About
A nonprofit built for the people making media in the Midwest.
Midwest Media Alliance is an Ohio 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, operated exclusively for educational and charitable purposes — advocating for film and media production policy, training the next generation of media professionals, and offering real studio resources to the industry.
Mission
Empowering media professionals and fostering creativity in the Midwest.
That's not a slogan we picked for a website — it's the mission written into our founding documents. Everything below is what it looks like in practice.
What that means day to day
Six focus areas, one mission.
Film Production
Advocating for the policies and infrastructure that let Midwest productions happen.
Media Training
Cutting-edge training programs for professionals and aspiring media creators alike.
Community Empowerment
Storytelling and media as tools for building stronger, more connected communities.
Professional Studio Space
Real, bookable studio and equipment access for working productions.
Creative Collaboration
Connecting creators, educators, and organizations across the region.
Policy Advocacy
Pushing for the film and media production policy that helps the whole industry.
Chapters
A regional presence, not just a regional name.
MMA's chapters are how the mission shows up locally — community programming and partnerships rooted in each state, not a single one-size-fits-all program run from a distance.
Illinois
Community presence and programming centered on Chicago and the surrounding production community.
Indiana
Regional programming connecting Indiana creators with training and studio access.
Michigan
A growing community presence across Michigan’s production and creative scene.
Ohio
MMA’s home state, and the anchor for the Operation Heartland Film Initiative.
How MAIE fits in
Two organizations, one direction.
MAIE's mission is to build the technology infrastructure that enables the future of media. Midwest Media Alliance's mission is to make sure creators, educators, nonprofits, and communities actually have the knowledge, opportunity, and support to benefit from that infrastructure.
MMA does not own, and is not owned by, MAIE. They're a coherent ecosystem working toward one vision from different directions — not a single blended entity. Midwest Media Alliance is rooted in the Midwest, where it's legally organized and does its community work. MAIE is a separate technology company, building for creators wherever they are. Both are true at once, and neither one limits the other.
Learn about MAIE →Ready to be part of the mission?
Every rental, donation, and partnership contributes directly to the work above.