Program Details

My name is Michael Banks. I'm 23 years old, and I’m a passionate filmmaker seeking experience and exposure in the professional industry. I was placed through Destiny Outreach on their DO! Media team that works directly with the lead team, creating content, videography, and photography.
I've always worked alone, so being part of a team of 5+ pushed me to grow in ways I didn't expect — communication, delegation, patience, time management. I knew all about, mostly theory. Practice was a different story. The industry training showed me how corporate workflows & business practices translate into filmmaking — deliverables, contracts, WORKFLOWS. Attending FilmScape, AES, XL Filmfest, and IATSE Headquarters opened my eyes to just how much of Chicago's film and tech ecosystem I hadn't known existed. My mindset shifted, too. Before, everything was about my project. Now it's about what the team needs from me, and how I can best serve that.
In the last nine months, I've done more than I could have imagined my past self was capable of. I'm now building my personal brand, developing original stories, and repping Chicago in a way I didn't know I would. My goal is to be a producer, director, and writer — and for the first time, I have the people, the experience to match the fire that I’ve had since I was a kid. This program was a fuel to that fire.