Matthew Morris

Midterm Paper
English 102
2/20/14
Film 101
Throughout history the human race has used art to express them
selves, from as early as cave paintings to modern day Spike Lees Do
The Right Thing. Film is an ongoing portrait of a story, like a vivid
picture book with sound and emotion entangled in it. The history of
film predates to the late 1800s and has been a growing industry ever
since. Film has gone through many stages progressing thoroughly in
quality and clarity. For a while race had a barrier on film, only white
films were accepted; now there are many great respected directors in
all races like M. Night Shyamalan, Spike Lee and John Singleton. Urban
films created by directors such as Spike Lee have painted vivid pictures
to the masses about the harsh realities and beautiful things that come
from the Urban African American Culture. Film is more than just an art
form it can inspire, give hope and entertain all in one message,
throughout this paper I will go through how you go about making film
and what Minority film directors had to do to come up.
In my opinion film is the most spectacular art from, it is the
clearest way to express your self, which is the purpose of art. As stated
by Ron Johnson films are a part of our culture, and they influence how
we think and what we do (3). Films do more than paint a picture a
good film draws a viewer in and captures them mentally, emotionally

and physically. Certain things in society are only acceptable because of

movies, for an example many fashion trends and slangs are relevant
only because of movies and the effect they had on the masses. A great
film can enlighten people and lead them to change their way of
thinking; this is an attribute that no other form of art has.
The First documented film was created in 1890, in a time where
there was no sound or color in motion pictures. Film has grown
exponentially since then; we now have the technology to make films
like the Avatar, where special effects are resounding. But even back in
the 1800s film had some of the same main components as it does
today, casting, directing, filming, producing and editing. These 5
components make up what it takes to create a film; each component
has its own role that is important to the success of a good film. The
director has the most important role in the film, they have many
responsibilities as stated by James Piper First, he is the script writer.
Next and what this chapter stresses-he manipulates people and
celluloid: that is he directs performances and photo. (87) The
director does a little bit of everything they are responsible for getting
their vision out clearly, and getting everybody working on the film to
cohesively work together as a unit. Everything going into a film is
centered on the directors decisions he is similar to a quarterback on a
football team.

Being a director and being an African American where two things

that did not mix, until as stated by Masood 1909 (56) , William Foster
opened up his own film company and directed for it (56). This started
the long hard road for African American film directors. White people
have been exploiting
African American people in movies since silent films; it did not stop
once African Americans were finally able to make films. White people
made it very difficult for African Americans to succeed in the film
industry, for years whites would not fund African American movies.
Modern day African American film directors still struggle with funding
from white producers, even notorious black film director Spike Lee.
Spike Lee was forced to ask for funding from African American
celebritys to create his movie Malcom X. White funders have no
reason for not funding African American directors, even though the
black population as stated by Massood makes up 12 percent of the
population (6) Black moviegoers make up over 25 percent of the
box office ticket sales (6). The black community provides a large
portion of revenue for films; it is unjust and wrong that producers and
funders do not support African American directors.
In conclusion film is more than actors coming together to make a
film, it is a directors vision put onto the screen to evoke emotion and
grip your senses, film is the rawest form of art. Film takes separate
pieces working as whole to come together to be great. With a good

director at the helm of a film the possibilities are endless for the effect
that it will have on people. African Americans involvement in film has
been an ongoing struggle for respect, though films pure in art form the
people who produce it are the opposite. Film is modern day beauty on
a screen, it is an art that will never die and only continue to grow.

Works Cited
Johnson, Ron, and Jan Bone. Understanding the Film. Skokie, IL:
National Textbook,
1976. Print.
Massood, Paula J. Black City Cinema: African American Urban
Experiences in Film.
Philadelphia: Temple UP, 2003. Print.
Piper, James. Personal Filmmaking. Reston: Reston, 1975. Print