Born during one of the coldest winters in his father’s memory, from the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. Ernest M. Whiteman III is a Northern Arapaho filmmaker currently in production on a full-text, contemporary, feature film adaptation of HAMLET featuring a full cast of Native Americans. Ernest self-published a short stories collection titled The Autobiography of Blue Woman and is also at work on a novel entitled “A Rez Tale” that he will self-publish.

Ernest is the Director of First Nations Film and Video Festival, Inc. a non-profit film festival supporting Native American directors of all skill levels and finding them a venue to screen their films. He worked for Chicago Public Schools as a Media Mentor with Adobe Youth Voices Program assisting CPS teachers in the classroom teach student video production and graphic design skills. Ernest has also taught an upper-level course “No One Ever Sees Indians: Native Americans in Media” at the University of Wisconsin Parkside.

Ernest continues to film, write, and make art. He continues working on an on-going “ledger art” project, an online comic strip, plans to create an autobiography combining the graphic novel and ledger art forms. He currently lives in Rogers Park. Not bad for a nameless Arapaho from Wyoming.

SELECTED Filmography
“HAMLET: The Whole Bloody Affair” due Winter 2018, feature film adaptation; director, writer, editor, producer and actor (Hamlet) – currently in production

“The Future: A Blue Woman Story” due 2018, short film; director, writer, producer, editor – Currently in pre-production

“The Final Meeting” 2017, short film; director, writer, producer, editor

“Drunken Indian” due Spring 2019 – film trailer parody; director, writer, producer – Currently in production

First Nations Film and Video Festival (FNFVF) Promo videoes 2010 to present; Producer, Editor

“The Ernest Bear Show” Season Two, Nov. 2016 to present; Producer, Performer, Director, Writer, Camera, Voice, and Editor – currently in production

“The Ernest Bear Show” Season One, Twelve Episodes, 2013 – 2016, Web Series; Producer, Performer, Director, Writer, Camera, Voice, and Editor

“Wisdom of the Sages Video Series Two, Six Episodes 2013 to present; Producer, Editor, Writer – currently in production

“Three Scenes from ‘HAMLET’”, 2014, excerpts from dramatic feature; Actor, Director, Producer, Screenplay – Screened at 2014 Fall First Nations Film and Video Festival

“Two Scenes from ‘HAMLET’”, 2013, excerpt from dramatic feature; Actor, Director, Producer, Screenplay – Screened at 2014 Fall First Nations Film and Video Festival

First Nations Film and Video Festival (FNFVF) UWP promo video 2012; Producer, Editor

“Wisdom of the Sages Video Series, Season One, Ten Episodes, 2010 – 2011, Short Film Web Series; Producer, Director, Writer, Voice, and Editor

Chicago Title VII Productions: T7 Achievement Celebration Video 2010, “Festival of Stories PSA & Highlights” 2010, “Begay Family Presentation PSA” 2010, “Debbie Reese Review of ‘The Jingle Dancer’” 2009, Producer, Director, and Editor; T7 Program Video (Student Project) 2009; Director, Producer, and Editor

“Neixoo” 2009, music video; Producer, Director, Editor

“A Letter Home” 2008, short film; Director, Producer, Editor – Selection: New Voices in Native Media: Works by Emerging Native Media Artists, Augsburg College Native American Film Series 2007-2008

“The John Woo Style” 2008, music video; Producer, Editor

“No One Ever Sees Indians” 2005, short doc film; Director, Producer, Editor – Selection: First Round Pick, Fox Television’s “On the Lot” Series

“FILM BY COMMITTEE” 2004, short film; Writer, Director, Producer, Editor – Selection: 2004 First Nations Film and Video Festival

“Once Upon a Time in Skokie” 2004, short documentary; Writer, Director, Producer, Editor – Selection: 2004 First Nations Film and Video Festival, Best in Class: Making the Personal Documentary, Spring 2004, Columbia College Chicago

“CH3K” 2003, video montage; Writer, Director, Producer, Editor – Selection: First Nations Film and Video Festival “Celluloid Indians”, Summer 2003 Preview

“Avenger” 2003, short documentary; Writer, Director, Producer, Editor – Selection: First Nations Film and Video Festival “Celluloid Indians”, Summer 2003 Preview

“The Arapaho” 2003, short film; Writer, Director, Producer, Editor – Selection: First Nations Film and Video Festival, Summer 2003