Fund Byron Hurt’s God Bless the Child Productions

Dear Family, Friends, and Supporters,

I hope this letter finds you and your loved ones well during this challenging time in this country’s history.

As some of you may know, I’ve been working on my PBS documentary film, HAZING, for a number of years. I’m very close to completion but need help crossing the finish line. 

Please watch the teaser here .


Like many Black creatives who own their own businesses, my production company God Bless the Child Productions LLC, has been hit hard by the economic insecurity brought on by  the coronavirus. 

While the pandemic, social unrest, and the upcoming presidential election have shifted the priorities of funding organizations who support independent production companies like mine, I am determined to press on. I have decided to launch a 30-day crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe.com -- to help my company get through these very difficult times, and get my film done.


In order for me to get this film out into the world and continue to tell stories that matter, I’m humbly asking for your help. The pandemic and changing financial landscape has affected my company in the following ways:

1.) Funding for my film HAZING, which is in post production, has dried up. 

As an entrepreneur, independent documentary filmmaker, and business owner whose income relies mostly on funding from media arts organizations and foundations, this means I’ve had to stop post production, and place my film HAZING on hold until I secure additional funding.

2.) Making documentary films requires constant, sustained fundraising efforts from multiple sources.

I’ve been making documentary films for a long time. And one thing I’ve learned is that you can’t sustain a documentary production company without steady, consistent fundraising. With traditional funding sources drying up, platforms like GoFundMe enable me to raise money so that I can continue to independently tell powerful stories that center race, class, and gender issues.

The money raised will be used to hire racially and gender diverse crew members, continue shooting and editing, and hire additional staff for my production company. Your support would mean the world to me, and I am grateful for your donation.



MY BACKGROUND, MY INSPIRATION 

My desire to tell powerful stories began in college when my professors exposed me to the works of filmmaker Marlon Riggs, Orlando Bagwell, Henry Hampton, and Kathe Sandler. Inspired by their work, I decided to pursue documentary filmmaking to tell stories about race, class, and gender. 

In 1993, I created my own production company because I wanted to be the captain of my own ship. I wanted to own a business, and build a Black-owned institution. I named my production company God Bless the Child Productions, inspired by this line in the song, God Bless the Child, made famous by the legendary singer Billie Holiday:

          Them that's got shall get

          Them that's not shall lose

          So the Bible says and it still is news

          Mama may have, Papa may have

          But God bless the child that's got his own, that's got his own... 

For the past three decades, under the banner of God Bless the Child Productions LLC, I have told stories that matter. Please donate to my production company so that we can continue to tell important stories during this unprecedented time in this country’s history. Thank you!

Please visit my website: www.bhurt.com for a detailed bio and list of my accomplishments.