fiscal sponsorship
Black Privilege. White Power.
TYPE: Narrative Feature
GENRE: Drama
STATUS: Pre-Production
LOGLINE
After graduating high school, a young Smith College student joins up with an activist group to fight for civil rights in the Jim Crow era South and ends up taking part in one of the great protest movements in American history, inspiring her peers and strangers along the way.
SYNOPSIS
A stirring and topical period drama that examines the courageous work of courageous people, fighting, unrestrained, against injustice. This is a historical story, but these important issues are still very relevant even today, and the script brings them to life with passion, outrage, and insight. As harrowing as the systematic prejudice and seemingly endless violent bigotry is, it is impressive and inspirational to see the resolve and courage of those who would not stand down.
ARTISTIC STATEMENT
One of the key aspects of what we are doing with this project is teaming up with Bridgebuilder Cinematic Arts Program. A non profit organization designed to teach, train and mentor minority and underprivileged youth in the film making proccess. Weare all EXTREMELY EXCITED about how this will not only effect the program participants and their futures but also how the overall dynamic will effect the outcome of the film!
I am an unconventional african american screenwriter. I earned my G.E.D in prison when I was 21 years old. I was Adopted into an upper class caucasian family when I was two years old. My mother told me that when I was four, I came upstairs and I was reading. Complex aspects of my upbringing compelled me, are intertwined and can be found within my creative writing . My aunt Posy Lombard who I found out marched with Dr. king, was a real American hero. I didn't actually know that as a kid, but I could feel it whenever she would come visit from Atlanta. She was white with a black husband. My personal struggles with race brought me to this story. Although I am black, having a white family gave me certain privileges. I now know that it was the courage and sacrifice of young white students like my aunt, that helped pave the way for black Americans liberations. In my writing I strive to unite the races with the same energy that my aunt and Fannie Lou Hamer implored. It was that energy that caused 50,000+ people to march on the capitol of Alabama on March 25 1965. I intentionally interjected the Rabbi and his family because although we were never taught it in school, the fact remains, Jews, Latinos, Asians and whites came together to fight Jim Crow in the south. Some gave their lives and because of that negroes were aloud to vote. Knowing how important the 2020 election will be I wrote this script about a vital period of time in American history. A time that is rarely talked about anymore. A time that we may need to reflect directly on when it comes to gathering the masses for the presidential election of 2020.
KEY CREW
Daniel George Danielson - Writer/Director
Daniel Danielson is an American actor/writer/director/voice talent known for writing the feature length screenplay “Black Privilege. White Power.”, producing/directing its short film/proof of concept, writing producing and directing the six-part web series “Mr. and Mrs. Jackson” starring his wife Josephine Webb and himself as Mr. and Mrs. Jackson and multiple on-screen appearances and shows such as White House Plumbers” (David Mandel/HBO) opposite Woody Harrelson and Justin Thoreau The Blacklist (NBC /Universal) alongside James Spader and “Mr. Robot” (USA) with the Oscar/Emmy award winner Rami Malik, and many more.
A graduate of the Institute of Audio Research in New York City he also studied media production at the University of Hartford and voiceover at the School of Special Studies at NYU. “His entertainment insight and experience propel his work tenfold” says his mentor Billy “Mr. Apollo” Mitchell who continues to guide him sharing powerful stories and experiences, having served the iconic Apollo theater in Harlem New York City where Daniel resides. Mr. Mitchell witnessed the careers of some of the world's greatest entertainers including a young Michael Jackson, James Brown, and Gladys Knight, and says that Daniel is one of if not the hardest working talent he's seen.
Ron Weisner - Music Supervisor
As the man who propelled Michael Jackson to fame in the early 1980s, Ron will most likely be remembered as one of Hollywood's most accomplished managers. Additionally, he has worked with Madonna, Aretha Franklin, and James Brown.
Kate Lanier - Writer/Screenplay
As a trained English writer from Vassar, Kate is best known for her work on the Academy Award-nominated hit movie "What's Love Got To Do With It" and the cultural phenomenon "Set It Off".
Martha Pinson - First Time Directors Consultant
Prior directing work includes: “It’s Not Saturday,” a dramatic short done under VisionFest’11 Filmmaker’s Challenge. I directed the Drama Book Shop short play staged reading Series (2010), “Rescue Meal” (pilot for firehouse cooking show, 2009), “King Alive” (2006), Sheila Evan’s “Billie Holiday Cabaret” (2005), and the award-winning short film, “Don’t Nobody Love the Game More than Me” (2002), which aired nationally on the PBS series "Independent Lens". More theater directing credits: Bob Rogers’ “Small Potatoes” (2000), Stephen Mantin’s “Acts of Faith” (1998) – both off-Broadway full-length plays. I was a Second Unit Director on the film “Just the Ticket” starring Andy Garcia. I’ve consulted for numerous new directors and written numerous original and adapted screenplays, including the award winning “Body Count 1968,” and an historical miniseries treatment that is in development. I was Script Supervisor to major directors including Martin Scorsese, Sidney Lumet, Milos Forman, Oliver Stone, Brian De Palma, and Andrew Niccol. I often give Guest Lectures and Workshops at college film programs.
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