When The Hustle Got Serious: Filmmaker Nicole Franklin shares stories on success, losing her apartment and meeting Jamie Foxx

Yes, I met Jamie Foxx.  He’s an easy-going guy, so I am sure many people have had the pleasure. But what’s cool about it is how his lengthy career means so much to so many people—especially at the high school where I’ll be speaking next week. "When The Hustle Got Serious: Filmmaker Nicole Franklin shares stories on success, losing her apartment and meeting Jamie Foxx” is the title of my career day speech that I’m excited to share with the young performing arts students in my hometown of St. Louis, MO.  I enjoy sharing with young people everywhere some lessons on life, ups and downs and the behind-the-scenes mayhem behind my more than 20-years “in the biz.” I have been very blessed to learn so much about turning my ambition into a reality and identifying the resources and people who are crucial to helping you succeed. Also as a landlady who had to move out my own living space within 72 hours, I have a few pointers on how to avoid real estate nightmares but stay on track for wealth-building goals. I have been known to advise others—especially artists with entrepreneurial talents—to purchase property before the age of 30.  One clue:  it’s not all about the granite countertops. Most of all throughout my journey I think what I have truly learned is that defining success early should be of the upmost importance. It probably took a full decade of my life, during the time when I was young and hungry for experience in my 20s, to realize success is not measured by monetary standards.  Social currency is what counts. Making a difference with the gifts one is given actually keeps the world in motion.  That’s what counts. And then when you do figure out that you’re ready to pass the baton, you know that you have achieved what you were put here to do.  There are dreams that now need my support. There is an epiphany I had not expected.  The dreams of future generations are what my dream has been about all along.  

Production still from "Journeys In Black:  the Jamie Foxx Biography" (BET, November 2001), produced/directed/edited by Nicole Franklin.

#BringBackOurGirls Week 3

Action begins now.  Tonight was the first time I was involved in hosting a Twitter Chat.  We had less than 48 hours to plan. I too am experiencing the outrage and frustration as the world watches a seemingly non-existent kidnapping rescue effort almost a month in the making in the northern area of Nigeria continue to fail.  My social media soldier in sisterhood, Marie Roker-Jones of @RaisingGreatMen, found an incredibly informative guest, Nigerian activist Ijeoma Ogwuegbu-Uduma @IjeomaOgud with whom to start a dialogue.  We learned so much and discovered the many areas where Nigerians feel their hands are tied.  We may have spent tonight uncovering information and we made a large social media imprint with our #BringBackOurGirls #SaveOurFuture communities. It's not a rescue. But I just know I have to do...something.  Anything….while these children’s lives are in turmoil. Although slow to gain recognition, the tragic circumstance of these young girls, who were at once filled with hope and innocence, has now gripped the global community. Kidnapping almost 300 schoolgirls in mid-April after killing 29 schoolboys a couple of months before does not give terrorists power. These crimes weaken nations and enrage the world. This is not a fight easily won on either side. On top of it, one by one the terrorists are potentially killing every soul they torture.  And for this, I am heartbroken.  It is only primarily through education—a basic human right these terrorists fear—that both child victims and the child soldiers who terrorize them will have a chance at peace.   

Here is our initial report from our Twitter Chat. We had over 530,000 imprints with more than 77,000 reach. This will grow as we double hashtag the Nigeria situation as both#SaveOurFuture #BringBackOurGirls (#SaveOurFuture distinguishes our conversation from the other #BringBackOurGirls social media activists). Drums keep drummin'!!! Let's do this!

Brooklyn Takes The Cake

The 61-year-old organization, the Brooklyn Links, welcomed Little Brother once again to screen in their annual festival today. I find this chapter of the Links consistent with their commitment to excellence in the arts, and with celebrating and nurturing Black female filmmakers as they do every year through their Women of African Descent Film Festival. This is their 13th year of the one-day festival.  I made my debut with the festival over a decade ago with my first film, The Double Dutch Divas!  Today we screened Little Brother:  The Fire Next Time (Chapter 4). Other shorts within a two-hour period included Christine List & Shahari Moore’s Swimmin’ Lesson (we have screened with this beautifully poetic film before), Rocky Collins’ Fifteen Minutes (a true delight), and Lisa Kirazian’s Reflection Day starring and executive produced by veteran talent Edythe Davis (powerful piece with tearful moments).  I will never forget receiving the highest honor during one of their previous festivals when screening the first chapter of what was then a new series, Little Brother, in 2011. One of the Links walked up to me and said, “I knew the same woman who filmed The Double Dutch Divas! did this film too.” I consider both the double Dutch and Little Brother film productions keen examples of the light and joy we project from our culture. It is beyond any award to have your signature as an artist recognized. And look! We received an award today as well! Thank you, Ladies. Your audience is always filled, and always warm.  Brava!

Talented actor Arthur French sits front and center in our LIttle Brother:  The Fire Next Time audience at WADFF.

Veteran actress and now Executive Producer Edythe Davis screened Reflection Day after ours at WADFF. What an honor. 

The Brooklyn Links are a classy group of women.  Professional, stylish and top patrons of the arts.  Brava!

Long Weekends

It’s no surprise to anyone who knows me that I work a lot.  I enjoy my work, actually. I enjoy creating and storytelling. I really enjoy networking. When do I have time to do it all?  That’s a tricky question. But what has been interesting to identify—and artists have known this for years—is that we mainly clock work hours on the weekend, and a social encounter, evening out or a party ‘til dawn usually happens for us on a Monday (historically Broadway’s dark that night), Tuesday or Wednesday.  Full-time (and starving) artists may even enjoy the “luxury” of having their daytime hours off on those aforementioned weekdays as well. 

But what I am really enjoying are my long weekends. Yes, I work on the weekends. Yet my work involves my day gig as well as the screening and exhibiting of my media productions by invitation. For me, that is an honor for which I have worked my entire career.  But my connection to benevolent audiences does not usually end on Sunday nights.  I am happy that Monday nights are now a regular event with our #EConvo webcasts on Google Hangout/YouTube.  Thus, Monday nights have become a natural extension of my work weekend. You may see our catalogue of previous #EConvo topics here.  With EPIPHANY Inc. covering both the in-person and online space, the next two images will give you a sample of the broad spectrum our weekend covers. For instance, on Saturday I’m honored to screen with the Women of African Descent Film Festival one more year. Sunday I work on an award-winning morning news program for which many have always loved.  And this Monday I am thrilled to take a laugh break with humorist Annabelle Gurwitch who will discuss her new memoir about turning 50 as our #EConvo guest.  Why waste a long weekend on a beach or resort somewhere far away?  For relaxation you may say?  Nah…. 

Little Brother:  The Fire Next Time (Chapter 4) screens Saturday, May 3, 1:15pm, LIU Spike Lee Screening Room at the WADFF.

Humorist/Actress/Activist Annabelle Gurwitch talks about her memoir I See You Made an Effort on our #EConvo Monday, May 5 at 6pmEST.

My Kind of Town

My love for New York City could only be illustrated by what kept me going during a 19-hour day that began at 3am.  I work in morning news television in New York so I was already booked for a 4am shift, but for some reason every cultural event in the world was scheduled for April 26. I am inspired by every encounter in this city of frenzied talent, wealth, grit and despair.  Museum forums, theatre productions, dance class, film festivals, and the best people-watching on the planet…all had to take a backseat to events with which I already had a personal connection. Running into friends at the annual TFI Interactive Digital Conference,  and subsequently experiencing with a friend the interactive and immersive documentary forums exhibited in StoryScapes at the TriBeCa Film Festival, celebrating a friend’s premiere of her film On My Own in Harlem which surprised me tremendously when I found friends in attendance who I had yet to meet in person since I’d only spent time with them on the web, and wrapping the day at the hard-to-get-reservations-for Ginny’s Supper Club to meet up with friends from Norway and share a night of swinging music and mouth-watering food (I splurged and had the chicken & waffles with a side of collards, truffles for desert).   What was the best part from a day of social interactive documentary, advocacy for preservation of the black family, and jazz/blues singer Brianna Thomas accompanied by a jammin’ quartet who raised the roof of our subterranean sweet spot?  I have a bond here with my peeps.  They give me life. And life supports my art. And art keeps me connected to what God creates. That’s when it comes full circle.  I can’t wait until tomorrow.

"Programming is a Superpower."  Storyscapes presents "Clouds," and interactive media event at TriBeCa Film Fest.

RESPECT

I am honored to have my article The Man Who Killed Our Son Still Needs Our Prayers published with The Good Men Project.  In February, after the verdict on the killer of young Jordan Davis came back indecisive in a Florida Stand Your Ground case (to which most of us said, “Again”?) the words of the victim’s mother, Lucia McBath, took me by surprise. I was angry and sad, but I found her offering her son’s killer the gift of prayer a stunning game changer as to how we are being advised to move on.  Her gesture moved me to write a series of articles on the subject of forgiveness and race.  Please read and share. #JusticeforJordan

Under the Spell of our Coven

On a personal note:  I am still celebrating last week’s phenomenal gathering of women, for which we are now referring to ourselves as Vero’s Creative Coven.  To celebrate the birthday and New York visit of Zulu Film Commissioner Noxy Mavundla, filmmaker Véronique Doumbé hosted few of my industry sisters and new friends I encountered to meet Noxy and break bread on this special evening.  Over a delectable meal, the friendships were instant and the wine was plentiful.  We laughed and consoled as women who share a passion for the arts, feminism and progressive thinking.  A toast to finding your kindred spirits while on your personal journey we know as life.

photo by Sergei Franklin

A Call for #WomenofMaidanWatch

A resounding call to action was made after this last #EConvo, our weekly Monday night international conversation presented by our Google+ Community. This is our second webcast featuring the women of the Ukraine.  An EPIPHANY Conversation:  Crisis in Crimea, A Return to Maidan provided a small window into a global event that will drastically change at least part of the world as we know it. Just one month prior in our weekly Google Hangout series, we met Christina Kotlar, Olha Onyshko and Adile (last name held back for safety) in order to learn firsthand how women were handling the annexation of their home country—a Ukrainian future in the hands of Russia.  Like the rest of us who read and watch the news I knew we were witnessing history being made.  Past world events of this nature have usually resulted in grave human consequences.  So it has not been a surprise that in a matter of weeks, the Ukraine has experienced political unrest, a swift election, military aggression and continuous protests.

What cannot be denied is the humanitarian crisis that is brewing. 

When we first met these women, some wayward observers on our first Google Hangout ridiculed me and members of the panel for being alarmists and just plain “stupid.”  This past Monday night for our follow up webcast, we were joined by young Olena live from Kiev who could not fully reveal her identity because she was heading into the heart of the conflict zone just a few hours later at dawn. As her words were translated to me before our webcast, by coming on with us she would have a record and documentation that she was here—alive and providing support to her countrymen as a medical volunteer the night before she was to head into the unknown.  The patriotism (translation: bravery) expressed by these women, such as Adile’s refusal to apply for a Russian passport even if her livelihood depends on it, shows the resistance Putin faces when confronting a woman with Crimean Tartar roots. Adile and Olena are women under 30. They have told us jobs are scarce, unbiased medical treatment is not available for the wounded and the threat of kidnapping surrounds them at every moment.  Here in the States, Olha and Christina stressed the need for safehouses, bulletproof vests and helmets, and financial support. 

For the next few weeks it may be a bit difficult to communicate with our new friends in the battle zone. So we decided to turn on the #WomenofMaidanWatch hashtag.  Across all social media, #WomenofMaidanWatch will be a point of contact.  We hope to stay in communication as well as grow public support for the women of Maidan.  They should not feel as if they are protecting their families and communities alone.

After getting to know these women I believe them when they say the women will be the ones to peacefully end the unrest. But as demonstrated by Olena who put on her uniform and displayed her badge for us when we disconnected our evening’s public broadcast, the #WomenofMaidanWatch will never give up the fight. 

Little Brother: It Never Gets Old

This week Little Brother:  The Fire Next Time (Chapter 4) was published as a catalog item with our distributor Third World Newsreel.  You may see it here. This is our fourth Little Brother listing with TWN and my fifth listing as my film Gershwin & Bess:  A Dialogue with Anne Brown sells exclusively through their catalog as well.  Pertaining to Little Brother, when producer Jasmin Tiggett and I set out a little over four years ago to film one chapter per year in a different area of the U.S. with a tight budget, and an ambitious premise, we knew it would be a huge undertaking. We also asked one of the fiercest advocates for Black boys, Dr. Raymond A. Winbush (author, The Warrior Method), to accompany us on this journey.  He was on board from the start.  Each Little Brother chapter is a 15-minute documentary.  These installments are smaller in scope, but still held in high standard.  Chapter 4 is very special because it brings to light the conflict between the Cherokee Nation and the Descendants of the Freedmen in the state of Oklahoma through the eyes of young boys.  

The beauty and the why as to the very existence of the series' mission is evident when a packed and curious audience lights up and smiles along with young Black men on the screen talking about love, family, friendship and hope.  Our fourth chapter in our journey of ten chapters is now for sale.  We are available for in-person screenings and discussions, even townhalls, for tax-deductible donations. Little Brother has been incredibly generous to all who come in contact with the film.  And, as you may suspect, it never gets old.

Plenty of Conversation on Monday Nights

I've been thrilled to produce and host our weekly Monday night Google Hangouts known as An EPIPHANY Conversation.  We began them last month, and have enjoyed the benefits of an international conversation that airs live on YouTube.  Our webcasts continue to be discovered by audiences viewing the Replay.  From these views, we are now known for our ability to offer an inside view to some of the world's most captivating topics and the interesting personalities behind them.  Tonight we are pleased to present author Joyce King who shares meeting the love of her life after serving on the team that helped free him from 27 years of wrongful imprisonment. Criminal defense attorneys Ken Foote from Florida and Judith Bourne from the U.S. Virgin Islands will enlighten us on conditions on and off shore today that set the scene for much more exonerations to come.  Future Monday evenings will cover the topics of single motherhood, sexual slavery, fatherhood in the age of My Brother's Keeper and a follow up to our conversation on the Ukraine with the #WomenofMaidanWatch.  We are #EConvo on all social media.  Join us here at An EPIPHANY Conversation. See you online!

DC put us to work

This past weekend the Little Brother production team and moderator Jarvis Sams were presenters at The Association of Black Psychologists Student Circle 6th Regional Conference.  We were hosted by Howard University.  Our film presentation and discussion were part of day-long events that exposed budding psychologists to the mental health profession and to those of us who support their efforts.  For the very impressive Howard crowd we screened Little Brother: Things Fall Apart (Chapter 1) and Little Brother:  A Do Right Man (Chapter 3). Personally it never gets old to hear that our film was "excellent" and "a relief."  Watching our young men on screen is a special treat and offers a different perspective of young Black males as they talk about the love they feel in their lives.  Sams, a first year doctoral student based in Los Angeles, led the discussion with a request for audience members to write their impressions of Black males aged 13 on an index card for the anonymous box we provided.  I am still reviewing the submissions as it informs my team of the work still to do. Numerous times the word "impressionable" came up. Other thoughts: "Given so much stress from such high expectations but so little help or attention to reach it." "Struggles." "Fatherless." "Being profiled." "Trayvon Martin." We hear you Howard. And the Little Brother film series feels even more empowered to continue giving our young Black men a voice.

Little Brother Screens this weekend at Howard University

One of my favorite activities is screening our 15-minute conversation pieces--the documentary chapters known as Little Brother--to audiences everywhere.  This Saturday we will screen and have a discussion, moderated by Jarvis Sams, for the psychology students at Howard University. Little Brother is for everyone to see. We feature young Black men and their thoughts on Love. Sams is an active member of the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) Student Circle. Having screened on the West Coast with their members and now with members on the East Coast, the Little Brother film series is proving its viable place in the field of psychology and changing our nation's conscious and unconscious attitudes toward young Black males as a whole. At least we hope so. More info about this weekend or hosting a tax-deductible Little Brother event of your own may be found here at LittleBrotherFilm.com. 

#TalkItUpTuesdays

Our online Google+ Community Page, An EPIPHANY Conversation welcomes your announcements, promotion of work, crew needs, or show that's casting, an upcoming lecture, an upcoming product for sale...the works! Please post it on Tuesdays at An EPIPHANY Conversation (click here) for "Talk It Up Tuesdays"! You must be a member of the EPIPHANY Conversation Google+ Community to post. Share your news and re-share news with peers!  From Midnight to 11:59pm on Tuesdays, feel free to post with the hashtag #TalkItUpTuesdays.  

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