BE UNSTOPPABLE PORTRAIT STUDIO

In recent years, UPS has made significant investments in the realms of art, culture, and film festivals such as ABFF (American Black Film Festival), VFF (Venice Int’l Film Festival), and TIFF (Toronto Int’l Film Festival). In 2022, UPS introduced the Be Unstoppable Film Project (BUFP) to empower Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs), offering two finalists a platform to share their stories through $100,000 grants each for producing short films.

In 2023, the focus at ABFF shifted towards supporting underserved Black and Brown SMBs while advocating for diversity within the film industry.

As Associate Creative Director, I led and developed the core idea. Conducted casting calls for our minority-owned small businesses, including photographers, makeup artists, and hairdressers. I also collaborated with the experiential design team to develop the visual system, set design, and social media output.

The Concept

For small businesses, accessing major opportunities can be daunting. Often, success hinges on being in the right place at the right time, in front of the right people.

A frequent concern among people of color is that mainstream photography and beauty services often fail to represent them accurately. We aim to eliminate this barrier and provide everyone with the recognition they deserve, and more.

To uplift small businesses in the film community and amplify diverse voices, we launched The Unstoppable Portrait Studio at The American Black Film Festival.

Our initiative featured a team of photographers, hair and makeup artists, and specialized lighting experts who understand the nuances of diverse skin tones, ensuring everyone is showcased in their best light.

Moreover, all vendors involved were small businesses owned by individuals from diverse backgrounds, and we highlighted their enterprises, turning the entire event into a valuable networking opportunity.