As President of Big City Films, Bruce oversees all operational and creative matters for the company as well as the development and execution of Big City Films’ business strategy and implementation of the company vision.
In 1991, Bruce wrote and produced “Never Lose Your Hope,” starring Jeff Daniels, transforming an idea into an Emmy award-winning Christmas special. Since “Never Lose Your Hope,” Bruce has written several television pilot scripts including: “Ellen Hill,” a light comedy about a talk show host in crisis; “Michael & Carl,” an urban comedy about two superheroes that try to save Detroit with no superpowers to save themselves; and “McMahon and Tate,” a workplace comedy about the advertising business. He has also written features scripts like: “Ray & Me,” a back in the day comedy about the first Black television station in the country, WGPR, and “The Simple Life,” a light comedy about a local sportscaster whose life gets turned upside down when his ex-girlfriend returns to town.
Bruce has also produced and directed several television specials, documentaries, and commercial productions for clients like the City of Detroit, UAW and Ford Motor Company. Bruce’s documentary work includes Emmy award-winning documentary, “Band of Gold,” exploring the musical world and professional fight for survival of Holland-Dozier-Holland, one of the industry’s most prolific songwriting teams; “Revisiting the Dream,” a fascinating look at the largest civil rights rally leading up to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s historic “I Have a Dream Speech,” first delivered in Detroit; “When I Need to Smile: the Jazzy Life of Gretchen Valade,” the story of businesswoman, philanthropist and jazz enthusiast Gretchen Carhartt-Valade and her love and passion for people, her community, and the world of Jazz music which drove her to save the largest free Jazz concert in North America. And most recently, “Summer ’67: Finding the Lost,” the story of the 43 people that lost their lives during the 1967 Detroit rebellion, the largest civil disturbance in U.S. history.
Bruce has over 25 years of live television production experience including daily newscasts and live sports events including: Detroit Tigers baseball, Detroit Pistons basketball and “Hockey Night in Canada.” He has also played an integral part in high-profile corporate productions like Honda’s National Sales Meeting, General Motors’ GM Style Show, Kmart’s National Sales Meeting and Miller Beer’s National Distributors Meeting.
Bruce was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Prior to founding Big City Films, Bruce was employed by the nation’s first Black owned and operated television station in the United States, WGPR, and later at the #1 NBC affiliate in the country, WDIV.
Bruce’s devotion to quality productions has resulted in critically-acclaimed television projects, specials and documentaries, resulting in multiple EMMY nominations and awards as well as being a Knight Arts Challenge awardee.