Meet Bobbi Broome | Storyteller, Filmmaker, and Film Programmer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bobbi Broome and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bobbi, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
My balance has changed tremendously and will keep changing as I continue in my different stages of life. The main thing I have learned and will keep learning is that everything takes time. Adapting to change has never been easy. It’s okay to take breaks and to be kind to myself during transition periods. When I was an undergrad, work-life balance was never something that crossed my mind. I did the work necessary to get done with school and there was always time to have fun and go out considering I lived in a dorm and all my friends were 50ft away. I did not have as many responsibilities then. No rent, no car insurance. The world was at my mercy and I was prepared to run it and do whatever I pleased.
When I graduated from undergrad, I moved to LA four whole days later. Shortly after, COVID hit and there was no such thing as work or life or balance. During the quarantine period, I spent the majority of my time reevaluating my priorities and what is important to me. What I prioritize most in life is freedom and accessibility to be happy and support my mental health. During COVID, I started my grad school program at the University of Southern California and a remote job within the same month. Quickly, I realized doing both and trying to stay sane amid the chaos of Summer 2020 was never going to happen. I always want my work to be a reflection of my truest self. The quality of my work in school and at my job was suffering because I was only thinking about doing a good job. I poured all of myself into my academics and career I forgot about myself. It was brutal. I grew gray hair. My skin broke out. I was constantly stressed and sluggish. Something had to give. I had completely exhausted myself and my needs. I decided to flip everything on its head. I made a list of everything I wanted to do that week vs. everything I needed to do that week. I then compromised and picked one to two things I wanted to do and scheduled time for them amongst the things I needed to do. It was so refreshing to be able to take control of my schedule and plan out time for myself. It gave me a chance to recharge and pour into myself. Some of the things I made time for included watching a movie, cooking dinner for myself, roller skating, doing yoga, or talking on the phone with friends. This system worked well for me and is something I still implement to this day. I think that balance is all about priorities and leading a holistic and healthy lifestyle. The only way to feel better is to do better and that is what I decided to do.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a Los Angeles-based cinematographer and film programmer working with narrative and documentary short films. I have a BA in Psychology from Kent State University, Class of 2019, and an MFA in Film & TV Production from the University of Southern California, Class of 2023. With a passion for representation, I strive to create meaningful visuals rooted in empathy and the shared human experience. Being a Black woman, my focus prompts me to unravel the intersectional complexities faced by Black women and children across the diaspora, from all walks of life, exploring the margins that society has pushed us into.
I debuted my cinematography skills for the short film, Whole Milk (2021) and promptly followed up with Oh, My Kanekalon! (2021). My most recent work, A Proper Education (2023) was my first time shooting a documentary short and reignited my passion for non-fiction filmmaking. I have always loved non-fiction media and being able to help create a non-fiction piece of my own has been my greatest privilege in life thus far.
Representation is the entire reason why I decided to pursue film. That is my north star and no matter what I end up doing in the future, paving the way for those that come after me will always be my priority. In undergrad, I had a professor who told our class, “We were dreaming of you sitting in these seats before you were even born.” That hit me hard and stays with me. I dream about the future generation and making a better world for them without them even being on this planet yet.
Representation has always been a part of my work as a cinematographer. Recently, my interest in film programming has been a gateway for me to make known what is important to me. A film programmer is someone who selects the films to be shown in festivals, cinemas, and/or on TV. When programming for a festival or a theater screening, curation and balance is extremely important. I am well aware of what fits together and why. My favorite part is finding out why a certain film is important and piecing it with another film. The trick is to discover why they work well together. Representation and inclusion will always have a place in my work as a programmer. It is my job to pick which films to highlight and bring to the forefront and which ones to leave be. This work is invaluable and brings me mass amounts of joy. I will continue to cherish it and be grateful this is my life. It would be an absolute privilege to one day program for big-name festivals such as Canne, Sundance, and Tribeca. My biggest challenge with programming is that it is completely different from what I studied in my MFA program. I had a lot of internalized shame and dealt with self-comparison with my peers constantly. I studied Film and TV Production and discovering other interests outside of that made me feel like I was betraying myself and not sticking it out when the going got tough. That is not the case, I found myself called to do supplemental work with film festivals and it has sparked endless joy and contentment in my life. I had to release my shame and live in my truth. Being kind to myself and reassuring myself that I am following my passions, brings change. Change is always hard but, I must follow where I am led.
I also have started a podcast called Hot Combs and Popcorn with my two friends Breanna and Danielle. We are Black girls that watch and review Black cinema. It started as an idea on Twitter that has blossomed and shown up in a project that is available on all podcast streaming platforms. We just recently started season 2 of our show and are debuting two new series. Doing this podcast helps me to feel spiritually and creatively fulfilled because I am doing what I love, watching films and then discussing and dissecting the parts that are fascinating to all of us. Because we focus exclusively on Black cinema, we have to be very intentional about the curation of the films we pick to watch. It is like a puzzle of which episode to drop during a certain month and what events may be going on around that time that could be relevant to this certain film. Also, just by the three of us showing up and doing the show together, we are an example of radial representation. We wanted a show for us by us, so we created it and put it into action. This is simply how I envision my career progressing in the future. Idea, plan, execution. There is no time to waste when it comes to my goals. I am coming after everything I deserve and more.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
For my besties who are here on a week-long trip, I would definitely have to do it up. Here’s a sneak peek:

For brunch, we would go to, H Cafe in Koreatown, Blaqhaus Noho, Hilltop Coffee and Kitchen in Inglewood, and Openaire at the Line Hotel

For daytime activities, the beach and Venice boardwalk are a must. We have to hit up the Reparations Club Bookstore in Crenshaw and get our nails done at Planet Nails and Spa in West Hollywood. I love museums so I would take my friends to the Broad, Huntington Gardens, and LACMA.

Nightlife is my favorite. We are most definitely going to the Ace Hotel Rooftop because it is always a vibe, especially on Friday nights. I love love LOVE Da Poetry Lounge near Fairfax and Melrose. It is always good, it feels like a true community, and your soul will feel revitalized. Moonlight Rollerway in Glendale is one of my favorite places to skate here so I’m definitely going to take my friends!

We’ll finish off with dinner at Quarters Korean BBQ in Koreatown, Fixins Soul Food in Downtown, or Mama Por Dios in Beverly Hills. The options are endless and my besties and I are going to run this town for that week!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to: Da Poetry Lounge
Linda Turner (my grandmother)
Robert Broome (my dad)
Kimberly Broome (my aunt)
Tina Berryhill (my cousin and Godmother)
AACS – the African American Cinema Society
The Academy Musem of Motion Pictures

Website: https://www.bobbibroome.com/

Instagram: instagram.com/bobbi.broome

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbi-broome-42976a129/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/collections/user?userid=HZgkHIZ2L6mOTcwalwbi1g

Image Credits
Danté Bailey