Go See "Dear White People," If You Can!

You know me: I like to support fellow peeps! Please support the filmmakers of Dear White People. Black cinema is one of those things that gets niched too often. There is a racial theory that states Black cinema struggles at the box office due to a lack of racial empathy. In theory, white audiences cannot relate to black protagonists.

Well, Dear White People shot for the moon and is now rocketing into space. The Sundance darling has now attracted international buyers at American Film Market.

Check out the trailer:



Although the film is released nationally, the release is limited so it may or may not be playing near you.

Here is an interview with Dear White People actors Marque Richardson and Brandon Bell. They are being interviewed by Daren Jackson. All three attended USC with me and are great people!


Happy Filmmaking!

Grab Your Comb for "Good Hair"!

Get ready for Chris Rock's view on an old African-American tradition! In the Black community, there is a very common question posed by little girls everyday, "do I have good hair?" This touches me personally because of my personal battle with loved-ones about my natural hair. Back in 2007, I cut my relaxed mid-back length hair for a hairstyle more in touch with Mother Nature (and Daddy Dollars!). Even if some consider my thick, curly-kinky hair to be "good," straight hair always trimuphs.

This film is already receiving great press, and I will have my ticket ready come October!

Happy Filmmaking!

What would you do for $1.5 million???

1.5M for Filmmakers? Cinereach and Sundance Unveil Three-Year Grant Program - indieWIRE

If not inspired by nothing else, Cinereach and the Sundance Institute decide to support small feature projects (both documentary and narrative) in order to discover new talent. The three-year program is a fellowship program that will allow filmmaker fellows access to immense industry resources.

The money is not much, considering the average American film is around $15-40 million. However, one can make a perfectly decent movie for, say, $100,000. You are only limited to your imagination. In the end, the budget is the budget. The importance is receiving more bang for your buck.

First New Blog Post - Year-End Film buzz

This is my first post on blogger.com. I decided to move my blog from my myspace page to blogger.com in order to increase my reader exposure. The purpose of this blog is to trade industry information, as well as provide tips I have encountered in my own quest for success.

Being a recent graduate of film school, I am in the same boat with several lost souls, trying to find my own path. I want to share some of my experiences and tips I receive with you. While I tend to add a bit of humor in my writing, I am not so cynical that I would post useless rants about who is a better captain on Star Trek. I hope we can become friends...or at least in cyberspace. With that said, I want to share with you some current and upcoming "indie" films I wish to see at the end of the year:

W. (O. Stone) - This film is probably the most hyped film for Fall 2008. Liberal-minded Oliver Stone actually throws a few softballs towards the topic of Bush's unpopularity (according to the buzz) and focuses more on his early pre-Presidential life and winning the approval of his judgmental father, Bush the 41st. I'm a very political person (I'm a Libertarian-leaning Democrat), so any film that fosters any type of intelligent political conversation wins me over.

The Secret Life of Bees (G. Prince-Blythewood) - Another hyped film starring Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson (my prayers are with you by the way), Queen Latifah, and Alicia Keys. The film's thematic elements include racism, adoption, social change, and family relationships. And the director is a sista! Hooray for women!

Ballast (L. Hammer) - I failed to receive a ticket to this when it previewed at Sundance this year. This film revolves around a suicide in the Mississippi Delta. The film was one of the biggest surprise hits at Sundance this year, receiving rave reviews. I now regret not seeing this at Sundance, but I will not make the same mistake twice.

Choke (C. Gregg) - Con-Man + Sick relative + gullible people = dark comedy. Although this film has mixed reviews, the buzz this film receives is based on its entertaining value and original concept. Might be one of those films you either love or hate, like Napoleon Dynamite.

I.O.U.S.A (P. Creadon) - Another one I missed at Sundance, this film is the story of my life. Known for its brutal honesty, this documentary about our impending economic distaster could not have opened at a better time. Given its topical nature, this film may be a contender for the Academy Award for Best Documentary.

Man on Wire (J.Marsh) - Yet another film I missed at Sundance 2008. A documentary about French-born Phillippe Petit' s 1974 illegal high-wire walk between the WTC Twin Towers. Has rave reviews.

Phoebe in Wonderland (D. Barnz) - ANOTHER film I missed at Sundance (if you are wondering what I DID see, The Black List was one). This film draws parallels between a young girl named Phoebe and the tale Alice in Wonderland. The actress, Elle Fanning, is Dakota Fanning's younger sister. Felicity Huffman also stars as Phoebe's mother.

Happy-Go-Lucky (M. Leigh) - A film about an overly optimistic British teacher. Film was released last spring in the UK. Has rave reviews.

Happy Filmmaking!