TV: Fox Didn’t Think John Singleton Was Qualified Enough to Direct Empire

[playahaitian]

Fox Didn’t Think John Singleton Was Qualified Enough to Direct Empire

Variety has a long, damning article about the lack of diversity in TV directing. The story is a familiar one: White men make up the vast majority of TV directors (about three-quarters of the gigs) — a fact as true for first-time directors as it is for established ones.

Apparently, it's even hard for someone like John Singleton to break through.

“The initial response was the kind of automatic response, which is ‘We can’t, he’s never done it before. He doesn’t know how,’” said Ilene Chaiken, one of the showrunners of Empire when she brought him up as a possibility.​

That's right: Oscar-nominated director of Boyz n the Hood, Shaft, and Rosewood was considered under-qualified to direct a Fox drama. The concern was that Singleton hadn't directed television before, so it wasn't clear if he would be able to handle the quicker pace of TV. “It’s that classic Catch-22 that plagues us in the television business,” said Chaiken. “You can’t do [TV] unless you’ve already done it.” Eventually he convinced them. “He went through a series of interviews and went about making everybody comfortable in the way he made me comfortable, and then we gave him that opportunity that doesn’t usually get given,” Chaiken says. “But it absolutely takes advocacy.”

http://www.bgol.us/board/showthread.php?p=15929091&posted=1#post15929091

 

[RunawaySlave]

they didn't think he would be as open to their bigoted ideas

 

[largebillsonlyplease]

we just be making all this shit up

maybe he didn't have the right attitude. maybe he should have let his color work for him instead of focusing on it.

isn't that what they say we should do? new blacks help me out

 

[TEN]

One has to be qualified to direct that bullshit?

thought they just had to be gay friendly

 

[woodchuck]

we just be making all this shit up

maybe he didn't have the right attitude. maybe he should have let his color work for him instead of focusing on it.

isn't that what they say we should do? new blacks help me out

"experience" = the new way of seeing color.

 

[largebillsonlyplease]

"experience" = the new way of seeing color.

hmm, he's made some of the most defining films across genre and culture over the past 30 years but can he capture cookie? I just don't know. this might be too much for him.

 

[woodchuck]

hmm, he's made some of the most defining films across genre and culture over the past 30 years but can he capture cookie? I just don't know. this might be too much for him.

Aye, there's the rub. A complex and complicated matron whose complexities lie within the seemingly simplicity of her character.

 

[Joe Money]

Who directs the Empire episodes?

 

[playahaitian]

Who directs the Empire episodes?

Sanaa Hamri ... (4 episodes, 2015)
Lee Daniels ... (3 episodes, 2015)
Danny Strong ... (2 episodes, 2015)
Mario Van Peebles ... (2 episodes, 2015)
Debbie Allen ... (1 episode, 2015)
Kevin Bray ... (1 episode, 2015)
Craig Brewer ... (1 episode, 2015)
Michael Engler ... (1 episode, 2015)
Rob Hardy ... (1 episode, 2015)
Anthony Hemingway ... (1 episode, 2015)
Dee Rees ... (1 episode, 2015)
Rosemary Rodriguez ... (1 episode, 2015)
John Singleton ... (1 episode, 2015)

 

[dtownsfinest]

hmm, he's made some of the most defining films across genre and culture over the past 30 years but can he capture cookie? I just don't know. this might be too much for him.

This article is full of shit unless i'm missing something.

Empire...for all its flaws is probably the only show that constantly has black directors on it. Lee Daniels, Mario Van Peebles, Kevin Bray, Dee Rees, Rob Hardy, Debbie Allen..........

And John Singleton HAS directed a episode of Empire. I don't know what this article is even talking about unless i'm missing something.

They could've used 99% of TV shows on TV but they use the one that actually uses nothing but black directors.

 

[dtownsfinest]

Sanaa Hamri ... (4 episodes, 2015)
Lee Daniels ... (3 episodes, 2015)
Danny Strong ... (2 episodes, 2015)
Mario Van Peebles ... (2 episodes, 2015)
Debbie Allen ... (1 episode, 2015)
Kevin Bray ... (1 episode, 2015)
Craig Brewer ... (1 episode, 2015)
Michael Engler ... (1 episode, 2015)
Rob Hardy ... (1 episode, 2015)
Anthony Hemingway ... (1 episode, 2015)
Dee Rees ... (1 episode, 2015)
Rosemary Rodriguez ... (1 episode, 2015)
John Singleton ... (1 episode, 2015)

All of those people black except Danny Strong, Craig Brewer and Rosemary Rodriguez. I don't know who Hemingway is but i'm sure he's a cac.

 

[Hotlantan]

All of those people black except Danny Strong, Craig Brewer and Rosemary Rodriguez. I don't know who Hemingway is but i'm sure he's a cac.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Hemingway

 

[playahaitian]

Kevin Bray is an American film, television, commercial and music video director. Bray attended the University of Michigan and the University of Paris before completing his studies at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

Craig Brewer is an American film director and screenwriter. His 2005 movie Hustle & Flow won the Audience Award at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and achieved commercial success, along with an Academy

Michael Engler is an American theater director, and a Director's Guild of America and Emmy nominated television director and producer


Sanaa Hamri is a Moroccan American film director. She came to prominence as a music video editor and director

Rob Hardy is a film director, film producer, screenwriter, and television director. With partner Will Packer, he founded the production company Rainforest Films in 1994. Hardy's films credits include The Gospel, Trois, and Trois 2: Pandora's Box

Dee Rees is an American screenwriter and director. Rees has written and directed several short films, as well as the full-length feature films Pariah and Bessie

Rosemary Rodriguez

 

[dtownsfinest]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Hemingway

Damn I stand corrected on him then. So nearly ALL the directors are black. I never knew what Sanaa Hamri was. I thought she was black I know she use to direct hip hop and R&B videos.

 

[Brnpit]

They wanted more gay stuff in it?

 

[playahaitian]

This article is full of shit unless i'm missing something.

Empire...for all its flaws is probably the only show that constantly has black directors on it. Lee Daniels, Mario Van Peebles, Kevin Bray, Dee Rees, Rob Hardy, Debbie Allen..........

And John Singleton HAS directed a episode of Empire. I don't know what this article is even talking about unless i'm missing something.

They could've used 99% of TV shows on TV but they use the one that actually uses nothing but black directors.

I think their point is...

a WHITE director was the exact same credentials as Singleton would have been a go immediately...

there would have been no hesitation or supposed vetting process.

 

[Hotlantan]

I just think the article writer used a downright HORRIBLE example to highlight an otherwise very true problem with a lack of diversity. John Singleton might be a brilliant director, but he also has a well known reputation for burning bridges and alienating former friends of all races (so does Spike) and THAT was doubtlessly a bigger problem to FOX than simply him being Black.

Damn I stand corrected on him then. So nearly ALL the directors are black. I never knew what Sanaa Hamri was. I thought she was black I know she use to direct hip hop and R&B videos.

Sanaa had a Jewish mother, but her father was a Moroccan Muslim and she was born and raised in Africa until coming to America for college. Mariah Carey put her on in the entertainment business, and 95% of directing credits over the last 15 years have been for other Black artists.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanaa_Hamri

 

[playahaitian]

I just think the article writer used a downright HORRIBLE example to highlight an otherwise very true problem with a lack of diversity. John Singleton has a well known reputation for burning bridges and alienating former friends, and THAT was doubtlessly a bigger problem to FOX than simply him being Black.

good point

 

[ballscout1]

There is a difference between the big screen,TV and broadway..

Yall there us enough already without seeing it where it might not be

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

 

[Phermone3]

All of those people black except Danny Strong, Craig Brewer and Rosemary Rodriguez. I don't know who Hemingway is but i'm sure he's a cac.

Anthony Hemingway is black as fuck lol.

 

[dtownsfinest]

I think their point is...

a WHITE director was the exact same credentials as Singleton would have been a go immediately...

there would have been no hesitation or supposed vetting process.

But the problem seems to be more with Singleton then with a black director. In this case. I'm just confused why Empire was used as an example when it's the only show that's actually hiring black directors.

 

[phanatic]

One has to be qualified to direct that bullshit?

thought they just had to be gay friendly

Bingo.

 

[christuckerassmokey]

Why did I just assume a show had the same director for all episodes? I learned something new today.

 

[water]

Who determines "qualified enough"?

Where is the agreed upon benchmark?

 

[dtownsfinest]

Why did I just assume a show had the same director for all episodes? I learned something new today.

Naw you would think so but most of these directors are busy shooting other shows or movies.

 

[Black Radical]

we just be making all this shit up

maybe he didn't have the right attitude. maybe he should have let his color work for him instead of focusing on it.

isn't that what they say we should do? new blacks help me out

hmm, he's made some of the most defining films across genre and culture over the past 30 years but can he capture cookie? I just don't know. this might be too much for him.

Who determines "qualified enough"?

Where is the agreed upon benchmark?

As long as there is room for someones judgement, there is room for some racist bullshit. The minimum qualifications should be set out clearly to avoid this vague, insulting bullshit.

 

[grownazzblakman]

Who determines "qualified enough"?

Where is the agreed upon benchmark?

In Hollywood, 9x times out of 10... the person who 'determines' who is qualified enough 'to direct' an episode of tv.... is someone who has limited experience, or has NEVER directed an episode of tv themselves.

Case in Point...

Ilene Chaiken

This chic is the Showrunner for Empire.

She is MAINLY a Screenwriter & Producer.
And is the co-creator of "The L Word" tv series on Showtime.

She has only directed exactly ONE. SINGLE. EPISODE. of any 'tv show' in her entire CAREER.

Just ONE.

And has never directed ANYTHING else.
Not even a 'stage play'. Or a high-school play.

Apparently, John Singleton has way more experience... 'directing REAL actors'... than she EVER had in her career.

Yet she got the cotdamn nerve to talk about...... "He’s never done it before. He doesn’t know how."

Correction broad.... YOU don't know how to direct actors & tv shows.
John Singleton is NOT the problem here.

Hollywood.

You just can't make this shit up.

 

[dtownsfinest]

In Hollywood, 9x times out of 10... the person who 'determines' who is qualified enough 'to direct' an episode of tv.... is someone who has limited experience, or has NEVER directed an episode of tv themselves.

Case in Point...

Ilene Chaiken

This chic is the Showrunner for Empire.

She is MAINLY a Screenwriter & Producer.
And is the co-creator of "The L Word" tv series on Showtime.

She has only directed exactly ONE. SINGLE. EPISODE. of any 'tv show' in her entire CAREER.

Just ONE.

And has never directed ANYTHING else.
Not even a 'stage play'. Or a high-school play.

Apparently, John Singleton has way more experience... 'directing REAL actors'... than she EVER had in her career.

Yet she got the cotdamn nerve to talk about...... "He’s never done it before. He doesn’t know how."

Correction broad.... YOU don't know how to direct actors & tv shows.
John Singleton is NOT the problem here.

Hollywood.

You just can't make this shit up.

Directing a TV show and a Movie are entirely different though. Not enough to not consider Singleton but once again how did they not consider him when he actually directed a episode for Empire?

I thought it was funny the first thing you see on her wiki page is "Born to a Jewish family....". Guess that's what makes her qualified.

 

[largebillsonlyplease]

But the problem seems to be more with Singleton then with a black director. In this case. I'm just confused why Empire was used as an example when it's the only show that's actually hiring black directors.

because its easier to go at a black show about a problem they have no involvement in than it is to go at the rest of television with these white shows who would never let a black person do something of note on them.

that's why.

 

[Mo-Better]

Let's be real, Fox figured John Singleton was simply too black.

 

[playahaitian]

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