A Madison-based production startup won a Doyenne Group pitch competition for women-led startups last month as it works on its first feature-length film.
Bravebird, founded in 2015 by husband and wife duo Noel Miranda and Alex Miranda Cruz, is a video production agency that creates advertisements for clients, as well as its own short and feature film projects. Bravebird has a special focus on making its work inclusive, from the writers and producers, to the actors.
Miranda has a background in the nonprofit sector, previously working at the University of Wisconin-Madison's alumni association. Cruz has an acting background and held minor roles as a child actor in films like "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" and "Clubhouse Detectives." He eventually left acting to work behind the camera and address what he saw as a lack of diverse stories and actors.
“The way that you make film and art matters, and who is at the table really matters, especially who you include or exclude,” Miranda said. “The idea of making film with dignity and bringing dignity through visuals is something that I’d say is really foundational to what we’re trying to achieve as a company.”
At Doyenne’s 5x5x5 pitch competition, which was hosted virtually on Aug. 19, Bravebird took home the first place prize of $5,000. The Doyenne Group, founded in 2012, is a Madison-based organization that supports women-led and women-owned startups.
“Encouraging women as entrepreneurs is so important and it’s nice to feel like you have that safe space to learn together,” Miranda said. “It can be hard to be an entrepreneur, especially during this time, and to know that there’s people out there that care and are really invested in making Madison a place where entrepreneurs can thrive is an amazing thing that Doyenne offers.”
Since launching, Bravebird has worked with about 10 clients on a consistent basis, including the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Park Bank and sheet music provider Musicnotes. The startup largely depends on a freelancer network to execute most of its projects.
The business had been steadily growing up until the onset of Covid-19, at which point, Bravebird’s business began to slow.
“When the pandemic hit, we had our biggest year yet set up in front of us,” Miranda said. “We were going to be busy probably until 2022, and then overnight, all that just disappeared.”
Since the pandemic, Bravebird has pivoted slightly, producing Covid-19 messaging for essential businesses, and crafting new processes for keeping its crew safe while filming during the pandemic.
Additionally, the startup is currently working on its own feature-length film called Trace the Line, which is about a poet and artist navigating the Covid-19 crisis.
The funding Bravebird won from the Doyenne competition will go directly to funding the new film, Miranda said. With the new financing, Bravebird has raised about $70,000 for the film’s production.
Looking ahead, Bravebird plans to develop a mentorship program for underrepresented filmmakers.
“The whole goal is to grow that next generation of filmmakers,” Miranda said.
