Moving Beyond the Niche
by Guest Contributor Melissa Silverstein, originally published at Women and Hollywood
A couple of weeks ago the NY Times ran a piece about the lack of progress of African American directors over the last decade. It seems that African American filmmakers suffer the same issues as women filmmakers — being stuck in a niche and unable to get out. Whether it’s right or not, or desired or not, most African American directors get pigeon holed into creating stories for African American audiences which are still not seen as “mainstream.” Personally, I would rather see a film like The Secret Life of Bees directed by an African American woman like it was, because I would venture to say that Gina Prince-Bythewood (pictured top right) would do a better job than a white woman or white man. I don’t see anything wrong with that. But because women and people of color are seen as “niche audiences” anyone who is in those groups gets stuck. I don’t think the problem is with the audiences. The Secret Life of Bees was a steady earner all through the fall with black and white women. I think the word niche is evil and should be banished. Why aren’t stories like Cadillac Records which boasts an amazing performance from Beyonce (tell me why they couldn’t sell her?) seen as American stories? Once the movie business figures out that they can make money by getting people beyond the “niche” maybe we will see more opportunities for African American directors and women directors.
Some points from the article:
You could now literally count on one hand (using two fingers) the number of black directors who can get their projects made and distributed at a steady rate. One is (Spike) Lee…while the other is Tyler Perry.
Momentum for African-American cinema, it would seem, has been curtailed or at least stalled in part by studio executives’ preconceptions that black films are “niche product” with limited appeal. Yet at the same time black directors and producers still express optimism that they not only can continue to cultivate their black audiences but also can reach out further and wider to the mainstream…
Darnell Martin, the director of Cadillac Record is a cautionary, yet surprisingly typical tale of what happens to women directors:
Ms. Martin places much of the blame for her sporadic career in the feature-film business on the conflicts she had over the promotion of “I Like It Like That.” “They insisted on making me the poster child for the film, the ‘female Spike Lee,’ and I said, ‘Look, I don’t mind that. I’m proud to be a black woman director, and I want that out there.’ But we’d gotten some great reviews, and I felt that was what they should be leading with. If it had been a white director, they would have emphasized the reviews, but instead they were trying to get people to see it only because I was black.
“So I fought pretty hard over that. Actually it was more like a head-on collision. And I was told, ‘If you continue like this, you will never work again.’ And I thought, ‘That’s O.K., I paid off my student loans what’re they going to take away from me?’ So I was getting known for being someone you couldn’t control.”
She also held on to a stubborn selectivity. “I was offered a lot of things that were about women of color, but I didn’t know yet how to make those things good.”
Though the success of movies like “The Secret Life of Bees” perpetually makes black filmmakers more hopeful about their prospects, African-American films still have barriers to break. “The biggest,” Mr. Berney said, “is outside the U.S. where the perception remains within the industry that the international audience for African-American product is close to zero. And yet when you consider the global popularity of hip-hop culture and by extension, black culture, you have to wonder whether this perception comes from outmoded thinking from international buyers who aren’t in tune with today’s audience.”
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
Jess wrote:
Wow– Darnell Martin. I interviewed her for a story back when the I Like it Like That came out for the local Bronx paper, and had looked forward to seeing other stuff of hers, and then she seemed to disappear (tho a quick imdb search shows she’s been around).
But her response there explains a lot.
I think some of the “niche” issue comes from the fact that young white men in particular have money to spend (or rather, studio execs think that’s where the money is). Like when they talk about the vaunted 18-54 demographic, that wasn’t jut pulled out of the air, it’s actually based on real research. Out of date? Probably — clothes sizes were all based on data collected from the military in WW II, so I could see a lot of spending data being similarly ossified.
That in turn wold mean that when you go to a studio head and say “This will make money” he’s going to ask how it tested out with various focus groups, which all have their own selection biases but are based on one thing: what will make the most money fast.
Let’s put it this way. I tell you “I think this movie will make money.” You, the executive, say “Our market research shows that if Will Smith isn’t in it we get a 10-30% share of the white audience.” You might be wrong, but given that you want the movie to sell and you need to sell it in places that aren’t New York or LA or Chicago, even if that same research shows a 90% black audience response, you won’t back it. The guaranteed numbers just aren’t there.
I’m not saying that movies made by black directors can’t appeal to white audiences — Spike Lee is proof of that. But the people that finance movies are risk-averse. It reminds me a little of the naysayers in the Democratic Party — they were worried — with some justification — that Obama might get the black vote locked up but drive away enough white voters to lose. They were wrong, but the calculation isn’t stupid or even racist in and of itself.
The situation is actually a little better in television. Budgets are smaller so the problem of being a “niche” director is less acute. Eriq La Salle is directing “ER” now, for instance.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 10:20 am ¶
SepiaScreen wrote:
We need more power brokers in Hollywood. The Secret Life of Bees is a case in point because it was executive-produced by Jada Pinkett-Smith and produced by Will Smith. They obviously had the foresight to option the book and get it made, making sure a black woman was attached to direct. Like him or hate him, Tyler Perry has become a maverick in getting his films made. I hope to see his work mature and him to branch out and bring other filmmakers along the way. Meanwhile, POC need to also support indie POC filmmakers like Christine and Michael Swanson who made the film All About Us starring Boris Kodjoe which was great film with a positive message about black family life.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 10:23 am ¶
Monie wrote:
“Why aren’t stories like Cadillac Records which boasts an amazing performance from Beyonce (tell me why they couldn’t sell her?) seen as American stories?”
One of the problems was that Beyonce was the focus of much of the advertising and she was out there trying to push the film instead of real actors like Jeffrey Wright. And I know Beyonce produced the film.
Beyonce’s performance amazing? Really?
Another problem is Baby Boomers; they run Hollywood at the moment. Everything Baby Boomers touch turns to crap. Look at Wall Street, look at Washington.
Once Baby Boomers retire out of the Hollywood system things will get better. They are stuck in the past and are so greedy that they have ruined the film business in general.
And was The Secret Life of Bees a Black film? I didn’t get that impression. I suppose the writer of this post saw it that way though. Maybe that has more to do with her close-mindedness than the film actually being a Black film.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 10:42 am ¶
CVT wrote:
The problem stems from what Jess was saying above – Hollywood’s tendency to think they know something based on some sort of random “screening process” or statistics given out about their audiences. The fact of the matter is this: pre-screening results and “audience tendencies” are unreliable at best.
However, they cause Hollywood producers to decide what type of audience is going to want to see a certain movie, and then they create a self-fulfilling prophecy by marketing that way. They market to specifically “black” audiences. They DON’T market to white folks. They don’t distribute as widely as other movies.
So, then – is there really any chance that a movie marketed like that is going to be able to branch out? Not so likely.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 10:46 am ¶
SayNay wrote:
@ Jess: I hear you about the perception of outdated attitudes and market research driven financing of film. One only needs to spend some quality time on the bastion of black film hate–IMDB message boards to figure that out. It’s unfortunate that audiences, producers, and distributors alike can’t find the value in stories regardless of the color. That’s why I was very disappointed that Secret Life of Bees was virtually passed over by all the major awards despite excellent directing and solid performances, especially by Sophie Okonedo and Jennifer Hudson. I will interested to see how Taraji P. Henderson fairs come Oscar time. I haven’t seen the Curious Case of Benjamin button yet, but I heard she was good.
Apart from Darnell Martin, Gina Prince-Bythewood, and Sanaa Hamri I can’t think of any other black female directors who’ve recently had success with “mainstream” audiences. If anyone knows some shout them out.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 10:58 am ¶
Lola wrote:
Secret Life of Bees is not a good example of a movie appealing to diverse audiences. I enjoyed the movie but when I read the book I realized it was a story about an entitled white girl and her many mammies. Which explains why the SLB book sold so well among middle class white women. In the book Jennifer Hudson’s character was described as a fat ugly woman that chewed tobacco and was stupid. I do appreciate what the director and screenwriter were able to do with the book.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 11:28 am ¶
Eva wrote:
“Another problem is Baby Boomers; they run Hollywood at the moment. Everything Baby Boomers touch turns to crap. Look at Wall Street, look at Washington”
Is that so? The last I heard, our president right now is a baby boomer (born between 1946 and 1964).
@Monie, I used to think that once my generation (baby boomers) started to run things, they would get better.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 11:32 am ¶
A.D. Nix wrote:
Yes, down with ‘niche’ please. It isn’t neutral. It isn’t a matter of numbers. There are lots of ‘niche’ films that people are implored to see – oh, you simply must! It’s amazing! It’s foreign! It’s independent etc. These films can have budgets on par with a “black” film, an even smaller built-in audience, open on fewer screens, make less money and never be called ‘niche.’ They’re “FILMS” (don’t you dare call them “movies”) – and more important, they’re the films you’re supposed to be if you, know, you care about the cultural future of the world. Or have taste. Good god.
Black films are not ‘niche.’ They are marginalized. If similar machines of influence were working in their favor, the films would be called ’small’ when small or ‘independent’ unless backed by a major studio, or just g.d. movies.
As for Spike (whom I worked for and genuinely like and respect) – play was dwindling until the ‘25th Hour’ and ‘Inside Man’ both featuring leads of color, but also major white stars as leads. It would be interesting to see how a semi-thriller like ‘Inside Man’ would be received without a Clive Owen.* Thrillers are not a ‘niche’ anything. But I’d wager it would end up a ‘niche’ Black thriller.
And yet when you consider the global popularity of hip-hop culture and by extension, black culture, you have to wonder whether this perception comes from outmoded thinking from international buyers who aren’t in tune with today’s audience.”
I’ve thought about this point and I’m still not sure what the answer is. Maybe it’s because you can’t wear a film or use it for masquerade the way you do music or dress or language (thereby cutting out those who use hip hop culture in this way – by no means am i saying that everyone does)? Or maybe the films create dimension and humanity and demands that are harder to walk away from or mitigate and control (turn off) from a theater seat than with a hand on iPod? i don’t know.
* Know that this is not a call to stop getting Clive Owen work. I would watch that man read junk mail. Or in Shoot Em Up. Which I did.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 11:46 am ¶
Eric Daniels wrote:
Why should I care if white americans or customers don’t like what I do as an artist, this argument has been made since modern Black Films/art/music came on the scene in the early 70’s instead of Black folks in America building their own infrastructure so they can reach that international market themselves (hey there black folks in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia) and using that promotional monies themselves to gain to foothold all these people do is whine about getting more Blacks in charge of studios in “white hollywood”. I have heard that rhetoric since my art teacher told me “to stop drawing Black Pin-up models because “it won’t appeal to White People.
Then I took a marketing class when I got back to college a few years ago and did a report on MTV’s early years and you why they denied putting blacks acts on the channel outside of M.J. and Prince because they would’nt appeal to some white person in Perioa or Augusta Georgia “because they hate seeing Black Faces and Black People in general. Studio execs are calling black multi- media a niche market because and making decisons on what to green-light because some midwestern/southern white american hates Black People where those films or music will not reach those towns anyway.
Why can’t Black filmakers themselves do the reaching out to another set of white auidences and that is internationally until the industry or White America matures themselves on the diversity of black entertainment? White execs will always promote the lowest common denominator in black culture after Black artists do the groundwork themselves like Hip- Hop who promoted the 4 elements themselves before being high- jacked in the early 90’s.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 11:49 am ¶
Deaf Feminist Punk! wrote:
We need more power brokers in Hollywood. The Secret Life of Bees is a case in point because it was executive-produced by Jada Pinkett-Smith and produced by Will Smith. They obviously had the foresight to option the book and get it made, making sure a black woman was attached to direct.
Exactly. Nobody’s going to produce your stuff unless you produce it yourself or get a POC to produce it. That’s how Bollywood films have gotten so big– they depend on themselves, not on Western or American investors, distributors, or studios.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 11:56 am ¶
A.D. Nix wrote:
We need more power brokers in Hollywood. The Secret Life of Bees is a case in point because it was executive-produced by Jada Pinkett-Smith and produced by Will Smith. They obviously had the foresight to option the book and get it made, making sure a black woman was attached to direct.
See: Push (not the one where that guy from Fantastic Four has powers again – the other one). Thanks to Tyler Perry and Oprah, it will be distributed and promoted.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 12:16 pm ¶
Eric Daniels wrote:
Deaf Feminist Punk ! I would agree on what you have said if it weren’t for the fact that African- American elites have forged a economic and political concepts of Utopianism the last 50 years instead of doing what Bollywood, Asian,Latin and other groups have done of self-help and finance in their films and media. Those ideas that if you get a black or two in postions of power then it will change for the better. so words like “crossover”, “colorblindness”, and all those nice terms become a way of stifling creativity to appeal to a majority who won’t buy your work anyway.
Those very ideals will work sometime, but now it has gotten African- Americans in trouble in every sphere because it’s ideals are based on a Christian belief of the righteous victim and captialism with it’s emphasis on marketing, group surveys and proper auidences creative African- Americans will always be left out of that system because one or a few people can’t change the dynamics of the institutions in which in the highlander veiwpoint pervails “there can only be one” African- American than many voices in Hollywood, art, or Music.
Until that changes amongst A.A. there will always be a “crabs in the barrel mentality” because we won’t change our strategy on long-term black development for group progress. Individuals never change those minds a united black film community dedicated to building studios, theatres actors from the ground up and that takes years maybe even a generation, but unless that is done we will be talking about these issues when I am 63 years in 2019.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 12:36 pm ¶
Monie wrote:
@Eva
“…Is that so? The last I heard, our president right now is a baby boomer (born between 1946 and 1964)….”
I don’t want to go too far off-topic but so far all Obama has done is try to give billions of our dollars to a bunch of greedy Baby Boomers on Wall Street.
I voted for the guy but he’s been mostly status quo so far.
But back to my point in relation to the topic; it’s hard to ignore that Baby Boomers only care about money (I know I’m generalizing).
So when it comes to making films they refuse to think outside the box with regard to films, which means they see films only in terms of Black and White and green of course.
Once they are gone and my generation gets a chance then maybe we will move beyond “Black” films and simply make films that tell stories. Some about lives of Black people some not, some that actually just tell human stories.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 12:57 pm ¶
Monie wrote:
@Eric Daniels
One reason that Black films don’t do well internationally is that companies like Disney are still peddling racist films, cartoons and fairytales from the past all over the world.
So if people are still watching those racist films, how are they supposed to then watch non-racist films about Black lives and find them believable? Also how are these films being marketed to an international market? Are they using the same strategies they use here in the U.S. or are they using (racist) marketing strategies straight out of the 1950’s?
We are insulated from the world film market and that’s why we don’t understand the lack of success of Black films on the international market. Once you get a taste of the racist crap that’s being sold to the rest of the world as representing Black Americans then you begin to understand why there is no market for these films overseas.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 1:06 pm ¶
Asada wrote:
Skrew actors, I’ve always felt we just need more power brokers and to support the UNSEEN directors.
Being a religious kid I was raised not to watch movies, and these days as a secular adult I could care less for them. I hate getting all excited to see a movie ( which is like a mini-event for me) only to be assaulted by stereotypes. So I go rarely.
And many other ppl just dont go because they feel its a moral issue.
I can only appreciate a celebrity when they venture out into something that they have demonstrated talent for , otherwise it just seems like selfish ambition . Beyonce has proven time and time again she cannot act. But still wants an acting career and *gasp* respect for her acting! Yes, it does stick out more for her, and not in a good way.
@MONIE,
the only ppl replacing babyboomers in power positions are thier kids.Thats one thing they make sure of, to pass down substantial wealth and prestige in their families. Not to SAY POC will not become a more appealling option for entertainment however. That, I believe is certain.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 1:59 pm ¶
blip wrote:
If Hollywood wanted to reach out to the majority of this country to sell black writtten, directed, & produced films they could, easily. They just don’t.
The first time I saw DO THE RIGHT THING, I was in Paris. Why would France embrace a black independent film (not a MAINSTREAM black film), by a relative unknown at the time, so willingly, and release it at the most visible theatre on the Champs Elysee? It’s because the the french have a taste for auteurism and intellectualism. Americans care about box office numbers.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 1:59 pm ¶
Oona wrote:
“Once Baby Boomers retire out of the Hollywood system things will get better. ”
No. Once the Boomers are out the Hipsters will take over.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 2:23 pm ¶
jen* wrote:
@ Eric Daniels – completely off topic, but it’s nice to see my racist hometown getting called out. My dad always said Augusta’s about 20yrs behind everyone else in terms of race relations, and they’re still right on target. Maybe a lil further behind, actually.
In the town where I live now, tho? Augusta’s the big city. It’s a freaking destination.
back on topic – the almighty dollar runs things, and until POC are seen as wielding group monetary power, their interests won’t be important enough/lucrative enough to finance. I don’t think that non-POCs would necessarily ignore POC produced/directed films. They’re currently just not exposed to many of them.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 2:37 pm ¶
A.D. Nix wrote:
@ Oona: This could be true. Earnest ‘Oh, was that racist? Sorry. Kind of’ racism may dwindle but in its stead ‘It’s ironic! I’m Down!’ racist asshatery may rise. Vice magazines for all?
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 2:49 pm ¶
Kaonashi wrote:
back on topic – the almighty dollar runs things, and until POC are seen as wielding group monetary power, their interests won’t be important enough/lucrative enough to finance. I don’t think that non-POCs would necessarily ignore POC produced/directed films. They’re currently just not exposed to many of them.
I agree completely.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 2:55 pm ¶
blip wrote:
I was very disappointed that Secret Life of Bees was virtually passed over by all the major awards despite excellent directing and solid performances, especially by Sophie Okonedo and Jennifer Hudson. I will interested to see how Taraji P. Henderson fairs come Oscar time
_________________________
Saynay, I find it interesting some believe these performances are ‘award-worthy’ with thin (or thinner) black actresses, even though they are playing bonafide mammy roles. With all the controversy of PUSH, it seems no one connects THIN black women to MAMMYism, yet they are quick to condemn fat black actresses.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 3:20 pm ¶
Michelle wrote:
Wow, what a great thread!
So many of you guys are on point!
SepiaScreen, I was thinking about All About Us the whole time I read the post. Black female director and producer and cast and the movie doesn’t really have anything to do with “being a Black film”. It is also a look at the film industry from the point of view of Black indie film makers. Really, everyone should see this film and then we can have the convo again, the remix.
A.D. Nix, CO SIGN!!! Monie, CO SIGN!!!!!
You know, the earning power of Black people is already obvious and evident. I think that what there is to really see is that Hollywood power that be will look at numbers and grafts and the bottom line and still come up with what they want to come up with. For instance, look at advertising. There are a ton of Black faces selling all kinds of products to all kinds of people. Every other industry knows that Black people buy, buy, buy and they actively go after our dollars. Why not Hollywood?
And, in terms of international markets, we can’t send the acting performances of Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson out into the world as “amazing” performances. That will hurt our credibility. Lovely, lovely women who work hard, but perhaps not the performances we should lift up as the standards.
Taraji got nominated for an Oscar, btw! Yea!
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 3:49 pm ¶
NancyP wrote:
Whatever happened to Kasi Lemmons? Julie Dash?
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 3:52 pm ¶
G.K. wrote:
@A.D. Nix and Monie
About black films supposedly being unmarketable overseas—-I read an interview by Will Smith a couple of years back in which he said that the reason his films were so big overseas was because he was always going overseas to promote. Also, in an interview in a companion book to a PBS series about black folks by Prof. Henry Gates, and while being interviewed by Gates, my fave actor Don Cheadle said flat out that the only reason most black films don’t get pushed overseas is because white distributors (due to their own personal prejudice) don’t believe that these films are marketable, which is why they don’t promote them, which then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I’m thinking that if more black folks were involved in the area of film distribution (as well as creating viable long-term things like studios form the ground up, like Eric said) black indie films might have more of a chance to get put out there.
So it’s not that there isn’t an overseas market for black films, it’s just that white executives in Hollywood are too lazy/short-sighted to get past their prejudices to create one. I mean, damn this is the 21st century—-white people are not the only people whose lives/experiences are worth watching on screen. People in other countries aren’t just getting their views of us from old Disney films (which rarely featured black folks anyway) but from hip-hop videos and film—of course not always in the best way,however.
Speaking of black films, I wonder if this British street culture flick ever got marketed outside of its native land. It’s called KIDULTHOOD, and it was written by one of the main actors, Noel Clarke (formerly of DOCTOR WHO) he plays one of the main bad guys. Check it out on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGRujIKsokk&feature=related
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 3:53 pm ¶
G.K. wrote:
Also a new independent film by a black writer/director (Barry Jenkins) titled MEDICINE FOR MELANCHOLY just recently opened—anybody seen it yet?
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 4:09 pm ¶
Monie wrote:
@G.K.
I loved Kidulthood. It was great, I even wrote a review of it on my blog. Have you seen Chop Shop? That’s another really good indi with the leads being POC.
And thanks for the info about distribution. It makes a lot of sense. I’m not even sure that distribution problems don’t affect Black films in the U.S.
And don’t Will and Jada have a film distribution Co.? I thought I read something about that. They’ve been producing quite a few projects, which is great.
@Michelle
“…And, in terms of international markets, we can’t send the acting performances of Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson out into the world as “amazing” performances…”
That is So true, especially Beyonce. I actually think Jennifer and Alicia have some acting chops, not great but getting better.
The crossover thing that Black singers/ rappers are doing is really not a good thing in general. We really have to find ways to develop new talent and then promote those people.
We have been seeing the same Black actors for a decade now in film and during that time how many new White actors have come on the scene; lot’s.
I think Nia and Sanaa and Taye and Morris and all of the others are okay but we need new blood. I know that goes back to the execs in Hollywood and who they are willing to cast but that’s why we need to support indi films more.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 5:05 pm ¶
A.D. Nix wrote:
G.K: My boyfriend saw a screening of ‘Medicine for Melancholy’ with the director and Wyatt Cenac (call meeee?) last week or the week before. Loved it (for the most part) and demanded that we see it together when it comes out.
Also: I firmly believe that any film of quality can be successfully marketed abroad – I mean, look at how well America has been able to sell 2 different kinds of brown sugar water. Holy smokes.
But people get lazy with marketing and try to to use cookie-cutter solutions across the board – even when dealing with very different products. And studios often have to sell international distributors on a film first so if you come up against a resistant gatekeeper (sometimes your own parent company) it’s often a battle against gut (”We can get people to come and see this movie. There are people who want to see this movie”) and numbers (”Prove it.”) – vicious cycle. No support, no showing, no money, no money, no support, no showing for the next film. It’s like 30,000 people have to actually show up in someone’s office and say they would love to buy tickets first.
I do think things are changing – both top down and bottom up.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 5:21 pm ¶
Female Lurker wrote:
* Know that this is not a call to stop getting Clive Owen work. I would watch that man read junk mail. Or in Shoot Em Up. Which I did.
I hear ya!
I lurve him.
One of the problems was that Beyonce was the focus of much of the advertising and she was out there trying to push the film instead of real actors like Jeffrey Wright. And I know Beyonce produced the film.
Beyonce’s performance amazing? Really?
I know, right? Her mother and sister said it was Oscar-worthy.
*crickets*
Using someone as popular as her can help or hurt the film. Here, I think it hurt. Wasn’t there another film out about the same label? Chess Records. Has anyone seen that one?
Hollywood is fickle. But that isn’t something new. The Secret Life of Bees and Beyonce’s ‘declared’ Oscar-nominated performance in Cadillac Records will get its recognition from the NAACP Image Awards… It’s not the Oscars (and I’m sure she’s very aware of that), but it’ll do.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 5:51 pm ¶
Kendra wrote:
Wyatt Cenac from the Daily Show? Wow, it never crossed my mind that he might act in independent films. Then again, he and the other black guy on the Daily Show barely show up, so they probably have some time on their hands.
I don’t think Medicine for Melancholy has been released in my college city, but I’ll see if I can watch it sometime. It’s a love story set in San Francisco, so it must be good.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 5:51 pm ¶
Monie wrote:
@SayNay
Kasi Lemmons; Talk To Me (2007)
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 8:52 pm ¶
DomiX wrote:
I want to go into directing and screenwriting, and I see that it’s a long road ahead. I can just hope for the best and stay true to myself.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 11:16 pm ¶
DomiX wrote:
I’m a black female in my second year of college, by the way.
Posted 03 Feb 2009 at 11:17 pm ¶
Rchoudh wrote:
Another reason why perhaps black American films are perceived by Hollywood as having no international appeal is because they are thought, usually wrongly, as being films with no universal appeal (because it’s assumed that black films only deal with black American issues) and because of the assumption that international audiences always equate America with whiteness (thanks to Hollywood’s depiction of it of course).
It’s like how in America Asian cinema from abroad is usually not very popular here because Asians in America are generally stereotyped as being perpetual foreigners (unlike Europeans) and because Asian cinematic tastes (masala “song and dace themes of Bollywood and Chinese slapstick comedy) are believed to not be highly apealing to American tastes. The main exceptions to this rule have been Kung Fu movies and parallel films on India (of which Slumdog Millionaire is an example) because they are believed to have more universal appeal ( Kung Fu films are just an extension of the action adventure genre and parallel Indian films about gritty slum life are films depicting real world scenarios).
Posted 04 Feb 2009 at 6:48 am ¶
Michelle wrote:
I don’t know, #33. Within the art world (snobby, not mainstream sure) Asian films are INCREDIBLY well received. Granted I have lived in NYC and LA mostly, not Kansas, but still, I have seen many, many non Kung Fu Asian cinema get accolades from American film critics and scholars. Now, many of those films are smaller, more art house films, but they make a great deal of money in those markets.
Posted 04 Feb 2009 at 3:20 pm ¶
SayNay wrote:
@Monie Thanks I’ll check that out.
Posted 04 Feb 2009 at 3:27 pm ¶
Rchoudh wrote:
@34
You’re right about that and I guess I should have clarified that Asian films from abroad (mainly I’m referring to films from Bollywood and Hong Kong) almost never receive widespread mainstream appeal. They may do well as arthouse fare but so far they have not been well received by mainstream American audiences. Some exceptions exist of course like Kung Fu-themed HK cinema (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and realistic Indian-themed films (Gandhi, Slumdog Millionaire).
Posted 04 Feb 2009 at 4:45 pm ¶
Orville wrote:
I didn’t like the Secret Life of Bees because I feel the movie still promotes the same negative stereotypes of black women. The black female characteres in the movie are basically mammies.
Posted 05 Feb 2009 at 12:36 am ¶
Hibbs4Prez wrote:
Did not support cadillac Records because of its revamped, made up history. The two biggest problems is that there were two Chess Brothers who were equally responsible for the company. And most of all the romantic relationship between Etta james a nd Chess never happened. Member sof Chess’ family and Ms James herself said that recently. Yet the fimmaker didn’t care. In factt it wasn’t as much in the script as it was a decision by the director.
Posted 08 Feb 2009 at 5:02 am ¶
veebot wrote:
As an african woman looking in, Black america will never be successful until they take matters into their own hands. who cares about white mainstream america. If you do what you love and you do good work the people will follow. And if they dont thats their problem.
If only black people could come together and support the effort. You have white greedy execs making decisions based on bias.
I just wish black people would realise how talented and capable they are. start small and ignore the issues of white america completely. they’ll come around or maybe they wont its a big world and america is not the only country in it
Posted 14 Feb 2009 at 8:52 am ¶
Adrianna wrote:
I think the same can be applied to how they don’t make good movies for women anymore but just Rom com trash . We are half of the of the world population and yet there is not one decent flick we can see. I think what we need is more female and people of color creating their studio and doing their thing are we are going to still be invisible. The best foreign movies nominees and winners have lot’s of people of color cast . Totsi , Babel , City of Gods and Now Slumdog Millionaire. We have to build our own multimedia empires like all of the commentators have said . There is a market for our movies we just have to have better channels to distribute them ourselves and market them ourselves without counting on the Hollywood machine in it’s Prejudice. American movies and not the great one has invaded all of the world , even the European are complaining about the lack of visibility of their movies! They recently created the European movie award to showcase all the European movies that get shafted for bigger American movies. We need to fallow the example of countries Like France , Mexico, South Africa , Nigeria, India , Japan , South Korea, Spain , Italy, Brazil . who make really good movies that everyone like to see . They do their thing and don’t wait around . In fact I heard Japan might surpass the US in terms of worldwide culture hegemony. Plus Hollywood seem to suffer from lack of originality . All the new movies are based on remakes or they are remaking foreign movies from France ,Japan , South Korea And Hong Kong . Even some of the show of old were remakes. Now that says something about the state of Hollywood. I’m Young Black women filmmaker. I plan to open my own studio. I see the creative side and the Business side. Is there a forum for future filmmakers of color ? Advice on how to start your own studio, how distribution works and all? I went business school and need to get a better handle of how to mount that kind of Biz from the ground up. I mean old Hollywood went out of style because a few Independent filmmakers went against the studio system of course they were all white males , but you get the Idea. POC filmmakers have got to bend together and start a revolution. Mentor each other and promote each other’s work a la George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Judd Apatow ecetera ..
Posted 14 Feb 2009 at 11:05 am ¶