Thursday, July 31, 2008

KANYEEZY AND HBO



According to Entertainment Weekly, HBO is trying to put things together to form a single camera show based around one of my favorite guys, Kanye West. Supposedly, the show would follow the busy life of Kanye and his relationships with his friends and family. Sounds kinda like "Entourage" to me but I'm sure Kanye would most definitely put his own ego driven spin on things. Gotta love him!

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OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS


Black Stories is a documentary series that tells the real life stories of African Americans and their experiences. A showcase of documentaries from everyday people in and of the Black community. Black Stories tells diverse and provocative stories of African Americans that need to be told. In an effort to further document the African American experience; Black Stories, like a modern day "griot"; examines the lives, loves and experiences of a people.

BET J and the Producers of Black Stories are dedicated to providing a platform for independent films that tell the African American Experience in all its forms. If you're interested in telling your story, please send us your short documentary.

(Docs must be 45 Min. or less and in some way express the "Black" experience, past or present)

Send DVD copy to:
BETJ / Black Stories
1540 Broadway, #27
New York, NY 10036
212.205.3184
Please include complete contact information

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"THE EXPRESS" TRAILER


Drumroll please...and we have yet ANOTHER sports drama. However, I must admit that it's good to see some new faces. Stars Dennis Quaid, Rob Brown, Charles S. Dutton, and Darrin Dewitt Henson.

SYNOPSIS
A drama based on the life of college football hero Ernie Davis, the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy.

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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

AMERICAN SON TRAILER




Besides hating Nick's hair with a passion, the trailer for this looks interesting. It recently showed at the The New York International Latino Film Festival hosted by HBO.

SYNOPSIS
The story of a young Marine, fresh from Camp Pendleton, who is forced to confront the complexities of adulthood and a volatile home life during a four-day Thanksgiving leave.

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DISNEY'S "THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG" TEASER TRAILER





Interesting...rolls eyes at the lightening bug

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MORE RUMORS FROM COMIC CON





The guys over at Superherohype.com got a chance to kick the actual factuals with Mr. Tyrese Gibson last week and say that he was hinting around at possibly starring in the film version of "Thundercats." He wouldn't say what character he'd be playing but I'm pretty sure it would "Panthro."
What do ya think?? Striking resemblence?

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BET'S "THE BLACK PANTHER" AT COMIC CON



Never been to Comic Con, but if it's anything like the Dragon Con Convention I inadvertently stumbled upon in Atlanta last year, it's surely gotta be one colorful event. During this years Comic Con, BET's head honcho Reginald Hudlin, showed off a new trailer for the forthcoming animated series "The Black Panther", based on the comic book.
The folks over at Buzzfocus.com had this to say about the much anticipated reveal of this highly popular comic:
"The animation is much like a comic book with moving images; all the backgrounds remain still, while the characters move in the foreground. "The Black Panther” cartoon is NOT for children. From the beginning of the story expect nothing but blood and gore. And a lot of it. The scenes are brutal and extracted directly from issues 1-6 of the Black Panther."
As far as casting, rumor has it that Djimon Hounsou may play the voice of Wakandan leader T’Challa aka "Black Panther." Sounds dreamy to me...Click the picture for the LA Times recap.

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WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

A lot of you have been asking where this whole journalistic side of me came from (since I'm a screenwriter). If you check out the bottom right hand side of the page, I've posted some of my past interviews, mostly musicians, that I did while in college. You'll definitely see some interesting stuff.

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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

TYLER PERRY RE-UPS DEAL WITH LIONSGATE


Tyler Perry recently signed on for three more years with a first look deal with Lionsgate. This deal won't be put into effect until after his next two movies "A Family that Preys Together" and "Madea Goes to Jail."
According to Variety, Tyler's films have grossed $250 million for Lionsgate with $25 million in DVD sales. I can totally see why they don't want to let go of this walking and talking cash machine.


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THE THIRD AND FINAL ACT IN MY INTERVIEW WITH HOLLYWOOD EXEC JEFF TAPLIN FROM INFINITUM NIHIL



If you missed the previous two acts, click for Part 1 or Part 2

ACT THREE

SHEQUETA
Where can up and coming black filmmakers meet people like you?

JEFF
If you’re working in Hollywood I guess you’ll meet people. Just get your feet wet you know. There’s no one place or anything. Just go out there (and) network. Cause one door will open another door will open another door. Like when I came into town, I didn’t know all the black people who worked in town but over the years you just kind of meet them. Maybe you’ll meet someone who’s like oh yeah I know this person, you should meet this person. So that’s what will happen when you get out there and start working. It’s all about networking.

SHEQUETA
Any last words of encouragement or advice to the young and old black filmmakers struggling to make it in Hollywood?

JEFF
I guess I would just say don’t give up. Your voice is…how do I want to say it…don’t feel that you don’t have a place at the table. Everyone has a place at the table. You just have to make that place for you. When I look at Spike Lee’s career, the thing that I really liked about it and the thing that I took away from his career and that I admire him for is that he always has this…I always felt like he has this sort of sense that what he was saying was valid. He felt entitled to say it and speak his mind artistically and creatively. Don’t ever feel like you can’t do it or you shouldn’t be here. It doesn’t matter what race you are or what background you come from, you’re here and don’t feel like you’re somehow last or second class or something. Just sort of look around you and see how far society has come in such a short time in the last forty years.

JEFF CONT’D
There was this column I read recently by the former political speech writer Peggy Noonan. She has a regular weekly column in the Wall Street Journal. She was talking about the Obama candidacy. She’s like a white cath- I think she’s Catholic, probably in her fifties-sixties, and she made this point in her column just how it all kind of hit her and how it’s probably hitting a lotta people. She said how she had a friend who told her this anecdote—and I assume they were white— I guess it was the night of like several different primaries. One of the primaries was in Alabama and she said the friend tells this anecdote where they’re sitting there watching the TV and they’re just like "oh Obama wins Alabama." It kind of went in one ear and out the other like okay great. This person’s daughter saw the TV and she goes "hey look daddy, isn’t that the place where they put the fire hoses on black people?" And he was kinda like wow he hadn’t really thought of it like that. He hadn’t really seen it that way. Like isn’t that an amazing accomplishment in his lifetime and his children’s lifetime? Here she is at school learning about this and then here she is watching on TV and so he hadn’t really made that connection.
JEFF CONT'D
So her point of this anecdote was…despite the country’s problem it’s still an amazing country. That we can have that moment and kind of wow here’s a black man who again like forty years ago they would have turned the fire hose on him and here he is winning not only the primary of this state, but also goes on to win to be the candidate for one of the two national parties. So you know we live in this amazing time of history. Even when I was coming up like ten years ago, I never like felt like oh I shouldn’t be here. I always kind of had this mentality of I deserve to be here. Like you know the previous generations fought their battles of civil rights, and women rights, and minority rights. They fought these battles so I could be doing this job here and now. So I shouldn’t take that that for granted. And at the same time, I should be aware of that and kind of realize that I don’t need to struggle as hard. They fought those fights and now it’s up to me to make good on that promise. I think that’s where many blacks find themselves. At this point in time and history, we have to now make good on the promise of the dream deferred. You know Martin Luther King and Malcolm X’s and everybody else, Booker T. (Washington) and (George Washington) Carver and all those guys.

SHEQUETA
We’re on the backs of our ancestors…

JEFF
Exactly, and we have to make good on their struggles and their fights and their victories and their failures and continue to go forward. And to really live in the spirit that one day everyone will be equal no matter your race or religion you know, your gender, your sexual orientation. That’s what we all should be moving forward to. To that day where people don’t have to say uh you know if we have one more black person in this film it’ll be considered a black film. Again, look at someone like Will Smith and you look at a movie like Pursuit of Happyness, that was basically a black film.

SHEQUETA
But they would never say that...

JEFF
But it wasn’t marketed as a black film and people went and saw it anyway. Even though the story was kinda pedestrian. Again, it sort of shows that we’ve come so far in terms of how we look at entertainment (and) how we look at ourselves…You know people always say oh you know art imitates life-imitates art. And again I’m not sure if it’s one leading the other but what I do know is that they both inform each other and they both work off of each other. Maybe in a way, the fact that there were so many movies where you have Morgan Freeman playing the President, where people can kind of go okay I’m okay for that idea. People can somehow take what was previously fiction and turn it into fact and go okay I’d be okay with having a black president cause Morgan Freeman was the President and it was okay in that movie.
SHEQUETA
In conclusion...

JEFF
At the end of the day, Hollywood, all they care about is green. So when you prove to them that you can make money they don’t really care who you put in your movies or what the movies are about just as long as you make money for them. But at the same time, you gotta realize that you want to put out something that is positive or at least enlightening to a different experience….My advice would be that the path is easier (and) there are many obstacles but just don’t let those get you down and set you back. And just realize that we’ve come a long way.
FADE OUT:

THE END
Please leave your comments and thoughts below...

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NICKELODEON ORDERS 20 EPISODES OF KEKE'S SHOW




Nickelodeon has announced that they are ordering 20 episodes of their new teeny bopper show "True Jackson, VP," starring Keke Palmer (Akeelah and the Bee). In the show, Keke stars as True Jackson, a 15 year old fashion queen who heads up the youth division of a major fashion house.

Pretty much sounds like a redo of Christina Applegate's character in "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead." One of my favorite cheesy 80's flicks from back in the day (btw). Here's to hoping this one turns into a hit for Keke!

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'W' Trailer
Check out the new trailer for the upcoming movie for "W." Starring Josh Brolin (George Bush), Jeffrey Wright (Colin Powell), and Thandie Newton (Condoleezza Rice). This should be interesting.
SYNOPSIS
A chronicle on the life and presidency of George W. Bush.

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MARK WHITAKER TO REPLACE TIM RUSSERT


NBC News veteran Mark Whitaker will take over duties as Washington bureau chief in the post held by Tim Russert, who died in June. Whitaker is currently, and will remain, the Senior Vice President of NBC News.

What many folks don't know that Whitaker was the brains behind the "African American Women: Where they Stand" special that ran for a week last winter on NBC, hosted by Rehema Ellis. Congrats to Mr. Whitaker.

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Monday, July 28, 2008

CNN'S BLACK IN AMERICA PULLS IN RATINGS

According to the Hollywood Reporter, CNN's Black in America documentary pulled in some decent numbers. 2.6 million viewers to be exact. I watched and will put my thoughts below but I what I want to know is....


WHAT DID YOU THINK??





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PART DEUX OF MY INTERVIEW WITH
HOLLYWOOD EXEC JEFF TAPLIN FROM INFINITUM NIHIL
If you missed Part One click here

ACT TWO

SHEQUETA
What kind of projects are you interested in doing?

JEFF
I guess just good projects (laughter), you know. I mean if I had my sort of wherewithal, there’s only a few things that I would really like to do. I would like to do something based on a Philip K. Dick novel cause I love Philip K. Dick. He’s a Sci-Fi writer. He wrote the source material for movies like Blade Runner and Minority Report and Paycheck. So the ideals are very out there and far reaching which I really like. It would be that and I think there’s some great August Wilson plays that could maybe be adapted into film that would be great. Like “Two Trains Running” is a great piece and I would like to see that done as movie. Toni Morrison, I could maybe see some more of her kind of stuff out there. I mean I liked “Beloved” on one level but I think on another level I don’t think it quite went to that ideal of generation memory which is a very fascinating concept. I could see where that’s a hard thing to wrestle with and deal with.

SHEQUETA
In two hours.

JEFF
Yeah in two hours. So I don’t really fault the film for not hitting all those keys. But those are the kind of things I would like to do. Just things that are not done or out there right now, but it’s a tough marketplace.

SHEQUETA
Is Sci-Fi your favorite genre?

JEFF
No, not really. There are a lot of different genres I like.

SHEQUETA
What upcoming projects do you guys have coming up?

JEFF
Upcoming projects, let’s see… we’re working on a book by Nick Hornby called “A Long Way Down."

SHEQUETA
Isn’t he a sports writer?

JEFF
No, he wrote the book the movies based on: "High Fidelity" and "About a Boy." And this one (A Long Way Down), is about four people who meet on a on a rooftop in London on New Years Eve with the intent of killing themselves. They talk each other out of killing themselves. They spend like the next year trying to fix their lives. You know, become mentally better. So we’re working on that. We have this book called Shantaram, this big epic journey through India. This guy is on the lam and ends up in India.

SHEQUETA
Who is it by?

JEFF
Gregory Roberts. Let’s see what else. Rex Mundi, which is a comic book property. And it’s basically like an alternate future where the Spanish Inquisition was able to take hold and essentially control the development of the industry and technology. So essentially the Catholic Church owned all this hi-tech stuff and the rest of the people live in this almost like eighteen century- nineteen century kind of world but it’s two thousand eight. And it’s like an alternate parallel universe essentially. So the civil war had a different outcome and so the US is split between North and South and there’s still problems like literally where the US is split apart and fractioned but the story takes place like in Europe.

SHEQUETA
Is Johnny starring in all of those?

JEFF
I think probably just in Rex Mundi. What else do we have…we have “Dark Shadows” based on the TV (show)…the vampire soap opera from the seventies. (It) was actually like a TV soap that was about a family where there was a vampire in the family. It was sort of a weird concept yeah. But it’s a cult classic in a sense because the production values were very laughable. So you would see the boom mics and the set would kind of wobble a bit but people loved it. So, we’re working on that. We have a story called “Bomb in my Garden” which is about Saddam‘s top nuclear scientist--nuclear enrichment scientist (and) everything he knew and did for Saddam. So we have a lotta projects coming up.

SHEQUETA
If you could go back in time and tell yourself something about the business what would that be?

JEFF
I don’t know if I would tell myself anything. Just because it’s just unpredictable, you know. You have to kind of go with the flow, roll with the punches. I remember I thought about this a little when I first got this job and I thought to myself you know if I could go back to…like if I was in college and someone said oh you’re gonna go and work for Johnny Depp someday I’d be like hey get outta here that’s not gonna happen. I mean it may happen but you know I don’t see it happening, I don’t know where that path is. So, I don’t think I would really tell myself anything but just to stay on the path (and) be willing to change directions. I mean I knew this anyway, I knew that there’s no one sort of quick and easy way. Everyone finds their own way in this business. Everyone has a different story about how they got to where they got. No two stories are the same. So there’s really nothing I would tell myself because there’s really nothing to be told. (laughs)

SHEQUETA
So just keep going blindly?

JEFF
Kind of yeah, I mean not blindly…I guess I’m getting at the fact that there just is no one way. And again I knew that ten years ago and I know it today and I’ll know it ten years from now when maybe I’m doing something else.

SHEQUETA
Who’s the most powerful person in Hollywood?

JEFF
I guess I would say just like a collective group, they would be the heads of the media companies. Whether it’s Sumner Redstone, who has Viacom, whether it’s Ron Myer, I think he’s head of Universal I believe. Whether it’s Bob Iger, who’s head of Disney/ABC, Rupert Murdoch (Fox). Those guys, they’re really the most powerful people because what they do, their decisions, effect so many people. We see like these various labor contract dispute negotiations and the fact is you know they could end these. They could’ve ended the writer’s strike in a heartbeat by just saying oh we’re not gonna be greedy sob’s and we have enough money and we can give you writers--the people who create things for us—a little bit more money. Same thing with the actors, they could do the same thing. They could go yeah you guys do deserve to be more sort of equity partners and all but no. So in a way they are the most powerful people (in Hollywood) as a group collectively.

SHEQUETA
What about in Black Hollywood, who’s the most powerful?

JEFF
Well I guess it would be Will Smith. Because he’s a multi-hyphenate he’s an actor, he’s a producer, he’s able to move projects. His name on something gets it green lit. His attachment to something gets interest in something.

SHEQUETA
Do you think that with all the new movies coming out starring fortysomething actors like Will Ferrell and Steve Carrell, we'll ever have a new young Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Will Smith, etc?

JEFF
Oh yeah. They’re coming out. You know you got guys like…James McAvoy who was in “Wanted” who was in “Atonement.” You got guys like Channing…he was in that movie recently “Stop-Loss”…Channing Tatum I think is his name. We got the Sturgis kid who was in “21.” Jim Sturgis is his name. You got guys like Emile Hirsch who was in “Into the Wild” and “Speed Racer.”

SHEQUETA
Are they like early twenties like Tom Cruise when he started?

JEFF
Yeah. You got all these guys with that kinda look. So you have a new generation coming up. Cause again, those guys are getting into their forties and fifties and they’re gonna start taking on older roles and it’s tough. I mean having acted I know it’s tough on an actor to, psychologically speaking, be told you’re a little too old for this. You know, I’m sorry Sly Stone (Sylvester Stallone) but you’re not 25-30 anymore.

SHEQUETA
Although he did another one.

JEFF
Yeah he did Rambo. It’s smart actors…they’re able to transition and they know when the time is right. They know when to transition into those other kind of parts and roles. More father parts, more sort of the wise mentor parts.

SHEQUETA
Like Morgan Freeman?

JEFF
Yeah. But some actors, they find success later in life too like Morgan Freeman, like Sam Jackson, like Anthony Hopkins, Brian Cox…they were like in their 40’s and 50’s when people started saying oh wow you’re a great actor. As opposed to the Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt’s, (and) even the Johnny Depp’s who when they were in their twenties people were like oh wow this guy is amazing, wow.

END OF ACT TWO

Click here to check out the third and final act.

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THIS AND THAT...

The Dark Knight shatters boxoffice bank and makes 300 million in 10 days.

SAG and Producers have nixed talking after SAG rejects last offer.

New Line is planning a sequel to "Hairspray."

Ebert and Roper leave "At the Movies."

Paramount Pictures is cutting 60 jobs.

R.I.P Estelle Getty

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PRODUCER'S TELL DANNY GLOVER HIS NEW FILM ISN'T WHITE ENOUGH


Most of you have probably heard that Danny Glover is attempting to bring a new epic film to the theaters on the subject of Haitian independence hero Francois Dominique Toussaint-Louverture. What you may not know is how mind blowingly difficult it has been for Danny to raise the money to get this film off the ground (at this moment, I know exactly how he feels).
Now, the reasoning (or not) behind the complications that Mr. Glover has been experiencing comes out. According to Danny: "Producers said 'It's a nice project, a great project... where are the white heroes?'"
I can't help but chuckle at the audacity of some Hollywood producers--they are honestly telling the star of one of the biggest franchises this town has ever seen with "Lethal Weapon 1-2-3-4" that he needs to find a white hero to be in the story of Toussaint-Louverture, a former slave. Can we say oxymoron.
Thankfully, Danny has been able to raise 18 of the 30 million dollars he needs and is scheduled to begin filming in Venezuela early next year. The film will star Don Cheadle, Mos Def, Wesley Snipes and Angela Bassett. Impatiently waiting for this one!
Click the picture to go to the full article.

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Friday, July 25, 2008

BIG BUCK BUNNY




So while I was searching one of my favorite websites to listen to new music www.audioditions.com I ran across this beautifully done animated short "Big Buck Bunny." It runs about nine minutes and some change and it is really well done.

Almost inspires me to want to step over into animation but Ted Elliott (Shrek) and Terry Rossio's (Shrek) stories about that genre have me totally afraid. Anyhoo, not sure who the folks are behind the project (they're in Amsterdam) but kudos to them.

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BLACK IN THE DAYZ
Check out this week's "Black In the Dayz" Trailer. Another one of my all time favorite movies, "Livin Large" starring: Terrence 'T.C.' Carson, Lisa Arrindell Anderson, and Nathaniel 'Afrika' Hall. I just love this movie...makes me totally miss the early nineties and what that time was to a lot of Black Filmmakers who were just starting out.
To see what T.C. has been up to, you can click here to go to his website. Lisa was last seen in Tyler Perry's "Madea's Family Reunion" and just finished up the movie "Bolden."

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Thursday, July 24, 2008

MY INTERVIEW WITH HOLLYWOOD EXEC JEFF TAPLIN FROM INFINITUM NIHIL

I’m sooo excited to bring to you one of the newest additions to my blog where I profile Black Hollywood Execs, Producers, Writers, etc. It’s a way for us to get to know some of the folks behind the scenes and behind some of the biggest projects in Hollywood. I’m hoping that we can draw inspiration and hopefully take something from these rarely heard about brothas and sistas who are making it happen behind the scenes.

Kicking things off, we have Jeff Taplin who is an Executive at Johnny Depp’s production company Infinitum Nihil. Jeff had some interesting things to say about politics, Johnny Depp, and about us paying dues to our ancestors. Jeff and I talked soo much that I had to split the interview up into three parts—which basically gives me a reason to make it read like a three act screenplay (lol). I know, I know, I’m such a geek. Anyhoo, here’s the first act in my chat with Mr. Jeff Taplin. The final two parts will be posted sometime next week. Enjoy

ACT ONE

FADE IN:


SHEQUETA
Where are you from and what college did you attend?

JEFF
From Denver Colorado and I went to Occidental College here in Eagle Rock California, where Obama went.

SHEQUETA
Major in College?

JEFF
Theater Arts and a minor in Politics.

SHEQUETA
Favorite Movie?

JEFF
I don’t know if I have a favorite. I have about three or four that I would put up there at the very top. Which would be: Dr. Strangelove, Bonnie and Clyde, Blade Runner, and Goldfinger.

SHEQUETA
Favorite Director?

JEFF
Probably the one I learned from the most about films or (who) just makes me think the most about film would be would be Kubrick, Stanley Kubrick.

SHEQUETA
What has he done?

JEFF
He did Dr. Strangelove, 2001 (A Space Odyssey), Full Metal Jacket, The Shining, Eyes Wide Shut. I guess you can learn many things from many directors. So he would probably be at the top of the list--for me at least.

SHEQUETA
Lamborghini or Ferrari?...It’s a Hollywood question.

JEFF
Wow. Which one gets better gas mileage is the question? Probably…probably Ferrari. Yeah it’s a little more classy. Not so out there. You know ostentatious like yeah I got money F off.

SHEQUETA
But a Ferrari is gonna say you got money.

JEFF
Yeah but a Ferrari is a little more low key. A Lamborghini is--I mean you look at that and go whoa, like who’s driving that thing you now. With a Ferrari you blend in a little bit better.

SHEQUETA
Obama or McCain? Why?

JEFF
(Laughter)
Uh…

SHEQUETA
You can say no answer…

JEFF
No, no, no, no. It would be Obama because I like his message of changing the tone of politics. You know I, as a longtime follower of politics ever since I was—I mean I voted in probably every election I can. I’ve been voting since I was eighteen and I’ve seen just over the years where the debate has just become more and more sort of angry and vitriolic and just nonproductive. And I like the fact that part of his candidacy is about changing the tone of the debate. And saying look, you know it’s dumb to focus on these stupid trivial matters and it’s really time to actually really deal with issues and you can debate me on issues.

JEFF CONT'D
I mean this is what I always go back to, even with someone like George Bush where I say look you know you can disagree with his policy but I don’t know why you gotta like make him out to be some sort of bad guy. I never quite get that and it’s like I always have respect for the office cause when you look at the whole picture of the of the presidency not everyone is like Bill Clinton. That’s the model people like to use. Oh why can’t we have this—well you know I mean Taft (William Howard Taft…our 27th President) wasn’t like Clinton either. Taft wasn’t like Bush. And all Presidents have their good points and bad points. Even when Clinton was in office it was about the politics of personal destruction. So I feel like we need to get away from making politics so personal and get down to what we elect people to do--which is to represent our interest in government.

SHEQUETA
How did you get into your position?

JEFF
Well, a series of sort of happy accidents you know. I was working at UTA for like about eight years or so, the story department. I started out in the trainee, Agent Trainee program. I did that for about eight months. Then I went down in the story department. I was doing that for probably like about four or five years when Johnny’s (Depp) agent came over to UTA. You know people read coverage in this town and he had read a lot of my coverage and I guess he liked them to the point where he told his agent that he wanted only me to read his submissions. He trusted my opinion or whatever.

JEFF CONT'D
A few years after that happened, he was starting his company up and his agent said hey you know you should go interview over there and I said okay fine. Then she kind of changed her mind like well you know I’ll just make it happen I’ll make it work, you’ll go over and work over there. I said okay that sounds good to me. And it just all kind of happened it just all sort of fell into place. When I talked to them, interviewed with them, they liked me and I guess there was really no one else…so I kinda got it almost-kinda by default. But I mean I obviously had been someone that they wanted to work with anyway so you know again it just all worked out for the best.

SHEQUETA
What's Johnny Depp like?

JEFF
He’s...I guess I could say...maybe it’s a bit of a cliché but I guess I could describe him as a gentleman and a scholar.

SHEQUETA
Well he’s a Gemini so he’s duel sided.

JEFF
Yeah, Yeah I mean he’s a low key guy, down to earth, reads a lot. He’s well informed about not only the arts but just life in general and…you know he kinda shuns the whole almost like apparatus of celebrity. So he’s not hanging out at the hottest places and going to this party and that party. I mean he’s kinda like a family guy in a way. He’s like an average guy where he gets up in the morning goes to work, comes home to his family at night. I mean it just so happens that his job is to entertain people. But you know beyond that he doesn’t really sort of--it’s not like a lot of celebrities where you see where it’s almost like what they did defines what they are. It’s like he’s already sort of defined himself in a sense and then that definition informs his work.

SHEQUETA
Is it hard to be a black exec in Hollywood where you all are few and far between? I mean do you all have a support group or something?

JEFF
I mean yes and no. When I first started there weren’t a lot of-- I don’t think there were like a lot of blacks in the industry. This was like ten years ago probably. And I think over the year’s maybe it’s become a little bit better. But I think that’s mainly because society itself has become more inclusive. When you have someone like Will Smith who’s like arguably the biggest movie star right now, it changes people’s perceptions…Or someone like Tyler Perry, you know very successful. Or even like Spike Lee who had to change what he did to be more commercially accepted. Then I think it kind of changes the rules of the game and the way that minorities are seen in town. I guess in terms of a support group…every couple of years it seems like someone starts up something like a networking kind of thing or whatever and we kind of meet each other and say hey. But I don’t know that there is really a concentrated effort to have this kind of other Hollywood. I would sort of be against something like that where it’s like okay we’re gonna have our own kind of Hollywood.

JEFF CONT'D
I mean like I said, it’s great for what like someone like Tyler Perry has done where he has in a way become like his own studio which is very hard to do. I would say that any minority group should do something…just to say hey we’re a part of this too we’re a part of the arts too. In a way, it’s almost like Hollywood is kind of behind a little bit like theater. When I was studying theater it was about non traditional casting. You can have a black guy play Romeo in Romeo and Juliet. And that would almost sort of inform the arts in what you were doing. Where it’s like in Hollywood they do tend to have a like a bit of a more narrow focus. But that’s just because they’re trying to sell to so many eyeballs...But I think they’ve been able to almost sort of go the opposite where they initially start out very broad and now that we’re in this 500 channel universe you can do niche programming and target people and give (them) what they want whether it’s Latinos or Blacks or Asians.

SHEQUETA
What is the hardest part of your job?

JEFF
I guess just managing people’s egos. When you work in a creative field everyone feels like they want to put their two cents in and that their two cents is worth you know five dollars. And so (laughs) a lot of it is…kind of agreeing but not agreeing and being diplomatic and being respectful but at the same time having enough experience and courage to say no that’s a bad ideal. That’s not gonna fly--people aren’t gonna go watch that--and then be able to back that up. When I was at UTA, at the story department, I think part of the reason people really liked my coverage and respected what I had to say is that I would always have examples to prove my point. I wouldn’t just fly off the handle and say oh this is dumb and blah, blah, blah, I wouldn’t go see it. I would say look you can look at these other examples and make up your own mind. Look at those other examples and think about do you want to make this or do you want to put your client in this project based on those other examples. I may throw in my two cents and say yeah I think it’s bad, I think it’s good but you gotta have examples to back that up or otherwise you just talking nonsense.

END OF ACT ONE

...Click here for Act Two where Jeff reveals what kind of projects interest him and who really has the power in Hollywood

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Wednesday, July 23, 2008

ON A POLITICAL SIDENOTE
Look who appears to be jealous of the whole Obama around the world in ten days saga when he was one of the reasons Barack took the trip in the first place.



My, my, my how things blow up in your face John McCain or should I call you John McClane as in Die Hard.

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REMINDER...TONIGHT



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TYLER PERRY'S NEW MOVIE

The Family that Preys Together

Kinda looks like "Something New" the sequel but maybe it's just me...
SYNOPSIS
Two families from different walks of life learn to work together.

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Tuesday, July 22, 2008

THE WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW


Well, well, well...Seems that Wendy Williams is finding success with her new talk show on Fox. According to Variety, "Her daily hourlong talkshow beat every other program in New York among women 18-34 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. during its premiere week on Fox's WNYW." If the numbers continue to grow in the test markets (Los Angeles, New York, Detroit, Dallas) the production company Debmar-Mecury is talking about going nationwide with the series for the 2009-10 season.

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OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS...AGAIN

Disney ABC Television Group's Casting Project

As part of its ongoing effort to discover and develop culturally and ethnically diverse talent and actors with disabilities, the Disney ABC Television Group's Casting Project will hold auditions for consideration for the ABC Talent Showcase.
ABC's Talent Showcase has established an industry standard in creating opportunities for talent, with the majority of participants being given the chance to audition for a variety of ABC (and other networks') pilots and ongoing programming.

SUBMIT NEW YORK, NY HARDCOPIES TO:
ABC PRIMETIME CASTING
ATTN: ABC TALENT SHOWCASE - NY
157 COLUMBUS AVENUENEW YORK, NY 10023-9078
SUBMISSION PERIOD: JULY 14, 2008 - JULY 25, 2008
SUBMIT LOS ANGELES, CA HARDCOPIES TO:
ABC TALENT SHOWCASE - LA
500 S. BUENA VISTA STREET
BURBANK, CA 91521-4656
SUBMISSION PERIOD - JULY 21, 2008 - AUGUST 1, 2008

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE SUBMITTING:

1. PLEASE SUBMIT HEADSHOTS AND RESUMES ONLY. NO TAPES.

2. DO NOT DOUBLE SUBMIT.

3. NO PHONE CALLS.

4. PLEASE NOTE SUBMISSION PERIOD.

5. NO SUBMISSION WILL BE ACCEPTED BEFORE OR AFTER THE SUBMISSION PERIOD.

Participants for the talent showcase must be at least 18 years old. Previous acting experience/training is required of all, but professional representation is not necessary.

ABC will contact selected actors to schedule an audition. If selected to audition, each actor will need to prepare a one-minute monologue from any published material. Original monologues cannot be used as part of the audition. Further details will be given upon contact.

ABC has a long-standing commitment to promoting diversity in the entertainment industry through a variety of projects administered by its Talent Development & Casting departments. The Casting Project offers an excellent opportunity for talent that might otherwise go unnoticed.

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OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS


PEOPLE'S CHOICE SPINOFF CONTEST

The New York Television Festival has teamed up with People’s Choice to present a contest looking for the pitch for a new TV spinoff you would like to see. By uploading a video (one minute max) of yourself pitching an idea for a new TV series based on characters or places from TV series past or present, you can win the chance to be named the People’s Choice ambassador at the 2008 NYTVF. You will be flown to New York this September to rub elbows with television’s elite and attend star-studded premieres of the fall’s hottest shows!

Video entries can be uploaded to the People’s Choice beginning July 21st and ending August 4th. For more details, visit this address: http://www.pcavote.com/pca/

The top three pitches will be posted online for the People’s Choice community to vote on starting August 11th. If you think you have the idea for TV’s next big hit, grab a camera and let us hear it!

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THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG CONTROVERSY

Okay so now there's even more controversy in the whole Disney Production of "The Princess and The Frog." It began with the plot that they were originally trying to run with the Princess being a Chambermaid and being named Maddy which was pretty close to Mammy and something about some voodoo sprinkled in there somewhere.
But folks, including me, thought that this was a bit too similar to her being seen as a slave or mammy--and for those of us who've had the displeasure of seeing "The Song of the South" Disney did not want to cross that line again.
The latest controversy is one that I have strong feelings about as well. They went back to the drawing board on the whole plot with the girls name now being Tiana and her being in a country that has never had a monarchy but now she lives happily ever after with a handsome fellow who is not black. The rumor is that he might be Middle Eastern, etc.
Now here is where I have the problem. This is a historic and monumental film for us. This is the FIRST BLACK PRINCESS!!! Why would Disney keep our princess from a handsome black prince?? I don't know if I'm the only person who sees this in Hollywood since "I love black people" but have you all noticed that there are a lot more movies lately that will not pair a black actor with a black actress and vice versa.

All I have to say is this is what happens when we don't have folks that look like us calling the shots. I just wish Disney would call me, Kasi Lemmons, Debbie Allen, or somebody in as a consultant on this project that has some real knowlege on black people. I beg.

Click the picture to go to the article.

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Sunday, July 20, 2008

DON'T FORGET...THIS WEEK



From what I've seen in clips of this special it's gonna be a really good show. Be sure to put it on your schedules and tell some of your non-black friends as well. With a good possibility of a black president on the horizon, I think that everybody needs to see this.
Click the picture above to go to their website that has the trailers for the different episodes.

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Friday, July 18, 2008

BLACK IN THE DAYZ



So this is a new feature of my blog that I plan to run every Friday from now on where I'll post old movie trailers from some of our favorite black movies from back in the dayz. First movie trailer up..."The Last Dragon" one of my all time favorites and when I first fell in love with movies...and Taimak of course...lol.
Check out what Taimak has been up to by clicking here. And for Vanity...oops I mean Denise Matthews' whereabouts click here.

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Thursday, July 17, 2008

EMMY NOMINATIONS ARE IN...
"A RAISIN IN THE SUN" was nominated for the Made for Television Movie Category
PHYLICIA RASHAD was nominated for Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for "A Raisin in the Sun"

AUDRA MCDONALD was nominated for Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for "A Raisin in the Sun"

ALFRE WOODARD was nominated for Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for "Hollis Woods"

CHANDRA WILSON was nominated for Supporting Actress in a Drama for "Grey's Anatomy"

GLYNN TURMAN was nominated for Guest Actor in a Drama for "In Treatment"

DIAHANN CAROLL was nominated for Guest Actress in a Drama for "Grey's Anatomy"

VANESSA WILLIAMS was nominated for Supporting Actress in a Comedy for "Ugly Betty"


To view the entire list of nominees click HERE

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Wednesday, July 16, 2008

BLACK DYNAMITE




So while I was checking out my girl Fresh's page over at Crunk and Disorderly, I ran across this little jewel of a movie starring my dream guy Michael Jai White. It's a throwback to the blaxploitation era and is something that Mike wrote and is starring in.
"Black Dynamite" is what it's called. Not sure if it's coming out in theaters or straight to DVD. Regardless, here's the trailer. Stars: Michael Jai White, Aresenio Hall, and Tommy Davidson. Cant help but chuckle at the cast...lol. Can't wait to check it out. Below is the synopsis...
SYNOPSIS
This is the story of 1970s African-American action legend Black Dynamite. The Man killed his brother, pumped heroin into local orphanages, and flooded the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor. Black Dynamite was the one hero willing to fight The Man all the way from the blood-soaked city streets to the hallowed halls of the Honky House

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FELON TRAILER
Since I'm going to the premiere this week, I figured I'd put up the trailer for this upcoming flick. Stars Harold Perrineu (Lost) and Val Kilmer (Columbus Day). Click below for the trailer.




SYNOPSIS

Val Kilmer, Stephen Dorff, Harold Perrineau, Jr., and Sam Shepard, star in the high-action and edge-of-your-seat prison film, Felon, the story of a family man who is convicted of murder for killing an intruder who enters his home, threatening the lives of his wife and son. As he struggles to survive the violent penal system which includes a maximum-security state prison in which a corrupt lieutenant tries to maintain power and order, even if it means crossing the line.

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Tuesday, July 15, 2008

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS



NBC is currently accepting short films in the comedy genre for their annual "Short Cuts" competition. There are no entry fees and they are seeking ethnically or culturally diverse writers, cast, or theme in each film. Films must not be longer than 30 minutes in length and and they are mostly looking for shorts within the 5 to 7 minute range. Click the picture above for more information. Good Luck!!
Deadline: August 15th, 2008

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THE DARK KNIGHT
(Cant tell you how sad this poster with Heath makes me.)
The Hollywood Reporter has given their review of "The Dark Night" that's coming out in theaters this weekend. From what I've heard from multiple folks who got to check it out early, this movie is fantastic! Check out THR's review here.

Below you'll find interviews with two of the film's stars Morgan Freeman who plays Lucius Fox and Tiny Lister who plays a Tattoed Prisoner with a pivotal role in the movie.
Click on the pic to go to Tiny's interview with blackfilm.com and the video interview with Morgan is below.



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OUT ON DVD TODAY



Out on DVD today is the Disney movie, College Road Trip, starring Raven-Symone, Martin Lawrence, and Kim Whitfield. Many folks don't realize this but the movie was Executive Produced by Raven. She is definitely a young sista that's taking control of her own namebrand.
At the movies, the film grossed $45 million dollars and I'm sure it's gonna make plenty on DVD. Big ups to Raven.

SYNOPSIS

When an overachieving high school student decides to travel around the country to choose the perfect college, her overprotective cop father also decides to accompany her in order to keep her on the straight and narrow.


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Monday, July 14, 2008

LIFETIME PICKS UP
KIM PORTER SHOW-RENEWS ARMY WIVES




Actor Blair Underwood is producing the upcoming Kim Porter reality project that follows her as she tries to readjust to life in LA as a single mother.


Top rated cable series Army Wives has been renewed for a third season. The show airs Sundays at 10 p.m., and stars Wendy Davis and Sterling Brown (above). It ranks No. 1 with women 18-49 as well as women 25-54 among all ad-supported basic cable series.

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