It’s that time of year again. Fall is setting in, with cooler temperatures and a flurry of exciting film and media events on the horizon. Chief among these is Gotham Week’s Project Market, the nation’s oldest and largest marketplace for film and TV creators, slated for September 30 to October 4.

Mark your calendars and dive in below to learn more about some of the filmmakers joining us for a week focused on filmmaking, connecting and relationship-building. This issue, we’re highlighting the standout filmmakers and media creators of our first-ever Branded Storytelling Initiative.

Amandla Baraka is a self-taught commercial director with an affinity for authentic storytelling. She transitioned from content creation to directing non-scripted and documentary campaigns that combined fashion with social activism and has led campaigns for top brands like Ulta Beauty, Target, McDonald’s, BlueShield, and more.

Ricardo Betancourt is a Venezuelan-born director, producer and artist, raised in the vibrant streets of the greater New Orleans area. He discovered his passion for filmmaking by producing music videos, commercials and short films, paving the way to his current role as a full-time represented director. He has worked with clients including Starz, Capitol Records, Universal, Can Am, Stanley Brand, Edifier, 88 Rising, Wounded Warriors Project & Honda in both Spanish and English.

Lauren Ciaravalli is an NYC-born, Webby Award–winning director and writer whose work is defined by bold imagination, smart humor and authentic, emotional performances. Her specialties include comedic campaigns, social media campaigns and working with young talent. Known for her prowess in consumer product, tech and beauty categories, her clients include Spotify, Netflix, Henkel, MGA Entertainment, Lime Crime, KISS, Spin Master and many more.

Amber Fares is an award-winning documentary director and cinematographer. Her first branded content film, We Are Ayenda (WhatsApp), has won several awards, including a Cannes Lions Grand Prix and Best Director at the Sundance Brand Storytelling conference. Her documentary directing debut, Speed Sisters (2015), aired internationally on Netflix, Al Jazeera and RAI.

Brittany Franklin is an impact-driven writer/director, creative producer and organizer. Her directing work, under her indie banner Cerebral Entertainment, produces experiential and narrative work that blends cutting-edge technology with immersive experiences for diverse audiences and brands. In 2020, she founded Minorities in Film (MiFILM), a collective dedicated to empowering marginalized communities through film and media. Her work has garnered partnerships from 72&Sunny, Prettybird, The Gotham, Even/Odd, AICP, Final Draft, leading tech brands and Alma Har’el’s Free the Work.

Ursula Liang is an award-winning director and producer with 25 years of experience in storytelling. Her work has been supported by ITVS, Ford Foundation, Sundance Institute, Firelight Media and the Center for Asian American Media. Before becoming a filmmaker, Ursula held staff positions at The New York Times Op-Docs, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, ESPN The Magazine, Asia Pacific Forum and Hyphen magazine. 

B. Monét is a distinguished writer and director whose films are known for their thought-provoking questions about identity, society, race and culture. She has worked with several high-profile personalities, such as Reese Witherspoon, Janet Jackson, Rosario Dawson, Chika, Rapsody and Shangela, for brands including Crate and Barrel, Estee Lauder, Uber, OkayAfrica, OkayPlayer and Hyundai. 

Amy Nicholson is a commercial director and award-winning documentary filmmaker who seeks to unearth the beauty of ordinary life with a subtle sense of humor. In her commercial work, Nicholson has helmed short film content for Google and The Egg Board, and national campaigns for Jimmy John’s, eBay Motors and McDonald’s. She has recently finished her fifth documentary, Happy Campers, a feature-length portrait of a close-knit trailer park community on the eve of its demise.

Habib Yazdi is an Iranian-American director and comedic writer who crafts stories about how cultural background shapes behavior, and the shapes in which we emerge as we rise from the rubble. Currently, Habib is finalizing a PBS docuseries about emerging comedians across the United States. His mockumentary, Boycott Band, addressing North Carolina’s House Bill 2, earned a D&AD Graphite Pencil and was shortlisted at the Cannes Lions festival.

Jackie! Zhou is non-binary and ageless. They are a Los Angeles–based multidisciplinary artist, director and sound designer who is keen on blurring the lines between formats and disciplines. Their recent work includes the short “Order for Pickup,” the music video for Chappell Roan’s “HOT TO GO!”, and developing their first feature, “Rumspringa,” as a 2024 TAAF | Sundance Collab scholar.