Black Girl Fest Academy 2022

For our second iteration of Black Girl Fest Academy, we produced a 2-month creative programme supported by Today at Apple, Beats by Dre and Platoon.

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Over the last few months, we have supported a cohort of 15 Black women & non-binary creatives, equipping them with the skills, learning and experience to work on a live brief with Beats by Dre. Whilst on the programme, the cohort attended creative talks and workshops led by major names in the industry, connected with Black creatives and got paid the London Living wage. 

The launch event was held at the BGF Studio and was an opportunity for the cohort to connect with one another and learn more about the programme. Whilst on the programme, the cohort worked in groups of three to complete the brief and deliver a group presentation. 

For the creative brief, each group had to submit a proposal which included their concept, mood board, styling and set design. The sessions delivered by our experts and Today at Apple prepared the cohort for the proposal and shoot day.

“I really enjoyed the whole programme and I’m thankful to have had the opportunity. I think what stood out most for me was the relationships I’ve built with people in the program.”

 Kara Blake, Alumni

We kicked off the programme with inspirational talks from Olivia Lifungala and Adama Jalloh. They were able to share their journey’s as photographers and tips for breaking into the industry. 

The first session focused on the research and planning elements of a shoot. Delivered by Christina Ebenezer the cohort learned how to start a creative brief, define their style and create mood boards. The team from Today at Apple then used the iPads to show the cohort different techniques that would enhance their mood boards. 

Nwaka Okparaeke led the creative session which focused on the production element of preparing for a shoot. The technical aspect delivered by Today at Apple focused on learning how to maximise existing Apple products (iPhone and iPad) to achieve different shots on shoot day. 

The final in-person talk was delivered by Terna Jogo and focused on post-production. This session enabled the cohort to learn more about editing, formatting, print and colour grading. Using Adobe Photoshop, the cohort were then able to test out the techniques that Terna showed using the iPads provided by Today at Apple.

We had the pleasure of hosting the showcase and graduation at Locke Studios. Each group had the opportunity to deliver their presentations which was a HUGE success. It was great to see how each individual and group developed throughout the programme. Beats by Dre were impressed by the work produced; all of the images taken by the cohort were posted on the Beats by Dre social media accounts. Read more about how some of the cohorts found the programme, here. 

Image credits: Photography by Rakiya Hassan, Edited by Hannah Faith