Author: Warin

Remembering Viola Fletcher

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Viola Fletcher passed away this week and leaves an incredible legacy behind

Ms. Fletcher was the longest living survivor of the infamous 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. This was an event that had been covered up for decades and only recently came back into national prominence, due in part to the work of Ms. Fletcher. The 2019 HBO show Watchmen began with dramatized scenes from the Tulsa Race Massacre, which led to even more people asking questions about this event.

Ms. Fletcher was just 7-years-old at the time of the incident in which a white mob killed scores of Black people and burned down the thriving Black business district known as Black Wall Street. The aftermath resulted in immediately making thousands of people destitute and homeless.

No one was ever formally held accountable for the death and destruction that occurred.

Ms. Fletcher would go on to give speeches, speak in front of congress, and even wrote a book detailing what she witnessed in the following years after. Her legacy will not be forgotten.

Viola Fletcher in 2021

Remembering Malcolm-Jamal Warner

Posted on by in remembrance, Uncategorized and tagged , , .

When reports came in of Malcolm Jamal Warner’s passing last month, it sent shockwaves not just through the entertainment industry, but American culture as well.

Warner rose to prominence in the 1980s as Theo Huxtable on ‘The Cosby Show’ and it was there he entered millions of homes and forged memories that still persist more than 30 years after the show’s conclusion. While it was ‘The Cosby Show’ that introduced him to America and the world, Malcolm-Jamal Warner was so much more than just one particular role. He was a musician, a producer, a husband, and a father. He will certainly be missed.

When the Call is Coming from Inside the House: The Role of the Creative During These Times

Posted on by in Art, Artists, DEI, Washington DC and tagged , , .

To say that it’s been an interesting few weeks here in the United States would feel like the understatement of the century at this point.

From attacks on the trans community, to the predictable crackdown on DEI, and giving the richest man in the world carte blanche over the federal government, it’s anything but business as usual in Washington these days. Reading the news these days feels like getting punched out by a prime Mike Tyson and wondering when the hell the bell is going to ring to give you a pause to catch your breath.

For the creative community these are interesting times nonetheless. Art alone won’t save us, but it can help give us meaning during these chaotic times. Whether it be paintings, drawings, television, film, or literature, all have meaning and purpose and must be protected. I emphasize protected, because the arts are being threatened by the anti-DEI dragnet currently taking hold within the current administration.

However, despite these attacks, artists and creatives don’t have to take this lying down. As a matter of fact, some of the best work comes during troubled times. Case-in-point during the 1960s, probably the roughest decade for America (until ironically, the 2020s) some of the best music this country has ever produced came out during that era of Civil Rights, war, and societal upheaval.

I have no idea what these next 4 years will hold, but I know that as creatives, we must continue to speak truth to power, regardless of who occupies 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. For our country and future selves depend on it.

Photo by Zez Vaz

Devestating Effects of California Wildfires

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Much has been made these last couple of weeks of the wildfires and their devastation within the greater Los Angeles area. Many people have been displaced and even lost their homes entirely, including Los Angeles Lakers head coach J.J. Reddick, who gave an emotional interview about the topic last week.

While much has been made of the Hollywood stars who lost their homes, it’s worth noting that it was not only just the rich and famous who were affected.

The community of Altadena, which had been a haven for the Black middle class for years, was devastated. Generations of Black families who had relatives move to the community during the period known as The Great Migration lost their homes and livelihoods to the Eaton fire. People such as Octavia Butler, Sidney Potier, Eldridge Cleaver, and Jackie Robinson were some prominent Black figures calling Altadena home over the years. The Fair Housing Act was passed in 1968, which allowed Black folks to buy homes and build a legacy in places such as Altadena when such opportunities were not possible in many other neighborhoods.

As folks struggle to rebuild it’s important to keep them in mind as losing a home is not something one recovers from quickly. To donate to a GoFund for members of the Altadena community, you can click here.

My 2024 Movie of the Year

Posted on by in History and tagged , , , .

2024 was the year that I got reacquainted with the theater-going experience again after almost 5 years. I went to see ‘The Photograph’ back in February 2020 with a coworker and would not step foot again in a theater until April 2023 when I saw ‘John Wick 4.’ It would not be until last year, however, that I would make repeated trips to the darkened room and see movies as they were meant to be made.

With that said, I really enjoyed all the films I saw this year. Between ‘Didi,’ ‘Exhibiting Forgiveness,’ ‘A Real Pain,’ and even ‘Deadpool and Wolverine,’ I enjoyed every experience. However one film stood above them all to win my award for movie of the year. That film was ‘Nickel Boys.’

On the surface, ‘Nickel Boys’ is about a young man who, the summer he is supposed to head to college, gets caught up in the judicial system and instead spends years in a juvenile detention facility. It’s worth noting that this is 1960s Flordia, and segregation is not only encouraged but required. So, as a young black man caught up in the system, we see the main character, Elwood, and his friend Turner deal with levels of isolation and punishment that would break most men — let alone boys.

What’s unique about this film is that much of it is shot from a first-person perspective. It’s a perspective that I cannot recall seeing used extensively in a film before. At first, it was somewhat jarring to get used to. But then, it made sense. You, the viewer, are literally “inhabiting” the body of these characters and seeing the world literally through their eyes. It was very moving and I recommend anyone reading this to see it.

Looking Ahead to 2025

Posted on by in Uncategorized.

‘Stay Alive til ’25’

It’s been a rough few years for film industry. Between two major strikes in 2023 and a continued slowdown in available work, not to forgot the initial Covid stoppages, and well, you have an industry still trying to find it’s sealegs of sorts.

There have been more than a few articles regarding the effects the slowdown has had on industry veterans. Falling behind on bills, lost apartments, mortgages not paid, trying to find odd jobs, etc. it’s been rough for folks. There’s no guarantee that any of this changes in 2025, but here’s to hoping at least 👍🏾

Happy New Year Everyone!

Finally got Posterized

Posted on by in Film, Filmmakers and tagged , , .
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Probably the coolest thing about 2024 for me was that after more than 15 years of short films, independent projects, and student work, I finally saw my name on a poster. It’s a small thing (and yeah, on the actual poster itself, my name is really small) but it makes a huge difference in terms of acknowledgment. Also, it’s kind of cool to say that you produced a movie and have something tangible to show people. 2024 handed me more than a few L’s this year, but happy to say this, at least, was a solid win and a nice boost to my confidence as I make my way through this world as a film producer. I hope every filmmaker can experience this feeling at least once during their career.

Physical Media’s Disappearing Act: What Lies Ahead for Blu-Ray and Beyond on the Eve of 2024

Posted on by in Digital Media, media and tagged , , .

Back in October of 2023, Best Buy announced that they were doing away with their stash of Blu-rays and other physical media beginning in 2024. Well, 2024 is just a few hours away, and suffice it to say, this new reality is on our doorstep now.

This, to me, is very unfortunate. I can recall quite fondly, sometime in the early 2010s, going through one of those large bins in Best Buy that had the $5 and $10 DVDs and Blu-rays. It was always interesting to see what was on sale and if any of my favorite films were in there. Oftentimes, I didn’t end up buying anything, but I always enjoyed perusing those bins just in case I found something that really piqued my interest.

Those bins are soon to be gone, along with aisles of Blu-rays, CDs, and DVDs that accompany them. And it’s not just Best Buy either, as both Microsoft and Sony are steering consumers to consider their digital-only consoles for their respective platforms. A trend that started about a decade ago has accelerated in recent years with the shift to more and more digital media. We’ve seen it in movies and video games, and certainly with music being the first platform to go to a nearly all-digital future (though vinyl is making a bit of a comeback).

I suppose this is just the nature of things in some regards. However, living in a world where physical media is increasingly becoming less available with each passing year is still jarring. Undoubtedly, the rise of streaming has also played a role in all of this, as people have become accustomed to watching their films on their favorite streamer or buying them directly from a digital storefront like iTunes or Google Play. It’s much more convenient to have a digital library of films on your phone that travels with you wherever your phone does than having to lug around a case of Blu-rays and old DVDs.

Still, though, there’s the question of ownership. Earlier in 2023, Max (formerly known as HBO Max) announced they were delisting certain shows and films from their platform. Mind you, these are not third-party media projects but rather things that the Max team had developed in-house but decided it was better to shelve for the tax write-offs than to release the material to their subscribers. So, for the people paying the monthly subscription fees, they never got to see those projects since they were never released and there was not any physical copies distributed. Effectively they are just gone. As bad as that is, it’s much worse for the people who actually worked on these films and TV shows and don’t have anything to show for it.

So what does all this mean on the eve of 2024? Well, prepare for more uncertainty and if there’s really a film or TV show you like and think you’ll watch again, it might be best to buy a physical copy. At least that way, it’ll be available to you whenever you like and you don’t have to worry about some corporate overlord canceling your favorite show over some tax write-offs.

Back Again After a Prolonged Hiatus

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If you would have told me in February of 2020 that it would be 3 years before I entered a movie theater again, I would have called you crazy along with probably some other choice words. Well, it turned out to be 3 years and a couple of months of no movie theaters for me. A steak I’m proud to say I finally broke just last week.

In going to see John Wick 4 a couple of weeks ago (a good film I might add) I had broken the longest streak in my lifetime of not seeing movies in the theater. The pandemic played a large role in that, but also mee going to grad school and working full-time contributed as well. Some movies are really meant to be viewed in the darkened surround sound rooms that make up movie theaters. A home entertainment setup might not always cut it. Tom Cruise and the people behind ‘Top Gun Maverick’ would almost certainly agree.

Things have changed quite a bit in the time since I last stepped foot in a theater. Streaming has become more ubiquitous and even more influential. The average film now is only in theaters for about 4-6 weeks before it premieres on streaming networks. Also, I like many people, got used to watching things at home during the height of the pandemic and it was hard to break the habit. Ultimately, I did miss the movie theater experience and it seems like I’m not the only one as crowds have come back for some films while other genres are still struggling. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out over the next year or so.

Last movie I saw in theaters until a couple of weeks ago.

Closing out 2022

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This year was one of contrast for me.

I started the year entering my final semester of graduate school and would graduate in May with my master’s in film producing. Working full-time and doing school full-time was rough at points, but I learned a lot about myself in the process. What started as a curiosity 20 years ago in the summer of 2002, would ultimately lead me to getting my master’s this past spring. The job is not done, however.

I’m still in the midst of figuring out my post-grad career plans. 2022 was the year I put towards my studies and became more consistent. 2023 is the year I use what I’ve been taught to ascend and bring these dreams to fruition.

I also look forward to having more time to blog and putting new things out into the universe. For anyone reading this, and for those who have been following this blog throughout the years, Thank You.