The Six Triple Eight
Hello listeners – we are BACK in the studio after a bit of hiatus! It’s Jackie McGriff, your host on today’s podcast episode where we’re diving into the film, The Six Triple Eight!
In the studio today, we have Bryan and Tam Little. Bryan Little is a producer and founder of DREAMINCOLOR International Creator Sessions, a monthly virtual gathering that connects Black, Brown, and People of Color entertainment professionals to global opportunities through networking, showcasing, peer connection, and professional development.
Tam Little is an award-winning filmmaker, conference speaker, and passionate storyteller dedicated to uplifting the voices of women and people of color in film. She is the director and producer of MOVE, a powerful documentary centered on the tragic mass shooting at a Boys and Girls Club in Rochester, NY. The film explores not only the heartbreaking loss of innocent young men, but also the resilience of a community that chose to respond with action, healing, and hope.
Bryan and Tam are the founders and hosts of DREAM IN COLOR INTERNATIONAL, a global platform that amplifies the stories and celebrates the voices of Black storytellers and changemakers of color, creating a supportive community to learn, grow, and be inspired. Be sure to catch their next virtual meetup on Thursday, April 10 at 7pm EST with Avril Speaks, Netflix Showrunner of Files of the Unexplained. RSVP here.
You can listen to previous episodes on Spotify or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. You can also learn more about our films on our website at https://www.ourvoicesproject.com. If you’d like to be a guest on our podcast, you can email us at info@ourvoicesproject.com. Please note that while we welcome all, we prioritize hearing from Black, Brown, and Indigenous folks especially since this podcast is about highlighting the films telling authentic and multifaceted stories of Black, Brown, and Native peoples.
Mentioned in this episode:
Refined Taste with Dario & Chris
Weekly Live show where comedians Dario Joseph and Chris Thompson talk and laugh with representatives of Rochester, New York’s food and drink scene.
Refined Taste - Cripsy Comedy at Crisp!
Check out Dario and Chris from Refined Taste and other guest comics at CRIPS 3/7! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/crispy-comedy-stand-up-at-crisp-rochester-tickets-814152982487
Our Voices Project - Land Acknowledgement
Transcript
Hello listeners.
Speaker A:We are back in the studio after a bit of a hiatus.
Speaker A: e're diving into the film the: Speaker A:Now, before we get into today's episode, we want to remind folks that you can listen to previous episodes on Spotify or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
Speaker A:You can also learn more about our films on our website@ourvoicesproject.com if you'd like to be a guest on our podcast, you can email me@inforvoicesproject.com and please note that while we welcome all, we prioritize hearing from Black, Brown and Indigenous folks, especially since this podcast is about highlighting the films telling authentic and multifaceted stories of Black, Brown and Native peoples.
Speaker A:Now let's introduce our guests in the studio today we have Brian and Tam Little.
Speaker A:Brian Little is a producer and founder of Dreaming Color International Creator Sessions, a monthly virtual gathering that connects Black, Brown and people of color entertainment professionals to global opportunities through networking, showcasing peer connection and professional development.
Speaker A:Welcome to the podcast, Brian.
Speaker B:Hey, thank you.
Speaker B:Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker A:And Tam Little is an award winning filmmaker, conference speaker and passionate storyteller dedicated to uplifting the voices of women and people of color in film.
Speaker A:She is the director and producer of move, a powerful documentary centered on the tragic mass shooting at a Boys and Girls club in Rochester, New York.
Speaker A:The film explores not only the heartbreaking loss of innocent young men, but also the resilience of a community that chose to respond with action, healing and hope.
Speaker A:Through move, Tam had the honor of learning about the lives of the boys who were taken too soon and building relationships with their mothers.
Speaker A:The documentary goes beyond tragedy.
Speaker A:It highlights grassroots movements that emerged in the wake of the violence, including the motorcycle club, Bikes Up, Guns down, youth led initiatives like teen empowerment and community building efforts such as Kick the Violence, Kickball and many more local agencies committed to change.
Speaker A:The film has been screened in high schools, universities and organizations across the country working to end violence and uplift youth.
Speaker A:Tam is also the co author of an Amazon Best selling book co written with her husband Brian.
Speaker A:Together they of course again are the founders and hosts of Dream of Color International.
Speaker A:A proud graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology, Tam holds a Master's degree in Public Administration.
Speaker A:She and Brian are dedicated to building a vibrant, empowered community one story at a time.
Speaker A:Tam, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker C:Thanks so much for having me.
Speaker A:Right, so now onto today's film.
Speaker A: The: Speaker A:Set during World War II to address a three year male backlog.
Speaker A:Despite discrimination and war torn conditions, they sort over 17 million pieces of mail ahead of schedule.
Speaker A:The film is written and directed by Tyler Perry.
Speaker A:So if you haven't watched the film already, you can watch it on Netflix now.
Speaker A:So we encourage you to watch it and then come back to listen to our podcast.
Speaker A:But from here on out, we are discussing the film in depth.
Speaker A:So spoilers ahead.
Speaker A:And as always, you have been warned.
Speaker A:All right, now, as far as this film, okay, so I watched it last night in prep for the podcast and everything and so it is fresh.
Speaker A:So I want to know, and I'll start with you, Tam, what were your initial thoughts about the film when you first watch it?
Speaker A:And then what immediately comes to mind?
Speaker C:I think as a woman of color, it felt very familiar to me.
Speaker C:It felt like this is my story as well.
Speaker C:I could tell from just meeting all of the characters.
Speaker C:I could see a piece of me in all of the characters, especially Ms.
Speaker C:Adams.
Speaker C:And so it was just, you know, they really, they really, really gave her such a hard time, but she really pushed through all of the challenges that she, she's.
Speaker C:She had encountered.
Speaker C:And that's something that I feel as a woman of color.
Speaker C:That's our life, that's our story.
Speaker C:Being placed in a position where it looks as though we have this leadership position, but at the same time, can we really do it?
Speaker C:And having to prove ourselves?
Speaker C:So that was, that really resonated with me.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah, I really did feel like it was, as I was watching, I was like, man, I also want to just ask like, other, like my fellow black women, like, what does, you know, what does this evoke for you?
Speaker A:Do you feel as though, do you feel seen in watching this?
Speaker A:I mean, on this podcast we talk about representation in cinema.
Speaker A:And so that really, for me, like you were saying, it resonated with me as well.
Speaker A:Like there are parts that I'm just like, oh, like, I seriously feel this because this is what I'm having to go through.
Speaker A:And I know other black women are having to go to or go through as well.
Speaker A:Brian, for you, same thing.
Speaker A:Initial thoughts about the film and what immediately came to mind for you after watching?
Speaker B:Well, my initial reaction to the film, again, this is one of those films that reminds me, I, I don't read enough books because I've never heard a story before.
Speaker B:And to be honest with you, as a Marine veteran myself.
Speaker B:I love fight or flight movies, you know, military movies.
Speaker B:And they could have took, you know, they could have said, you know what?
Speaker B:We're not going to do this.
Speaker B:We.
Speaker B:We're above that and we want to go and do what we signed up to do.
Speaker B:And that wasn't to count mail.
Speaker B:But this is one of those movies.
Speaker B:I feel like if Tyler Perry never made the film, I don't think it would have ever been, you know, brought to the screen.
Speaker B:I just, I just believe that he wrote it in two weeks, so.
Speaker A:Two weeks, yeah.
Speaker B:Definitely a passion for him.
Speaker B:Bring this story forward.
Speaker B:As an African American male again, when I seen Major Adams and the others that were around her, I related, you know, again, from a military perspective, but also saying, you know what, they were the right people for the job, you know, and just seeing the power in what they were doing, I, you know, I know I'm being a little bit long winded, but I got to tell you this story real quick.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker B:You know, just being in Marine Corps boot camp, I remember how important it was to get a piece of mail.
Speaker B:And I was just in boot camp, wasn't in war, wasn't on the front line or any of that, but, you know, to get mail from the outside world where they worked, to keep you separated from that world in training, it was like a breath of fresh air.
Speaker B:And I remember feeling deflated when, you know, other recruits were getting their mail and I didn't get a piece.
Speaker B:And I just felt so disconnected from the world.
Speaker B:So that really stood out to me for this story.
Speaker A:So thinking about your answer in particular, Brian, when.
Speaker A:Let's see.
Speaker A:And I don't know if I've necessarily seen this criticism, but if you ever got the question of, oh, but it's just like it's, it's a, it's a story about male.
Speaker A:Like, why is that, why is that so important?
Speaker A:What would be your retort to that then?
Speaker B:Well, male is communication.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker B:And when you have someone that is cut off from civilization and in a basically a fish out of water type situation, they're in a war, you have a lot of young men who are in war.
Speaker B:18, 19, first time out of the country, away from their family, in a situation, they don't know if they're going to make it back, they want to have some sense of, of.
Speaker B:Of mattering.
Speaker B:You know, Mel says I matter.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:You took the time, especially back then.
Speaker B:It's not like just writing an email.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:It's someone took the time to Write this letter, get a stamp for it, go to the post office back in World War II and get that letter sent off right to those folks.
Speaker B:So to answer your question, I think when we really look at what that is, it's not just a piece of mail.
Speaker B:It's communication.
Speaker B:It's a tether back to the real world for them.
Speaker A:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:I would not be the one asking that question because I'm like, watch the movie.
Speaker A:Like, you'll see.
Speaker A:It'll answer the question for you.
Speaker A:So, Tam, going back to what you were saying about it really resonating with you, you know, really just on a deep personal level, two themes while I was watching the film that really kept coming back for me were these ideas of dignity and decorum.
Speaker A:So when the women first arrive at their station, they immediately make it their own.
Speaker A:It really needs a lot of fixing up where they are.
Speaker A:And so they have a mailroom, they have a bedroom, and then even make a beauty parlor.
Speaker A:At the same time, you can also see the amount of.
Speaker A:So that's.
Speaker A:That's dignity.
Speaker A:And then we were talking about decorum.
Speaker A:At the same time, you see the amount of restraint and resolve that they.
Speaker A:That they.
Speaker A:When they are met with so much racism and sexism and any.
Speaker A:Any instance in where their other people are trying to strip them.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Of their.
Speaker A:Of their dignity.
Speaker A:What do you think about the contrast between those two things, both dignity and decorum?
Speaker C:I think that was the essence of who they were, and I think their upbringing and I'm sure their family structure really honed in on the importance of having decorum.
Speaker C:Not letting people see you sweat.
Speaker C:I think that is.
Speaker C:That is.
Speaker C:I think that is a mantra of a lot of people of colors, families, you know, never let them see you sweat.
Speaker C:You're always going to have to make do with the small amount of support or resources that you have.
Speaker C:And so that even goes back way back in slave times.
Speaker C:That's why you have soul food, because they would get scraps of food.
Speaker C:So they're like, listen, we may be getting scraps.
Speaker C:We are going to make this such a beautiful meal.
Speaker C:We're going to make this so amazing.
Speaker C:And so I think that is definitely the theme of.
Speaker C:Of how a lot of people of color, especially African Americans, think so I think they were used to that.
Speaker C:And so they're saying, okay, we're gonna make this essentially house a home, but this barracks, a home, a place where we can really focus on the job.
Speaker C:And so this is how we're gonna be able to do it.
Speaker C:We're going to have to make sure that we're looking great, we're feeling great.
Speaker C:We have that community.
Speaker C:Because once you walk into.
Speaker C:Once they walked into this building, it was in such disarray.
Speaker C:Right, right, right.
Speaker C:You know, and they really made it their own.
Speaker C:They made it a beautiful sleeping quarters.
Speaker C:They were able to make a beauty parlor because, you know, you gotta.
Speaker C:You know, your hair needs to look really great.
Speaker A:Your hair needs to look good.
Speaker C:Yes, absolutely.
Speaker C:But, you know, in the armed forces, you have to make sure that you are very tight and sharp.
Speaker C:And so they understood that.
Speaker C:And they were always very.
Speaker C:Even in the midst of being disrespected by not being given the proper salute or not being chosen to go on the front line because they were ready.
Speaker C:You know, she really tried to, you know, plead her case, but she said it in a very dignified way.
Speaker C:And when the her.
Speaker C:I'm not sure if it's the general or the major, whomever it was, he's like, you know, that's it.
Speaker C:And she just stopped.
Speaker C:She didn't go further.
Speaker C:She understood, you know, rank and file.
Speaker C:She understood that he was the head.
Speaker C:But at the same time, she stood her ground and she kept going.
Speaker C:And, you know, that she was that squeaky oil, the squeaky wheel that got the oil.
Speaker C:And so I really love the fact that she would not just roll over and say, you know, well, this is what he thinks.
Speaker C:And she's like, no, I can do this.
Speaker C:I can do this.
Speaker C:And, you know, having as an Eleanor Roosevelt come in and really be the catalyst for this thing, I think it was, like, just so ordained, you know, so it's just so amazing.
Speaker C:But I think those women, they were the epitome of dignity and decorum.
Speaker A:Yeah, for me, like, those two themes.
Speaker A:Cause it's all.
Speaker A:I mean, it's all throughout.
Speaker A:I mean, there's many.
Speaker A:But there's the two that really.
Speaker A:The two themes that really struck out to me, of course, are those two things of dignity and decorum.
Speaker A:And in this.
Speaker A:I mean, in this film, they're fighting multiple battles, right?
Speaker A:I mean, even though they're not fighting, it's, you know, fighting to be seen, fighting to be heard, fighting to be believed, you know, that they.
Speaker A:That, you know, they are capable, that they are intelligent, that they can do this job.
Speaker A:And I mean, also seemingly with like an impossible.
Speaker A:I mean, it's an.
Speaker A:It's.
Speaker A:It's a seemingly impossible feat.
Speaker A:It's also something that they're only given, like, six months to do.
Speaker A:And with millions and millions of male and also, too, like, there's even.
Speaker A:There's even little things within that.
Speaker A:I mean, it's.
Speaker A:It's also, you know, the soldiers constantly moving and still trying to figure out where they are, you know, and having.
Speaker A:Not having all the information in your own life, in your own life, like, where do you.
Speaker A:I know I'm going, like, a little bit off, like, but, like, where do you see that?
Speaker A:Like, especially when.
Speaker A:I mean, not just to having to, like, do tasks or get through, you know, any sort of adversity, especially with just coming up, coming up against so many things, but then also, like, in your own lives, like, having to meet injustice with restraint.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:I think it's always understanding that.
Speaker C:And I think sometimes you have to just get out of your head sometimes and say, and just really focus on, okay, what am I.
Speaker C:What am I really good at?
Speaker C:And working hard towards it and not saying I'm a woman or I'm a woman of color.
Speaker C:It does play a big part of it.
Speaker C:But I think you.
Speaker C:You can't get to a point where you.
Speaker C:You're.
Speaker C:It's constantly something that worries you or it's constantly bothering you because, you know, you can feel it.
Speaker C:You can feel when someone is.
Speaker C:Does not respect you or feel that you could do the same job or even better than your counterparts.
Speaker C:And so I think that's where that restraint comes from, where I don't have to argue or fuss or debate.
Speaker C:My work is going to show who I am.
Speaker C:My work is gonna show forth the dignity that I have, the brain power, the collective thought, the experience, the education that I.
Speaker C:So it's like, I can show you better than I can actually go out and say, well, this is who I am.
Speaker C:And, no, I'm going to show you by the work that I do and the work that I produce.
Speaker C:And you'll see it.
Speaker C:You'll see it.
Speaker C:That's the fight.
Speaker C:That's how you wield the sword.
Speaker C:Letting folks know, based on the results that you provide, who you are.
Speaker A:What about you, Brian?
Speaker B:Could you ask a question again?
Speaker A:Yes, absolutely.
Speaker A:So as far as in your own lives, do you see this when we're talking about, again, dignity and decorum and having to meet any sort of hardship or injustice with restraint.
Speaker A:Is there anywhere, like, in your life or like, maybe an example or just in general, like, where you see this?
Speaker A:You're having to meet that injustice with restraint.
Speaker B:All right, so I thought about this question, and I have to go back to the movie again and what these women in the military had to face.
Speaker B:Now this was World War II when this was happening.
Speaker B:But I can remember Even in the 90s, women still facing some of what they actually had to go through when it comes to things such as hairstyle or anything like that.
Speaker B:But I realized that, you know, they faced relentless racism.
Speaker B:I've seen racism, and we're talking 40, 50 years later, you know what I mean?
Speaker B:But notably from people like General Halt, which was.
Speaker B:Who was his name?
Speaker B:Dean Norris.
Speaker B:That.
Speaker B:Yeah, so.
Speaker B:But their response was always not responding to that negative energy, you know what I mean?
Speaker B:I found myself even now and in years past, having to have that same type of.
Speaker B:That same type of drive, you know what I mean?
Speaker B:It's some things that you just can't respond to.
Speaker B:And I'll give you a perfect example.
Speaker B:And again, I can only really speak from my experience, even in being in the military.
Speaker B:And I know what it felt like to be called, you know, a name that my mother didn't give me by someone who doesn't look like me, who I'm actually roommates with in the barracks.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:So there's, you know, this person.
Speaker B:They had their.
Speaker B:Their.
Speaker B:What they call that flag, their Confederate flag on the wall.
Speaker B:So imagine going to sleep with someone, really good friends, but when things got hot, they got hot, you know what I mean?
Speaker B:But just having that restraint.
Speaker B:And I remember one time when this person called me this name, I remember ending up in front of our command, in front of our staff sergeant.
Speaker B:And staff sergeant asked me, he said, how would you like to proceed with this?
Speaker B:Because I outranked him by one strike, which isn't much, but I remember outranking him.
Speaker B:And I remember consciously saying to myself, I'm not going to respond to that.
Speaker B:I'm going to be bigger than that.
Speaker B:I didn't even know how to do that, but I just pulled on something from the inside.
Speaker B:But I know that the restraint isn't passive, you know what I mean?
Speaker B:If that makes any sense.
Speaker B:And I.
Speaker B:Again, you know, I just realized that them being polished professionals, those.
Speaker B:Those women receiving the same type of training.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know, they.
Speaker B:They received the same type of training as everyone else had to receive.
Speaker B:And I believe that they had to kind of like pull from that when they face these tough situations.
Speaker B:So I hope I answered your question.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:Yes, you did.
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:Are there any instances, especially in today's society, where a situation.
Speaker A:A situation could.
Speaker A:Let's see.
Speaker A:I guess maybe the response isn't so much restraint, but if they're.
Speaker A:Where there are instances where that injustice needs to be met with confrontation.
Speaker A:Do you see any instances like that?
Speaker B:I went over to tam.
Speaker C:I think when it's.
Speaker C:When you're faced with definitely bodily harm.
Speaker C:Absolutely.
Speaker C:And where it.
Speaker C:I think where it gets so blatant, where it has to be addressed.
Speaker C:I don't think every little thing has to be addressed, but I do think that sometimes people don't understand.
Speaker C:It's unconscious, and you have to say what needs to be said, and it doesn't have to be in front of everyone, but it can be.
Speaker C:Listen, this is what I'm thinking here.
Speaker C:Like, I had an instance where in one particular job that I have that they.
Speaker C:The women kept calling me girl, and I was like, oh, oh, no, no, no.
Speaker C:You know, I'm thinking, okay, we need to nip this in the bud now.
Speaker C:Because in that it wasn't the first time it happened.
Speaker C:And so I would say, listen, that is a negative connotation in an African American community.
Speaker C:I am not a girl, and I would appreciate that you would not call me that.
Speaker C:And so I think what I did was I helped others.
Speaker C:So I'm like, okay, let me help you.
Speaker C:Help them, to let them know, don't call me a girl.
Speaker C:Because I'm sure that they said, oh, my goodness.
Speaker A:She.
Speaker C:I didn't mean it.
Speaker C:You know, she told me not to call her a girl.
Speaker C:So I did.
Speaker C:You know, I just wanted to make sure that, you know, people understood that.
Speaker C:So I think to stop it from escalating or allowing others to think it's okay to continue, you have to.
Speaker C:You have to say something.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:And if you need to go to, you know, a higher authority, you know, to maybe help mediate, but I think you can handle it one on one in that instance.
Speaker C:But I think some things absolutely need to be addressed, you know, because it was just.
Speaker C:I was shocked.
Speaker C:Like, what year is this?
Speaker C:I had to look at the calendar.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker C:You know, so, yeah, some things absolutely need to be addressed.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, I.
Speaker B:I totally agree.
Speaker B:You know, you.
Speaker B:Like you're saying direct confrontation.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker B:And I think when there are social or institutional practices that cause harm.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker B:Racism, sexism, discrimination, you know, all these different things that happen, like workplace environments.
Speaker B:You know, again, when.
Speaker B:When what you're.
Speaker B:What you're receiving is direct, you almost have to respond in crying.
Speaker A:Right, right, right.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:And I'm just a firm believer of that.
Speaker B:You know, when you think about the MeToo movement, when you think about Black Lives Matter, all of these different.
Speaker B:Different Movements that have happened.
Speaker B:You know, I think it's just important to, you know, you don't have to be.
Speaker B:You don't have to give it the way you're getting it, but you still have to give it.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:I think also to just like thinking about my own answer to that question because I, I'm not going to ask a question that I can't answer myself.
Speaker A:But in thinking about that, I think also too, especially like bringing it back to the movie, but certainly like today's society and also like thinking about the movie as well is it's also strategy.
Speaker A:Because of course, if, if any of them were to respond in kind, it could mean not only danger for themselves, but those around them.
Speaker A:So of course here, like in this context in the film, we totally, as the audience, we understand why, because we understand history and we understand.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:The position that she's in, you know, even with being someone who is high ranking, but also being a black woman in that society and specifically, like, yeah, it could mean trouble for her and trouble for her privates.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And then even.
Speaker A:Oh, yeah, go ahead.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know, I don't mean to cut you off.
Speaker B:I just had a, just had a memory thought.
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker B:And one thing we got to understand is in the military, there is no gray area when it comes to obedience.
Speaker B:There is no gray area for, you know, like, if you have an officer who outranks you.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:I don't care what comes out of his mouth.
Speaker B:You better be standing that attention and taking it.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:So thinking about, thinking about it from that perspective, it's like, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker B:At the same time, I could see where someone would want to respond, but see, I made a mistake of responding.
Speaker B:I'm just gonna leave it.
Speaker B:But I made the mistake of responding when I should have kept my mouth shut and it got me in trouble.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:You can't.
Speaker B:They have like zero tolerance for.
Speaker B:Well, I.
Speaker A:No, yeah.
Speaker B:No, doesn't work in the military.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:And I appreciate that context as being someone who is very much a civilian.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker A:Look, I, Yeah, I.
Speaker A:There, there is a little bit of an understanding, especially just like watching the film.
Speaker A:But yeah, to also have that context really brings it home.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Another huge theme that is glaring at us from the beginning to the end is just how black women are regarded in society, both because they are black and also because they are women and not seen as intelligent enough or capable enough of doing what is seemingly an impossible task in A very short period of time.
Speaker A:What did that.
Speaker A:And I know we touched on it a little bit already at the.
Speaker A:At the top of the episode, but what did that invoke for you, Tam?
Speaker A:Watching these women figuring out a system together, supporting one another and being success.
Speaker A:Successful in their efficiency.
Speaker C:Oh, wow.
Speaker C:I.
Speaker C:I just love the collective thought.
Speaker C:Everyone brought in their expertise.
Speaker C:You had morticians.
Speaker C:You had all types of individuals, farmers.
Speaker C:And they brought in different.
Speaker C:Their different ways of seeing things and problem solving and critical thinking, and they got it done.
Speaker C:And I was just like, this seemed like such an impossible.
Speaker C:An impossible task, and I was just so proud of them.
Speaker C:And what I loved is that.
Speaker C:And this.
Speaker C:What really resonated with me and it really stuck out to me is that when they got the job done, they were walking through the train station.
Speaker C:They were just like, I did my thing.
Speaker C:I got it done.
Speaker C:And they weren't looking for accolades.
Speaker C:They were not looking for accolades.
Speaker C:I think the accolades were, we got this done despite the fact that you thought that we couldn't do it.
Speaker C:And so to have those other soldiers, the, you know, the soldiers recognize and, you know, really say, hey, are you the six, triple eight?
Speaker C:The six triple eight.
Speaker C:And they're like, oh, you know, they're just looking around and they got the applause, and I think that they felt recognized then.
Speaker C:So that was just so amazing to me.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:I mean, when are black women not capable?
Speaker A:I mean, I'm just saying, like, let's just put that out there.
Speaker A:When do we not do it?
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:I just remember being like, yeah, I'm not at all surprised that they got that amount of 17 million.
Speaker A:17 million pieces of mail.
Speaker A:It's just.
Speaker A:It's incredible.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And in six months, and I don't know if there are any, again, math aficionados.
Speaker A:I mean, I am a math nerd, but I'm not about to figure it out right now.
Speaker A:But, yeah, it's like, again, there's not a whole lot that they're given.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And then, of course, it's war.
Speaker A:So lots of things are unpredictable.
Speaker A:You never know where, you know, folks end up and everything.
Speaker A:And it's just, like, to get through all of that.
Speaker A:And at some point, I think there was also, like, they were saying that, you know, there was some mice that, like, got, like, chewed through things.
Speaker A:There's just, like, so many things that they're facing.
Speaker A:And yet, as you said, each of them is bringing their own abilities, their own strengths, you know, to the table.
Speaker A:And, yeah, I.
Speaker A:It was just incredible.
Speaker A:Incredible to watch.
Speaker D:Speaking of incredible producer Chris Lindstrom taking us to break.
Speaker D:And we'll be right back.
Speaker D:And this is a math note from the producer.
Speaker D:So, 17 million divided by 90 days.
Speaker D:189,000 per day.
Speaker D:That is a staggering number.
Speaker A:Well, and then there's.
Speaker A:And there's how many.
Speaker A:How many women?
Speaker A:Like, because that's 800 and.
Speaker A:Hold on.
Speaker A:That's.
Speaker A:I'm just, like, trying to think of, like, the individual.
Speaker A:Like, you know, I mean, of course everyone's going at, like, a different pace, but we're talking about 855 women.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Just having our producer also figure that out, because it's just, like.
Speaker A:To put it into context.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:First of all, that's a lot of mail a day.
Speaker D:221.
Speaker A:See?
Speaker D:800.
Speaker D:You said 855.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker D:Yeah.
Speaker D:So 221 per day.
Speaker A:220 per person.
Speaker A:Per person.
Speaker A:Per day.
Speaker D:Wow.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And, you know, come to think about it, there's, like, the entire population of Tokyo, Japan, handing you a piece of mail.
Speaker B:Not to mention, like you were saying earlier about the mice eating through it.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:Excuse me.
Speaker B:And we have to look at what they had to do in order to identify, you know, that was eaten through.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Perfume.
Speaker B:Perfume smells.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:Dog ears.
Speaker C:Nicknames.
Speaker A:Nicknames.
Speaker B:You know.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker A:And also repeated.
Speaker A:Repeated names.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:It's like.
Speaker A:Okay, yeah, we have, like.
Speaker A:And I forget what the actual name was, but, like, going through, like, a hundred John Smiths and then trying to figure out where.
Speaker A:Which John Smith goes where, like.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker A:And this is before.
Speaker A:Like, this is.
Speaker A:We're talking in, like, during World War II.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So, like, technology is where it's at, like, back then.
Speaker A:And so, like, even.
Speaker A:I mean, even just like, doing that, like.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like, on.
Speaker A:On a computer is, like, hard enough, but then, like, actually having to, like, use context clues, having to open mail.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:To kind of read and figure out.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:They're referring to this.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Like, it just.
Speaker B:Without damaging it.
Speaker A:Without damaging it.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:Well, I'm sure people wasn't feeling too good.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Probably.
Speaker B:It was a bit cold.
Speaker B:Listen, I.
Speaker B:I would tell you.
Speaker B:I can only imagine they were cold at times.
Speaker B:They were hungry.
Speaker B:They were trying to figure out, why are we here.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:Is this even going to work?
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And some of them were like, I wanted to fight.
Speaker A:Like, Like, I wanted to fight.
Speaker A:I came here to fight Hitler.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And to be rerouted to, like, another, you know, to another assignment.
Speaker A:And again, like, because it wasn't regarded as something that is important.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:It's something well, even the, you know, we give to the women, but not the black women.
Speaker A:Because the black women, they.
Speaker A:You know, they're even less than right.
Speaker A:Like, in their eyes.
Speaker A:And then for them to go through this task with all of that, like, all of that and still.
Speaker A:And finish it like before, they had six months, 90 days.
Speaker A:That's three months.
Speaker A:Like, so half the time.
Speaker A:Half the time is just incredible.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Do you have any.
Speaker A:I mean, any other thoughts to like that?
Speaker A:Because it really just.
Speaker A:I really just sat there and was like, 17 million pieces of mail in 90 days is crazy.
Speaker C:And that's.
Speaker C:And just think of those pieces of mail being family, being people.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker C:And I.
Speaker C:You know, I'm just gonna go as far as saying, you know, of course they had, you know, their training, but I think they helped win the war because they connected families, they connected letters, they connected people, but also morale.
Speaker C:When you're in.
Speaker C:Like Brian was saying, you're in another country and you're seeing people die around you.
Speaker A:No male, no morale.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Was like the saying in the film.
Speaker A:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker C:And, you know, when you're in a situation like that, you need to be connected with your family, people who love you, people who care, who are concerned about you.
Speaker C:And they were able to connect thousands and hundreds of.
Speaker C:Probably hundreds of thousands of people together.
Speaker C:So I'm thinking, like, what would have happened had they not done this?
Speaker C:What would have happened?
Speaker C:You had that mother sitting outside of the White House, looking, trying to find her sons.
Speaker C:They had not heard from them.
Speaker C:She's concerned.
Speaker C:She doesn't know if they've been killed.
Speaker C:But they helped that mother.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker C:And it.
Speaker C:They didn't.
Speaker C:She didn't have to look like them, but they understood the assignment.
Speaker C:Listen, right?
Speaker C:We have to make sure that these parents and people that love the men and women who are.
Speaker C:Well, men who are fighting this war, we have to make sure that they get this male so they understand that, you know, we're cheering from that for them.
Speaker C:We care about you.
Speaker C:You can do this.
Speaker C:We're looking forward to you coming home.
Speaker C:And that gave them the hope, because I think they were delivering hope.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker C:You know, they were delivering hope.
Speaker C:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker C:And so they gave hope to countless people that probably didn't know who.
Speaker C:And do you think they would have cared?
Speaker C:They would not have cared at all what color they were.
Speaker C:And so I think these are women of hope.
Speaker C:They delivered hope.
Speaker C:And.
Speaker C:Yeah, it was just.
Speaker C:I'm just so astounded by just the depths of this film.
Speaker C:It had so many facets and variables.
Speaker C:And meanings.
Speaker C:And it was just like awe inspiring for me.
Speaker B:And I don't think Tyler Perry, he did a wonderful job on the film.
Speaker B:However, I do believe that there were some more unpacking he could have done with it.
Speaker B:And just to piggyback off of what Tam was saying, I have to imagine that these soldiers, they know what it feel like not to get mail.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker B:They went through training, they went through boot camp.
Speaker B:I'm sure they were waiting for a piece of mail themselves.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:And so they operated out of empathy, I think, as well.
Speaker B:You know, all the conversation that didn't end up on screen, what happened behind the scenes, you know?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Even.
Speaker B:Even in the actors themselves, what did they talk about?
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:So, you know, you have these soldiers who are receiving this mail, but they probably had a sense of abandonment or feeling like we.
Speaker B:We have no idea what's going on back home.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:You know, and not just in their own home, but in America.
Speaker B:It connected them, you know, to America.
Speaker B:And when we talk about morale, it's like, you know, that piece, mail didn't just connect them to their own personal family, but it connected them to why they signed up in the first place.
Speaker A:Yes, that's good.
Speaker A:Yes, absolutely.
Speaker A:No, that is.
Speaker A:Let's.
Speaker A:I wanna.
Speaker A:I actually wanna get in.
Speaker A:Into more of that because you're both.
Speaker A:You're both filmmakers and so when you're, of course, you're watching this just as, you know, movie fans.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And you're taking all of it in.
Speaker A:But then I also like, wanna think through some of, like, the more.
Speaker A:I mean, it's still also storyline and like, maybe some of the technical things as well.
Speaker A:But yeah, when you're talking about, you know, wishing that he would have.
Speaker A:Tyler Perry would have dived.
Speaker A:Dove.
Speaker A:Dove more.
Speaker A:Dove more into, you know, many other, like, different aspects of the film.
Speaker A:So what you're saying is, like, just to clarify, so what you're saying is, you know, had he, you know, dove more into, like, what those soldiers were going through, not getting.
Speaker A:Getting messages, because we saw a little bit too of like, what families were going through.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And not hearing from them.
Speaker A:What about the soldiers themselves as well?
Speaker A:So was there anything that you wish Tyler Perry would have done more of in this film?
Speaker B:Yeah, I mean, if you want to take that.
Speaker B:Excuse me.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:I could see him dedicating, you know, more time to developing the individual characters within the battalion.
Speaker B:You know, here's a man, here's a director that bought an army base.
Speaker B:So I'm sure he took plenty of time to talk to.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know, technical advisors, people, you know, obviously he.
Speaker B:I don't want to spoil it, but.
Speaker A:No, no, this is.
Speaker A:This is a spoiler special.
Speaker A:They gotta.
Speaker A:They gotta watch.
Speaker A:You gotta watch.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:The people that he was making the movie about, I'm sure he spoke to him and got firsthand knowledge from them, but you can only make a movie so long and you can only spend so much money.
Speaker A:True, true.
Speaker B:And it's Tyler Perry.
Speaker B:He wrote it in two weeks.
Speaker B:I mean, let's give him a break.
Speaker A:I mean, normally I don't give Tyler Perry a break, but that's a whole other conversation.
Speaker A:Yeah, I could go listen.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:The TED Talk that I could create.
Speaker A:This was.
Speaker A:This was like.
Speaker A:This is the thing.
Speaker A:It's like when Ryan mentioned, oh, hey, I would love to talk about the six triple eight, and I'm like, but.
Speaker A:But then what I'd heard.
Speaker A:What I heard was like.
Speaker A:It was like, oh, no, this is actually one of the, like, the better made films.
Speaker A:I'm like, all right.
Speaker A:And this is like someone who's like, opinion, you know, I trust.
Speaker A:I'm like, okay, I'll watch the film.
Speaker A:We'll see.
Speaker A:Otherwise you're gonna hear a lot.
Speaker A:But yes, I think people will know me, are like, don't talk to her about Tyler Perry.
Speaker A:You're gonna get a whole.
Speaker B:I almost didn't watch it.
Speaker A:Oh, my God.
Speaker B:It wasn't for her, I wouldn't watch it.
Speaker A:See?
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker A:See, you get what I'm.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:You're picking up what I'm putting down.
Speaker A:Because I just.
Speaker A:Well, that's why I was like.
Speaker A:That's why I was like, I would love to know, you know, if there is anything like.
Speaker A:Because it was.
Speaker A:It's a well done film.
Speaker A:I think, though, like, for me, I think what I would have liked to see, like, I definitely would have liked to see more of that.
Speaker A:I also wanted, like, to dive a little bit deeper into who Chastity was.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Because she's this woman.
Speaker A:I mean, you see.
Speaker A:And you see a little bit of it in the film where she's breaking down, like, some of that wall.
Speaker A:Because she's got to be.
Speaker A:She's got to be strict, like, to the rest of these women, for the rest of these women, she's got to be the example.
Speaker A:It's a lot of weight.
Speaker A:And I want.
Speaker A:I want to know what are.
Speaker A:What were her motivations, you know, going to the.
Speaker A:Obviously she, you know, wants to serve her country.
Speaker A:She wants to do all this.
Speaker A:She.
Speaker A:She was born in America.
Speaker A:She wants to fight for the country that she was born in.
Speaker A:And I'm just wondering also, too, like, what.
Speaker A:What were some of.
Speaker A:What was her motivations?
Speaker A:What makes her.
Speaker A:Her.
Speaker A:And not to say that it has to really go through like a.
Speaker A:Like.
Speaker A:Like a.
Speaker A:I guess, like a whole deep dive, you know, like a whole subplot.
Speaker A:Because, I mean, of course, yes, you can only make a film so long, but I would have.
Speaker A:I would have liked to see that as well as, you know, a little bit more develop into the other characters.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:Just like with General Halt, played by Dean Norris, you know, I honestly kind of looked at him as a bit cartoonish.
Speaker A:Yes, thank you.
Speaker B:I thought I was.
Speaker A:That was too.
Speaker A:I was like.
Speaker A:I was watching, and I'm going, dude, what is this accent right now?
Speaker A:Like, I'm like, I.
Speaker A:It felt like I'm like, okay, I don't know every single Southern dialect.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:I don't know every single, like, other.
Speaker A:Every draw.
Speaker A:But, like, that one in particular, I was like, where are you from?
Speaker A:And like.
Speaker A:Or where are you supposed to be from?
Speaker A:Because this doesn't sound like a typical.
Speaker A:Like a typical.
Speaker A:Not a tip.
Speaker A:It was not typical.
Speaker A:Like.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:It just doesn't sound like a Southern accent that I've heard before.
Speaker A:But then he.
Speaker A:It did.
Speaker A:It also, too, felt like.
Speaker A:It felt more cartoonish.
Speaker A:His.
Speaker A:His whole role.
Speaker A:I don't know.
Speaker B:Well, see, that comes from the directing.
Speaker B:Yes, he's a great actor.
Speaker B:No, he's playing some great films.
Speaker A:Oh, yeah, Absolutely.
Speaker A:Agreed.
Speaker B:But you have.
Speaker B:You have a director that.
Speaker B:I mean, even when he plays his characters.
Speaker B:Yeah, you got that funny.
Speaker B:Where do you come from?
Speaker B:Are you from Atlanta?
Speaker B:You from.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:So he's directing this actor and he's trying to pull a performance right out of him.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:And it just, you know, I think it just.
Speaker B:It just served as.
Speaker B:Okay, he's just part of the story.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know, he's the opposition.
Speaker B:He's antagonist.
Speaker B:Even though, to be fair to him.
Speaker B:To be fair to the actor General Hawk, I kind of see where he all.
Speaker B:He really believed.
Speaker B:He just wasn't brave enough to say, I believe in these people.
Speaker B:That's how I.
Speaker B:That's how I looked at him.
Speaker B:He just wasn't brave enough because of the surrounding circumstances.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Just to go back on.
Speaker A:Sorry.
Speaker A:No, no, you're fine.
Speaker A:No, you're.
Speaker A:You're all good.
Speaker A:This is.
Speaker A:This is what this is all about.
Speaker A:This is a whole conversation about you Know the filmmaking aspect and everything.
Speaker A:When we're talking about, again, direction.
Speaker A:Is there.
Speaker A:All right, let's see.
Speaker A:Let me go back.
Speaker A:Do you think that there could have been another.
Speaker A:Another director?
Speaker A:Like, do you think that Tyler Perry was the director to do this, or do you think that there could have.
Speaker A:Did you see another director doing this story justice?
Speaker A:I'll phrase it that way.
Speaker B:Go ahead.
Speaker C:When we were discussing it, I thought Ryan Coogler would have made a great.
Speaker A:Exactly who I thought.
Speaker A:That's exactly.
Speaker C:He was the very first person that I thought would do an amazing job.
Speaker C:And I think he would place so many layers on the characters.
Speaker C:Not that the characters didn't have a lot of layers, but I think he would have brought him out a little bit more and put a little bit more pizzazz on it and put a different twist of creativity on it.
Speaker C:He's so amazing.
Speaker C:So I thought.
Speaker C:He was the very first person that I thought who could do a great job.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:We're like, so right here.
Speaker A:Because I was thinking about this, and I'm like, I would love to see, like, Ryan Coogler's version of this.
Speaker A:Denzel Washington's version of this.
Speaker A:Well, what to you, do you think?
Speaker A:So you had said a little bit about Ryan Coogler, Brian, would you have the same answer or would you have a different answer?
Speaker B:I would have a different answer.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:And I would say Ava DuVernay, the Queen, and the reason being because her movies make you cry.
Speaker B:And, you know, I don't.
Speaker B:I don't tear up and, you know, I might get a drop or something.
Speaker B:But when she made Selma.
Speaker A:Oh, my God.
Speaker B:I normally don't watch movies like that, but I said, you know what?
Speaker B:Let me just check this movie out, and I'll tell you by the end of that movie, it's awesome.
Speaker B:Ooh.
Speaker B:It's like something just dropped in my heart.
Speaker B:Like when they were marching and coming around that corner.
Speaker B:Just think about it.
Speaker B:Just give me goosebumps.
Speaker B:I think she would.
Speaker B:She would do amazing in a film like that.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:I'm thinking about the end of that film.
Speaker A:So, Salma, I watched.
Speaker A:I saw it at the little theater.
Speaker A:Shout Out.
Speaker A:I saw that, and I was with my mom, and there was.
Speaker A:It wasn't like a.
Speaker A:It wasn't like a super small crowd, but it also wasn't huge.
Speaker A:But we're all sitting there and the credits are rolling, and all.
Speaker A:None of us moved.
Speaker A:We're all just kind of frozen.
Speaker A:And then at some point, like, it's like five minutes Go by my mom's like, can we just get up or are we supposed to?
Speaker A:And I'm like, ma'am, we just remember what you just saw.
Speaker A:Like, this is.
Speaker A:This is like.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Cause we all just didn't.
Speaker A:It's like letting everything wash over you and, like, processing everything.
Speaker A:Like, I don't know if I did that with this film.
Speaker A:Of course, like, you stay a little bit because there's, like, after credits, like, you know, information and everything.
Speaker A:And I'm always encouraged by that, too, because then I know that there are people like myself who will go and, like, research, you know, that afterwards.
Speaker A:But, yeah, I mean, Ryan Coogler was definitely at the top of my list.
Speaker A:I believe Ava can do anything, so also Ava as well.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And, yeah, I mean, thinking about Denzel Washington, too, because I'm thinking about the Great debaters.
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker A:That's also another incredible film.
Speaker A:But, yeah, for sure.
Speaker B:What about Spike Lee?
Speaker A:Spike Lee.
Speaker B:I love Spike Lee, but.
Speaker A:I love Spike Lee.
Speaker A:But I don't know if this was the film, because I'm thinking.
Speaker A:I mean, I'm thinking, like, immediately off the top, I'm thinking of Blankkklansman.
Speaker A:And I'm like, it's such.
Speaker A:Which is also.
Speaker A:Thanks, Chris.
Speaker A:So, like.
Speaker A:Oh, man.
Speaker A:Um.
Speaker A:No, I.
Speaker A:Yeah, like, thinking of the con, I think there's.
Speaker A:There's a contrast.
Speaker A:Even though they're based on true events, I think two very different stories.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:You're talking about, like, with blackkklansman, for instance, you're talking about Ron Stallworth.
Speaker A:You also have Malcolm X, you know, with.
Speaker A:With Spike Lee.
Speaker A:And so it's a very.
Speaker A:It feels like they're two very different stories.
Speaker A:And I forget who it was who did Judas and the Black Messiah.
Speaker A:I forget who that director is.
Speaker A:But, yeah, like, these are all different stories, and so I think they all need different directors.
Speaker A:And so it's not.
Speaker A:It's not that.
Speaker A:Like, Tyler Perry, as much as I love to dunk on that man.
Speaker D:So that director, Shaka King.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:So who did a great job with that film.
Speaker A:But, yeah, not to say that Tyler Perry didn't do a great job with this one, because I was.
Speaker A:I was pleasantly surprised.
Speaker A:It was well done.
Speaker A:I just.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:As far as, like, in my mind's eye, who I would have seen, you know, for that role, it could definitely go to a few.
Speaker A:To a few others as well.
Speaker C:Absolutely.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:So because we are Voices project, we are all about, of course, visual storytelling, but also about truth telling, and especially when you are talking about true events.
Speaker A:You know, stories that we wouldn't have otherwise gotten in a classroom or would have been lost to time had not someone had the, you know, the dedication.
Speaker A:You know, we're seeing a lot of these films come out in recent years.
Speaker A:Stories like hidden figures, 42 blank clansmen, as we just mentioned, Chevalier, Just Mercy, Judas and the Black Messiah.
Speaker A:Harriet and Marshall, I think.
Speaker A:Was it the late Chadwick Boseman who played like two of those roles?
Speaker A:Now, this next part is a two part question.
Speaker A:Do you think that stories like these are given the proper platforms, so streaming versus theatrical releases?
Speaker A:And also what do you think about the marketing that also goes into these films?
Speaker B:All right, so regarding the platform question, he says a two part question, Right.
Speaker A:Well, I mean, it's really a.
Speaker A:Actually there are three parts because I.
Speaker A:Because we don't believe in asking small questions here.
Speaker A:Representations.
Speaker B:So, you know, I.
Speaker B:I think there's an important distinction that's happening with, you know, with historical films.
Speaker B:And we talked about this earlier.
Speaker B:Hidden Figures I loved, but I didn't go to the movie theater to watch it.
Speaker B:But I loved it.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker B:42, another movie I saw on streaming.
Speaker B:I didn't go to the movies to see that.
Speaker B:And I think.
Speaker B:I think they both have their place.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker B:The culture is different now.
Speaker B:Things are different.
Speaker B:Most people are not going to movie theaters to be in a, you know, in a big dark cavern watching a film on a river of white on a screen.
Speaker B:They rather stay at home, you know, So I don't think it's a dig against whether it's in theater versus streaming.
Speaker B:But I can say the one thing that you are losing by not having a theatrical run.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Is community.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:You know, where before you get an opportunity to see others that are coming in, you're like, oh, I don't.
Speaker B:I know.
Speaker B:Me personally and I know both of you being African American, have seen, you know, our fellow Americans who would come into a movie theater and you kind of ask your question.
Speaker B:Oh, wow, they're interested in that.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker B:So I think you miss that coming together as a community when you don't have it in the theater.
Speaker B:But I also understand the business of it, you know, because, I mean, I'm just keep real.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Because the business of Hollywood, they already do not believe, Right.
Speaker B:To some degree, that black people are marketable anyways.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:As far as worldwide distribution, things like that.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:So it's a safe bet, you know, I don't think a movie like the Six Triple Eight, especially if you never heard of the story, especially if it's Tyler Perry telling, you know, we're used to Tyler Perry making us laugh, making us.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know, have a good time.
Speaker B:That wouldn't work in the theaters.
Speaker B:You're not going to see that.
Speaker B:I didn't even know Tyler Perry made it until he told me.
Speaker A:No, no, I know.
Speaker A:It's funny.
Speaker B:I didn't even know.
Speaker B:Yeah, but that's just my thought around it.
Speaker A:It.
Speaker B:And I just believe that it's better served on a streaming because it's constantly in your face.
Speaker B:Everyone.
Speaker B:Everyone around the world watches Netflix.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:And to see that come up on the screen, fade out, it's going to come back another five minutes from now and you're like, you know what?
Speaker B:That may have given you time to talk to somebody about it.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:So let me.
Speaker B:Yeah, let me watch that versus.
Speaker B:Oh, man, I gotta get out and go to a movie theaters.
Speaker B:And I'm already counting up, like he was saying about the spreadsheet and everything.
Speaker B:I'm counting up how much it's gonna cost in my head.
Speaker B:I got three kids.
Speaker B:I would really like for them to see this movie, but it just ain't worth it to me.
Speaker A:Gotcha.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:Yeah, I.
Speaker C:I do think they, you know, folks don't put in Hollywood, don't put as much of that marketing budget behind predominantly, you know, cast film.
Speaker C:So definitely there.
Speaker C:I think there needs to be a bit more of that, you know, that big budget pushed behind it, you know.
Speaker C:But I think, too, I think you need both, like he was saying, I think you need both the streaming and that theatrical piece as well.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:As far as.
Speaker A:And like, why I pose that question too, is because it's always interesting to me, like, being in conversation, you know, with folks who are kind of like on both.
Speaker A:In both camps.
Speaker A:Whereas, like, you know, it's.
Speaker A:It's convenient, right, to have it on a streaming service and then you may have, you know, you have a family.
Speaker A:And it's not.
Speaker A:I mean, it's.
Speaker A:It's not feasible, right, to, like, go out to the movies, you know, and like, spend all this money, you know, to, you know, sit in a theater and everything.
Speaker A:But then also, too, on the other side of that, like, I'm, you know, there's.
Speaker A:There's so much, like, there's so much that is within streaming.
Speaker A:And so, of course, if you're somebody who now, of course, Tyler Perry is a big name, but if you're like, I'm thinking in terms of, like, if you have a story that you really need to tell and you're not as well known and you're putting your film on a streaming service, you know, what's to say that, you know, and maybe people, like, eventually watch it, but then, like, with having, like, a wide theatrical release, like, to me, at least.
Speaker A:And in my.
Speaker A:This is.
Speaker A:And this is just me, but, like, to me, I'm like, okay, that's.
Speaker A:That's more of an opportunity to have more folks seeing it and buying into what the story is.
Speaker A:And it's.
Speaker A:And you're right, Brian, like, about, you know, when you go to the movies, it's about that community.
Speaker A:I remember, like, sitting there after having just seen, like, a film, like, okay, two films, because they were both nuts.
Speaker A:One, the Menu, and then the other one, Annihilation.
Speaker A:And I remember sitting there in theater, and there's.
Speaker A:Especially for the menu, there's a family that's, like, sitting right next to me and a couple of other friends, and they're like, yeah, we have no idea.
Speaker A:What are the themes?
Speaker A:Like, like, what were we supposed to take from that?
Speaker A:And so we're.
Speaker A:We're getting into all this.
Speaker A:This whole conversation with total strangers in the.
Speaker A:The other instances is like, annihilation.
Speaker A:I'm sitting there and we were working at Pittsford Cinema when it was still a thing at the time.
Speaker A:And I remember texting our manager, like, what did we just watch right now?
Speaker A:Like, we're sitting there just, like, completely frozen, trying to figure this thing out.
Speaker D:And it's such.
Speaker D:It's such a visual spectacle, too.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:Like some of those movies.
Speaker D:And that's the thing.
Speaker D:Like, even though this isn't as much of a visual spectacle, it still deserves that kind of presence.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker D:It's a story that, you know, every story is bigger when you see it on the screen.
Speaker D:And it's a story where you can.
Speaker D:Some of those emotions get big when you see it on the screen a very different way.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know, that's a good point.
Speaker B:Because what we fail to realize is it takes a ton of money.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:To do any theatrical release.
Speaker A:Yep.
Speaker B:That's why you have some movies, you see some certain movie stars, and they'll still say limited release because they're like, we gotta try this out.
Speaker B:Jake Gyllenhaal, we love you, but we gotta try this out.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Because it's a business.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:And, you know, if you have all these different theaters around the world, China has to buy into it, Russia has to Buy into it.
Speaker B:And if these sales aren't being made or they feel like, well, we don't really care in this market about.
Speaker A:Oh yeah, yeah, that was.
Speaker A:I remember Viola Davis talking about that with the Woman King and they did make budget like they did end up making more than what it cost.
Speaker A:But at the same time, it was such an uphill battle.
Speaker A:Like everything and even someone as big as Viola Davis still having to like fight through because you have to make it.
Speaker A:Mark.
Speaker A:She.
Speaker A:I remember this saying, she was like, you have to make it marketable to like a story about a black women.
Speaker A:I mean, it's a black women led film and it has to appeal to white men, white women and black men.
Speaker A:You have to get it through all of those people first.
Speaker A:And then you're also trying to sell it to international audiences as well.
Speaker A:So I'm just like, oh my God.
Speaker A:Like the whole thing, the business of it is really, while I do understand it, it's just such.
Speaker A:Yeah, it's a lot.
Speaker B:But even still, Steven Spielberg would have a problem getting the certain movies made.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:Which, like, which one?
Speaker A:Like, like the Color Purple?
Speaker B:No, well, the Color Purple is a whole nother.
Speaker B:But you know, he had movies like War Horse and you know, some of his passion projects that he wanted to get made.
Speaker B:And you know, it was questioned, you know, you can go all the way back to Star, Star Wars.
Speaker A:Yeah, great movie.
Speaker B:But we don't know you.
Speaker A:Right, right.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:And it has to jump around from.
Speaker B:And now we look at it now and say, wow, how did you even miss that?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:But we got to think about when it comes to people spending money versus putting butts and seats.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:And that's why I'm.
Speaker A:I'm constantly telling folks, I'm like, build community, especially black, brown and indigenous folks.
Speaker A:I'm like, if you're trying to build.
Speaker A:Well, actually I won't even say, I won't even go that far.
Speaker A:Like, it's why I'm seeing like constantly these actors who are having a very rough time.
Speaker A:Well known actors who are having a very rough time getting roles and they're creating their own production companies.
Speaker A:Yep.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:For those listening, Brian just raised his hand.
Speaker A:Yes, both of.
Speaker A:Yeah, both of them.
Speaker A:All of us, really.
Speaker A:But like.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Building your own production companies and building audience and community around those production companies who really resonate with the stories, really support what's going on, you know, and the storytelling within those within Those films.
Speaker A:And I mean, I'm like, I'm looking at all these actors.
Speaker A:I'm like, I'm going to support every single one of you.
Speaker A:Like, you know, again, like with Viola Davis in the Woman King or Dev Patel with the Monkey man, you know, you're talking about like Jordan Peele, like someone like Jordan Peele, like, you know, and then also not only having his production company, but then also being able to pour into these other actors, you know, getting into directing, getting into producing and everything like that.
Speaker A:So, yeah, that's.
Speaker A:I mean, that's where I get encouraged.
Speaker A:Are there any other stories that you'd like to see turned into a narrative feature?
Speaker C:There, There is a woman that I actually just discovered.
Speaker C:Her name is Mary Fields and she was the very first African American mail carrier in the Wild West.
Speaker C:So she was this gun toting mail deliverer in the Wild West.
Speaker C:You know, gun toting, cigar smoking.
Speaker A:Wait, did she have a nickname?
Speaker A:Is this Stagecoach Mary?
Speaker C:I, I'm not sure if it's.
Speaker C:But I, I'm not sure.
Speaker C:But she was something to behold.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker C:Apparently, you know, fighting wolves and Indians and bandits.
Speaker C:And I, I was like, she sounds very interesting and I think that'd be a great movie because I think it appeals to folks.
Speaker C:I love Wild west movies.
Speaker B:I'm gonna have to write that down.
Speaker C:Yeah, I love Wild west movies.
Speaker C:And, you know, just to see this woman, like the Sojourner Truth for mail and to, you know, just getting this mail to people all over the west coast and in Montana and things like that.
Speaker C:So, you know, I love Yellowstone.
Speaker C:I love all things Yellowstone.
Speaker C:And I would have loved to see just the, the scenery and her character and how she, you know, because she was a slave.
Speaker C:She was a slave.
Speaker C:And I guess she started living in a convent.
Speaker C:Got kicked out of the convent.
Speaker C:And so it was.
Speaker C:I'm just like so excited to see if it's, you know, I'd be excited to see if someone, you know, took that, that film on.
Speaker A:I mean, I'd love to see it as a Tam Little directed film for real.
Speaker C:Wow.
Speaker A:Claim it.
Speaker A:Claim it.
Speaker A:Him.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker C:All right.
Speaker B:You might as well.
Speaker C:Why not?
Speaker C:Why not?
Speaker C:Why not?
Speaker A:What about you, Brian?
Speaker B:Actually, there's a few movie, few people that I would like to see a movie of.
Speaker B:I actually made a list in my head.
Speaker B:One is being Oscar Michelle, which I think is actually in development with Tyler Perry playing Oscar Michelle.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Interesting.
Speaker B:Very interesting.
Speaker C:Wow.
Speaker B:You know, Stevie Wonder.
Speaker B:I would like to see a biopic for Stevie Wonder.
Speaker B:A real biopic.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:I'm surprised as we're naming these people, I'm like, well, nobody's done it yet.
Speaker B:Okay, Jackie, let's do it.
Speaker B:John Singleton, another one.
Speaker B:And Oprah Winfrey.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:Really?
Speaker B:I would love to see a story of Oprah Winfrey.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:And I don't even.
Speaker B:I just like Oprah Winfrey for her story.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:But I feel like it's parts that she ain't telling.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:You just get into the nitty gritty.
Speaker A:Like, we're gonna talk about it.
Speaker B:Let's talk about the real.
Speaker C:You know, the real Oprah.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Oh, wait.
Speaker A:Actually, before I get my answer, did you have any others or.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Because I've had to do a story on her or.
Speaker A:It was for, like, So a couple years.
Speaker A:A few years ago, actually, I was a guest blogger talking about.
Speaker A:It was.
Speaker A:It was for Black History Month, and they were doing 28 black figures.
Speaker A:28 days.
Speaker A:And so I was give.
Speaker A:I don't know if I was given.
Speaker A:I think I just picked her.
Speaker A:Mary Bowser, the first black spy.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker A:She has.
Speaker A:There's just so many things she.
Speaker A:Every ever.
Speaker A:Whenever black history comes around or just when we're just talking about history in general.
Speaker A:And I'm like, but y'all don't know about Mary Bowser.
Speaker A:So she was this.
Speaker A:She was an enslaved woman.
Speaker A:The family who owned her.
Speaker A:And her family, they once the.
Speaker A:I guess once the parents.
Speaker A:Because they had a daughter.
Speaker A:Once the parents died, the daughter freed all of them and then sent her.
Speaker A:Sent Mary up to school up north.
Speaker A:And then after she was done with school, ended up coming back down to work for the daughter.
Speaker A:And they were both abolitionists, and because the daughter was very much an abolitionist.
Speaker A:And so what would happen is they.
Speaker A:What they ended up doing was working as spies for the Union.
Speaker C:Wow.
Speaker A:And so the thing was.
Speaker A:So Mary had a photographic memory.
Speaker C:Oh, wow.
Speaker A:She.
Speaker A:The dog.
Speaker A:I can't remember the daughter's name, but she used to.
Speaker A:She would host Confederate, like, generals at the house.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Playing very, very much into, like, the Southern belle.
Speaker A:Like this.
Speaker A:The other person who was for the Confederate.
Speaker A:And so as they're having meetings, Mary would pretend to be an enslaved person.
Speaker A:Oh, wow.
Speaker A:And so as she's serving, like, tea or whatever it is that they're having, they.
Speaker A:Because they thought.
Speaker A:She assumed that she was illiterate, would have all of their plans out.
Speaker C:Oh, wow.
Speaker A:And so Mary would go in, memorize all the plans, and then feed it back to the Union.
Speaker A:And I'm like, y'all need to make this film right now.
Speaker A:I'm so ready.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:And then they, eventually they found out what was happening and she ended up escaping.
Speaker A:There really isn't much more about what happened, but she also tried to burn a state house before she was.
Speaker A:She left.
Speaker A:She.
Speaker A:Yeah, before she fled.
Speaker A:She was like, I'm gonna do something.
Speaker A:That's what she.
Speaker A:Like, she tried to.
Speaker A:Yes, very.
Speaker A:I was like, you.
Speaker A:You know what, girl?
Speaker A:Yes, absolutely.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Set it ablaze, girl.
Speaker A:But it was.
Speaker A:I just, I remember reading that and going, how is this not a movie?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And we've had, we've also had documentaries about the, the Negro baseball leagues.
Speaker A:But I would also.
Speaker C:Yes, love.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Something around that.
Speaker A:And then also too, like the solidarity between races.
Speaker A:Because what I remember learning at the Baseball hall of Fame was the fact that there would be.
Speaker A:So that you'd have all of these black baseball players, and then when it was an off season, they would go down to like, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican, and they would play with them, and then the same would happen.
Speaker A:And so not only do I love that just because, like, I love learning about the, the Negro Leagues, but then also to the solidarity also do between, you know, between races as well.
Speaker A:So I think that's beautiful.
Speaker A:But.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Well, so we come to the portion of the podcast where you get to brag about yourselves as you should.
Speaker A:So do you have any upcoming projects, events, you know, do you want to do shout outs, talk about Dream in Color or anything else that's happening?
Speaker B:Okay, I appreciate that.
Speaker B:Is this live?
Speaker A:Well, I'm, I mean, I'm live on Instagram right now.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker D:Well, it'll be out in the next few weeks.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:Well, we have Dream in Color International creator session.
Speaker B:And matter of fact, we have a meeting tomorrow.
Speaker B:So for the month of April, we, you know, we usually have it every second Thursday of the month and it's from 7 to 8pm and tomorrow we'll be featuring a Netflix showrunner and also a woman of color, producer and director, Ms.
Speaker B:April speaks.
Speaker B:So we're going to be having that.
Speaker B:And so if you're interested in future meetings or anything like that, you can send an email to events at.
Speaker B:@dreamincolor films.com but we also.
Speaker B:I'm also working on my first feature film, which I did not intend to do.
Speaker B:It was.
Speaker B:It was a totally different kind of project.
Speaker B:But I'm in the stages right now of creating a proof of concept for a feature film here in Rochester, and we are currently in the writing stages.
Speaker B:I do have a Very good friend of mine who's also the co producer and writer and Native American name is Rob Jones.
Speaker B:He just listens to what I.
Speaker B:What I'm saying.
Speaker B:He takes it and he just turns it into something.
Speaker B:But I want to make sure I pronounce this right.
Speaker B:He's a Sony Haudenosaunee.
Speaker B:Haudenosaunee What Story Taylor Storyteller.
Speaker B:He's a Native screenwriter and.
Speaker B:And creator of The Onondaga Nation 5D light comics, where he does comics that's focusing on diverse, you know, a lot of diversity and entertainment.
Speaker B:But, yeah, so we, him and I are, you know, we're back and forth on the writing stage, and it's something that we want to have cameras up for the proof of concept around September sometime.
Speaker B:Nice.
Speaker B:So that's what I'm working on.
Speaker A:Right, right.
Speaker A:Cool.
Speaker A:Tim, how about you?
Speaker C:Yeah, I think we're just.
Speaker C:From my standpoint, we're building Dream in Color.
Speaker C:We want to actually make it into more of a membership platform.
Speaker C:And we've had people from all over the globe, from Africa to Australia to name a few more.
Speaker B:Oh, man.
Speaker B:So uk, Vancouver, Alaska, Canada, Tokyo.
Speaker B:Some other place in Japan.
Speaker B:I don't remember the name.
Speaker B:Turkey, Saudi Arabia.
Speaker B:All over the place.
Speaker B:Place.
Speaker B:They're.
Speaker B:They're everywhere.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:So we got like 80 people showing up.
Speaker C:Absolutely.
Speaker A:Just.
Speaker C:We just want to bring people together.
Speaker C:We want to bring people together.
Speaker C:So in a more formalized way.
Speaker C:Yeah, so that's my goal.
Speaker A:Amazing.
Speaker A:Thank you both for sharing for our listeners.
Speaker A:We'll be putting all of this information in the show notes, so please go and look there for everything that Brian and Tam are doing.
Speaker A:Any final thoughts as far as the film projects?
Speaker A:Anything, you know, that we've talked about tonight?
Speaker A:Tam, I'll have you go first.
Speaker C:Well, I just really appreciate what you and your producer are doing, really highlighting these films of people of color and talking about the films, because I think this is another avenue to get the word out.
Speaker C:Marketing and really getting people interested in what's happening.
Speaker C:So I just want to applaud you and thank you.
Speaker C:And I'm just so honored to be here today.
Speaker C:And, you know, I'm just.
Speaker C:I'm so excited.
Speaker A:Honored to have you here.
Speaker C:Thank you.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And I.
Speaker B:I feel the same way.
Speaker B:I reflect that.
Speaker B:I think it's.
Speaker B:It's just wonderful, you know what I mean, to be a part of, you know, what you're doing and.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And just being able to get out a little bit.
Speaker B:Bit of what, you know, we're feeling as far as this movie.
Speaker B:And, you know, I'm hoping that someone that's listening right now have, you know, made a decision to go and actually, you know, take a look at the film and learn something that they didn't know 10 minutes ago.
Speaker A:Oh, absolutely, Absolutely.
Speaker A:And of course, we'll.
Speaker A:I mean, we'll have to have you back, obviously, for, like, more.
Speaker A:More films.
Speaker A:I know, Brian.
Speaker A:You guys express talking about the.
Speaker A:The Spider Verse franchise.
Speaker A:It was just announced.
Speaker A:Please, dear God, let it be the final, the actual date.
Speaker A:Because this movie, it's beyond the Spider Verse has moved.
Speaker A:That date has moved so many times.
Speaker A:But I'm also hoping that, you know, like, all the animators, everyone working on the film has enough time because it was very rushed, I guess, the last one.
Speaker A:So I'm like, listen, as long as they're not being worked to death, I.
Speaker A:I can wait.
Speaker A: But also, please, June: Speaker A:So we'll have to have.
Speaker A:We'll have to have you back on to talk about, you know, into the Spider Verse, across the Spider Verse, and then eventually beyond the Spider Verse, and then other films as well.
Speaker A:So thank y'all once again for coming onto the podcast.
Speaker A:It's really been an awesome conversation as I knew it would be.
Speaker A:Y'all are amazing to our listeners.
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:To our listeners, thank you so much for your support of our Voices project and our Representation in Cinema podcast.
Speaker A:You can find us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Blue sky and at www.ourvoicesproject.com for more information about what we do.
Speaker A:And also on our website, you can sign up for our newsletter to be the first to get notifications about podcast episodes and new projects.
Speaker A:You can also listen to this episode and others under Representation in Cinema on any of the platforms listed on our website or, of course, on Spotify.
Speaker A:And you can, like I said, for the podcast, in particular, ourvoicesproject.com podcast.
Speaker A:If you would rather go there to check out all of our episodes.
Speaker A:This has been Jackie McGriff, your host for this episode of Representation in Cinema, of our Voices project.
Speaker A:And as always, thank you again for listening.
Speaker B:This has been a presentation of the Lunchadore Podcast Network.
Speaker D:Stay tuned for the Postal Service trilogy.
Speaker D:First, Dead Mail, starring from the Anomaly Film Festival.
Speaker D:Second, the movie you just talked about, the Six Triple Eight.
Speaker D:Third, come up with your own movie.
Speaker D:Make something about the mail service.
Speaker D:Come on now.
