By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
East Baltimore native James “Byrd” Mitchell has brought a new creative production hub to Downtown Baltimore. On July 29, Byrd’s Eye View Studio celebrated its grand opening at 100 N. Charles Street. The new space houses a fully-equipped production studio with a podcast space, editing suite and classroom area.
Its opening marked the final storefront launch of the third cohort of Downtown Partnership of Baltimore’s Black-Owned and Operated Storefront Tenancy (BOOST) program.
“Getting a chance to move downtown in the heart of Baltimore is just crazy,” said Mitchell. “I have a bus line right out front, so the kids can come as soon as they get out of school.”
Mitchell depicted his journey into the production field as a camera falling into his lap. A friend of his was working on a film in the city, and the experience introduced him to the power of visual storytelling.
He started his own business, Byrd’s Eye View Media, in 2017. His career has included supporting the making of HBO’s “We Own This City,” a miniseries that followed the rise and fall of the Baltimore Police Department’s Gun Trace Task Force.
Now, Mitchell’s new studio occupies the same building where scenes from the series were filmed—creating a full-circle moment for him.
Ensuring city youth have opportunities at the new studio is top of mind for Mitchell. Through a workforce development program, he provides young people with hands-on production experience and opportunities to run the studio themselves.
His commitment to the next generation stems from his belief that exposing young people to a wider range of career paths can expand their sense of what’s possible.
“What you see is what you’ll be,” said Mitchell. “We can give them an opportunity to see that there’s more to Baltimore and more to film. They can hold a camera. They can be creative directors, producers or editors. There’s so many different levels to it, and they don’t even know.”
He is especially excited about the storefront’s proximity to some of Baltimore’s major entertainment and creative destinations, including CFG Bank Arena, Create Baltimore and the Ravens and Orioles stadiums.
For the broader Baltimore community, Mitchell said the studio will host free headshot days and provide small businesses and residents with opportunities to share their stories through photography and film.
Mitchell said the BOOST program represents more than just a storefront opportunity—ot’s part of a broader effort to bring activity back to Downtown Baltimore.
“It’s vital to bring storefronts Downtown because that’s where a lot of the visitors come,” said Mitchell. “There were so many vacant stores and houses. It was terrible at one point. Now, thanks to the BOOST program and others, they are bringing life down here.”
Started in 2021, the BOOST program was designed to advance Black businesses while addressing vacancies in the city’s core. Entrepreneurs receive grants ranging from $20,000 to $100,000, as well as technical assistance. The program utilizes a cohort model, allowing businesses to collaborate and grow together.
Shelonda Stokes, president of DPOB, noted that each business in the third cohort is situated on a corridor targeted for investment through the Downtown RISE initiative. The cohort includes Diva by Cindy, Tribe Social Cafe, Making Art Matter and Kaizen Beauty and Byrd’s Eye View Studio, while the key corridors include Charles, Redwood, Eutaw and Pratt Streets.
“Those pillars allow increased retail efforts, focused cleaning and enhancements and all of the things that help us in ensuring the survivability of those businesses,” said Stokes. “Surviving for any type of business these days is harder. We’re really starting to build and layer initiatives to help increase their chances of success.”
With Byrd’s Eye View Studio in particular, Stokes said she is excited about the role it will play in deepening the cultural vibrancy and creative opportunities that define Downtown Baltimore.
“Having another place where you can have those types of expressions and bring people down in community is exactly what we want Downtown to be,” said Stokes. “This business is not only filling a vacant space, it’s activating that space in a way that we know people will want to engage in.”
