Friday
Jan162009
Poll:Hypothetically Speaking What Would Be Most Important About Making a Film About Black Women
Friday, January 16, 2009 at 5:04AM The Blogmother
Wow this week has been a fun week on the blog. We started the week off with a snarky post where I posted a Fill In the Blank review of the movie, "Not Easily Broken" that gave way to a post where I asked people what they would make a film about if they could make the film of their dreams about Black women. On Thursday, we followed up with a poll asking about which genres people would want to see first.
Surprising to some, but not to moi, the overwhelming majority of people voting, voted in the fantasy categories of Action Adventure/Sci fi/Thriller categories with "coming of age coming in second."
During that discussion, KnockOutChick brought up an interesting point I would like to expand on today:
What would be the goal? To make $250 million or $0.25. Technically, if you spend $5000 making a movie and you bring in $5001 you've made a profit. Is the goal to have the profit come from box office screenings or would you be content if all of the profit came from internet downloads or DVDs? Would you be happy if the film was released in limited release in several theaters or do you want to try to win film festivals. Is the goal to have Hollywood acknowledge you exist, or would you be content if the film was being shown in every beauty show in America and carried in the trench coat of every corner store hustler in town? What would be success to you? If you made a profit, would you care if the profit didn't come from playing on 2,600 screens?
Surprising to some, but not to moi, the overwhelming majority of people voting, voted in the fantasy categories of Action Adventure/Sci fi/Thriller categories with "coming of age coming in second."
During that discussion, KnockOutChick brought up an interesting point I would like to expand on today:
Is there a large enough “progressive” black audience to support artistic, talented young film makers who would be making cutting edge film? it seems to me that people who enjoy low brow entertainment exist in larger numbers. More black people want to see “Madea” than “Akeelah”.
Or do we think a progressive “black” film can make money without a significant white audience?KnockOutChick
What would be the goal? To make $250 million or $0.25. Technically, if you spend $5000 making a movie and you bring in $5001 you've made a profit. Is the goal to have the profit come from box office screenings or would you be content if all of the profit came from internet downloads or DVDs? Would you be happy if the film was released in limited release in several theaters or do you want to try to win film festivals. Is the goal to have Hollywood acknowledge you exist, or would you be content if the film was being shown in every beauty show in America and carried in the trench coat of every corner store hustler in town? What would be success to you? If you made a profit, would you care if the profit didn't come from playing on 2,600 screens?
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Reader Comments (27)
Movie making is a very expensive business, so I don't know how folk plan on getting the money to make the most expensive-a sci fi movie.
Is it possible to opt for going the cable movie route?
I'd consider getting it to DVD a success. It would be sort of like self-publishing. A lot of folk went that route and literally sold books out of the trunks of their cars. I don't know why you couldn't do the same with movies, and DVDs are smaller and more portable.
Wow. This is a very timely discussion. I literally just bought a DVD of six animated shorts from a black filmmaker this morning on the subway for $1. The story is about a little black girl growing up in BK and he and his partner are trying to raise funds for their film. I obviously haven't had a chance to watch it yet, but I was impressed by his dedication. It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there like that and a lot of drive to say “FU” to Hollywood and go out there and do it yourself! He made at least $15 in my train car alone.
I think a successful movie for, by and about black woman would be one that resonated with people, thus acting as a catalyst and opening the doors for other like films. Financial success would be great, but receiving critical acclaim and a loyal audience would probably take the film much further. Some of the best movies are the ones that are the least profitable. A loyal DVD audience would be a great start as well--that's part of the way Tyler Perry built his audience. When you demonstrate there is an untapped customer base with spending power, I would assume it becomes much easier to get financial backing. The more black films we have out the there, the less pressure it puts on the few black films that are out there to satisfy everyone. It will also provide some much needed competition for black dollars--hopefully upping the quality of filmmaking on a whole. Just like underground musicians, there are some great underground black filmmakers and playwrights that just can't seem to make it to the mainstream.
Iman
Please share the name of and contact info for the DVD about the black girl.
Tyler Perry built a movie and television studio on 30 acres in Atlanta because he is not part of the Hollywood machine and could not do it successfully there.
I believe Black women will support well-made, thoughtful movies by us and about us. Distribution could be through the internet, DVD or whatever.
This is too funny. I've never in my life wanted to make a movie. To hear my husband tell it, I don't even like them. That's not actually true, I just like to write while watching a movie. What's wrong with that?
Anyway, I was working on the dialogue for my current work in progress and realized that I tend to write the type of witty banter that I so love in movies. So, now I'm at least considering writing a screenplay. I know nothing about film-making, so I doubt it would ever be filmed, but I think that next year I'll attempt it. (Sorry, this year is booked and then some.)
As a person who writes for a living and was trained as a screenwriter, you want to be compensated for your work.
People act like creatives only create for the love of it. Yes, but we'd also like to make a comfortable living at what we do.
While I don't need to be Steven Spielberg to feel successful, i would like to be able to buy a house and send my daughter to college (and travel extensively).
The key to being successful in the movie industry is the same as being successful in te stock market...you buy low and sell high.
It's tricky because so many movies are pirated upon and before their release...so straight to DVD isn't as profitable as it used to be (ask the porn industry).
While I have major issues with Tyler Perry, young filmmakers can learn a lot from how he has done business. To the detriment of black film making and the benefit of his pockets he has managed to create a media empire on his own terms and in his own way.
That is how Black women are going to be successful in creating "their" stories in whatever form that may take.
@Roslyn
Looking for someone to adapt one of your books into a screenplay?
I'm available:-)
I love this question, Gina. And I love that I couldn't pick just one answer for the poll. My dilemma reminded me how poorly defined success metrics remain a major reason that anything fails.
The measure of success for a film about Black women will come from the primary stakeholders. For some (as one mentioned above), success may be reasonable profit that allows the filmmaker to live a better life doing what they love.
For others, completing a movie that triggers public discussion of social issues may be the measure of success - whether the profit "pays the bills" or not. Face it. Civil rights movements often don't pay-off before many of the front-line fighters die. Martin Luther King never received the payoff of witnessing the first Black president - but King's work made it possible.
For me, if I wrote a great Black film that earned widespread recognition and paved the way for others (or even my own future profitable work) - I would be happy to break even (after all expenses, including payroll.)
JJ, unless you're willing to work for my delicious, yet not legal tender, chocolate triple threat cookies, I'm afraid I can't afford you! -lol-
I'm actually looking forward to the exercise of writing a screenplay. No real chance of filming it, but it'll be interesting.
Total media and world domination due to market saturation!
I think a successful film would be everywhere!: an R&B music video with clips of the film, a DVD in your cereal, attached to your haircare product, a Wii game, it comes with the book, it's available for viewing in every black hair salon, etc.
It would be a concept of completely "selling out": having sponsored product tie-ins in the film to help with financing, distribution, and media saturation. It should make a profit before the film goes in the can.
But what do I know?
As for film categories I love Sci-Fi, like coming of age and enjoy comedy-romance. Yet the most expensive is Sci-Fi and I expect that romance and coming of age would be the cheapest.
I think we normally measure success by how much money a film grosses and/or how many awards it wins. The latter hopefully leading to more of the former.
This is a bigger question that can be applied to art in general. When did the question of "what do you want to accomplish with the project" become "how much money will this make and is it worth it?"
Fortunately there are still some real artists out there just trying to tell stories and keep people negaged. Keep brains moving and conversations flowing. The money-makers have taken their place, wrongfully, at the top of the film world. They generate media which then "informs" citizens about what is or isn't worth watching. But there are plenty of folks flying and soaring under the radar who are just happy to be part of the process.
ditto Iman, do you have his contact information. literally, since my sister was born, i've been looking for shows specifically for black girls and haven't been able to find any.
Oh my Lord! I have always loved her other folks thoughts on this subject.
I can't believe my .02 is highlighted :-)
I would love to see more talented black film makers be able to make a good living from their craft. I too, know many people who have hundreds of copies of DVDs they made on their own sitting in their garage.
@ Goldenah
Great ideas! Could black women film makers cross market and have openings and viewings at Black Hair shows? Or other women's health and beauty products shows?
There's something there..
I am one that tends to watch and support independent films. I've hosted movie/discussion parties on "American Blackout", "NO! The Rape Documentary", "One Week", etc etc. Most of them would not even look at a documentary or independent film unless I was the social-power to the people-sexy nerd! I love exposing my circle to movies that are insightful, unique, and with depth.
I have mixed feelings on this one. But I voted for "large profit" because I think it is the main route for people to have careers, hire others, get investors, and build something that will outlast their first project.
Someone mentioned buying a DVD for $1. I don't know how that would generate options for the creators of the film. If it's a good film and not pirated, buying it for a dollar is great for the consumer.
Just getting it done: involves only spending money, not necessarily making money.
Just any profit is not good unless the film maker has other sources of income. Possibly won't have funds to make a second film.
Just getting it screened and winning awards may not lead to more films or wide distribution or getting investors for a second project.
Beauty shop screenings? If it's a pirated DVD, does no good. If everybody buys a true copy, great!
It's like any other business. You need to make enough money to be sustainable. Otherwise. you've got a series of one-hit-wonders and not a movement. Remember "Daughters of the Dust"? A great film, was widely (relatively speaking) screened, and won awards, but didn't make a lot of money in theaters.
I would love to see something available as a download on iTunes or elsewhere. Go viral. Maybe there would be more possibilities for larger profits due to lower distribution costs.
If the film is made under the guise of a non profit the most important thing is to get it seen by the most people. It would also provide an opportunity for black women who want to get into the business some experience to put on their resume. A breaking in point. In my mind the point of taking control of our image is to make films that star/include black women that everyone wants to see. Sort of normalizing black women to a wider audience. In my opinion that means a genre picture: action, adventure, sci-fi, or horror. These genres have a built in large audience that is predisposed to see a film if it hits certain notes (and sometimes even if it doesn’t). For example prior to Sigourney Weaver in Alien (1979) white women were portrayed as a second thought in most mainstream movies. Playing “the girl” in films. After Ripley you can chart the difference in roles for white women. Even in non-genre films a little more thought and skill went into their characters. Sci-fi and horror are studio builders and makers. From Universal to new line and lionsgate. Most of the important directors get their start with horror films. New Line went from Nightmare on Elm Street to Lord of the Rings. They are proven moneymakers and there is a network of marketing opportunities already in place. As for sci-fi and horror being expensive. Not really. If you have a person or people that know animation software (maya, 3d studio max, lightwave or blender, which is free), composite and video editing then you can do almost anything. It just takes people with knowledge. The 15K film I mentioned in the previous post was a sci-fi movie. This guy’s film is now being developed into a TV show for Fox. The true barrier to a genre picture would be the script or story. It would have to be really unique to stand apart from the rest of the other genre films.
JJ said:
While I have major issues with Tyler Perry, young filmmakers can learn a lot from how he has done business. To the detriment of black film making and the benefit of his pockets he has managed to create a media empire on his own terms and in his own way.
That is how Black women are going to be successful in creating “their” stories in whatever form that may take.
My response:
I absolutely agree 100%. I also work as a writer and I think Tyler has a great business model that I'm in the process of copying and improving.
Someone else on here mentioned that making films is expensive, this is true. But only because we are trying to copy Hollywood.
What makes a film successful? I think a film about black women would be successful if it reaches a large audience and has long lifespan.
Goldenah said:
Total media and world domination due to market saturation!
My Reponse:
Yes, that's the type of success I want!
Hollywood blackout said:
This is a bigger question that can be applied to art in general. When did the question of “what do you want to accomplish with the project” become “how much money will this make and is it worth it?” Fortunately there are still some real artists out there just trying to tell stories and keep people negaged.
My Response:
Artists NEED to get paid also. I have had so many people come to me as a writer to work on their projects for FREE. I'm not having it. They would never ask their accountant, lawyer or even their plumber to work for free so don't ask creative people. A writer can create meaningful work AND get paid.
@Beverly
"Artists NEED to get paid also. I have had so many people come to me as a writer to work on their projects for FREE. I’m not having it. They would never ask their accountant, lawyer or even their plumber to work for free so don’t ask creative people. A writer can create meaningful work AND get paid."
AMEN!
No one is going to be successful like Tyler Perry unless you're willing to highlight stereotypes! Plain and simple.
The man has a 'formula' style. And he sticks to it. ANYONE can follow it. Like a cartoon. It doesn't tkae much to figure out. He doesn't make it too complicated. What he has done is omitted what he and Hollywood consider to be a minority and inconsequential: our upper class, our elite, our intellectuals, and our pure creative type(which he himself belongs to but is marginal).
There's no expansion. It's all neat and tied up into a nice little package.
I hate this sh#t! And him too. Quick-someone name a White male actor or comedian or writer/producer who's made a career impersonating a white woman(Dame Edna doesn't count-he's a cross dresser!).
Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Tyler Perry. Again and again, every generation. Stepping back from it all, I feel really sorry for African-American women having this so openly done to them! It's awful.
We've got to become cohesive and exert our power and worth and beauty and uniqueness.
Maybe we've got to keep talking about it. Just kee musing and sharing and blogging and writing and shouting out about it-to ourselves, each other and anyone else who'll listen. Not 'complaining' or 'whinning'! Just keep at what we want and need and will not accept.
I too am looking for stuff for my 5 year old e.g. Static Shock was a great show (and a ratings monster in EVERY time slot it was put into - which meant that more than little Black boys were watching it) but my daughter would rather watch Sprout and Noggin stuff and the only episode she found even midly intriguiging was the one co-starring She-Bang, a female superhero.
I'm waiting with bated breath for the Princess and The Frog so that there will finally be a Princess that looks like her in popular culture. (I'm also waiting, cuz I'm not sure what sort of mixed messages it will be sending with the European prince)
I'm also looking for FUBU music for her and coming up short - everybody seems to want to either be Little Wayne or R. Kelly and no one seems to notice that Laurie Berkner and the Wiggles are all multi-millionaires. . . offa kids music. Man I wish I could sing.
If the film won some festival awards, that would be good. Festival awards make films more attractive to movie-goers..
I've been following this movie thread. I just saw this posted up on the Apple trailers site:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/medicineformelancholy/" rel="nofollow">http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/medicineformelancholy/
Here is an interview with the director
http://invisible-cinema.blogspot.com/2008/10/7-questions-with-director-barry-jenkins.html
"This movie was shot with a four-person crew on an obsolete camera (Panasonic HVX) and edited on a laptop. The means to make films is out there for anyone with enough friends and skill to utilize them."
also another film
http://obensonreport.blogspot.com/2009/01/film-finds-american-violet.html
Hey why cant we just start up our own distribution company?
That way we can support our movies by making others pay fees for having us distribute their stuff. There are alot of film makers out there who would love to have a studio, and distributor to work with. Why not have that? We can also globalize. They are alot of growing movie industries that we can take a part of AND make money. Think big!
@ Nappy Mind & Mary, please find the information below:
http://www.myspace.com/screenartsmark
I still haven't had a chance to actually watch the dvd, but I do know it's supposed to be for all ages, so the link shouldn't send you to something outrageous. All the animation is hand drawn and they are selling the six animated shorts to make money for a feature length animated film starring the same character.
I voted for having it play in every Black beauty salon. I would love to make profit, but I think that is a moot point for a couple of reasons. First, everyone knows that Black females control all of the wealth in the Black community, so if quality movies about us are made and targeted at that specific audience, these films making profit is a forgone conclusiona. Second, and most importantly, I am not a professional filmaker and have no desire to be one, so I am looking at this movie business as a vehicle to do something MUCH more important than making money, and that is to help Black females. So I look at these films playing in the salons with many Black female faces looking up at the screen with smiles and expressions of pride as my barometer of success!
What Black males, White America, the critics (White media or Black media) think of my films, and whether or not they "Broke even/made a profit" in mainstream theatres means NOTHING to me.