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01 · Mission
We teach kids to tell their stories.
MBV is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit giving Atlanta youth access to professional film and media arts, skills traditional classrooms don't teach.
02 · Who We Serve
Atlanta youth, ages 11–18.
Middle and high school students from under-resourced communities who deserve studio-grade tools, mentors, and a stage for their voice.
03 · How We Do It
Pick where you start.
After School classes, Weekend intensives, and Reel Kidz Academy, where students produce, market, and release a real feature-length film.
04 · The Impact
Every child, a story worth telling.
MBV Project wants to ensure every child has an opportunity to tell their story. Your generous gifts enable us to do just that.
Make Believe Village puppet cast on stage
Your gifts
light the set.

Every program we run is donor-funded. Help us keep the cameras rolling for Atlanta's next generation of storytellers.

Donate Today
Make Believe Village

Make Believe.
Then Make It Real.

Make Believe Village hands Atlanta youth a camera, a mentor, and a community behind them, turning imagination into filmmaking skills, real credits, and a path into the creative industry.

Our Programs

What we actually teach.

After School

Sketch first. Shoot second.

Learn filmmaking from working professionals, get hands-on with real equipment, and finish the term with your own film in front of a live audience.

Learn more →
Story Lab

A finished book, and a cast to go with it.

Students build their own characters and write the story around them, then present the finished work to a live room.

Learn more →
Reel Kidz Academy

Handmade characters. Real production.

A youth-powered film studio where students create, market, and release a feature-length movie.

Learn more →
What's coming next

Come see it in person.

All events →
The Impact

Where we are right now.

51 kids have been impacted by our camps since 2024.

30

at the camp Atlanta Public Schools funded in 2024.

21

at the NextGen camp in September 2026.

8

Clark Atlanta University students, who started in the 4 Reels Production Club, now volunteer with us.

1

former intern is now in USC's graduate film program.

Mentorship in Action

Dorian in the room changes everything.

Dorian Forbes leading a story circle with students
Dorian Forbes guiding students on a cinema camera
Dorian Forbes teaching puppet craft with young students
Community Voices

Trusted by Atlanta's change-makers.

"Their creative media programs provide an amazing opportunity for youth to not only have fun, but also develop valuable skills such as critical thinking and collaboration that will stay with them for a lifetime."
JM
Jill Mitchell The Ascent Project
"For two summers, the Make Believe Village summer film camp delivered all that was promised. Kids loved it!"
AJ
Adriane V. Jefferson Executive Director, Cultural Affairs, City of Atlanta

Ready to fuel the next generation of storytellers?

Donate Today
FAQ

Common Questions

What is Make Believe Village Project?

Make Believe Village Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mentors, educates, and celebrates young people through digital media arts, filmmaking, music, and audio design, building skills traditional classrooms cannot.

Is Make Believe Village Project the same as MBV Studios?

No. Make Believe Village Project is the nonprofit arm of the Make Believe Village family, a registered 501(c)(3). Our sibling site, mbvstudios.com, is the for-profit media studio. Same mission, different entities.

Who does Make Believe Village serve?

Middle and high school aged young people across Atlanta. Students ages 11–18 who deserve access to professional filmmaking and production skills that their schools don't provide. Parents and community partners can expect a safe, studio-grade learning environment built specifically for this age group.

Who founded Make Believe Village?

Make Believe Village was founded by Dorian Forbes, who serves as Make Believer in Chief.

Where is Make Believe Village Project located?

Make Believe Village Project is based in Atlanta, GA, at 3324 Peachtree Rd NE, STE #1414, Atlanta, GA 30326. It was established in 2021.

What programs does Make Believe Village Project offer?

Three core programs: After School filmmaking classes, condensed Weekend classes, and Reel Kidz Academy, a youth-powered film studio guiding students through producing and releasing a feature-length movie.

How can I donate to Make Believe Village Project?

You can give at any tier. $25 supplies a filmmaking kit, $100 sponsors a full After School term, and $500 funds a Reel Kidz Academy scholarship seat. Visit the Donate page for current giving options.

How can I volunteer or partner with Make Believe Village Project?

Visit the Volunteer / Partner Inquiry page and tell us whether you're interested in volunteering, partnering, or funding, and the team will follow up directly.

Watch

The Make Believe Village Project

Two minutes that explain who we are and why this work matters.

"I empower their voices to shine on the silver screen, transforming their futures and fostering a world where every story matters."

Dorian Forbes, Make Believer in Chief

Mission Statement

Our mission at Make Believe Village is to empower underserved learners with practical skills to lead purpose-driven lives and foster a more diverse generation of content creators, supported by professional networks vital to their success.

Our Philosophy

Supported by a team of professionals, we offer classes in film, music, and audio design. Our programs provide dynamic studio environments where youth explore relevant, meaningful issues through innovative media, held after-school, in-school, and during summer camps, with student work showcased on platforms including YouTube and at film festivals.

How We're Built

Three pillars. One commitment.

01

Youth Development

We meet students where they are, providing structure, mentorship, and a professional environment that builds confidence alongside skills. The camera is the tool. The student is the point.

02

Arts Education

Film, music, audio design, taught by working professionals in a real studio environment. Our curriculum is built to the same standard as the industry, not adapted down from it.

03

Career Preparation

Students leave MBV with a real body of work, professional connections, and the business fluency to own their creative futures, not just enter the creative economy, but lead in it.

Our Story

Built on what we didn't see.

Make Believe Village was born from a question Dorian Forbes kept asking: why do the students with the most to say have the fewest platforms to say it?

The creative industry has a talent pipeline problem, not because the talent isn't there, but because the doors have never been open wide enough. Students from under-resourced communities have the drive, the vision, and the stories. What they've been missing is access: to professional equipment, to working mentors, to learning environments that say you belong here.

So we built it. Make Believe Village opened its doors in Atlanta with a straightforward promise: that every student who walks in receives the same experience as someone who grew up with every advantage. A real studio, real tools, real people who believe in what they're capable of.

Our Programs

However you come in, you leave with a body of work.

Every MBV program is professional-grade and mentor-led. MBV Project wants to ensure every child has an opportunity to tell their story. Pick the path that fits, the commitment to quality is the same across all three.

Ages 11–18
Atlanta, Georgia
Scholarships often available

Press play on any photo to see what students imagine on top of it.

The After School classroom, and the storyboard students draw of it before the first take.
After School

Sketch first. Shoot second.

Immerse yourself in the art of filmmaking under the mentorship of industry professionals. Get hands-on with state-of-the-art equipment and collaborate with fellow students to bring a creative vision to life, finishing with your own film, showcased to a live audience of family and friends.

A Weekend Class on the green-screen set, and the world that replaces the green.
Story Lab

A finished book, and a cast to go with it.

The same filmmaking curriculum, condensed into a weekend timeline, covering a comprehensive range of topics including emerging trends like virtual reality and interactive cinema.

Reel Kidz on set with their puppets, and the cartoon they turn the whole scene into.
Reel Kidz Academy

Handmade characters. Real production.

Reel Kidz Academy is a youth-powered film studio that teaches students the complete business of entertainment, guiding them through the creation, marketing, and release of a feature-length movie. Students learn filmmaking, entrepreneurship, AI, marketing, sales, leadership, and workforce development while producing a professional film project for public exhibition, preparing them for careers, and ownership, in the creative economy.

Make Believers

Moments from the studio floor.

Dorian Forbes guiding students on a cinema camera Dorian Forbes in a puppet storytelling workshop with students Dorian Forbes mentoring students in the editing bay Dorian Forbes leading a story circle with high school students Dorian Forbes teaching puppet craft with younger students Fish Frye mascot at Make Believe Village
Get Started

Ready to get your student started?

MBV programs are open to middle and high schoolers across the Atlanta area. Reach out to ask about enrollment dates, program availability, and cost.

Get in Touch Learn About Reel Kidz

Enrollment is based on program availability.

Impact & Outcomes

The difference we're making, in numbers.

51 kids have been impacted by our camps since 2024.

30

at the camp Atlanta Public Schools funded in 2024.

21

at the NextGen camp in September 2026.

8

Clark Atlanta University students, who started in the 4 Reels Production Club, now volunteer with us.

1

former intern is now in USC's graduate film program.

Our Founder

The people behind the mission.

Make Believe Village is built by practitioners: filmmakers, educators, and community builders who show up for this work every day because they know what it changes.

Dorian Forbes, Make Believer in Chief
Dorian Forbes
Make Believer in Chief

Hollywood once offered Dorian Forbes a deal. All he had to do was hand over his own idea. He said no, and built a village instead.

He left Buffalo at 17 chasing the kind of magic he'd grown up on, Hanna-Barbera, Eddie Murphy, Pee Wee Herman, and built his way in from nothing: homecoming tapes outside HBCU dorms, music videos for T.I. and Young Jeezy, TV pilots for BET and Starz. By the time Hollywood came calling with strings attached, he'd already learned not to need it.

Today, Dorian is Founder and CEO of Make Believe Village, Make Believer in Chief to the students who walk through his doors. He hands them what Hollywood once tried to take from him: a camera, a mentor, and ownership of their own work.

"I didn't build a company. I created a space where a kid's imagination doesn't require anyone's approval to grow and succeed."

The Make Believe Village puppet cast on stage
Board of Directors

Community leaders who believe in this work.

Our board brings together educators, industry professionals, and community advocates who provide strategic guidance, accountability, and deep roots in the communities we serve.

Profiles Coming Soon

Each of our board members is a respected leader in their field who has asked to complete their personal confirmation process before their profile is published. We honor each member's timeline, and look forward to formally introducing them here very soon.

Full bios, headshots, and professional backgrounds will appear here as each member grants their publication consent.

Donate

One gift. One kid. One story that changes everything.

There is a teenager in Atlanta right now who has never been told their story matters. They've never held a camera. Never sat in an editing suite. Never heard the words "this is your film."

Your donation changes that today, not someday.

Why it matters

The opportunity gap is real. So is our ability to close it.

Most kids in under-resourced communities never get access to professional media arts training. The equipment, the mentors, the studio environment, these things exist in the world, just not in their world. Make Believe Village puts it all within reach. We don't wait for the system to catch up. We build the bridge ourselves.

Your Impact

Every dollar has a name on it.

We don't do vague. Here's exactly what your generosity makes possible.

Give another amount

Secure checkout handled by Stripe. Make Believe Village Project is a registered 501(c)(3) and your donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. Giving something larger, or by check? Email hello@makebelievevillage.com or call (404) 590-0716.

"Every child who walks through our doors carries a story the world hasn't heard yet. Your donation is the reason they get to tell it."

Dorian Forbes, Make Believer in Chief

Donate Now

Make Believe Village Project is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Partners & Funders

Organizations who believe with us.

Atlanta Public Schools funded the camp that put thirty kids behind a camera in 2024. The Ascent Project has been in our corner since early on. Clark Atlanta University students came to us through the 4 Reels Production Club and stayed on as volunteers. Russell Family Enterprises brought us into Russell Rocks the Block.

Every one of those started with somebody deciding a kid with a story was worth backing.

Partner with us
News & Media

Stories from the studio.

This section launches thin and grows as press mentions and recaps come in. One real piece of media exists today:

Volunteer / Partner Inquiry

Lights, camera, get involved.

Mailing Address3324 Peachtree Rd NE, STE #1414
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
Phone(404) 590-0716
Emailhello@makebelievevillage.com
FollowInstagram @makebelievevillage
Legal

Terms of Service

Last updated: June 30, 2026

1. About Make Believe Village

Make Believe Village Project ("MBV," "we," "us," or "our") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Atlanta, Georgia. This website at makebelievevillage.org is provided as a public resource to share information about our youth filmmaking programs, accept donations, and connect community partners.

2. Use of This Website

By visiting this website, you agree to use it for lawful purposes only. You may not use this site to transmit harmful, fraudulent, or unlawful content, or attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of this website or its systems.

3. Intellectual Property

All content on this site, including text, images, videos, logos, and program materials, is owned by or licensed to Make Believe Village Project. Student work featured on this site is displayed with appropriate consent. You may share links to our content; reproduction or redistribution without written permission is prohibited.

4. Donations

All donations made through this website are voluntary and non-refundable unless required by law. Make Believe Village Project is a 501(c)(3) organization; donations may be tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Please consult a tax advisor. Donation acknowledgments are provided via email.

5. Links to Third-Party Sites

This site may contain links to external websites (including MBV Studios, MBV Universe, and partner organizations). These links are provided for convenience only. We are not responsible for the content, accuracy, or practices of third-party sites.

6. Disclaimer of Warranties

This website is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. We do not guarantee the site will be error-free, uninterrupted, or free of harmful components.

7. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Make Believe Village Project shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of this website.

8. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Georgia, without regard to conflict of law principles.

9. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Continued use of the site after any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

10. Contact

Questions? Email us at hello@makebelievevillage.com or write to us at 3324 Peachtree Rd NE, STE #1414, Atlanta, GA 30326.

Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 30, 2026

1. Who We Are

Make Believe Village Project ("MBV") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit at 3324 Peachtree Rd NE, STE #1414, Atlanta, GA 30326. This policy explains how we handle information collected on makebelievevillage.org.

2. Information We Collect

We collect personal information only when you voluntarily provide it, through:

  • Contact / Volunteer form: name, email address, and message content.
  • Newsletter signup: email address only.
  • Donation forms: handled by third-party payment processors subject to their own privacy policies.

We do not collect personal information from visitors who only browse the site.

3. How We Use Your Information

Information you submit is used to respond to your inquiry or volunteer interest; send newsletter updates about MBV programs, events, and stories (subscribers only); and process and acknowledge donations. We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties.

4. Third-Party Services

Netlify hosts this website and processes form submissions. Netlify may collect usage data per their own policy. See Netlify's Privacy Policy.

Vimeo provides embedded video content. Vimeo may set cookies when you view videos on this page. See Vimeo's Privacy Policy.

5. Cookies

We do not use advertising or tracking cookies. Our site uses a single session cookie to remember whether you have visited before (so the intro animation is skipped on return visits). Netlify may set technical cookies required for site operation. You can disable cookies in your browser settings without affecting your ability to browse the site.

6. Data Retention

Form submissions are retained as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purpose for which they were submitted. Newsletter subscribers remain on our list until they request removal.

7. Your Rights

You may unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time. To request deletion of your personal data or ask questions about this policy, email hello@makebelievevillage.com.

8. Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. The "last updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision.

10. Contact

Questions about privacy? Email hello@makebelievevillage.com or write to 3324 Peachtree Rd NE, STE #1414, Atlanta, GA 30326.

Stay Connected

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Student film premieres. New programs. Impact stories. Ways to get involved, right to your inbox, no noise.

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Want to see one first? Read Issue 01 or browse the archive.

Questions? Ask Fish Frye!
Fish Frye avatar
Fish Frye
Make Believe Village Assistant
Hi, I'm Fish Frye 🐟 Ask me about our programs, how to donate, or how to get involved!