Defining Black Film

DEFINING BLACK FILM BY KYLE GRAHAM 1

Defining Black FilmThe factors most important to the movie-going public in

categorizing black films

Kyle Graham [email protected]

COM 495 Capstone Professor Padgett

Abstract

mailto:[email protected]

2 DEFINING BLACK FILM BY KYLE GRAHAM

Over the course of the last century, the genre has changed, and has currently entered a

renaissance period. This research examined various articles on black film, and analyzed an

online survey of 301 respondents on the factors that define black film. The aim of this research

was to create a definition of what a black film is according to the movie-going public. To be

categorized as a black film a movie must have a storyline that has an authentic connection to the

black experience. It is essential that the film have the ability to relate and connect to audiences

at a cognitive and visceral level. Additionally the prominence of black actors and/or actresses is

needed to tell the story because without them it would be a completely different film. In some

cases, the narrative could not be told without them.

I. Introduction

Black films have been produced for nearly a century. From the early works of Oscar

Micheaux to the modern day black produced films, there has been a clear evolution in public

reception to black films, the quality of these films, and the type of stories that are told.

Despite the success rate, it has become evident within the year of 2013 alone, that black films

are on the rise in the mainstream film industry. For well over 100 years, motion pictures have

illuminated screens, and have touched on a multitude of subjects and themes. Some films are

looked at through a different scope, and black films are a prime example. Unlike many other

films, black films are not automatically categorized into different genres. First they are

placed under the umbrella term “black films,” and they are later broken down into different

sub-genres. At surface level this may seem like another method of defining film categories,

but what exactly gets a film placed under the overarching scope of a black film?

Because there is no standard definition of a black film, it is difficult to decipher what films

should or should not be considered a black film. There are numerous factors that could be


considered in determining whether a film is classified as a black film. Some of these elements

could include the race of the director, principal actors, or screenwriter, the storyline of the film,

the quality of the film, and advertisement of the film. With all of these factors, are there some

that are more important than others?

Some movie watchers believe the race of the director to be the most important factor, while

others believe the plot to be the more essential. The director is often considered an important

factor because he or she is the visionary of the film. It is the director’s job to translate the words

of the script into a film that will captivate audiences. Others consider the plot to be more

important because a black story can be told regardless of who is directing the film. Without the

plot there would be no film to make. This research is designed to decipher exactly what factors

the public believes to be the most important in classifying a black film, and in turn create a

conclusive definition for black films.

II. Literature Review

In the following literature review the author reviewed articles on various aspects of black

cinema, including the importance of directors, importance of the storyline, and the growth in

number of black films in the current market.

The categorization of movies as black or non-black films creates an extremely exclusive

environment. Are there some requirements that a film must meet in order to be considered a

black film? Do some of these requirements have more merit than others? The problem at hand is

creating a way to categorize black films in a way that takes into account a multitude of factors.

There are too many hypothetical situations that arise when looking at films on an individual

basis. Should movies such as Obsessed, a 2009 remake of Fatal Attraction starring Idris Elba


and Beyoncé Knowles be considered a black film? Are movies that promote and profit from

stereotypical depictions of African Americans black films? There may not be a definitive answer

to this question due to a wide variety of personal opinions. What one-person values will

assuredly differ from another, and that one difference could change their entire definition.1

IMPORTANCE OF THE DIRECTOR

There is a growing trend in Hollywood of hiring white filmmakers to tell black stories. The

obvious absence of black input on the creation of these “black films” is abundantly clear in the

final product. It is hard to imagine how a film about a distinctly black experience can be told

with little to no creative contribution from African Americans.

There seems to be a belief that black films are entering a second coming of the Al Jolson era.

Jolson was the star of the first “talkie film,” The Jazz Singer in 1927, and is infamous for

donning blackface in several of his films. Hollywood executives are beginning to realize that

there is some merit to black films, however, there is still some apprehension in allowing African

Americans the right to tell the stories of their people. To curtail this trepidation, producers place

white filmmakers in charge.

Despite this practice, there are some white filmmakers who have realized the importance of

African American input when attempting to tell a black story. In his 1985 film The Color Purple,

Caucasian director Steven Spielberg hired Quincy Jones as a producer to give the black story an

actual black perspective. The film was based on a novel by Alice Walker, and without the input

1 Abukú, Ben. "What Is ‘Black Cinema’? Have You Ever Wondered?" FilmClique. N.p., 5 Oct. 2011. Web. 17 Oct. 2013. http://filmclique.com/2011/what-is-black-cinema-have-you-ever-wondered/.

http://filmclique.com/2011/what-is-black-cinema-have-you-ever-wondered/



of Jones (a long-time entertainment industry veteran) it could have gone in a completely different

direction and changed the significance and value of the story.

Yet, the importance of including input from African Americans when creating black films is

undervalued by Hollywood. There are cultural tones and understandings that go without being

said in the black community that individuals of other races would struggle to understand. This

inability to understand these differences translates directly to the final product of many films.2

More than two decades ago, the Pulitzer Prize winning playwright August Wilson struggled

to convince a major Hollywood studio that a black director was necessary to adequately depict

his story, Fences. Despite popular belief in the Hollywood studio system, black directors were

and still are more than capable of directing larger budget films. For example in 1992, John

Singleton became the youngest and first African American to be nominated for the Oscar for best

director, for his film Boyz In The Hood (1991). Wilson wasn’t lobbying for any black director; he

needed someone who could produce quality work.

Wilson demanded a black director for this film because there is a certain intangible that other

races lack. This is the understanding, and ability to translate black culture; one that has been

cultivated through generations since the era of slavery. Although black culture is culmination of

varying aesthetic values and beliefs, there are commonalities that black Americans share, and are

able to understand without talking about them. As much as someone from another culture may

try to understand, they will never be able to experience the full connection that someone of the

2 Singleton, John. "Can a White Director Make a Great Black Movie? (Guest Column)."The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., 9 Sept. 2013. Web. 17 Oct. 2013. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/john-singleton-can-a-white-630127.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/john-singleton-can-a-white-630127


same culture and race shares. In order for a true black story to be depicted, it has to be directed

by someone who truly understands black culture, and the black psyche.3

IMPORTANCE OF THE STORYLINE

The Help (2011) is a film adapted from a novel by the same name. The film takes place in

Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960s, an era that witnessed great civil and racial injustice. Over

the course of the film, a young white female writer tells the untold stories of black domestic

women.

To some individuals, The Help is a black film, and to others it is not. The film featured a

white director (Tate Taylor), but it also had a mix of quality principal actresses both black and

white. Where this film fell short of being considered a black film, was the authenticity of the

storyline. Although it featured a topic that is not often discussed, the primary focus was on the

white woman who sympathized with the black maids and her relationships with other white

women. The purpose of this film was to tell a typically untold story, but the makers almost lost

sight of this. In the movie trailer alone, the tone of the film is clear. The story was dominated by

the triumphs of Skeeter (played by Emma Stone), who comes down from her college educated

pedestal to lift up the voice of the black domestic, who was constantly ignored, abused and taken

for granted. Eventually the black maids gave in to Skeeter’s desire to tell their stories, despite

the dangerous implications. By the end of the film, women both black and white came together.

It should be noted that the film was based on a fictional novel, by Kathryn Stockett. From a

strictly historical standpoint, it is nearly impossible to fathom black women risking their

livelihoods and possibly their lives in 1960s, Jackson, Mississippi to tell their stories to a young

3 Wilson, August. "I Want a Black Director!" Spin Magazine Oct. 1990: n. pag. Spin Magazine. The Obenson Report, Dec. 2008. Web. 4 Nov. 2013. http://obensonreport.blogspot.com/2008/02/i-want-black-director.html

http://obensonreport.blogspot.com/2008/02/i-want-black-director.html


white writer. It is equally hard to believe that such radical changes could happen so quickly in a

small race oriented town. The trouble with this film was that it trivialized the black experience.

These happy endings were quite seldom in the Jim Cow South, however films such as The Help

convince the public that they were the norm.4

THE POWER OF MONEY

Lee Daniels’ The Butler (2013) was one of the most well known “black films” of the year.

However, if you look past the surface level of this film, can it truly be considered black? It is true

that the film had a black director, and predominately black cast, but that is about as much black

involvement there was in the film. In 2009, Danny Strong, a Caucasian male was hired to write

the script. This was a year before Lee Daniels became the films director. The film was shown in

nearly 3,330 theaters and made more than $100 million. This widespread distribution was made

possible by Harvey Weinstein (Co-Chairman) and David Glasser (COO) of the Weinstein

Company, which owns the distribution rights. The great majority of the 41 executive producers

and producers of the film who helped raise the $30 million budget were Caucasian. The

distributors and producers of the film stand to make the most money from the box-office returns.

With the lack of African American involvement on the investment side of the film, it is hard to

imagine how much control blacks actually had on the film. The film did have a black director

and actors, but the real control is in the hands of those with the money.5

4 O'Malley, Sheila. "'The Help': A Movie about a White Woman Who Told the Story of the Suffering of Black Women." Capital. Capital New York, 9 Aug. 2011. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/culture/2011/08/2916584/help-movie-about-white-woman-who-told-story-suffering-black-women.

5 "Is “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” (Really) A “Black Movie?”." Racism Is White Supremacy. N.p., 17 Aug. 2013. Web. 7 Nov. 2013. http://racismws.com/2013/08/17/is-lee-daniels-the-butler-really-a-black-movie/.

http://racismws.com/2013/08/17/is-lee-daniels-the-butler-really-a-black-movie/


http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/culture/2011/08/2916584/help-movie-about-white-woman-who-told-story-suffering-black-women



II. Methodology

The goal of this study was to gain a clear understanding of the factors the movie- going

public believed were most important in defining a black film. Data were collected through an

online survey (conducted through SurveyMonkey), which was active for 14 days. The 15 minute

long survey was made public to 1,328 Facebook friends of the researcher who were then

requested to disperse the survey to their own friends. To reach a different demographic the

survey was sent via email with the same request to adult family members and friends who were

many years removed from college. Prior to taking the survey, participants were instructed on the

aim of the study and given the opportunity not to take the survey. 301 individuals completed the

survey.

III. Results

The survey was designed to discover what the movie-going public believed to be the most

important factors in determining whether or not a film should be considered a black film. The

first question of the survey asked how frequently respondents watched movies. The researcher

wanted to see if the frequency in which individuals watch films made a difference in their

decision as to whether a movie was considered a black film.

Figure 1: How often do you watch movies? (Through any venue or method)


The data showed that 51.1% (153 respondents) of survey takers watched movies at least once

per week or more. Only 27.4% (82 respondents) watched movies several times per year or less.

Upon comparing data from this question with the answers from several questions that appear

later in the survey, it is evident that the frequency in which an individual watches movies does

not make a difference in their decision process.

Question two was created to see if respondents believe that there is a category of movies

known as black films. Due to the fact that the basis of the research was to create a definition for

black films, the researcher needed to discern whether the survey takers believed there was a sub-

category of film.

Figure 2: Do you believe there is a category of movies known as black films?


Of the 301 survey respondents, 87.9% (262 people) believed that there was a category of

movies known as black films, while 12.1% (36 people) did not think that there was such a

category. With the great majority of participants answering yes to this question, it can be

assumed that to the public black film is a category of film. Question three was asked to discover

why respondents gave their answers in question two. Of the 298 respondents that answered

question two, 293 answered question three. Participants gave a variety of answers, and many of

them centered on several of the factors presented later in the survey such as the race of the

director or actors, or the storyline of the film. Other reasons included focusing on black culture,

life, and history.

Question four was asked to see what factors stood out the most when respondents classified

movies as black films or not. 59.5% (179 people) decided that the storyline of the film was


highly important, and 53.9% (53.9 people) of the 297 respondents that rated principal actors

found this factor to be highly important. The producers, screenwriters, and film advertisement/

coming attractions had the lowest average ratings. 25 survey respondents wrote in several other

factors they believed to be important. Some of these factors included; the intended audience,

distribution, source of funding, and control of content.

Figure 4: On a scale of 1 to 5 (one being the least important and 5 the most important),

what is the importance of these factors in defining a black film?

This question was pertinent for the researcher to establish a clear understanding of what factors

stand out the most. From this the data, the researcher was able to establish a basis for the final

definition.


In question five, participants were presented with a list of 10 varying films, and asked

whether they considered each a black film. Based on individual definitions of what a black film

is, each film could possibly be categorized as a black film. The researcher purposely selected

several films that people may not initially consider a black film, but upon further inquiry might

realize that each film had one or more of the necessary factors. Despite the original thought

process of the researcher, respondents did not agree. The majority of the films were voted to not

be black films. These films included The Help (49.2% no, 42.4% yes, 8.5% not sure), Django

Unchained (48.3% no, 37.3% yes, 14.4% not sure), Training Day (62.4% no, 14.5% yes, 23.1%

not sure), Driving Miss Daisy (68.7% no, 17.5% yes, 13.7% not sure), Glory (43.1% no, 38.6%

yes, 20.1% not sure), and A Time to Kill (50.9% no, 15.3% yes, 33.8% not sure). At 43.7%,

Beasts of the Southern Wild was the only film that the majority of respondents were not sure how

to categorize (22% yes, 34.3% no). Of the 10 movies, only Madea Goes to Jail (84% yes, 7.2%

no, 8.9% not sure), School Daze (71.6% yes, 6.9% no, 21.5% not sure), and Fruitvale Station

(47.6% yes, 20.5% no, 31.9% not sure) were voted as black films.

Question six was designed to gain a better understanding of the decisions participants made

in question five. The researcher utilized the same factors that were presented in question four. By

an extremely wide margin, the storyline of the film was the most important deciding factor in 9

of the 10 films. Training Day was the only film where principal actors were the most important

factor. For the 9 films where the storyline was the most important factor, principal actors were

the second most important factor. The director of the film was significant for two films, Madea

Goes to Jail and School Daze, both of which featured two prominent African American directors

(Tyler Perry and Spike Lee respectively).


Figure 5: Would you consider the following movies a black film?

The researcher utilized question seven to see what films stood out to the respondents.

Participants were asked to provide their best example of a black film. Among the 301

respondents, there were a wide variety of films from multiple time periods. The top five movies

that were cited were Tyler Perry’s Madea series with 40 mentions, Lee Daniels’ The Butler (19

mentions), The Color Purple (18 mentions), Shaft (12 mentions), and Malcolm X (10 mentions).

Similar to question six, question eight was asked to gain a greater understanding of why

participants chose their movies. The researcher allowed the participants to answer this question

in paragraph form instead of forcing respondents to choose specific criteria. Many participants


stated that the storyline of the film was a pertinent factor in making their decision. The fact that

the films were centered on black experiences and culture was important. Other respondents noted

that the film they chose depicted stereotypical black life, and oppositely some chose films that

told positive black stories.

The final four questions identified demographic information. Question 9 asked the gender of

the participants. Females accounted for the majority of survey participants at 67.1% (202

respondents) and males made up 32.9% (99 respondents). Question 10 asked the age of

respondents. There range of survey participants was from below twenty years old to seventy and

above. The largest age group was 20-29, representing 27.2% (82 respondents) of all survey

takers. The next largest age group was 50-59, which accounted for 25.2% (76 respondents), and

the third largest group was 60-69, which had 22.3% (67 respondents) of participants. This can be

attributed to the researcher distributing the survey to college age students, and other Generation

Y individuals. The older demographic can be attributed to the older survey takers that dispersed

the survey to their peers and collogues.

Figure 6: Age?


Question 11 was designed to gauge the level of education of the participants. The researcher

wanted to see if level of education made a difference in the decision making process. 60.3% (181

respondents) of survey participants hold graduate level or professional degrees. College

graduates were the second largest represented group at 22% (66 respondents), and some college

represented 16.3% (49 respondents). This demographic question shows that the majority of

survey respondents are well educated.

Figure 7: Level of education?


The final question of the survey asked survey participants for their racial identity. 291 of the

301 respondents answered this question. Of the 291 answers, 70.7% (206 respondents) identified

as black. Caucasians accounted for 17.8% (52 respondents) of survey takers. It is possible that

the lack of racial diversity in the survey population could have skewed the results of the study.

IV. Discussion

While designing the survey, the researcher believed that the frequency in which participants

watched movies might make a difference in their choices made throughout the survey. An

individual who watches movies on a relatively regular basis may have a different and more

educated opinion. Upon reviewing the answers of respondents, it became apparent that there was

no notable difference in answers. Individuals who watch movies about once a week answered

similarly to participants who only watched movies several times per year.


Of the 293 responses to question three (give one main reason for your response in question

two- Do you believe there is a category of movies known as black films?), there were several

answers that stood out to the researcher. A college educated black female, age 40-49 stated,

“There is a mindset as to how black people in general are viewed globally. In other words, it's a

certain type of culture that some black people have that tends to dictate their thoughts, words,

and actions/ behaviors which makes black people unique in their own category.” This viewpoint

was similar to several other participants. They acknowledged the idea that there is a distinctive

difference in everyday black life and culture that sets these “black films” apart from other film

genres. Another respondent, a graduate/professionally educated black female, age 50-59 said, “In

some cases I consider a black film to be a film that focuses on issues that resonate with the black

community, regardless of the make-up (percentage) of black characters within the film.” The

idea that black films are centered on issues that occur in the black community is significant. This

is the reason that storyline of the film was the most important factor to survey participants.

Audiences are more willing to support films when they feel a connection to a given movie. This

is the reason why black films often times succeed in black communities, but aren’t always

topping box- offices (with a few exceptions). One final memorable response came from a college

educated white/ Native American female, age 50-59 who said, “Black films often explore

themes not represented very well in "mainstream" media. Also, often have more than the average

film's worth of black actors, often have black directors, again, executing a different angle, or

viewpoint than much of what is portrayed in mainstream media.” It is important to acknowledge

that this respondent wrote about exploring themes not well represented in “mainstream” media.

Due to the fact that blacks are an underrepresented group in the media, especially the film

industry, black films stand out.


The storyline of the film was the most important factor to survey respondents. 59.5% (179

respondents) of all participants ranked this factor as a 5 (i.e. most important). The storyline is

pertinent in classifying a black film because without it, the movie would just be another

“mainstream” film. It is a necessity to have a connection to black culture through the storyline.

The storyline sets the tone for the movie, establishes a connection with the audience, and attracts

the audience. Survey respondents who rated the storyline of the film a 5, viewed more of the

example films as black films. These 179 participants believed the following six movies were

black films; The Help (50.6%), Madea Goes to Jail (83.2%), School Daze (81.1%), Django

Unchained (43.3%), Glory (47.4%), and Fruitvale Station (55.5%). This is quite different from

the thought process of the total survey group who decided that only three of these six movies

were actually black films; Madea Goes to Jail, School Daze, and Fruitvale Station. This stark

difference shows the importance of the storyline in classifying a film. Based on storyline alone,

many more of these movies would be considered black films, but one factor alone cannot define

a film.

Principal actors were the second most important factor to respondents. 53.9% (160

respondents) of the 297 participants that ranked this factor scored it as a 5. Principal actors are

important in classifying a film because they are the face of the movie, and they bring the script to

life. Without the actors, the storyline would just be an idea. The primary actors in a film are one

of the main driving forces to get audiences into movie theaters. Some people will go to see any

film that has “X” actor/actress in it just because they are loyal fans. Survey respondents who

rated the principal actors a 5, viewed less of the example films as black films (in comparison to

storyline of film). These 160 participants believed that only four movies could be considered

black films; Madea Goes to Jail (86.6%), School Daze (81.3%), Glory (41.7%), and Fruitvale


Station (53.9%). Of these films, three of them had majority black casts (Madea Goes to Jail,

School Daze, and Fruitvale Station). Glory had a mixed cast, however, Denzel Washington and

Morgan Freeman (two of the most prominent black actors over the past several decades) were in

leading roles.

The researcher originally believed that the director would be an important factor, however,

this was not necessarily the case. Of the 297 participants that ranked the director, 23.6% (70

respondents) ranked the factor as a 5. Of the 10 example films, four had black directors. They

included; Madea Goes to Jail (Tyler Perry), School Daze (Spike Lee), Training Day (Antoine

Fuqua), and Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler). Although there have been black directors since

the early days of film (i.e. Oscar Micheaux), there has been a great reluctance from the major

film studios to relinquish directing powers to blacks. Just a few decades ago, there were only a

few notable black directors. In recent years, the black movie industry has come into a

renaissance period, where more black directors are being given the opportunity to direct major

films. In 2013 alone several black directed films such as Lee Daniels’ The Butler (Lee Daniels),

Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler), and 12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen) have received critical

acclaim.

Outside of the notable films, many of the movies cited in question seven have become cult

classics. John Singleton’s 1991 classic Boyz in the Hood was mentioned 9 times, Spike Lee’s

Malcolm X (10 mentions), and Forest Whitaker’s Waiting to Exhale (4 mentions). Over the

years, these films have told some of the stories that the black community experiences. It was the

sense of authenticity that allowed audiences to connect to these stories. Other respondents chose

films that portrayed blacks in a positive light. A graduate/ professionally educated black female,

aged 20-29 chose Denzel Washington’s The Great Debaters (2007). In her reasoning, this


respondent stated, “Great Debaters is a ‘black film’ that tells the story of young black scholars

from Wiley College. It has a large Black cast and has a superb Black Director, Denzel

Washington. It gives Black people a positive outlook on themselves and it leaves the viewer with

a sense of hope.” This respondent appreciated the redeeming qualities of this film, and the fact

that it did not portray the stereotypes that are all too prevalent in many other films. Another

respondent, a college educated black female, aged 20-29 chose Jessy Terrero’s Soul Plane. This

participant had an intriguing explanation for her choice.

Unfortunately not the best example, but I think that movies like Soul Plane are

specifically geared towards black people. I often find that black movies really

play up terrible stereotypes and while they may not be a part of it, continue to

support blaxploitation.

This explanation brought up the idea that some black films increase the amount of stereotypes in

as a way to cater to a specific audience. Although these negative stereotypes may not be positive

for black people, they have the ability to assist in box-office sales.

It is possible that due to the lack of diversity in the demographic breakdown of the survey

population that some of the findings may be skewed. Typically men and women frequent

different types of films. This could mean that opinions on some films, or film examples could

have been left out. There was an excellent representation of different age groups in the survey

population. The method in which the survey was dispersed is the clear reason for the larger

sample groups at certain ages. However, this did not skew the data in a negative way. In fact, the

diversity in ages, allowed for a greater field of perspectives, fueled by different experiences.

Level of education made a difference in the decision making process for some respondents.

In comparing the responses of graduate/ professionally educated respondents and participants


with some college, there was a noticeable difference. The graduate/ professionally educated

group found three of the example movies to be black films, six to not be black films, and were

not sure about one. The respondents with some college found two of the movies to be black

films, three were not, and were not sure about five. It is unclear whether level of education is the

only factor that led to this difference. Other factors could include age, and the numbers of

example films respondents have seen.

The great majority of survey respondents were black. Although this may skew the data, it

also shows the preferences and thought processes of the individuals who are the primary

audience for black films.

V. Conclusion

This research found that according to the movie-going public there is a category of movies

known as black film. From this basis, the researcher was able to establish that there are several

key factors in the categorization of a black film. By a clear margin, the two most important

aspects to the movie going public were the storyline of the film and the principal actors. To a

somewhat lesser degree the race of the director also played a significant role.

The movie going public is a wide audience, and the survey population is only a small

representation of that audience. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher was able to

create a definition of black film. Despite this, the definition of what constitutes a black film is

not a simple answer. The results suggested that there were two main criteria for the definition:

First a film must have a storyline that has an authentic connection to the black experience. It is

essential that the film has the ability to relate and connect to audiences at a cognitive and visceral

level. Additionally the prominence of black actors and/or actresses is needed to tell the story


because without them it would be a completely different film. In some cases, the narrative could

not be told without them.

Bibliography:


Abukú, Ben. "What Is ‘Black Cinema’? Have You Ever Wondered?" FilmClique. N.p., 5 Oct. 2011. Web. 17 Oct. 2013. http://filmclique.com/2011/what-is-black-cinema-have-you-ever-wondered/.

O'Malley, Sheila. "'The Help': A Movie about a White Woman Who Told the Story of the Suffering of Black Women." Capital. Capital New York, 9 Aug. 2011. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/culture/2011/08/2916584/help-movie-about-white-woman-who-told-story-suffering-black-women.

Singleton, John. "Can a White Director Make a Great Black Movie? (Guest Column)."The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., 9 Sept. 2013. Web. 17 Oct. 2013. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/john-singleton-can-a-white-630127.

Wilson, August. "I Want a Black Director!" Spin Magazine Oct. 1990: n. pag. Spin Magazine. The Obenson Report, Dec. 2008. Web. 4 Nov. 2013. http://obensonreport.blogspot.com/2008/02/i-want-black-director.html.

"Is “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” (Really) A “Black Movie?”." Racism Is White Supremacy. N.p., 17 Aug. 2013. Web. 7 Nov. 2013. http://racismws.com/2013/08/17/is-lee-daniels-the-butler-really-a-black-movie/.

Appendix:



http://obensonreport.blogspot.com/2008/02/i-want-black-director.html

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/john-singleton-can-a-white-630127






THE FACTORS IN DEFINING A BLACK FILM

The survey is anonymous. The researcher has decided to conduct an assessment of the factors that the movie-watching public believes define a black film. At any time you have the option to opt out of the survey.

1. How often do you watch movies? (Through any venue or method)

- Never - A few times per year- Several times per year- About once per month- About once per week- More than once per week

2. Do you believe there is a category of movies known as black films?

- Yes- No

3. Give one main reason for your response in question #2.

4. On a scale of 1 to 5 (one being the least important and 5 the most important), what is the importance of each of these factors in defining a black film?

1 2 3 4 5 Don’t Know

Storyline of the film

Producer(s)

Director

Principal Actors

Screenwriter(s)

Film Advertisement/ Coming Attraction

Other

If other, please specify:

5. Would you consider the following movies a black film?


Yes No Not Sure

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Django Unchained

Training Day

Glory

The Help

Driving Miss Daisy

Madea Goes to Jail

School Daze

A Time to Kill

Fruitvale Station


6. For the movies you checked yes in question 5, what factors defined each as a black film for you (check all that apply)

Storyline of the film

Producer(s)

Director

Principal Actors

Screenwriter(s)

Quality of film

Film Advertisement/ Coming Attractions

Other

The Help

School Daze

Glory

Django Unchained

Training Day

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Fruitvale Station

A Time to Kill

Madea Goes to Jail

Driving Miss Daisy

If Other, please specify

7. Provide your own best example of a black film.

8. Why did you choose the film in question #7?


9. Gender?- Male- Female

10. Age? - Below twenty- 20-29- 30-39- 40-49- 50-59- 60-69- 70 and above

11. Level of education?- Some high school- Completed high school- Some college- College degree- Graduate/ Professional degree- Other (please specify)

12. What race do you identify with?

Documents

Defining Black Film