Message Pictures, founded by Sam Pollard, Geeta Gandbhir, and Alisa Payne, is dedicated to cutting-edge storytelling by and about BIPOC and underrepresented communities.
We push artistic boundaries in both scripted and non-fiction content, recognizing the importance of diverse perspectives.
With our collective experience, we curate premium projects that prioritize diversity, equity, and access for all audiences.
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Sam Pollard
Director/Producer
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Sam Pollard is a renowned film and television editor, documentary producer, and director. Between 1990 and 2010, he collaborated with Spike Lee on various projects, including editing several films such as "Mo' Better Blues," "Jungle Fever," and "Bamboozled." Their documentary work together includes "Four Little Girls" and "When The Levees Broke," which earned critical acclaim and awards.
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Since 2012, Pollard has focused on producing and directing. He created documentaries like "Slavery By Another Name" for PBS, "August Wilson: The Ground On Which I Stand" for American Masters, and "Two Trains Runnin’," which premiered at the Full Frame Film Festival. He's also worked on projects like "Sammy Davis Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me" and the series "Why We Hate" for The Discovery Channel.
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In 2020, Pollard received the International Documentary Association’s first Career Achievement Award. The following year, Film at Lincoln Center honored him as one of "cinema’s most dedicated chroniclers of the Black experience in America." He also contributed as a director to the HBO series "Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children" and completed "MLK/FBI." Recently, he formed Message Pictures with collaborators Geeta Gandbhir and Alisa Payne, focusing on sharing stories that amplify unheard voices and shed light on important issues.
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Geeta Gandbhir
Filmmaker
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Geeta Gandbhir began her career in narrative film, learning from Spike Lee and Sam Pollard. Transitioning to documentary filmmaking, she directed notable works such as "Born in Synanon," "Eyes on the Prize," and "Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power," which received acclaim and awards.
Gandbhir directed the series "Black and Missing" for HBO, winning a NAACP Award and an Independent Spirit Award. Her film "Apart" earned an Emmy Award nomination and a win. She's been recognized for her short film "Call Center Blues" and her work on "The Asian Americans," both receiving prestigious awards.
As a co-director and co-producer, Gandbhir has been involved in various projects, including "A Conversation on Race" series and the HBO film "The Sentence," which won a Primetime Emmy. Her editing work has contributed to films earning multiple Emmy Awards, Peabody Awards, and an Academy Award.
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Alisa Payne
Producer
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Alisa Payne's producing career spans over 25 years and boasts a diverse array of credits. Her most recent credits include Harlem Ice, a 5-part Disney+ docuseries premiering in February 2025, and the feature film The Perfect Neighbor premiering at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. She is the producer of the Emmy Award nominated and Academy Award shortlisted documentary Stamped from
the Beginning based on Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s eponymous book and the critically acclaimed HBO film Between the World and Me.
She is the producer of the forthcoming short film Women Count (Sundance / Times Studios), and executive producer of Freshman. Again., and The Black Table.
Her work has garnered prestigious recognition including a Grierson Award, NAACP Image Award, Gracie Award, and an African American Film Critics Association Award, as well as several nominations including two Emmys, a Critics Choice Award and Cinema Eye Honor nominations.
In 2022, Alisa co-founded Message Pictures, with filmmakers Sam Pollard and Geeta Gandbhir, to create opportunities for creatives from underrepresented communities to tell stories that matter to them.
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Nikon Kwantu
Animation Producer & Head of Development
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For over two decades, Nikon Kwantu has been a multimedia, film, and animation producer. Hehas recently worked on documentaries such as The Perfect Neighbor and Lowndes County andthe Road to Black Power. Before his film work, he was also the animation producer forWashingtonia, an animated feature for Comedy Central, and Our Cartoon President, forShowtime. He has also been an animation and digital producer for Sesame Workshop, LateNight Cartoons, Flicker Lab, Animation Collective, Animagic, Hornet Inc., and JWT ad agency.Nikon also served as the animation producer for Whoopi Goldberg Presents Mom’s Mabley andTED TALKS LIVE Short - Unconscious Bias.
Crystal Stoute
Production Manager
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Crystal Stoute is an experienced production manager in documentary film, known for her skill in overseeing complex, high-impact projects. She began her career interning for the Wendy Williams radio show in 2005, later moving into casting and production management at the Buk Agency.
Crystal has worked on numerous projects, including a 5-part docu-series for Disney+, premiering in winter 2025, and a 3-part series for Netflix. Her passion for fast-paced environments, along with her dedication to authentic storytelling, drives her work.
She lives in Westchester, NY, where she enjoys time with her family and staying connected to her community.
Our collaborators
