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Well #HarrietTubman is back in the news so here's a thread about why the culture matters & ppl like me don't just write op eds, we create entertainment. My partner and I made a movie about Tubman(I'll let him decide if he wants to be tagged on this thread)
We secured a grant, were given a screenwriting mentor to help us through the process &we set about giving the low-budget "action hero" treatment to Tubman we've always felt she deserved. It's fiction. Some ppl didn't like that...
conservatives especially expect us to have some kind of messaging in our film. No. SHE is the message and the rest is entertainment. Stop looking for things that beat you over the head with a message. Good entertainment can permeate the culture wo the lectures...
Our version of Tubman was a physicalization of her spiritual and mental strength. We imagined telling her story as a kind of Blaxploitation western with a modern flair. Our goal was (and still is) to sell it as a tv series. Unfortunately it's not enough to just make something...
You need support, and connections. Fortunately when we were short of our $$ goal to finish, an investor who understood exactly what we were trying to do stepped up and pitched in. @mosesmosesmoses puts her money where her mouth is when it comes to the culture...
We need a million more like her...people who understand that the work that will shift the culture is not MESSAGING work, it's just good entertainment that can appeal to everyone, regardless of politics. We aim "Minty" toward that goal ...
My partners & I are currently working toward another film shoot this summer for a horror anthology series. We don't just complain about the culture...we're engaging in it. We would love to see some investors come in alongside us and help us influence through the arts
Black filmmakers are still rare & in these times are sought after on the left. Here is one with a political sensibility of reason & grace *raises hand* and it's hard to get any investors on the right to even acknowledge our work.
But we are out here. I am out here, with my creative partners who walk the walk with me every day. You don't know their names bc they don't need a pat on the back for how "open & diversity-minded" they are. They just want to create good stories without the politics.
I chose #HarrietTubman as my first subject bc she embodies everything wonderful about this culture and about Black culture. You can support our work by watching and sharing our film. If you're an investor, hit me up...we have so much more in the works
The culture shift starts with you, with me, with good entertainment that is devoid of messaging and that just aims at engaging an audience. It's time to get in the game. I'm already here, along with my producers & partners. Join us.
Here's a still (why isn't YT populating the link??? frustrating). We had 20 minutes a day over 2 days to get this magic hour shot, and our lead actress passed out bf the first shot. But she had that Minty spirit & we got the shot & it was glorious
And here's Minty (Tubman's nickname) & her sidekick Sam, listening to @garysteveneaton sing off camera. We needed a disembodied voice at the last sec & Gary lived near the set. Called him, desperate&he ran right over, like a champ. Really saved us.
Here's Minty telling people ready to quit that there's "no comfort in freedom"...being free does not mean being safe. Tubman was an expert in risk and refused to be defeated. She deserves more than a one-off biopic for Oscar season
