Black Film Guild

What Black Film Guild does

Black Film Guild is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit collective (Tax ID 83-3057473) founded in 2015 and headquartered in Oakland, California, that delivers filmmaking, photography, podcasting, and documentary training to Black creatives and youth in the Bay Area. Its core offerings include hands-on workshops, a Workforce Development pathway, youth mentorship programs, community podcasting, and a Teachable-based online course storefront, with delivery supported by professional equipment such as Canon C300 Mark II and Blackmagic cinema cameras and Adobe Premiere Pro for post-production. The organization operates a community-led, event-driven go-to-market model centered on Discord channels, free in-person workshops, and recurring programs such as the OMCA ThursDates photography workshops.

Revenue is generated through a mix of donations (PayPal), occasional event fees (e.g., $19 OMCA ThursDates admission), episodic grants (notably from NEAR Protocol for the Cultural Strategist in Government project), and scholarship pass-throughs to youth artists. Strategic partnerships span the City of Oakland and its Department of Transportation, the Oakland Museum of California, Oakland Unified School District, NEAR Blockchain/Edge & Node, UPS, Salesforce Tower, East Bay Community Foundation, Alameda County Arts Commission, and a network of local creative and community partners. A recent innovation is a NEAR Protocol-based content licensing and certificate-of-authenticity system that allows the City of Oakland to purchase community-produced mini-documentaries for official use, embedding the organization's training output into municipal procurement workflows.

Name

Black Film Guild

Legal name

Black Film Guild

Website

https://blackfilmguild.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Film Guild is an Oakland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides filmmaking, photography, podcasting, and documentary training to Black creatives and youth in the Bay Area through free workshops, mentorship, and government-funded civic-media projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Arts Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits (BPAGAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Visual Arts Instruction (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture) (EDAMAAAA)

Keywords

• Filmmaking education
• Photography workshops
• Community media training
• Creative workforce development
• Youth media programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

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. Donations: Tax-exempt nonprofit 501(c)3 organization accepting donations through PayPal. Donations support mentorship, gear, and real-world experience programs for Black creatives.
2. Government Grants: Funding from city departments including NEAR Protocol grant awarded for the Cultural Strategist in Government project to modernize government operations through community-generated content.
3. Scholarships: Youth artists compensated through scholarships awarded by Black Film Guild and partner organizations for completing art projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Black Film Guild is a nonprofit collective that delivers hands-on workshops and training in filmmaking, photography, video editing, podcasting, and documentary production for Black creatives. It supplements classroom learning with real-world project opportunities, mentorship, and a workforce development pathway, and partners with city departments and cultural institutions to deliver community-based media projects.

Product overview

Black Film Guild is a nonprofit collective that provides a unified suite of creative media programs centered on empowering Black storytellers through hands-on training and community-driven projects. The core offerings include Filmmaking, Photography & Editing Workshops for skill development, a Workforce Development Program for career preparation, and Youth Programs with mentorship. The portfolio extends to specific project programs like the Grand Avenue BE HEARD youth outreach initiative and the Cultural Strategist in Government civic engagement program. Additional programs include Community Podcasting and Online Courses through Teachable. Events and screenings round out the ecosystem, creating a complete pathway from education through real-world application and career development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Filmmaking, Photography & Editing Workshops Hands-on workshops covering filmmaking, photography, video editing, podcasting, and documentary creation with industry-standard equipment and techniques, designed for Black creatives and the broader community.
• Workforce Development Program Career training program that prepares Black creatives for sustainable careers in film, podcasting, and visual storytelling through hands-on training, mentorship, and industry-aligned curriculum.
• Youth Programs Creative youth programs that pair young artists with mentors and provide resources to complete projects in audio, video, graphic design, art, and spoken word.
• Grand Avenue BE HEARD Youth outreach initiative partnering with the Oakland Department of Transportation to engage underrepresented youth in creating art reflecting the diversity and culture of the Grand Avenue corridor community.
• Cultural Strategist in Government Program embedding Walter Wallace as a Cultural Strategist in Oakland government, conducting free filmmaking and photography workshops while teaching community members to create mini-documentaries for improving government services.
• Community Podcasting Audio storytelling platform that elevates critical conversations, amplifies community voices, and trains creators in podcast production including youth-led community podcast series.
• Online Courses Digital media courses available through the Teachable platform for remote learning in filmmaking and related creative skills.
• Community Events & Screenings Community events, premieres, student project showings, and collaborative storytelling sessions that foster connection between creatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ participants at single workshop events
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• City of OaklandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2022City partnership including appointment of Founder Walter Wallace as Cultural Strategist in Government. Collaboration on civic engagement projects connecting community members to government services through media.
• Oakland Department of TransportationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2022Partnership on Grand Avenue Mobility Project and other transportation-related community media projects. Youth artists create documentaries highlighting mobility and street planning issues.
• NEAR BlockchaincoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing grant funding for blockchain-based content licensing system. Artists upload mini-documentaries to create certificates of authenticity purchasable by government agencies.
• Oakland Museum of CaliforniasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular partnership for photography workshops and scavenger hunt events. OMCA hosts ThursDates events featuring Black Film Guild-led programming.
• Oakland Unified School DistrictsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership bringing media workshops and training to schools in the Oakland Unified School District.
• UPSsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting creative workforce development programs and initiatives.
• Edge & NodesecondaryTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner associated with NEAR blockchain ecosystem supporting decentralized content licensing projects.
• MM ClayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative partner supporting Black Film Guild initiatives and community programs.
• Ghost Town BrewingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner supporting community events and creative programming.
• FLAX Art & DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative partner contributing to art and design-focused community initiatives.
• Capacity for Equity and Success (C4ES)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizational partner focused on equity and success initiatives supporting the Black Film Guild's mission.
• Alameda County Arts CommissionsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty arts agency supporting creative programs and arts education initiatives.
• Salesforce TowerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing support for community programs and initiatives.
• Block Community HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting local creative initiatives and programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Film Independent: Established nonprofit supporting independent filmmakers through training labs, fiscal sponsorship, and year-round education. Broader incumbent offering filmmaker development programs that overlap with Black Film Guild's Workforce Development track.
• Austin Film Society: Regional nonprofit offering film education, screenings, and filmmaker support programs. Comparable in operating an arts-education and community-engagement model around film, though at a larger and more established scale.

Direct peers

• Ghetto Film School: Nonprofit providing free film education, mentorship, and career pathways for underserved young creatives. Most directly comparable to Black Film Guild in mission, free-workshop model, and focus on underrepresented filmmakers breaking into industry careers.
• Scribe Video Center: Philadelphia nonprofit providing documentary and media production training to underserved youth and adults. Comparable peer in community-driven media arts education with a focus on documentary production and social-impact storytelling.
• DCTV (Downtown Community Television Center): New York-based nonprofit media arts center offering documentary production workshops, equipment access, and youth programs. Comparable as a community media-training nonprofit that mixes hands-on film/photo education with youth and documentary programming.
• Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC): Bay Area-based nonprofit offering media-making training, production resources, and workforce programs for emerging storytellers. Directly comparable geographic and programmatic footprint to Black Film Guild, including shared focus on access to equipment and storytelling skills.

Regional players

• SFFILM: San Francisco-based nonprofit supporting filmmakers through education, grants, and public programming. Regional peer operating in the same Bay Area ecosystem, with overlapping film-education and community-programming offerings.

Emerging players

• Brown Girls Doc Mafia: Community/network organization advancing women and nonbinary BIPOC documentary filmmakers. Comparable as an emerging peer focused on community-building and professional development for underrepresented documentary talent.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/blackfilmguild
• Facebookfacebook.com/blackfilmguild
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-film-guild

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Black Film Guild