San Francisco-On the actual birthday
of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it comes to mind, that from day one our
society and culture have been heavily influenced by film. The recent
slavery-related films "Lincoln" directed by Steven Spielberg and "Django
Unchained" (the "d" is silent) directed by Quentin Tarantino will have a
social, economic and psychological impact.
Films about
Slavery produced in the last 18 months have captured the world viewers'
attention and have incorporated some noted Black actors. "Toussaint L'
Overture" starring
Haitian Actor Jimmy Jean Jean-Louis
(NBC HEROES),"Lincoln" with David Oyelowo and Gloria Ruben, and
"Django" starring Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, and Samuel L. Jackson.
Their work
will not soon be noted in the annual awards parade in Los Angeles unless it's by the
Pan African Film Festival, February 7-18, 2013.
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LaHitz Media at Pan African Film Festival 2012
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"Lincoln" and "Django," two films about slavery and not one
Black actor is nominated for an Oscar! No need to go figure, you know
the drill!Slavery is an old story of days gone by is
it not? Slaveryfootprint.org reports that there are over 27 million
slaves in the world today. Recorded history of slavery dates back to
3,500 B.C. reaching its peak in the Greek and Roman empires. With the
development of farming 10,000 years ago, slavery came into being, as far
as I can determine. First, prisoners of war and criminals made up the
pool of slaves before it became a business of capturing innocent people
and relegating them to life-long bondage. Early records indicate the
Sumerians in Mesopotamia (now mostly Iraq) around 3,500 B.C. began
enslaving people. Slavery also existed in Assyria, Babylonia, Egypt,
Persia and throughout the Middle East. It was also a part of the
cultures in ancient China, India and among Native Indians in America.
Almost every culture has some history of slavery or servitude. As
thinking civilized people, we must end all forms of slavery now.
The economic impact of the aforementioned
films and recent hits like "The Help" has brought and will continue to
bring in millions of dollars. These economic image engines will bring
much into the pockets of the owners and little by comparison to the bit
players.
Considering the films with their economic
disparities, little going back to the community that is the subject of
the films, I immediately think of the economic depravity of
Reconstruction and U.S. Slavery itself.
With all of the so-called affirmative action
that has since been trumped as "reverse discrimination," the economic
atrocities of slavery have yet to be dealt with in this country. The
check Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. referred to in the "I have a Dream"
speech is still bouncing. In America's hiring trends, "affirmative
action," now "diversity" is a Black from Africa, White from Africa,
Southeast Asian, or almost anyone except the sons and daughters of
former Black slaves that built this country. The pattern is clear all
other minority groups "are a fit," and the sons and daughters of Black
slaves are shut out no matter what level of education they have
obtained.
While its true that over 400 years of
slavery was abolished almost 150 years ago, the effects are still around
in money and cash flow, education, housing, employment,
entrepreneurship, health care, and so many other aspects of U.S.
society.
When it comes to "Reparations" the world
seemed to understand the impact and importance of economically repaying
people who had been terrorized by business systems and government. On
September 20, 1945, after World War II had ended, Scientist Chaim
Weizmann, who became the first President of the State of Israel, on
behalf of the "Jewish Agency" wrote a memorandum to the U.S. USSR, UK
and France filing a $1.5 billion claim for reparations, restitution, and
indemnification due to the Jewish people from Germany for the
Holocaust. Weizmann's appeal pointed out the "mass murder, human
suffering, annihilation of spiritual, intellectual and creative forces
which are without parallel in the history of mankind. (Jewish Virtual
Library).
Japanese Americans received reparations over
twenty years ago for the U.S. internment of the Japanese during World
War II. An October 1, 1990 "LA Times" article points out Seattle's
Frank Yatsu did live to see his country apologize for imprisoning him
and others during World Ward II. (Interesting to note that German
Americans were not interned as Japanese Americans were.) "That's pretty
good, I think, the American government treated us in a Christian Way,
and it's pretty good," said Mr. Yatsu, who received his check of $20,000
shortly before his 107th birthday.
Taking a look at the Deep South during
Reconstruction, we saw for a moment that the United States was on the
right track for righting the wrongs of slavery. South Carolina
Constitutional Convention met January 14, 1868 with a Black majority at
the Charleston Clubhouse: 76 Black delegates and 48 Whites. The New York
Herald: "Here in Charleston is being enacted the most incredible,
hopeful, and yet unbelievable experiment in all the history of mankind."
I remember learning in film school at
California State University, Long Beach, also the alma mater of Steven
Spielberg, there are three films that helped shape the U.S. Film
Industry; "Birth of a Nation" by Cecile B. DeMille which the N.A.A.C.P.
protested; The first talkie, "Mammy" which starred Al Jolson in
blackface and "Gone with the Wind" which is on most White film critics
Top 10 of all time great films yet it is not on any Black critics list
that I know. These films skewed the perception about Blacks and with
no control of content and distribution, there was little that Blacks in
leadership or those with conscience could do. What about today as media
continue to distort perception about Blacks, not only films but
television?
Entertainment is the number one industry in
California, bringing in billions of dollars. With so many high profile
Black artists and athletes people think African Americans are doing just
fine; Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Lisa Leslie, Beyonce, Kerry
Washington, Jamie Foxx, Michael Jordan, Quincy Jones, Derek Jeter, The
Rock-Dwayne Johnson, Robert Griffin III...and the list goes on and on.
However, a closer examination shows that these high profile Blacks are
merely employees. Yes, highly paid and decorated employees. No wise
employer would pay a worker more than they are worth or they would go
out of business. So if they are paying high salaries, you know they are
making a lot more than what they are paying out. Also, for the most
part, the employers teach their high profile employees to say or do
nothing to bring others that look like them into the economic fold.
You'd think just reasoning with the owners
would be enough to engage in fair trade. In June, I asked the Weinstein
Company (producers of "Django") to work with my company along with some
other Black owned media companies, one being the San Francisco Bay View
Newspaper (voted National Newspaper of the Year by the National Black
Chamber of Commerce) to put on a showcase of "Django." The back and
forth phone calls and emails about establishing showcases in various
markets and including Black media companies were mostly unanswered. The
result? "Django's" and the marketers of "Lincoln" did not put an
advertisement in the SF Bay View or any other Black owned media
companies from what I have seen. What happened in your market, Detroit,
Atlanta, Dallas and around the nation? "Django" and "Lincoln," both
with Black subject matter, have already grossed over $275,00 million
dollars and will make more than that in Pay-for-View, Blu-Ray and DVD
domestic sales (Get a clue at
http://www.the-numbers.com). Yet business with Black owned media companies has been virtually overlooked.
This lack of fair trade impacts other arenas
as well. People often ask me "Why, don't you cover the Giants and the
49er's more. It costs to cover a sporting even professionally. LaHitz
Media did cover some Giants games that cost about $500 with my camera
operator, editor and webmaster all being paid before me. Even if you
are not a big baseball fan, the Giants make AT&T Park a fun place.
But the fun doesn't balance the business costs when press credentials
are denied limiting access to players. Getting advertisers to buy into a
growing company with limited access is difficult.
LaHitz Sports and the San Francisco Bay View
Newspaper contacted the SF 49ers to get press credentials seven or more
times in the last two seasons without a return response, although the
paper's office is only blocks away from where the 49ers play.
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| Frank Gore teases V. Davis |
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| 49ers Fitness Zone |
Many
studio agents and team staffers can be very cold to Black media
companies and limit access even to the Black artists and athletes that
help build their studios and franchises. The lack of fair trade
permeates their mindset, from the minions to the moguls and has an
impact on Black businesses in dollars and cents.
America's Cup
is coming back to San Francisco this summer and is expected to bring in
over $100,000,000 dollars. Here's another experience that gives you
the lay of the land that Black media companies encounter more often than
not. I was the only Black reporter in the press room in August 2012
and for the most part was treated nicely. However one of the staffers
had a birthday and they celebrated with a big chocolate cake. Everyone
was offered a piece except me. Did I want some of the cake? No, but
did I wanted to be offered a slice, Yes! You overlook those slights and
you just do your job.
On the nation's observance of Dr. Martin Luther King's
Birthday, modern Black History will be made, January 21, 2013 with the
inauguration of President Barack Obama to his second term of office.
Jacquie Taliaferro
SF Filmmaker
