Spent the day at USC talking to students about media and navigating this industry as a minority.
Itās funny. Iām at this weird moment where I got one foot in traditional media, one foot in digital, and both hands in AI. Wild place to be standing right now.
Finding your voice. Creating your own opportunities. Not waiting for permission. Using AI as a tool, not a shortcut. We got into all of it.
I kept it real. What works, what doesnāt, what it actually takes to stay in this game.
Been building a playbook for everything I just spoke about. Join my broadcast channel so youāre the first to know when it drops. Link in bio.
Brief review @michaelmovie
Watching it with a crowd made it hit different. People were reacting, crying, cheering, singing along, @lovebrandimarie didnāt move the entire time. That kinda told me everything.
Had a chance to briefly talk to the š @antoinefuqua - Taking on someone like Michael Jackson is no small task. I can only imagine everything that comes with a project like this.
And just to say it, this isnāt that type of biopic like Ray. This is its own experience. @jaafarjackson did his thing
This is one you donāt just watch. You feel it. You have fun. Itās meant to be seen with people. #michaelmovie
Iāve been in this game 20 years this month. Praying, wishing, working toward the chance to direct a feature film.
For a long time, I thought I was ready. I wasnāt.
I needed the setbacks. The lessons. The people who stayed and the ones who didnāt. The wins, the losses, the patience. All of it led to these 15 days of filming 100 scenes.
And it was real.
No easy days. But I was surrounded by a team that wanted to win. Thatās what made it possible. This is a collaborative art form, and I gave everything I had to it.
Every day felt like the first day of school. I even laid my outfits out the night before.š
This is more than a dream. This is manifestation in real life.
There are a lot of people to thank, but first and foremost, I thank God for planting the seed in me.
Being a director is hard to explain. Youāre taking words off the page and turning them into something people can feel, relate to, and see themselves in.
Itās imagination at the highest level, but itās also leadership. You set the tone. You set the energy. People look to you for answers.
And I take that seriously.
I want people to love what they do. I want them to feel empowered in their position and bring their best to it.
Iām just grateful I got to experience this.
So much goes into prep. Reading, rereading, breaking the script down until itās part of your DNA. Planning every move. Preparing yourself for the endurance it takes to actually execute it.
Itās a mental war. Every day.
Not getting what you want. Adjusting in real time. Learning how to compromise without losing the vision. Staying open to ideas that might be better than your own.
And when things get chaotic, because they will, itās about staying calm in the middle of it.
Thatās something my mentor really instilled in me, and I carried that with me every single day. @karenrtoliver@timkstory@cjtinla@tywalker.me@errolsadler thank you for being true producers & trusting the vision!
A huge thank you to @lovebrandimarie for being there through so many of these moments. The late nights, learning me, listening to my delusional dreams, being in my corner and trusting me.
(Continued in comments)
