Friday, March 29, 2024

Bobbi Banks and Kokayi Ampah to be Honored at AA Film Marketplace Opening Night

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*Films, honors, networking and the total engagement of creativity, community and camaraderie is what the 24th Annual BHERC African American Film Marketplace & S.E. Manly Short Film Showcase is all about.  Today we feature two more of the honorees for the kick off gala A Great Day in Hollywood Friday, April 27th 2018 at 7:00 pm at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center.

Receiving the Ivan Dixon Award of Achievement is legendary sound editor Bobbi Banks, and the Lifetime Achievement Award will go to famed location manager Kokayi Ampah.   Ms. Banks is past President of M.P.S.E. Motion Picture Sound Editors (sound editing’s governing organization) and she is the fourth female in its 65-year history.

Her credits include acclaimed films and box office hits, such as: The Fast & The Furious franchise hit, Fate of the Furious, Straight Outta Compton, August Osage County, Ghost Rider and Selma, among many others. Bobbi currently serves as Chair of the A-2020 Diversity & Inclusion Initiative for the Academy of Motion Picture and Sciences (AMPAS).

bobbi banks
Bobbi Banks to receive the Ivan Dixon Award of Achievement at 24th Annual AA Film Fest presented by Black Hollywood Education & Resource Center.

Bobbi Banks rose from an administrative assistant at Sound One Corporation in New York, to a sound effects assistant, then she became the lead mix room tech in a span of four years.  By 1985 she was a full fledged Sound Apprentice, and now she has 38 years of industry experience with over 120 films under her belt.

The short list of directors that she has worked with are: John Singleton, Malcolm Lee, Mark Steven Johnson, Edward Zwick and F. Gary Gray. Some of the film titles include Fate of the Furious, Selma, Straight Outta Compton, The Call, The Incredible Hulk, Poetic Justice, Best Man Holiday, Pawn Sacrifice, August Osage County and Ghost Rider.

Kokayi Ampah to receive Lifetime Achievement Award April 27th 2018 at 24th Annual AA Film Fest presented by Black Hollywood Education & Resource Center. For info: bherc.org

Lifetime Achievement honors are being bestowed upon Kokayi Ampah for being the first unionized African-American location manager. Kokayi’s TV credits include: The Fall Guy, Knightrider, Cagney & Lacy and The A Team, among many others. In 1984 he location managed his first feature film, Oscar-nominated classic, The Color Purple.  From there he location managed over 30 feature films including the Oscar-winning films, Shawshank Redemption and Million Dollar Baby.  In 1995 he became the first recipient of the California On Location Award (COLA) for Feature Film Location Manager of the Year.

Koyaki Ampah started his career in 1968 at a PBS station in Minnesota.  He moved to L. A. in 1977 and worked as a PA on Roots II.   From 1985 to 2011 he managed over 30 feature films including White Men Can’t Jump, Mars Attacks, Shawshank Redemption and Million Dollar Baby. In 2016 he was finally invited to become a member of the Motion Picture Academy.

Each BHERC AA Film Marketplace & S. E. Manly Short Film Festival is a once in a lifetime event.  The same applies to the Great Day In Black Hollywood kick off gala on April 27th.  You just have to be there. Whatever you love, or dream about the film industry, will be covered during the 3-day event.

The costs include: Opening Night Festivities $55 (at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, 4708 W Washington Blvd, LA, CA 90016); a pass for a block of films is only $15 for students with ID and $20 for the general public; All Day Pass is $50; “21 and Done” Premier is $25; Closing Night Reception is $25 (Soul Food & Film); and the Weekend Pass (includes Opening Night, All Day Pass for films, Closing Night Reception, T-Shirt and BHERC Commemorative Bag) is $150.

To purchase tickets and for the complete schedule, please visit www.BHERC.org or call (310) 284-3170.  To attend the Film Festival consider riding LA Metro – GO METRO: Take the Metro Local Line 10/48 to Melrose Ave. & Van Ness. Raleigh Studios is right across the bus stop on Melrose Avenue. Plan your trip on metro.net or call 323.GO. METRO (323.466.3876).

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