I wrote this last year when my film opened at Sundance and then again when they hit theatres. I think the information is timely and applies to all films made by people of color for people of color. It’s hopeful because we are making work and there an alternative to complaining about the work of others. We can support the work that we care about and that’s our most powerful tool for change. Don’t buy a tix for bullshit and buy a tix for something you want to see more of.
7 Reasons why Opening Weekend is the most crucial time to see my films Blue Caprice & Mother of George
SimonSays Entertainment’s film, Blue Caprice opens this Friday, 9/27 in the following cities:
Here are the reasons why I’ve been publicizing SimonSays Entertainment’s films like a girl gone mad:
1. As far as I know, we are the only professional actors of color to produce Sundance Festival Indies about people of color in major roles living through complicated human dilemmas.
2. Now the industry tells us this is risky business because they don’t know the audience for this content. We’ll I’m convinced that there is an audience wanting to see complicated stories on the screen with our folks in it. And the one chance we get to prove that to the industry is opening weekend.
3. Films, especially indie films (meaning we make our films, not a big fancy Hollywood Studio, just us) are in competition with $50 million dollar blockbusters that have also had another $100 million dollars of advertising behind them.
4. For us, we put the money into the storytelling and hope our audience will support the work by seeing it opening weekend. When we show big numbers opening weekend, it means a film stays in the theatre longer and sends a message to Hollywood about the kind of stories we want to see. It stays in the theatre long enough for the award-givers to see it, love it, and demand that it continue to run.
5. You cast your vote with every tix purchase. Beasts of the Southern Wild and Fruitvale did not get where they were by advertising, but rather by deep, thoughtful content, amazing storytelling that sang to peoples’ hearts and made them think deeper and love life a little harder. That’s our job as artists.
6. Our audience’s job is to keep the flame alive: pure word of mouth and vigilant supporters banging down the doors opening weekend to send Hollywood a message.
7. If you don’t like the stories currently being told about us, empower yourself to change that. Complaining = No power. But every time you buy an opening weekend tix to a film or a play, you use your power to create change to make your desires clear. To raise the value of our stories.
Is your script ready to be submitted? Is it production ready?