The AAFCA Podcast

Focus groups are an integral part of the studio business. Everything is tested, and I mean everything. Networks test show pilots, movies, trailers, even posters are brought before everyday Janes and Joes so executives can give the thumbs up or thumbs down on the projects in their lineup. This information helps them decide what movies we will see in theaters, what shows make the fall line up, and w...

Ava Duverney’s company, ARRAY does more than just produce amazing film. In fact the company distributes independent film and is a resource collective comprised of arts advocacy organizations, volunteers, and donors from around the world with one goal: to amplify  films by people of color and women of all kinds.   Since its creation in 2010, Array has elevated independent film voices distributing o...

When it comes to capturing the black experience in film only one name comes to mind and that’s Sam Pollard.  Pollard has been telling Black and other stories for over thirty years. His first project: "Eyes On the Prize 2: America At the Racial Crossroads" won him an Emmy. Since then he’s produced, directed, and edited so many crucial stories including the Peabody award-winning I’ll Make...

Hair and makeup is an essential part of how we look at a film. It helps us to visually capture the character – encapsulating the overall look of them and the memorable moments that we see them in. Whether it’s a young woman going on her first date; An African king fighting to save his throne, or a family fighting to survive the unknown. We remember them from top to bottom including their hair. To...

When watching a film its easy to pick out the craft of the actors, or the vision of the director. We can even deep dive into the lens of the cinematographer and music composer. But actually when we look at a film the one person we see and don’t see is the film editor. As a journalist, I know first hand how important it is to have an editor put their eyes on my work and fine tune it—and for film, t...

Music, for most of us, it’s an integral part of our lives. Whether singing along to your favorite jams in your car; or comforting you in times of need. And for film, it’s no different. Film scoring is an integral part of the cinematic process—it’s the undertone that sets the mood and energy for both film and television. To get a good understanding of what goes into film scoring I only had to reach...

If you didn’t know, every lamp, curtain, wall color, car, and fixture is selected by the production designer and team. It can be as small as finding the right rural home in the case of Dark Waters , or building a fictional country and every single element within it in films like Black Panther . Every visual in this exercise was created by production designer Hannah Beachler. Beachler has been buil...

In the film "The Obituary of Tunde Johnson," the audience is exposed to final day in the life of a young, middle class, Nigerian American man, coping with the issues that affect his movements leading up to his death. But the film flips the script and Tunde must relive this tragedy over and over again. This "reset" theme is not uncommon in Hollywood, no. But writer Stanley Kalu&...

When it comes to who’s who in Hollywood, there is one producer that comes to mind – Debra Martin Chase. Debra is one of the most successful producers in the business with a filmography of box office wins for over 20 years. Films like “Courage Under Fire”, “Just Wright”, and “The Princess Diaries along with TV film phenoms like “The Cheetah Girl” franchise are just a few of her projects. She talks...

Imagine if you will, you are watching kids shows on television with your children and after a while you notice something is missing. You don’t see a lot of girls in kids programming. So, you start counting, and quickly realize kids programming lacks representation. You continue your research only to discover this omission of inclusion is consistent across the spectrum in both television and film....

“The Burial of Kojo” is an independent film that has critics buzzing around the world. It is also a New York Times critics pick, and will be available for streaming on Netflix starting March 31st. The film is a story of two Ghanaian brothers, wrapped in an intricate dance of revenge, remorse, survival, and hope. This film is a visual spectacle full of fantasy, social commentary and national pride....

When we think of silent film, it is easy to point out the works of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Erich Von Stroheim, and DW Griffith. Their collected work delighted audiences around the country and helped shape the story and spirit of America  From a white male point of view that is.  In this episode we speak with producer, Bret Wood on his two collections: Pioneers in African-American Cinema, a...

"What Men Want" is not a sequel but it is loosely based on the film “What Women Want” from 2000 that starred Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. In that version, Nick, played by Gibson, is a chauvinistic ad executive who is struck by electricity and gains the ability to hear what women think. But In this smart, updated, and more diverse version, it’s the women’s turn to uncover what goes on insid...

This episode Ed Adams wraps up the year with a discussion about the phenomenal year in film for people of color with AAFCA co-founders Gil Robertson and Shawn Edwards. We also breakdown the winners of the 10th annual AAFCA Awards celebrating the best performances and films of the year.  The AAFCA Awards gala will take place on Wednesday, February 6th at the Taglyan Complex in Los Angeles. You can...

In this episode of the AAFCA Podcast, host Ed Adams speaks with George Tillman, Jr. producer and director of the film, “The Hate U Give.” Tillman has been writing, directing, and producing stories about the black experience for over a decade. His body of work includes both film and television with notable box office hits like “Soul Food” and the “Barbershop” movies. Tillman has also directed episo...

In this episode President and co-founder of AAFCA, Gil Robertson talks to writer and director Barry Jenkins about his latest film, "If Beale Street Could Talk." Gil also talks to cast members of the film including Kiki Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, and Colman Domingo. "If Beale Street Could Talk" is an adaptation of the book of the same name by American author, James Baldw...

In this episode Ed Adams talks to Bob Raines, executive director of the Tennessee Entertainment Commission about their office and how they entice studios to produce their projects in the Volunteer state. He also speaks with Jamal Munnerlyn, co-head of the new studio GigBox on their decision to locate their state-of-the-art facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee and what their company will mean for min...

In this episode of the AAFCA podcast Ed Adams wants to know if Hollywood is ready for more comic book-based franchises—only this time from Black-owned comic book creators. Comic book movies amassed a whopping $5.6 billion dollars for the industry in 2018 alone and it seems like every studio is getting into the game. To get answers Ed speaks with legendary comic book illustrator, Shawn Martinbrough...

Long before Oprah and Arsenio Hall there was Ellis Haizlip, host of the television show "Soul!" on public television. Ed Adams speaks with niece  and film director Melissa Haizsip about her documentary "Mr. Soul!" and the legacy of her late uncle and the impact his show made in American pop culture. 

AAFCA member and host, Edward Adams chats with Ronda Racha Penrice how identity is represented in the film "Nappily Ever After" currently streaming on Netflix. The film stars Sanaa Lathan as an ad executive whose life takes a turn when her perfect life and hair go off track.