Self taught and creatively driven, Magee has chartered his own path of political and cultural exploration throughout the world with his chosen medium of documentary filmmaking. As co-creator of the ‘Democracy in Dakar’ and ‘Democracy in Paris' film projects, as well as two political documentaries in Venezuela, Magee worked with a team in the early years of YouTube to successfully explore the possibilities of combining grassroots community-based documentary filmmaking with independent digital releases. Through the process, he developed an extensive personal network of grassroots organizers and artist activists from around the world, with whom he continues to work with closely to shape creative multimedia projects that deliver an important message, lesson, or rallying call to action. As Creative Director of the arts and media production company Nomadic Wax, he has spearheaded a wide variety of innovative collaborative projects, from mixtapes and tours to arts exchanges and films, all aimed at bridging cultural, economic, and linguistic divides worldwide.

Magee received much of his film training under the mentorship of award winning Director/Producer Scott Willis, including the opportunity to work on the critically acclaimed documentary The Woodmans, winner of an Emmy in 2011 through the PBS series Independent Lens.  Since then, he has worked on several feature documentaries with topics ranging from campaign finance reform to youth development in the inner city. Recently, Magee had his directorial debut working on MTV's groundbreaking Rebel Music series, where he had the opportunity to reconnect with Senegal’s revolutionary hip-hop duo Keur Gui, old friends of his from past projects in West Africa.

Having grown up between the US and several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, his personal experiences have helped shape and define his work, directing his focus on projects built around international collaborations. Today, he remains rooted in community-based filmmaking, working at the intersection of grassroots activism, and high production-value filmmaking in an effort to create beautiful, engaging, and meaningful art.

 

Recognition:

 
 

Arts Exchanges:

  • DC2DK - Arts Exchange (2013)
    Funded by a DC Commission for the Arts & Humanities 'Sister Cities' grant
    Co-Producer of an Arts Exchange between the DC arts scene and the Dakar arts scene
    Watch the video here and read more about the project here.

  • DC 2 Cape Town - Arts Exchange (2011)
    Sponsored by Heal the Hood (in South Africa) and the US State Department
    Co-Producer and Workshop Facilitator/Cultural Envoy, conducting film workshops in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, and Pretoria
    Watch the video here and read about it here.

  • Cape Town 2 DC - Arts Exchange (2010)
    Funded by a DC Commission for the Arts & Humanities 'Hip Hop' grant
    Co-Producer and Grant Awardee for an exchange that brought pioneering arts activists from Cape Town, SA, to Washington DC
    Watch the video here.

 

Publications:

 

Workshops:

  • Filmmaking Workshop Facilitator & Consultant- The Inter American Dialogue (2016)
    Facilitated a short film training program for Dialogue employees and consulted with them to build out their online video journalism team.

  • Filmmaking Workshop Facilitator - United Nations Foundation (2015)
    Facilitated a short film training program for UNF employees for the Universal Access Project.

  • Cultural Envoy - US State Department - South Africa (2011)
    Conducted guerrilla filmmaking workshops in township communities across South Africa.
    Watch the video here.

  • Filmmaking Workshop Facilitator - United States Institute of Peace - Youth Diaspora Conference (2010)
    Conducted film workshops and created a multi-week film mentorship program.
    Watch the film here.

 

Lectures on Hip Hop & Social Movements in Sub-Saharan Africa:

  • Kennesaw State University (2012)

  • University of Cape Town (2011)

  • Big Fish School of Digital Filmmaking in Johannesburg (2011)

  • Harvard University (2010)

  • American Cultural Center in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (2009)

  • Waga Hip Hop Festival in Burkina Faso (2009)

  • Trinity College (2007)

 

Panel Presentations:

  • Guilford College (2022)

  • The San Diego Latino Film Festival (2022)

  • Beats N Beans, The Doubles Cafe (2018)

  • The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as part of the One Mic Festival (2014)

  • NYU's African Film Series (2013)

  • African Studies Association Conference (2010)

  • CMJ Music Festival & Conference (2010)

  • CSSC Awards, Amherst, MA (2010)

  • UMASS-Amherst (2010)

  • Universidad De Los Andes, Venezuela (2010)

  • Hillyer Art Space, DC (2010)

  • African Studies Association Conference (2009)

  • SXSW (2009)

  • NXNE (2009)

  • Amherst College (2009)

  • Georgetown University (2009)

  • African Studies Association Conference (2008)

  • Passport to Africa Event, DC (2008)

  • Proctor Academy (2008)

  • Wesleyan University (2008)

  • Tufts University (2008)

  • MIT (2008)

  • Festival Des Droigts Humaine in Paris (2008)

  • Kalabash Movement, UK (2008)

  • Hope College (2008)

  • St. Paul's School (2008)

  • Marywood University (2008)

  • Sarah Lawrence University (2007)

  • Woodrow Wilson Center, DC (2007)

  • Trans Africa Forum Event, DC (2007)

  • George Washington University (2007)

  • Yale University (2004)

 

Clients:

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