A leader in the black independent cinema movement, Warrington Hudlin co-founded and has served as president of the Black Filmmakers Foundation which has fostered audience development and provided financial assistance to black filmmakers. Born and raised in East St Louis, IL, Hudlin graduated from Yale in 1974 and began his career as a documentary filmmaker. His work includes the personal "Black at Yale: A Diary" (made in 1974, released in 1978); the feature-length cinema verite, "Street Corner Stories," about black men in New Haven, who hang out and spin tales; and a behind-the scenes documentary on the making of Spike Lee's "School Daze" (1988). With his brother Reginald, he formed Hudlin Bros., Inc., a production company which has made music videos for MCA and Polygram Records.