Making Media Now

PBS Documentary Spotlights Black Americans’ Role in the Revolutionary War

Joining host Michael Azevedo on this episode is Steve Humble, the chief content officer for VPM—Virginia’s home for the public media. 

 

Steve is also the executive producer of “Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War,” a new documentary that will premiere on PBS on June 29.

 

When the Declaration of Independence was signed 250 years ago, the Founders – many of whom were slaveholders – declared: “all men are created equal.” 

 

As their aspirational words and ideals of freedom were signed into existence and spread throughout the colonies, Black people recognized that these ideas included them. 

 

"DECLARATIONS: BLACK AMERICANS AND THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR" examines how they fought for these tenets of democracy for themselves, their families, and their communities.

 

Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.

 

About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/

 

Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead

 

"Georgia O'Keeffe: The Brightness of Light" Depicts a Visionary American Icon

Joining host Michael Azevedo on this episode are Paul Wagner and Ellen Casey Wagner, the filmmaking team behind “Georgia O’Keeffe: The Brightness of Light," a feature length documentary that is now available on all VOD streaming services.

 

Narrated by Hugh Dancy and featuring Claire Danes as the voice of Georgia O’Keeffe, "The Brightness of Light" illuminates the extraordinary life and lasting influence of an artist who reshaped the American art landscape.

From her formative years in the Midwest to her groundbreaking rise in New York’s modernist movement, and finally to the vast, sun-drenched solitude of the New Mexico desert, the film traces O’Keeffe’s remarkable creative journey.

Blending letters, archival imagery, and the artist’s own words, Academy Award-winning director Paul Wagner paints a vivid portrait of a woman whose bold interpretations of nature and fearless independence blurred the boundaries between abstraction and realism. 

 

"Georgia O’Keeffe: The Brightness of Light" is a meditative and visually stunning exploration of art, love, and the search for creative freedom. 

 

Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.

 

About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/

 

Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead

"To Write Love on Her Arms": A Message, A Movement, and Now...A Documentary

The original promise of the internet—creating community and a world where people enduring solitary personal struggles might feel less alone—was in full bloom back in 2006 when one friend, Renee, told another friend, Jamie, about a mental health crisis she was going through. 

 

Jamie went on to write about the five days he spent with Renee before she entered a treatment center, and he sold T-shirts to help cover the cost.

 

When she entered treatment, he posted the story on MySpace to give it a home. The name of the story was “To Write Love on Her Arms.”

 

On this episode, host Michael Azevedo speaks with director Owen Dubeck whose short film, “To Write Love: A Documentary on the Movement” (which will premiere globally on YouTube on May 31) details how what started as one person’s attempt to help a friend sparked a global movement that reshaped the conversation around mental health and launched the To Write Love on Her Arms initiative—now celebrating its 20th year—as a vital mental health resource and connector.

 

It’s a story of a growing chorus of hope that turned into a lifeline for millions.

 

Owen Dubeck is a documentary filmmaker, specializing in telling stories that drive tangible change. His films have raised $1 million+ for social causes, influenced legislation, and have been screened to audiences across the country.

 

Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.

 

About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/

 

Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead

 

 

Undocumented Mothers Seek Sanctuary in "If I Could Stay"

Joining host Michael Azevedo on this episode is director Theo Rigby to discuss his documentary "If I Could Stay," which will be premiere on PBS on June 1 and remain available to stream on PBS.org and via the PBS app for 90 days thereafter.

 

Set in Colorado, If I Could Stay/Si Pudiera Quedarme follows two undocumented mothers, Jeanette and Ingrid, as they face deportation and the threat of being separated from their young children.

In a life-altering decision, they choose to seek sanctuary inside local churches in defiance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Filmed over several emotionally charged years, their journey unfolds amid constant uncertainty, legal battles, and the quiet bravery of life in refuge.

Theo Rigby is a director, cinematographer, and interactive storyteller based out of San Francisco. He has been creating stories focusing on the immigrant experience in the U.S. for over the last decade and is the founder of iNation Media.

Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.

 

About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/

 

Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead

Documentary "Your Attention Please" Explores Push Back Against Addictive Tech

Although it may be hard to detect, a quiet revolution is underway:

 

As the real-world consequences of social media come into focus, and AI’s invasion into every aspect of our lives feels imminent, a new generation of parents and teens are stepping forward to challenge the systems shaping their lives and fight for a different future, one where Big Tech doesn’t get to define the terms of human connection.

 

Joining host Michael Azevedo on this episode are director Sara Robin and writer Jack LeMay to discuss their documentary, "Your Attention Please." 

 

Blending intimate human stories with insights from leading experts in tech reform and digital wellbeing, "Your Attention Please" asks some of the most urgent questions of our time:

Can we reclaim our autonomy?

 

Can technology be redesigned to serve humanity?

 

And what does a healthier relationship with the digital world look like for us and our kids?

 

SARA ROBIN is a German filmmaker based in Boston. Her work explores human connection, often through the lens of future worlds, and is known for telling stories at the intersection of documentary and science-fiction. 

 

JACK LEMAY is a writer, director and editor also based in Boston. His films are observational and philosophical, and explore the poetry of what drives the human spirit.

 

Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.

 

About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/

 

Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead

 

 

Comforting Myths Clash with Brutal History in Award-Winning "Natchez"

Joining host Michael Azevedo on this episode are Suzannah Herbert and Darcy McKinnon, the director and producer of the award-winning documentary "Natchez," which will air on PBS on May 11 as part of the Independent Lens Series.

 

The film is also currently available for VOD streaming on multiple platforms including Apple TV, Prime Video, and YouTube TV.

 

Winner of the best documentary feature award at the 2025 Tribeca film festival, "Natchez" captures an unsettling clash between history and memory in a small Mississippi town; it’s a layered mosaic of people contending with the weight of the past in a place where it is always present. 

 

Equal parts amusing and disturbing, "Natchez" grapples with a deeply troubled history that is so thoroughly ingrained in its present, we’re left to wonder if it’s actually past at all.

 

Suzannah Herbert is a documentary director and editor from Memphis whose directing work focuses on the American South. Herbert directed and produced the twice Emmy-nominated film "Wrestle." As an editor, she has collaborated on various Bob Dylan, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga projects, music videos and award-winning films. "Natchez" is her second documentary feature.

 

Darcy McKinnon is a documentary filmmaker based in New Orleans whose work focuses on the American South and the Caribbean. Her work has been seen on the World Channel, POV, and Hulu and has screened at Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW, and more.

 

Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.

 

About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/

 

Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead

 

 

Brandon Katz of Greenlight Analytics & The Data Behind Film & TV Trends

Returning guest Brandon Katz joins host Michael Azevedo on this episode to take a look at some compelling data that’s informing several film and television related stories he’s recently published.

 

As the Director of Insight & Content Strategy for Greenlight Analytics, Brandon—who’s also a former entertainment journalist and film critic—unpacks data analysis to reveal compelling trends within the film and media industry.

 

Brandon and Michael discuss how multi-year film development cycles can often result in films whose cultural relevance may fade between the time a project is green lit to the time it hits movie screens. While the film’s subject matter and stars may still be compelling, audience interest may have drifted.

 

Brandon and Michael also chatted about Netflix’s decision to scale back on the number of original films it rolls out on its streaming service.

 

And finally, they talked about how the emphasis on opening weekend box office numbers may undermine the chances for smaller films to find an audience and grow over time.

 

Brandon’s knowledge of—and love for—movies, combined with his data analysts’ eye for the stories to be found within the numbers always makes for a compelling conversation!

 

Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.

 

About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/

 

Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead

"We Are Guardians" Showcases Battle to Save Amazon

Joining host Michael Azevedo on this episode are Chelsea Greene and Rob Grobman, two of the three co-directors on Academy Award-winning filmmaker and activist Fisher Stevens's (The Cove) timely environmental documentary called "We Are Guardians" which he produced alongside Executive Producer and fellow Academy-award winner and activist Leonardo DiCarprio.

 

The film which follows Indigenous forest defenders protecting the Brazilian Amazon, will expand its global streaming release on Earth Day, April 22, bringing the film to billions of viewers worldwide.

 

"We Are Guardians" explores the complex intersections of politics, history, economics, and science, while shedding light on the global implications of deforestation in one of the world’s most vital ecosystems.

 

Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.

 

About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/

 

Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead

Director Raúl O. Paz-Pastrana Discusses "Backside: The Unseen Hands of Horse Racing"

Host Michael Azevedo is joined by Raúl O. Paz Pastrana, the director of a new documentary airing on PBS’ Independent Lens series on April 13. Raul’s film, "Backside: The Unseen Hands of Horseracing," set amidst the pageantry of horseracing’s premier event—The Kentucky Derby—goes behind the glamour to present a portrait of the unseen workers whose tireless efforts are key to the event’s success.

 

Backside offers an intimate and tender glimpse into the lives of immigrant workers who begin their days at 3 a.m., seven days a week, year-round, caring for some of the world's most prized racehorses.

 

Set against the backdrop of a racing season at Churchill Downs' barns in Louisville, Kentucky--known as the "backside"--this observational film reveals the symbiotic relationship of human and animal labor, celebrating the quiet beauty of unseen work and the resilience of those who sustain it.

 

The full 85-minute version of the film will be available for streaming on April 14. 

 

Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.

 

About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/

 

Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead

 

"Brainstorm" Examines Living with Bipolar

Back in 2023, Making Media Now host Michael Azevedo was joined by filmmaker Bonnie Waltch and writer Sara Schley to talk about a film project for which Filmmakers Collaborative was the fiscal sponsor.

 

The film was called "Brainstorm" and it’s now complete and will be featured in a global virtual screening on March 30 as part of World Bipolar Day.

 

Bonnie is the film’s writer, director, and producer. And Sara served as co-writer and co-producer.

 

BrainStorm follows six compelling people living with bipolar in their journey from devastation to recovery. The film connects their experiences with the latest bipolar brain science to shed light on potential causes and successful treatments.

 

Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.

 

About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/

 

Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead