I was over at the
Riskybusiness blog and Leslie Simmons posted an interesting find on Director Spike Lee. Stating that this past Wednesday he pushed the Envelope and might I add, yet again.
He was being honored with the Chrysler sixth annual behind the lens award at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel and ballroom, receiving tributes, from actors that he has worked with, from films, such as School Daze (Laurence Fishburne), Do the right Thing( Rosie Perez), Bamboozled (Savion Glover), all which thanked Lee for pushing their careers into the direction that garnered them the success they have. Then Spike lee took the stage, allowed us his thank you speech and from there it was quickly turned into a moment to speak ones true mind.
He shared his feeling about not getting the funding he needs to put together successful projects, stating " I took my ass on a plane to Europe and got the financing for this film," he said pertaining to his latest world war II Drama" Miracle of St. Anna." " So, As Malcolm (X) said, the struggle is far from over."
He went on for a time longer and then he introduced his Italian producing partners in the film, Luigi Musini and Marco Valerio Pugini, in which they happened to be seated in the far back corner.
" Don't get the wrong idea with them being in the corner," he joked " When I was disgusted about not getting the financing for James Brown or the L.A. riots, I went to Italy." Which Are two projects that had budgets lower than the $60 million, which is below the price tag on films these days.
Spike Lee, did what is interpreted as a horrible impression of the Italian Money Men, highlighting the moment in which they agreed to finance the project. Lee also went on to say " It's amiracle this film got made."
Now keep in mind Spike is not a fool and has been speaking on the following subject in one way or another over the past twenty some odd years now. He wants to see justice in the film industry and clowning on film does not equate to what he is asking for. Spike Lee is looking for solid drama, action, love stories, suspense, fiction, and the list goes on, that include
African American film ideas, in which he thinks has gone unnoticed for far too long. You may get one or two films a year showcasing a positive African American Family and they are not even in the wide release realm of other films. They are likened to the low budget, independent crowd, and in most cases because a lack of budget backing most of the original ideas, and concepts behind the films are lost. Financing is key to creating films that match the times, and which will allow production teams to set up the proper parameters for filming and editing and being able to pay quality actors, etc.
Spike Lee Continued on what he called his "little tirade," talking directly to the African-American industry players, within the audience, focusing in on the material aspects of what they may think success to be. It does not matter what car you drive or house you live in, " we're way behind in film," adding " none of them look like you. The only black guy I see is the brother man at the security gate." Allowing us the opportunity to see that their are not enough power roles for
African Americans in the movies coming out of Hollywood.
He went on to Joke some more that the studios are "Sneaking Black Faces" into the board room to make it appear that they are integrated, but what they're really doing is plucking blue-collar workers and dressing them up for the meeting. " Then you leave and they kick their asses back to the mail room," He quipped.
Those comment may be lack of accurate calculations to the amount of lead roles allowed to African American Males, however it is true that the roles are limited and African Americans are not getting the face time to be the artist they are. Yes you have Will Smith, Jamie Foxx,
Denzel Washington, Laurence Fishburne, Wesley Snipes, and Cuba Gooding Jr., to name a few. However the fact, of the matter is, it is only a few compared to the many of European males, that grace the Big screen as well as the small screen I might add.
As far as the boardroom goes, you have a set up filled with minds that do not see entertainment from a global perspective, in which they will tell you they do, but it means, globally-white perspective. The time and research does not go into the African American communities, it goes into the European American Communities, and what ever they wish to see it is shown with out quips or qualms.
You may meet with a film producer one day and you may get rejected however you do not stop there you find alternative ways to fund your film as Spike has done. Many films have been made this way whether African American or otherwise.
I understand where spike lee is coming from and the race issue has festered for far too long within the walls of Hollywood and the country over. The time has come in which there needs to be a balance in films representing America and American Life and the live's in it as a whole. From Television, the Silver screen, all the way to Broadway, and might I add musical diversity, not all African Americans Rap or sing R&B, Rock N Roll is just as much African American as it is American.
In the end all Spike Lee and all the other silent African American Directors, Actors ( male and Female), are asking for a level playing field in which they can produced the quality films they have perceived in their initial visions. I want to to take it a step further and make it clear that, although I love to watch
Tyler Perry films, his approach is too subliminal and goes unnotitice the majority of the time, mainly if you are not of the Christian faith you have no clue as the deep rooted message in his film. Those in secular society only see a Big Black Dude in a dress, slapping a boy on a bus, or brandishing a weapon every time someone pisses of the character. I get it, but to the naked eyes and ear of the new un educated generation of American no progress has been made.
Comedy will receive funding but it is almost always slapstick, with no real substance to liken your self to. Yes we have Jim Carey who does the same, however that may be Jim Carey stands out, Steve Martin Stands out, and other who have taken their path to comedy fame. Comedy is clowning, but we all know that there is a science behind it that does not get seen past the stand up stage.
America needs to think, and think hard about its direction(s), in which it is headed. Art imitates life and it is the other way around at this point, so with garbage films representing the African American art world, you can imagine what is being imitated.
Comments? Let me know what you think of this.
