B&B Productions

Producers for Native Nations

 
B&B Productions 
Syd Beane, Michelle Danforth, and Frank Blythe from B&B Productions are all Native American video professionals.

Syd Beane
You’ll see more from Syd Beane (Mdewakanton Dakota/Flandreau Santee Sioux) in front of the “Native Nations” camera as he recounts the organizing meeting of the National Indian Lutheran Board in 1970. He served as the board president for much of its 18-year history. Behind the camera, Syd serves as producer/historian/writer for the project. Living in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, Syd is the Acting Director for Organizing and Community Development with the Native American Community Development Institute there. He is also a board member of Native American Public Telecommunications (NAPT), the National Coordinator of the Native Media & Technology Network, and a partner in B&B Productions.
Michelle Danforth
Michelle Danforth (Oneida) is director/writer/producer for “Native Nations.” Starting off in business, Michelle graduated with an MBA, but soon found that producing and creating films was her real interest. “The Oneida Speak,” a short film based on handwritten journals from elders of the Oneidas of Wisconsin and produced for Wisconsin Public Television, won her a regional Emmy Award nomination and an Award of Excellence from the Indian Summer Film Festival in Milwaukee. Currently, Michelle is working on a documentary about the importance of lacrosse in Native culture, entitled “Sacred Stick.”
Frank Blythe
Frank Blythe (Eastern Cherokee Dakota) is a partner in B&B Productions, and the former Founding Executive Director of Native American Public Telecommunications (NAPT), a national Native American program development, production and distribution entity for Public Television. Since 1976, Frank has produced many documentaries, including the recent “Spiral of Fire” and “A Seat at the Drum,” and now is senior producer for “Native Nations.” He serves on the board of National Geographical Society’s All Roads Film Project and as board chair for the Indian Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.