How We Made Noise with Make News
When we set out to launch "Make News, Make Noise" Season 1 Showcase, our goal was simple: be unapologetically indie, painfully authentic, and speak directly to an audience we know—our people. The creators who aren’t afraid to fail fast, start over, and make the kind of art they *want* to make.
We had to get real about our resources, so we bootstrapped this campaign video and leaned all the way into what we do best—telling honest stories with impact. It’s here that Zanah Thirus came in and gave our direction sharp focus. She dropped one line that became the seed for the entire campaign's manifesto:
"Real indies deserve the big screen."
That line was the game-changer. It wasn’t about trying to be more than what we are, but about leaning into our indie identity with purpose.
Our strategy was never to over-promise production value we didn’t have, but to speak to the heartbeat of our community. We’re tired of the artificial, copy-paste narratives, and so is our audience. We’re speaking to the storytellers who define culture, not the ones who mimic it.
Out of that came "Paper Route", our campaign manifesto led by Jordan our Creative Director (who is truly the coolest older Gen Z lol). It's a rallying cry for creators like us—hungry, creative, and driven by purpose.
In every city, on every block, there’s a story waiting to be told. And we’re ready to fill the streets with stories that matter. Real indies deserve more than just the big screen—they deserve the respect of the industry.
Check out the our manifesto Directed by Jordan (Smith / St. James), and blessed by Production Coordinator Andrea Tangelo, and the Queen of Niche Copy Lauren Grant, and our designer Ashuni Perez and follow along because this is only the beginning.
Special thanks to our friends at Seed&Spark, NextFoundArtist, Kinema & The Black TV & Film Collective.
Did I mention that this is 100% women-led? Welp.
#MakeNewsMakeNoise #IndieFilm #RealIndies #AmplifyVoices #CulturalStrategy #CommunityDriven #FilmCampaign
Paper Route is here!
NYC and Los Angeles got first looks at our first micro manifesto, and now we're sharing it with you!
The first stop on our Paper Route is The Gotham Film & Media Institute for #GothamWeek. You might get a special delivery of our first issue of Make News(Paper) on October 2nd panel called Innovative Exhibitions: Community-Driven Screenings, Pop-Ups, and Microcinema at 10:30 AM.
Read our paper featuring film reflections and reviews on Season 1 of our short film lineup, written by Black and Brown film reviewers and journalists.
Where should we deliver to next?
