Black Panther anyone? Anyone?

Speaking as a man of color, to be more specific a black man or an African American or what we go by these days, it has always been a curious wonder to me that there has not been any leading black super heroes.  I’m very aware of all the arguments that are made in defense of my question; why aren’t their any black super heroes? But, frankly speaking I’ll have to disagree with any answer that couples Blade, Hancock, Spawn and the War Machine as the figures I’m referring too.  I guess the better question to ask is why isn't there more mainstream black movies or actors? That’s another subject altogether.  Most black super heroes aren't very known or are token character i.e. Hancock and Don Cheadle as War Machine.  Another question I ask myself is do I really believe white audiences will buy into a black superhero movie?  White people are the majority, and make up the prime audience for most American films.  People generally like heroes that look like them, and that they can identify with.  I constantly wonder would black superhero backgrounds be identifiable to mainstream white audiences.  But, then I’m reminded that outside of the United States where the majority of the world is people of color I think to myself that an action hero that’s non-European would probably do well internationally at the box office.

I know just like any business owner and Hollywood is no different…the FIRST criteria for making a movie is, "Will it make money?" Superman, Batman, Captain America, Spider-Man, Iron man and Thor... They are widely known have a larger audience and that means more of a draw at the box office.  But that’s not to say you can’t get the same return with black characters.  There ARE great black super heroes out there, but if you look at the history of comic books, most great black superheroes are still relatively new.  Even when comic book writers finally got around to making non-white super heroes they did a rather poor job of it, as most of the heroes were horrible stereotypes.  Take a look at Power Man in his early years.  MAN that was bad...  They even had him wearing a Tiara?  What's up with that? But, I digress.

I’m sure other ethnicities could and have made the same argument.  I hope that as sure as we have a black president we could at least get a black superhero.  I’m told Marvel is at least considering a Black Panther movie.  Although the locations may prove to be difficult…are you kidding me? 

So, about 3 black superheroes compared to a sea of white superheroes is adequate representation? I don't think so.  There needs to be better representation for all minority characters in movies.  Bring some more black heroes to the screen.  Bring some more Latino characters to the screen more Asians, etc. The minority population (as a whole) is quickly overcoming the white population, and superhero movies (movies in general) need to start reflecting that.  Heroes that transcend previously set racial barriers and monikers to represent a better, less racial America

As for movies, Blade has been done. Sam Jackson could solo in his own Nick Fury movie, after all he signed for up to 9 films and he has only been seen in three so far and after Captain America and Avengers he still would only have had five.  Black Panther needs a movie.

Lets examine this a little further.  Breaking the Avengers down a bit.  All the superheroes are white.  You have Thor, the blond, blue-eyed Norse god; the Incredible Hulk, the smart white scientist turned raging monster; Iron Man, the handsome, slick alien-busting version of Bill Gates; and Captain America, the hillbilly super soldier.

Samuel L. Jackson's character, Nick Fury, doesn't count. He's just playing the role of the figurehead — he doesn't have any superpowers — and in the comic books, Fury is white. Jackson is more like President Obama calling in SEAL Team Six to take out Osama bin Laden.  He gives the orders, but he doesn't do the job.

Instead, the biggest blockbuster of the summer sends out a subliminal message that Hispanics and blacks can't be counted on to save the world.  Heck, the producers couldn't even squeeze in a little screen time for Don Cheadle to play Iron Man's sidekick, War Machine.  So what is this really saying?

The movie should have included the Black Panther, who became the first black hero in modern-day comic books when he made his debut fighting alongside the Fantastic Four in 1966.  According to his origin tale, the Black Panther's real identity is T'Challa, the chief of the Panther tribe from the fictional African nation of Wakanda.  He had to earn his title by fighting other champions from the tribe, and his job was to protect his country from exploitation.  He has genius-level intellect, and his senses and physical attributes have been enhanced to near-superhuman levels.  The Black Panther joined the Avengers in 1968.  Eight years later, he starred in his own comic book, in which he took out the Ku Klux Klan in Georgia.  And he could charm the ladies too. His girlfriend was Storm, the mutant leader of the X-Men.

Long story even longer…why can't Hollywood bring him to the big screen? Hmmm, I let you all figure that one out, but from a producers and moviegoer standpoint please no Shaq in Steel.  Everyone deserves better then that.

And who are you?

A tailor sews; a chef cooks – and film producers produce film.  A tailor doesn’t sew a dress and expects a clothing line in return.  A chef doesn’t cook one recipe and expect to receive 5 stars and a fancy restaurant.  So an unknown film producer must earn their worth and not demand from people their hard earned cash and time.  Worth is achieved by constant quality productions and it takes years of mistakes, of trials of learning and growing to make something of substance and it should be reflected in your work.

Being an unknown film producer is not a self-depreciating thing, but actually an internalization of what a new unknown film producer can expect from the industry and from its audiences.

Producing film is not all about crunching the numbers and squeezing the clock for a perfect schedule and budget plan.  Sometimes it’s not about the numbers at all.  Creativity is something to be remembered before the actual filming of a project because many won’t even try to make the film because they don’t know how they can generate profits from it.

But, no one care about the unknown film producer its all about the big time film producer.  For the unknown film producer there lives and work overlap or sometimes they bring their work back to home or their personal life gets invaded with work.  This could be fuel creativity or burn down passions depending on the producer ability to manage.  The distinguishing factor between a big time film producer and unknown film producer is how committed unknown producers are in their projects because it’s the only way they can be made.

Its ok to be an unknown film producer in the beginning, just know that at some point you’ll need to come across someone with either a) experience or b) money.  When you both meet; the one with the money gains experience and the one with experience gains some money.

Alternative Blog Assignment

Phillip Simon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc6yi_FtoNo

William Ury:  The walk from “no” to “yes” (19:15)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI_uCkUY_FE

William Ury:  How to Effectively Persuade & Cajole (2:27)

Both of these podcast/videos relates to separating the people from the problem a topic discussed in William Ury and Roger Fisher’s book “Getting to yes”.  In the first video William uses several stories as examples to ultimately finding the third side.  Because in every situation and/or conflict there are two side (which can be represented by a side 1 and side 2.  William encourages us to find the 3^rd side, which helps to remind us to what’s at stake. William calls this 3^rd side “going to the balcony” in other words this side helps us gain a greater perspective to what the situation or conflict is about.  In conflict resolution this is another way of separating the people from the problem.  Whether through the use of a third person or party anything that allows us to focus not on ourselves, but the problem is the goal.  William further goes on to illustrate this buy using examples as to some of the major crisis negotiations he was apart of from Russia to Africa and the Middle East.  In the second video Williams talks about the filmmaker Steven Spielberg and the technique he used to win over a bully using dirty tricks to manipulate the young Spielberg.  In both videos I was refreshed in my knowledge of knowing that a third party or a 3^rd side as William Ury puts it can help.  If the other two conflicting side can gain perspective and allow the problem to be the main focus and not each other the solutions can be found.  This can be useful for situations that may arise in the film industry where any two sides may have a difference in opinions and objective, but yet need to come to some common understanding in order to accomplish the project.

Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton

MGMT 489 – Negotiation:  First Half (1/3) (10:07)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYGJNh8wFRc&feature=relmfu 

MGMT 489 – Negotiation:  First Half (2/3) (9:52)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILeXnpPZfrw&feature=relmfu

This particular video is a workshop of a negotiations moderated by the three gentlemen who wrote the book “Getting to yes”.  In the first scenario you’ll find the classic example of bargaining over positions between two men, a radio station owner and a businessman wanting to buy his station.  In the beginning each man is only focused on the substance being negotiated over and not focusing on the process of the negotiation or the real problem at hand.  After a teaching point is reached it is obvious that the rising interest in each gentlemen’s position give way to possible options that can be reached.  I have learned that each and every negotiation is an exercise in influence and both of these scenarios reflect that once interest are identified and options are created and discussed then the real negotiations can take place.  Being that the film industry is predicated on deals and all deals at some point will have to be discussed, will lead toward negotiation having to be made.  Know the best ways to effectively negotiate will help me further reach all my goals in accomplishing any of my projects as a movie producer.

Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton

MGMT 489 – Negotiation:  Second Half (3/4) (9:41)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghk9jM80g7g&feature=relmfu

MGMT 489 – Negotiation:  Second Half (4/4) (7:19)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UEdEaiVnPo&feature=relmfu  

This particular video is a workshop of a negotiations moderated by the three gentlemen who wrote the book “Getting to yes”.  This is the second half of the video scenarios describe in previous paragraph.  In this scenario they are discussing the BATNA (best alternative to negotiating agreements) and how best to go about figuring what the walk away alternative is.  Knowing what your BATNA is will give you power in going into your meeting.  This will allow you to be fully prepared for anything that might occur during the meeting, which might not fall into your favor.  Having something in your back pocket will always give you an edge, but what will sharpen that edge is knowing what the other people setting across from you will have in their back pocket.  Knowing what their BATNA is should not be over looked.  And in this last scenario it just proves to show you that having other alternative in place is prudent toward the success of any negotiations.  Overall, all this information in terms of efficient and effect negotiations will benefit me as a movie producer as I will be in constant negotiation from A-list actors to food caterers.  And being able to negotiate my terms not just from a position but from a point in trying to accomplish all my project on schedule and within budget for the good of all is paramount to applying all these techniques.