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- Oscar Micheaux. Hailed as the first major Black filmmaker, Oscar Micheaux directed and produced 42 feature films between 1919 and 1948. He was a writer-turned-filmmaker, using his first novel "The Homesteader" to launch his career in the film industry.
- William Greaves. An influential independent documentary filmmaker, William Greaves produced and directed more than 100 films. His films captured social issues as well as key African American figures such as Muhammad Ali and Ida B. Wells.
- Gordon Parks. Gordon Parks started his career as a prolific and famed photographer before branching out into filmmaking. He started as a consultant on various Hollywood productions in the '50s before directing a series of documentaries about Black urban life for National Educational Television.
- Melvin van Peebles. Melvin van Peebles directed more than a dozen films during his career in Hollywood, but he is most well known for the 1971 movie "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song," which he wrote, directed and acted in.
35 people. Sort by List order. 1. John Singleton. Producer. Writer. Director. Boyz n the Hood (1991)
Feb 1, 2022 · From Melvin Van Peebles to Spike Lee to Ava DuVernay, these Black leaders in the movie industry have and continue to make history. Ahead, you'll find just a fraction of Black directors whose ...
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Feb 1, 2024 · To kick off February 2024, IndieWire is spotlighting ten visionary Black directors, including Kasi Lemmons, F. Gary Gray, and more. By Marcus Jones. February 1, 2024 4:00 pm.
Jan 4, 2019 · USC. The new report also includes a profile of the executive ranks at seven major entertainment companies. Other study findings include an assessment of the age of directors, agency...
- Will Packer
- O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson
- Debra Martin Chase
- Reuben Cannon
- Martin Lawrence
- Eddie Murphy
- Tyler Perry
- The Wayans Bros
- Broderick Johnson
- James Lassiter and Will Smith
Will Packer has been a Hollywood mover and shaker with cult films such as Trois and hits like Stomp the Yard. He landed diva Beyonce Knowles for the femme fatale thriller Obsessed, and culled a star-studded cast that included Paul Walker and Zoe Saldana for the crime story Takers. Packer is at the top of his game with the hit Think Like a Man, feat...
Hip-hop luminaries have transcended the sound booth to become marquee favorites, but O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson is a rapper turned actor-producer with Hollywood staying power. While best known for creating his widely popular Friday trilogy, Jackson wanted to give younger fans family-friendly movies. The devoted husband and father of four produced “A...
Not long after her Oscar and Emmy nods for the documentary “Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream,” Debra Martin Chase became the first African American woman to have a solo deal at a major studio: Martin Chase Productions, which is affiliated with the Walt Disney Co. The Harvard-educated attorney’s breakout film was “The Princess Diaries,” which grossed $...
Producer Reuben Cannon has earned a reputation for being an innovative and trendsetting force in Hollywood over the past three decades. He is credited with launching the movie careers of Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey, whom he cast in “The Color Purple.” Cannon formed a production alliance with Tyler Perry Studios in 2004. That powerful collabor...
Since 2000, Martin Lawrence has been riding the Big Momma’s House franchise all the way to the bank. All three installments, which credit Lawrence as a producer, were made for under $45 million, but collectively grossed nearly $395 million worldwide. His” Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat” holds the fourth spot among the highest-grossing stand-up com...
Behind the scenes, Brooklyn-born comic Eddie Murphy has written and produced such films as “Norbit.” Most recentl,y he joined the production end on the comedy caper “Tower Heist.” No stranger to setting historical records, Murphy’s 1987 stand-up comedy film “Raw,” which he co-wrote and executive produced, grossed more than $50 million. It remains t...
Tyler Perry built a multi-million-dollar brand by speaking to an urban audience often ignored in Hollywood. Perry made his foray into films transposing many of his straight-to-DVD stage productions into screen gems. Perry writes, produces, directs, and acts in most of his productions–cementing him as one of Hollywood’s most bankable talents. The $5...
A family that creates together stays together. It’s a philosophy that has allowed writer-director-producer Keenen Ivory Wayans and his younger siblings to establish an entertainment dynasty in Hollywood. It was the Wayans brothers who gave birth to one of Tinseltown’s hottest franchises–the Scary Movie horror parody films. Marlon and Shawn penned t...
It was the sleeper hit The Blind Side that capitulated Broderick Johnson into the spotlight. The film was backed with a $29 million production budget and grossed more than $300 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful sports dramas in film history. The film’s Oscar nomination for Best Picture made Johnson just the third African Ameri...
Over the past 14 years, James Lassiter and Will Smith have left their golden imprint on a diverse slate of critically acclaimed and blockbuster feature films. Their extraordinary hit list includes “I Am Legend,” “Hancock,” and “The Karate Kid” remake, which grossed more than $359.1 million worldwide. Smith, a two-time Academy Award nominee, also co...
Feb 27, 2023 · From Touki Bouki to Friday, the 75 greatest movies by Black directors, as chosen by our special panel of filmmakers and critics. By Aisha Harris and Dan Kois. Feb 27, 20235:00 AM. Seven years ago ...
