Film Detroit Brings Industry Resources Directly to Detroiters

Maurizio Dominguez stood shoulder to shoulder beside fellow creatives at the Alfred Brush Ford Park Community Center last Wednesday afternoon looking to solve the everyday problems that keep local filmmakers like him scrambling for crew and permits. “I’m hoping to network. To meet people like DPs (Directors of Photography), colorists, crew members, and actors,” he explained. “Any project requires a team, so the more people you connect with, the easier it is.”

During Film Detroit’s first community outreach and resource fair, held on September 10, filmmakers networked with fellow crew members, got straight answers about city permits, and learned how to submit work to Detroit’s public access channels, including Channels 22 and 68. The drop-in format meant anyone could attend—no registration, no experience required, just Detroiters showing up hoping to turn expertise and excitement into real connections so that they could, ultimately, crew up and create films.

“In the past, working with the Film Office felt like sending an email and maybe hearing back weeks later, maybe not at all. It didn’t feel open or accessible,” Dominguez noted. Rather than wait for permits, many Detroit filmmakers just start shooting, the same way musicians here record in basements and visual artists transform abandoned buildings into galleries. It’s part of Detroit’s creative DNA: if the system doesn’t work for you, build your own. But that approach also means missing out on resources and protections that proper permits provide. “If these events continue and resources are brought directly to filmmakers, that will go a long way,” Dominguez said .

Film Detroit Program Coordinator Chantal Cook and her team set up the fair, the first of its kind for the organization, to remove the typical hurdles that make it hard for filmmakers to get city support. “This event was about welcoming everybody. We didn’t do registration or sign-ups because we didn’t want to put a cap on it,” Cook said. She handles permit applications and builds relationships with Detroit schools, nonprofits, and independent studios.

During her presentation, Cook pulled back the curtain on applying for film permits and revealed a new public access channel launching this month: the long-running “Channel 22 is for high school and college students, nonprofits, and youth groups. It’s more education-based…” And the newly launching “Channel 68 is for indie filmmakers and adults—documentaries, music videos, interviews, or even someone’s first film.”

Cook’s welcoming approach to submissions had already paid off before the fair even started. “We’re not looking for only Spike Lee-level movies. I’m not going to be a harsh critic,” she explained, adding that 10 to 20 filmmakers had already sent in work before submissions officially opened Wednesday. “People are eager and want their content on our channels,” she said.

Kiara Williams attended the fair to advance her own Detroit-focused business development while connecting with the film community. As founder of Treuse Cinema, a boutique movie theater she hopes to one day build in Downtown, Williams used the networking opportunity strategically “to collect consumer data.” She explained, “I’m running a survey for Detroiters who love movies and live relatively close to Downtown.”

Williams sees movies as a way to build connections between neighbors and showcase authentic Detroit stories, explaining, “Detroit is Black, Detroit is creative, Detroit is strong, and I resonate with that.” When asked what Williams needs most to see her project through, the answer was clear: “capital.” She’s not alone in that struggle. It’s the barrier that came up repeatedly during Wednesday’s conversations.

“The number one challenge is funding,” Dominguez said, acknowledging what the outreach event couldn’t solve with permits and networking alone. “Raising enough money to put a project into production is tough. A lot of people start passion projects, but without money behind them, it’s like swimming against the current.” But in a city where immigrant communities like ours help shape the creative landscape, some filmmakers face legal barriers layered on top of financial ones.

Saattik Das navigated the fair knowing his visa status creates complications most filmmakers don’t face. The Troy resident, who moved from Kolkata, India, when he was two, can’t legally get paid for film work. “So I focus on helping people complete their vision, and have them help me complete mine, without the logistical side getting in the way,” he explained.

While the visa complications don’t seem to get any easier to handle in the near future, Das, a Wayne State marketing student, still manages to find value that extends beyond just growing his career. “Even if the rest of the world doesn’t care who I am, this place does,” said Das. According to Dominguez, that caring community Das references has been supporting Detroit filmmakers through informal networks for years.

Dominguez mentioned there are Facebook groups where people share tips about getting sponsorships or resources, and while that virtual community exists, “it’s good to see the city recognizing it and getting involved.”

Cook’s team discovered just how much filmmakers wanted that official support when they started reaching out and designed the fair to strengthen connections that already exist within it. “We’re trying to build connections,” she said, gesturing toward attendees sharing equipment tips and swapping Instagram handles, “to become that hub where we can give and share resources in the community. We want to create space where people can network, collaborate, have panels and workshops.”

The outreach event was just the beginning for Cook, who plans monthly community events throughout the city. Cook hopes the next gathering will flip the format. Instead of learning about permits and distribution, the team is exploring hosting a panel of experienced Detroit filmmakers to offer advice and feedback on locally created projects. For now, Cook said, “just our presence at events like this means something. This is our first one, but we’ll be out every month, hitting the pavement, opening our doors, and sharing knowledge.”

Anyone ready to submit work to Channels 22 and 68 can do so at http://tinyurl.com/4k2jk3wb