We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Merlin Bell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Merlin below.

Merlin, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

Poplar Institute for Film or PIFF is a 501c3 nonprofit based in St. Louis founded back in the spring of 2020. PIFF was created with the desire for a more diversified depiction of individuals in the media, as well as the artistic sectors’ ethic of creativity over profit. PIFF will urge diverse groups of people, such as Black, Latino, Asian, LGBTQ+, and other communities, to be recognized more by other groups of people through the arts of film and media, while also setting a new precedence for various forms of art.

What makes Poplar different from the industry standard is that we believe in the power of community building through content creation for smaller organizations as well as a focus on mentoring up and coming filmmakers in developing and fostering their film and media projects. In the corporate film industry, it has become less about fostering up and coming filmmakers and more about doing what financially benefits the film studios.

Merlin, 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?

My name is Merlin Bell, and I am the founder and CEO of Poplar Institute for Film. I am a creative professional, who has offered experience working in content management and production leveraging a passion for culture and the arts. I have a BA from Denison University in Theatre and a MA from Fontbonne University in Theatre. I have worked in several nonprofit arts and culture organizations as an actor, creative activist, and educator.

I originally came up with the idea of Poplar Institute for Film back in 2016. Fast forward to the spring of 2020, and I decided to move forward with establishing the organization. Poplar Institute for Film is a 501c3 nonprofit whose mission is to amplify diverse voices by assisting the development, promotion, distribution, and screening of independent films and media.

We have served 15+ artists in 7 states, with 13+ projects that have been created or in various stages of development. Overall, we have been selected from 12 film festivals. We have an official selection into the International Art Film Festival- Birmingham UK 2022 and the Vienna International Film Awards 2022 for Where Have You Gone? We also received an honorable mention for our film titled Finch. We were also selected for the Venice Shorts film festival for the script titled Behind the Lights. Lastly, we had three official selections in the St. Louis Film Festival Showcase, which our film Nova was selected to be screened at the Oscar qualifying St. Louis International Film Festival.

The films that we have taken on so far has an emphasis on queer identity. It is an important topic that this organization is taking on especially in the Midwest due to the increase of violence and laws being passed against that demographic. As a black gay man, I want to make sure future generations feel included, seen, and feel that they are a part of the American fabric of what makes us great. This is why Poplar Institute for Film is an essential organization not just for one community, but any diverse community who does not feel seen.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

There is a poem that I have hanging up right next to my desk titled “The Road Less Traveled” by Robert Frost. It delves into two different roads that one person could embark on, one less worn and grassier and the other defined and an obvious path to travel on.

This poem is a constant reminder to me because I have in the earlier part of my life and career took the road that was most traveled on because I thought that was the path I was supposed to take. It wasn’t until I went through a global pandemic when I realized that the road most traveled, is not always the best path. Sometimes you have to take risk whether it is good or bad and see where you end up. Like Poplar, I wanted to take control of my narrative and my life and doing that meant I was going to need to take a path that was less traveled.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

The biggest lesson that I am still learning today is that I need to get out of my own way and trust in my instincts that often leads me to promising adventures. Many times, I have chased jobs, people, projects. Things that did not at the end of the day did not have my best interest in mind. When you start to live your purpose and live authentically it further helps dismantle the old habits and behaviors that you learned or adopted to appease the masses.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.poplarinstituteforfilm.org/
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