Bayan Joonam, Executive Producer in L.A., Class of 2006
LinkedIn says about Bayan that he is “an award-winning producer highly regarded for aligning with mission-driven start-ups, brands, celebrities, and nonprofits to generate unique, engaging programming.” He was in profiled in Ha’aretz in 2021 after his celebrated 3 part series QAnon: The Search for Q was shown on VICE Media.
We reached out to Bayan to find out more about his journey from WBAIS (when he was at the Bahai Center in Haifa with his family) to his remarkable achievement in the world of media today. Below are excerpts from the interview with Bayan Joonam::
'I was at WBAIS from around 5th - 10th grade so I got to experience the Elementary, Middle, and High School program. I credit the Art Department, specifically the darkroom of WBAIS to my falling in love with photography. I also participated in after school programs like basketball, baseball, Model United Nations, and others…
[Among other special memories I have from the school], when I reflect on the incredible tradition of the hockey marathon -- most people don’t believe me. I think it’s such a great detail that serves as a reflection of how incredible WBAIS is.
This is a micro-example of a macro fact which took me longer to appreciate. We were exposed to so many different cultures, customs, and traditions which was equally as educational as what we learned in the classroom. Compounded on that baseline WERE the teachers and curriculum which I think helped to create more multifaceted, globally minded people.”
When asked how and why he became a documentary filmmaker, he said:
After my bus stop [in Israel] was attacked by a suicide bomber, it galvanized my commitment to pursuing work that addresses ideological divides.
“I think when you’re starting out in a business that is as unstructured as the film industry, it’s important to be relentless in pursuing every opportunity that you’re passionate about. The faster you can get over the idea that there is some silver bullet or short cut to get around doing the work -- the faster you’ll start becoming good at it. It’s kind of like skateboarding (which I did a lot when I was in Israel). You may try a trick 100 times before you land it, but you have to take every opportunity to do it over and over before being successful at it. A lot of my peers felt they wanted to go straight into feature films or something like that. I did a whole lot of short form (under 10m) before even trying to make longer stuff.
After college I spent a few years freelancing until eventually I partnered with Rainn Wilson (who played Dwight Schrute on the office) to build SoulPancake on Youtube. As a Partner and Head of Production for SoulPancake between 2011 - 2018, I led the development, production, and programming of 50 original series which led to over a billion views online, award-winning television franchises, and an acquisition by Participant Media.
In 2018, I developed a slate of TV and Film projects for Scheme Engine (a division of Jay-Z’s Roc Nation), including Producing MTV's "16 & Recovering" series. Following that, I became the Creator and Host of QAnon: The Search for Q on ViceTV which examines the who, what, and why behind Q. “
He said that he hopes to revisit Israel and has stayed in touch with many people from WBAIS. "They are some of the most meaningful relationships I continue to have as we grow older with families, careers, and all that."
Finally, his advice for students who are graduating today:
- "1. Don't be scared to ask questions. Curiosity is at the heart of all great innovation.
- 2. Spend as much time offline as you do online.
- 3. Not everything you think is worth tweeting.
- 4. Nothing great comes from staying in your comfort zone."