Kansas City, MO—Kansas City PBS is proud to introduce the 2025-26 Non-fiction Film Fellows Collin Riggins and Savana “SJ” Johnson. The Kansas City PBS Non-fiction Fellowship is a dynamic yearlong program designed to support and elevate the voices of recent graduates, early-career filmmakers, and foster a thriving film community in the Kansas City region. This immersive experience blends hands-on training, professional development, access to production equipment and studio space, and invaluable networking opportunities within PBS and beyond.
The selected filmmakers will receive hands-on mentorship from our award-winning production staff, gaining real-world experience in both short-form and documentary filmmaking. Participants will shadow our expert team, work within a state-of-the-art production facility and take part in monthly workshops led by industry professionals. From initial pitch to final cut, fellows will be guided through the complete production process of their own documentary project, which will premiere on Kansas City PBS next spring.
Beyond technical training, the fellowship offers invaluable networking opportunities. Fellows will connect with influential leaders in public media and the regional creative community, forging relationships that can spark future collaborations and open doors to long-term career growth.
"Our Fellowship represents one of the many ways that we leverage our resources to invest in the development of talent in our region.” says Kliff Kuehl, Kansas City PBS president and CEO. “We’re looking forward to shepherding these emerging filmmakers through the creative process and giving them the platform to connect with the over one million people we reach through our distribution platforms.”
Cole Blaise, Director of Production at Kansas City PBS, added “This initiative is a formalization of what we already do at the station like address inadequacies and inequities in arts, bringing unique stories to the forefront, investing in career readiness, and fostering the creative ecosystem in our city.”
The Kansas City PBS Non-fiction Film Fellowship is supported by the Health Forward Foundation.
To learn more about the program, visit kansascitypbs.org/about/film-fellowship/
About the Fellows
Collin Riggins is an analog photographer and filmmaker from Kansas City, Missouri. He received a B.A. in African American Studies and Visual Arts from Princeton University. His journey in visual art started when he joined a free high school photography program at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, which was, importantly, made possible by Natalie Boten. That moment taught him the power of channeling one’s voice through intimate storytelling, as well as what it means to uplift stories, histories, and futures that are not always centered in mainstream conversations.
Savana “SJ” Johnson is an aspiring creative from Ashland, MO who’s love for meteorology quickly turned into a desire to document processes and express herself through film and graphic design. SJ gravitates toward stories that explore the relationship between music and visuals, place underdogs at the center, and highlight the human spirit while overcoming odds. When she’s not on a film set or in the editing lab, SJ can be found playing games with her friends, both online and tabletop.
About Kansas City PBS
Located in the heart of Kansas City, MO, Kansas City PBS is a non-profit multimedia organization serving the community since 1961. The PBS member station airs diverse content focused on civic affairs, science, food, drink, arts and culture on four television channels, including Channel 19.1, 19.2, 19.3 (Create) and 19.4, the 24-hour PBS kids channel. Channels 19.1 and 19.4 are also available to live stream online, with programming available on-demand in the PBS App and Kansas City PBS Passport, a member-benefit streaming service. Kansas City PBS serves students, caregivers and the local education community through free online resources, workshops for parents and teachers, and annual conferences and events. It also owns and operates the local NPR music station, 90.9 The Bridge, providing nonprofit radio in a AAA format to listeners over the air and online streaming. Kansas City PBS’ nonprofit source for local journalism, Flatland (flatlandkc.org), produces multimedia reporting focused on civic affairs, arts and culture, food and drink, and education. For more information on Kansas City PBS or its wide variety of local and national content, visit kansascitypbs.org.