Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to E’lon Joi. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

E’lon, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

I chose the “Black Film” portion because in 2018, despite the successes that had been made domestically and internationally in Black cinema post Black Panther, I was STILL hearing people say that Black leads/Directors/ensembles were not a valuable or profitable investment for Execs to consider. After being in academic spaces that did not give acknowledgement to the success of Black Films, then working in a Development space in Hollywood, where I had to convince people to see value in our input daily, I truly felt invisible. I am the viewer that consumes this content. I am also the voice you insist can’t be found. Most importantly, I’m one of many. We’ve always been here. So the very direct title is to bring attention to a source for discovering creatives that you cannot miss, forget, or overlook. “Allegiance” took greater thought. My first consideration was to find a word that symbolized unity or community. To me, “Allegiance” is that and more. It’s a commitment to yourself to keep fighting to get your voice heard. A commitment to each other to support each other as colleagues rather than competitors. Most specifically, it is a pledge to make Black filmmaking something that is intentional, care-driven, and with acknowledgment that the stories we choose to create impact Black people across the diaspora. It’s our duty to keep that image honest and protected.

E’lon, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I got into nonprofit work because I wanted to make a positive impact for the Black filmmaking community. Our goal is to remove the access barrier and hidden curriculum imbedded in entertainment by providing free info and tips to help kick-off creative careers.

I started Black Film Allegiance with the intention of helping recent grads of film school, then quickly realized there was a lack of resources for filmmakers that were no longer students and therefore not eligible for many of the traditional industry access points that may require college credit for participation. Because of this, our audience of focus expanded greatly as we took great interest in helping creatives not just in LA, not just up-and-coming, but at any stage of their lives or careers in which they might want to pivot into a new category of creative pursuit.

We use the BFA platform to promote the work of independent filmmakers. We recommend them for job opportunities, provide industry insight, professional training, foster a creative network, and we have an equipment lab which offers rentals for filmmakers that no longer have access to school equipment but don’t yet have the resources for big ticket items. We also help independent filmmakers with fundraising ads to help reach their production goals.

It makes my heart smile when I see creatives that we featured years ago advance in their careers and land major festival features, incredible collaborations, or staffing for those that might pursue a more traditional industry route. Helping to facilitate growth and opportunity is what makes our job worth it.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The main way we connect with clients is to patron events and join spaces where our interested groups attend. I’ve also spoken at events and on panels that address an industry need, with focus on our collective goals, and it’s increased our following. When we initially launched our website, we hosted a virtual party to connect with people and do a Q&A and it allowed us to gain momentum leading up to its release and create a hub of communication on our channel. My advice would be to do in-person networking wherever possible because it helps get your company name out there for others to discuss and do some promotion on your behalf. Word of mouth has been one of our greatest methods of increase.

Any advice for managing a team?

Team building is a core aspect of our daily operations. We have volunteers that reach out to join us behind the scenes to help create opportunity for creatives. In doing so, they offer their time and energy so in exchange, it’s crucial that they gain experience, community, and resources that help them achieve their personal goals.

One of the most important management aspects to me is making sure there’s equity in a person’s involvement. Aside from passion for the mission, there should be a personal goal or incentive that connects a person to their role and therefore creates greater impetus toward project commitment. I also have a unique policy in which I discuss goals with participants that are newly staffed and we carefully craft a role and title around their professional interests. This allows for them to get tangible experience that they can add to their work portfolio while also providing a safe space to try new things and grow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bfallegiance.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bfallegiance/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BFAllegiance/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/black-film-allegiance
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BFAllegiance
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BFAllegiance

Image Credits
Capital City Black Film Festival 2019 (group photo on stage)