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Margaret Caples, Executive Director & Co-Founder

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Ms. Caples is a graduate of the first class of the Community Film Workshop of Chicago. She has an MSW from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. Margaret has over 30 years of experience developing media education programs and working with teens and teachers. Locally, she served as a partner on numerous groups, such as the Englewood Cultural Planning Council and the boards of CAN TV and Kartemquin Films. Ms. Caples is co-founder of “Diverse Voices In Docs” and developed the “Digital Storytelling Institute” at the Logan Media Center.

Vera L. Davis, Instructor (Part-time)

 

Vera L. Davis has over 30 years as a film and video educator and she assists with artistic and board development. She has taught at Florida State’s Graduate Film Conservatory, Ithaca College, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Columbia College Chicago. Ms. Davis has served as CFWC’s Artistic Director and was the last instructor for CFWC’s original16mm production course.
 

Derek Grace, Lead Instructor DSI (Part-time)

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Derek Grace has produced promotional videos for not-for-profits over the past 30 years. He has empowered countless adults and students through video technology training. He produced, "ON THE FRONTLINE: Taking Back Our Streets,” a harrowing, but profoundly hopeful investigation of gun violence and its aftermath. His Diverse Voices project, “College Week,” is being viewed on "America ReFramed" on the World Channel. He teaches production and sound to CFWC teens in the summer as part of the Allstate Youth Filmmakers Program, which is part of the Black Harvest Film Festival at the Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

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Peter Kuttner, Instructor (Part-time)

 

Peter Kuttner has over 40 years in commercial and alternative media. He has served on the board of CFWC and has lectured and teaches a skill-sharing workshop at colleges as well as for industry professionals. His work as a camera technician led to his involvement in the trade union movement. A 30-year member of IATSE, he is an elected representative to the governing board of Local 600 representing 6,000 camera technicians nationally.

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Pemon Rami, Instructor (Part-time)

 

International filmmaker and documentarian, Pemon Rami, has been involved in the development of television, films, music concerts, documentaries and plays since the late 60’s. Rami produced the feature films, “Of Boys and Men" released by Warner Brothers, starring Angela Bassett and Robert Townsend and “93 Days” shot in Nigeria, starring Danny Glover and Bimbo Akintola. He received an African Academy Award nomination and an African Peoples Choice Award nomination for producing “93 Days.” Rami has been appointed to the Board of the Illinois Arts Council. 

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Kamau Tyehimba, Instructor DSI (Part-time)

 

Kamau Tyehimba is an independent filmmaker and educator. He came to Chicago to help with the building of three important independent Black institutions: The Institute of Positive Education, Third World Press and New Concept Development Center. Tyehimba is a co-founder of Reel Black Filmmakers and a graduate of Diverse Voices in Docs (DVID). He worked on the projects of several DVID fellows, including Shahari Moore’s "Brooks People," Derek Grace’s "College Week" and Jonathan Amsterd’s "Untitled Tom Burrell Project." Tyehimba has also taught video production to students and parents of Spencer Technology Academy and Duke Ellington School on Chicago's West Side.

 

David Weathersby, Instructor (Part-time)

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David Weathersby is an independent filmmaker, who creates community-based documentaries for educational and cultural institutions. Weathersby produced, shot and edited both of these award-winning documentaries: "Got the Love," which examines the work of independent soul musicians in Chicago as they face a changing commercial and cultural world and “Color of Art,” which details the history and current state of the Black art community in Chicago. “The Debauchery Ball“ was screened at CFWC, Black Harvest Film Festival and numerous festivals around the country.

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