As a child of VHS, DVD, OnDemand, and streaming, I grew up with decades of movies and tv shows at my fingertips like An American Werewolf in London, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the Wolfman, to name a few. However, these films and shows often shared a common factor; they were overwhelmingly white. To say black entertainment in Hollywood is pigeonholed is an understatement. Black people are overwhelmingly exposed to black stereotypes. Media about black people are often generalized as “black stories.” This harmful categorization eclipses the various genres these stories encapsulated. Fantasy specifically has neglected black voices, with Howling 2: Your Sister Is A Werewolf and Vampires in Brooklyn being a rare exception. As a young black filmmaker myself, I felt media narrowed my worldview. Often, even in a fantastical world, black characters are depicted as caricatures and compartmentalize into historical realism. For example, modern media like Lovecraft County portrays a fantastic story woven into the Jim Crow South. These depictions deny black people the opportunity to experience the escapism of cinema. To be black is to know tragedy; however, it does not define blackness. For me, mass entertainment did not reflect my identity. HBO and other networks commoditized a shallow form of the African American experience. This series will add a diverse look into the genre of fantasy and will illustrate the diversity behind the culture ostracised from the media.
If given sponsorship, I will use the space as the shooting location for the proof of concept for the project. It’ll service as the main location for the entire pilot. After hours of scouring Peerspace various rental options, we discovered the 80s Deco Bridgeport space is the ideal location because its surreal atmosphere embodies both the supernatural themes of the series and contributes to the personality of the characters.
Peerspace is on a mission to bring people together. We believe it is impossible to achieve that goal unless we also fight for equality and access to resources in the communities we serve.
Having a space to gather, create, and exchange ideas is an important part of any movement. In order to magnify voices that are often quieted, Peerspace will sponsor venues for people who challenge prejudice and fight for social justice and equality.
Each quarter, we will sponsor space for three projects that are relevant to our community. These projects can range from fundraisers and educational initiatives to art exhibits and photo series.
