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Carl Scott’s amazing opening credits sequence in Kung Fu Executioner (1981)

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Watermelon Woman

Cheryl Dunye’s Watermelon Woman is a super meta-narrative, where we follow Cheryl Dunye as she is producing a documentary on the old Hollywood, black female actress, Fae Richards. The film crosses shot footage and narrative footage, where either the characters are aware they are on film or not. 

The mystery of Fae Richards drives this film, while we are simultaneously shown the life of Cheryl Dunye. Cheryl is forced to hunt down information on a black actress, for, in her work, she is only referred to as the watermelon woman. The searching process brings to light the erasure of black women’s impact on film, second to men, and white women. Another big part of this film is queerness. Both Fae and Cheryl are queer black women, and interestingly enough, both date white woman at some point. However, for Fae, it is her white partner who is recognized for her work.

At the end of the film, it is revealed that Fae isn’t real. However, she kind of is. She is the black female queer artist, often forgotten and disregarded. She represents those black artists, filmmakers, actresses whose lives are defined by the stereotype they play on screen. Like Julie Dash’s Illusions, we see the recreation of a narrative to make up for the erasure of black narratives.

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red. girl 6.

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Eartha Kitt & Sammy Davis Jr. | Anna Lucasta (1958) 

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Barbara McCullough | Water Ritual 1: An Urban Rite of Purification, 1979, 6 mins, bw

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Black Cinematographers You Should Know

ARTHUR JAFA -  Focused primarily on life through the eyes of black Americans, Arthur Jafa’s work has garnered no shortage of praise from his peers and big names. His credits include Julie Dash’s Daughters of the Dust, Spike Lee’s Crooklyn and music videos like Solange’s Cranes in the Sky.

ERNEST DICKERSON - Ernest Dickerson is a director in his own right. His directorial debut, Juice, is one of the most well known films in black cinema and his work is an staple in television. But he is arguably better known for his cinematography. Collaborating most with Spike Lee, his credits include Lee’s Do the Right Thing, She’s Gotta Have It, Malcolm X and Eddie Murphy’s Raw.

CYBEL MARTIN - Most commonly known in the world of shorts, Cybel’s style is often colorful and distinct. Her credits include films like The Gilded Six Bits, Lumiette and No Vagrancy. She’s currently working on the For The People television series as an Camera Operator.

MALIK SAYEED - In the game for 23 years Malik’s visuals are often hailed as bold and bright. His credits include Hype Williams’ Belly, Lee’s He Got Game, Beyoncé’s Lemonade and music videos for artists like Rihanna and Pharrell Williams.

BRADFORD YOUNG - A cinematographer constantly in demand, Bradford Young’s body of work is highly esteemed and growing. Known for a style that highlights and emphasizes the hues in black skin and other actors of color, his credits include Dee Rees Pariah, Ava’s Selma, A Most Violent Year, his Oscar nominated work on Arrival and recently Lucasfilm’s Solo.

KIRA KELLY - Starting out as an electrician in the lighting department, Kira Kelly has worked her way up in the film business as a gaffer on films and TV shows. Her credits include Ava DuVernay’s 13th and Queen Sugar.

HAN CHARLES - After years of working as an assistant cameraman for fellow Howard alum and friend Bradford Young, Han met and worked with Ava on 13th.Though he has recently forayed more into the world of producing, his work on the groundbreaking documentary won’t soon be forgotten. His other credits include Mr. SOUL!, and the upcoming 1 Angry Black Man.

JESSIE MAPLE - Considered the forerunner for directors like Spike Lee, Charles Burnett and Lee Daniels, Jessie Maple is widely regarded for her contributions to black cinema and cinema as a whole. The first black woman to join the International Photographers of Motion Picture & Television Union, she was also one of the first African-American woman to direct and create a feature-length dramatic film.

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Cascade + skate crews

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“I am a third generation hair stylist. And so I eat, breathe and sleep hair. To be responsible [for] creating looks that will stand the test of time makes me feel emotional.” - Camille Friend, Department Head Hair Stylist.

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Foxy Brown (1974)

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Burning Sands (2017) dir. Gerard McMurray 

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love come down, 2000, by clement virgo

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John Singleton behind the scenes of his films.

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  “Fieldwork Footage”, dir. Zora Neale Hurston (1928 - 29)

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Billionaire Boys Club / Icecream x Reebok (2020)

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じゅーしぃオレンジ

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Bree Runway

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PARA featuring Louisa Meng, Jess Hu, Devyn Nadair, and Natalie Huyen