), Professional Media Services through Big Picture Productions (an Emmy-winning video production company), and the Big Picture Film Fest (annual film festival). Key programs include Film Futures (9-month fellowship for ages 18-24) and Via Lux Youth Media Collective (fellowship for ages 14-18). The organization also operates GroundFloor Studios, a production facility and workforce incubator co-launched with ChatterBlast Media in 2023. Youth are supported from script-to-screen through mentorship, apprenticeships, and career pathways in the media industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Big Picture Productions: Emmy-Award winning full-service video production company and Employment Social Enterprise specializing in powerful social impact storytelling while providing mentorship, work experience and career pathways for young media professionals.
• GroundFloor Studios

Products and services

• Digital Media Programs A pathway of after-school, summer, and workforce programs that mentor Philadelphia youth ages 12-24 from script-to-screen and from curiosity-to-careers through hands-on project-based digital storytelling. Programs cover screenwriting, cinematography, audio, acting, directing, and editing.
• Big Picture Productions An Emmy-Award winning full-service video production company and Employment Social Enterprise that specializes in social impact storytelling while providing mentorship, work experience, and career pathways for emerging young media professionals. Creates content for local clients and community partners.
• Film Futures A 9-month paid fellowship (200 hours) where youth ages 18-24 produce an original narrative film from script-to-screen under professional mentorship. Participants learn screenwriting, cinematography, audio, acting, directing, and editing. Free to participants with stipend for full participation.
• Via Lux Youth Media Collective A 9-month paid fellowship for youth ages 14-18 that provides creative community and professional mentorship to develop artistic practice and produce collaborative films. Free to participants with stipend for full participation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300 youth served in 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of Philadelphia Mayor's Office of Black Male EngagementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2023Partnership for Emmy-winning documentary 'A Hope That Lights the Way' about rising gun violence and community heroes committed to changing narratives around Black men and boys.
• GroundFloor Studios (ChatterBlast Media)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-launched in 2023 as a 2000 sq ft community-centered production studio, digital media lab, and screening space. Social enterprise partnership combining BPA's youth media work with ChatterBlast Media's industry expertise. Home to pathway youth media programs, paid apprenticeships, workshops, and events.
• Jtwo FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm production partnership for documentary 'A Hope That Lights the Way' directed by Kaloni Davis.
• School District of PhiladelphiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2013 to develop and implement digital storytelling curriculum, resulting in improved academic achievement and exemplary skill development (Rand Corp 2014). Enabled programming to reach thousands of youth across Philadelphia.
• Industry Partners (Media Companies, Broadcast Stations, Film Festivals, Universities)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvide youth opportunities to explore career paths through field trips and paid apprenticeships, offering behind-the-scenes glimpses, hands-on work experience, and mentorship from industry professionals.
• Program Partners (Schools, City Agencies, Cultural Institutions)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnable reach across 10 Philadelphia zip codes, allowing craft of culturally responsive digital media programs addressing needs and aspirations of youth and communities while providing access to cultural experiences.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DCTV: NYC nonprofit documentary media arts center offering youth programs, workshops, and community production facilities. Comparable community-centered documentary filmmaking training and physical production-studio model.
• Scribe Video Center: Philadelphia-based nonprofit offering documentary filmmaking workshops, youth programs, and community production services. Directly comparable as a Philly media-arts nonprofit with overlapping teaching-artist network and participant base.
• Global Action Project: NYC youth-media justice organization training young people in documentary filmmaking to drive social change. Comparable intersection of media arts education, youth development, and social-impact storytelling.
• Educational Video Center: NYC nonprofit teaching documentary video production to youth and adults, with strong school-partnership and youth-voices programming. Mirrors BPA's school-district integration and documentary-first pedagogy.
• Spy Hop Productions: Salt Lake City-based youth media arts nonprofit offering filmmaking, audio, and design programs with industry mentors. Comparable age cohort (youth/teens), apprenticeship pipeline, and program portfolio.
• Inner-City Filmmakers: Los Angeles nonprofit training underrepresented youth in filmmaking, media literacy, and career pathways into the entertainment industry. Comparable underserved-youth focus with industry-aligned career outcomes.
• Reel Works Teen Filmmaking: NYC-based nonprofit providing youth filmmaking mentorship, after-school programs, and production apprenticeships to underserved teens. Highly comparable mission, age cohort, and apprenticeship-to-career pipeline model.

Broad incumbents

• Bay Area Video Coalition: Long-established San Francisco media-arts nonprofit with broader programming across film, audio, and digital media for youth and adults. Larger scale and longer history make it a broader incumbent in the youth media-arts space.

Others

• ChatterBlast Media: Philadelphia-based video production agency and Big Picture Alliance's co-venture partner in GroundFloor Studios. Adjacent commercial peer serving similar local clients with overlapping production capabilities.
• Philadelphia Independent Film Festival: Local film festival with which BPA's Board Director Ben Barnett is affiliated and through which BPA youth films are exhibited. Ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor, but adjacent showcase platform for comparable work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/BigPictureAlliance
• Facebookfacebook.com/bigpicturealliance
• Instagraminstagram.com/bigpicturealliance
• Xx.com/bpaphilly
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/big-picture-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Big Picture Alliance