Middletown native looking to grow new video, filmmaking business

A Middletown High School graduate who has been working as a freelance filmmaker is seeking an $8,000 small business grant to help get his multimedia business up and running.

Entrepreneur Alfredo Peters was born and raised in Middletown and is a 2009 MHS graduate. He graduated from Grand Valley State University in Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in film/video production.

Peters moved to Atlanta after graduation and worked for The CW and BET television networks. In 2014, he moved back to Middletown and became a freelance filmmaker.

He has been volunteering for the past few years in Middletown, where he was an after-school program leader at the Robert “Sonny” Hill Community Center in 2015 and taught video production after school at Middletown High School in 2019.

This year, Peters started his own company called Higher Faculty and moved into his current location at 1210 Elliot Drive in September.

Middletown Economic Development officials said Higher Faculty is a new-age multimedia company specializing in digital marketing, video, photography, music and copywriting. Officials said their mission is to amplify the voice of our community through professional and engaging content. It helps the process of using tools such as podcasts, YouTube videos, Facebook ads, and social media marketing to increase revenue and brand awareness.

It also offers video production, photography, and audio production, according to city officials.

Among Peters' Middletown clients are Royal Studio, Veracruz Mexican Restaurant, Kingswell, Bar II, Hightower’s Petroleum Co., Stephano’s Italian Restaurant and Triple Moon Coffee Company.

Peters is seeking an $8,000 Small Business Entrepreneurial Assistance Micro-Grant to help with the costs of signage, interior remodeling, and equipment. Officials said his current investment of $20,430 includes a one-year lease at $950 a month, utilities, equipment, website, and software.

He will be required to create three jobs in the next three years and must remain in business until Dec. 31, 2023, according to the agreement. Officials said Peters has met all of the micro-grant requirements.

Middletown City Council will hear a first reading of an ordinance to consider the entrepreneurial micro-grant request at its meeting on Tuesday.

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