OCT 29th PRODUCTION FOR THE PEOPLE: A Producers Forum

Forum to provide Newark area residents with timely insights into the film, television, and digital media industries growing in our community
About this Event

PRODUCTION FOR THE PEOPLE is a free series to provide Newark area residents with timely insights into the film, television, and digital media industries. Featuring panels of industry professionals and stakeholders, discussing the current state of the industry, best practices, evolving technologies —alongside critical conversations about ethics and impact. Centering the voices, concerns, and experiences of our communities, the forums will engage in honest conversations about navigating systemic discrimination within the industry and collectively envisioning an inclusive and sustainable local media ecosystem. Each event will include a community mixer to cultivate relationships among attendees, and strengthen local networks.

This series is organized by Express Newark's Community Media and Center and Newark Film Works, a workforce development program preparing Newark area resisidents for jobs in film/tv/digital media production, supported by the NJEDA.

Join us on THURSDAY OCTOBER 29th, for our first Production for the People event: A Producers Forum, featuring three accomplished producers across film, tv, and digital media, sharing insights, experiences, and analysis:

Artesia Balthrop, Inuka Bacote, and Pierre Coleman

@ EXPRESS NEWARK 54 Halsey St. 2nd Fl Newark, NJ 07102

Inuka Bacote-Capiga is an award-winning film and television producer. Her producing credits include critically acclaimed stories such as the Sundance breakout feature The 40-Year-Old Version (Netflix), which earned her a 2021 Independent Spirit Award nomination. She also co-produced Summer of Soul (Searchlight/Hulu), winner of the 2022 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature; executive produced the TIFF-selected documentary BEBA (NEON); and co-executive produced the Daytime Emmy-winning LGBTQ+ series Eastsiders (Netflix) . Inuka previously served as SVP of Development & Production at Hot Sauce Productions under its multi-year first-look deal with Sony Pictures Television. She now develops and produces original scripted and nonfiction content through her company, Big Couch Entertainment. She also serves as the music video commissioner for Nettwerk Music Group. Inuka is a member of the Producers Guild of America and currently serves as the co- lead of their Producers of Color Working Group.

Pierre M. Coleman is a native of Newark, NJ. He grew up in a tight-knit family that always supported his dreams. He attended Howard University’s School of Communications and earned his degree in Film Production. Pierre has worked on productions such as the HBO series The Wire and various films starring Queen Latifah, Steve Carrell, and Taraji P. Henson. He also gained 15 years of extensive production experience working with renowned companies including 20th Century Fox, BET, and Dreamworks. Pierre’s industry and personal experiences propelled him to write, direct, and produce award-winning short films, documentaries, and branded content. Pierre is a 2023 Sundance Producing Fellow. His debut feature film as Lead Producer, RICKY, premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and was released in theaters in 2026

Artesia Balthrop is a media executive and producer with nearly 20 years of experience bringing creative ideas to life across television, documentary,branded content, digital, social, and live experiences.Her credits span HBO, Comedy Central, VH1, Bravo, PBS, TLC, and E!, with digital and branded work for Essence.com, JAY-Z’s Life + Times, and THE FADER/Cornerstone, including projects for Major League Soccer, Sprite, Bose, and Yeti. Working at the intersection of creativity and execution, Artesia brings together the people, resources, and plans that turn an idea into something audiences can experience. Her work connects creative ambition with the practical decisions that make production possible, from building a team and shaping a budget to guiding a project through its final delivery. She brings a cross-industry perspective to conversations about careers in media: how the work gets made, how different roles fit together, and why collaboration, adaptability, and follow-through matter in a changing industry.

Agenda

🕑: 06:00 PM - 07:00 PM
DOORS OPEN + RECEPTION
🕑: 07:00 PM - 09:00 PM
WELCOME PANEL DISCUSSION + Q&A