By Demetrius Dillard
Besides being an award-winning producer, director and documentarian, Chantal Potter endeavors to inspire and uplift as many individuals as she can through intriguing, thought-provoking content, and messages.
Her enormous contributions to the filmmaking and multimedia production industries are beyond noteworthy and show the sheer brilliance that Black women possess. Potter has created and executive produced two BET docuseries — “The Defining Moment” and “Turning Point” — and has developed more than 1,000 news briefs and short-form documentaries for the network.
Potter’s accomplishments are wide-ranging as she has garnered a great deal of recognition for her filmmaking acumen with more than a decade as a professional in the field.
While a student majoring in television production at Howard University, Potter founded Made For T.V. Productions, a production company that serves as “a full-service creative agency with project experience from conception to development.”
Since Made For T.V. Productions’ inception in 2008, the company has evolved immensely as Potter has primarily set her sights on producing short-form documentaries, creating original content and storytelling, and pitching different shows to various networks.
The Bloomfield native’s interest in film production predates her years at Howard. As a freshman at Bloomfield High School, Potter would take half a day to participate in a program at the Greater Hartford Arts Academy where she was introduced to film production. It was there that her journey as a director and producer began.
Potter has always aimed to tell distinctive, impactful stories through her noteworthy projects, one of which includes “Being Mandela: Continuing the Legacy” (2013).
Her latest project, a feature documentary entitled “Balloon Man”, highlights the life accomplishments of her father, Bill Costen. The film, which was acquired by Gravitas Ventures, focuses particularly on Costen’s legacy as a Black hot air balloon pilot.
Potter produced and narrated the film, which premiered on Feb. 2 on video-on-demand services.
“It was such a joy working with my father on this. He helped me produce this film, and I always say he started this film for me back in the 50s when he took his first photograph of his grandmother and his sister,” said Potter, who resides in Upper Marlboro, Md.
“We just worked hard. We got a great team together and put it together, and now we’re excited that it’s out for the world to see.”
As cliche as “the sky is the limit” sounds — it’s the overarching theme of “Balloon Man.” Costen played in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills, and following his professional football career endured his share of hardships and obstacles on his path to groundbreaking success as a balloon pilot.
Potter hopes that viewers of the film can walk away with a sense of hope and be inspired by Costen’s story.
“The main message wanted viewers to take away is just know that they can do anything. They can reach whatever height they want to reach,” Potter said.
“Just like when you’re flying, there’s no steering wheel in a hot air balloon; you’re just at the mercy of the winds. In life it’s the same thing. You can plan as much as you want to plan, but some things happen because they’re meant to happen, and you just have to stay the course and work hard and persevere.”
Costen, a former photojournalist for the Northend Agent’s, worked closely with the paper’s founder, John R. Allen. For a brief snippet in the film, Allen was featured in the film acknowledging Costen’s contributions to NEA.
Just like her father, Potter has confronted challenges as a Black woman in film production. Being in a White-male dominated industry, Potter recalled a time when she was covering a Medal of Freedom ceremony conducted by former President Barack Obama.
She remembers being the lone Black female media practitioner there amongst White men, and as she was setting up her camera tripod/riser, a cameraman took her spot as if she was insignificant and not to be taken seriously.
Over the last decade, Potter feels the film industry has welcomed women and people of color more.
“We’re starting to see more people that look like us on screen and behind the camera, so it’s really evolving. We’ve come a very long way and I think it will just continue to evolve,” she said.
Former interns with Potter’s production company, have gone on to excel in the filmmaking industry – whether it was photography, directing or producing. Consequently, through her background and platforms that she has established, Potter has impacted others who aspire to achieve massive success.
“I’m happy that I’ve been able to impact people around me – friends and people that maybe I’ve never met before,” Potter said.
“That’s my ultimate goal – to inspire and tell good stories.”
