Up-and-Coming Black Creators Shaping the Entertainment and Media Universe
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The creative industry is thriving with the next generation of black creators. With their unique perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds, they have the opportunity to shape the future of Hollywood in powerful and inspiring ways.
Black Creators Have Always Set the Tone
Black creators have always been ahead of the curve in setting the tone for progress and innovation, and these up-and-coming creators are no exception. They are an inspiration to others, and their presence in the entertainment industry is a testament to the power of their hard work and dedication. Let's take a closer look at each of these creatives and what makes them stand out.
Stefani Robinson
Stefani Robinson is an incredibly talented and accomplished writer, producer, and showrunner. She has been the showrunner for the highly acclaimed and award-winning Atlanta, which airs on FX, and was recently nominated for six Emmy Awards. Aside from her work in Atlanta, where she established her prowess, she has been a producer for What We Do in the Shadows and Fargo. Robinson brings an exciting, fresh perspective to the creative industry, combining comedy and drama elements with an honest and thought-provoking approach to storytelling. Her first feature film as a writer and producer, Chevalier, is set to release in April 2023.
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Nikyatu Jusu
Nikyatu Jusu is an award-winning filmmaker and screenwriter from Atlanta. She has written and directed films that have screened at major festivals, including Sundance, Berlin Film Festival, and the Toronto International Film Festival. Nanny's most recent work received the Grand Jury Prize at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Her upcoming projects include an as-yet-untitled horror project meant to be a sequel to George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead.
Jusu brings a unique approach to storytelling, combining elements of African culture and realism with a visual style that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. We are eager to see what impact she will have on the industry and the stories she will tell in the future.
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Cierra Glaude
Cierra "Shooter" Glaude is a trailblazing writer/director passionately championing representation of POC, women, and the queer community. Discovered by Ava DuVernay in college, Cierra has directed popular shows like Queen Sugar, P-Valley, The Chi, Twenties, Riverdale, and Disney+'s The Crossover. In 2022, she was nominated for an Image Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Creative for Queen Sugar. We're excited about Cierra's work because of her commitment to representation and willingness to challenge the status quo. She is a visionary storyteller with an exciting and innovative approach.
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Richard “Byrd” Wilson and Lucien Christian Adderley
Richard “Byrd” Wilson and Lucien Christian Adderley are a duo making a splash on the scene. The two often go by “The Florida Boys” about their upbringing. Together, they have collaborated on several films, including the critically acclaimed short film A Night In Miami, which was screened at the Sundance Film Festival. The two combine forces and create a powerful vision by combining comedy, drama, and realism elements. And their hard work has paid off - they have a Peabody award under their belts for their work on the dramatic OWN coming-of-age series David Makes Man. Wilson and Adderley are working on The Highwaymen, a story that follows an art student who uncovers a Black art movement that had nearly been forgotten in Florida.
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Joshua Kissi
Joshua Kissi is a Ghanaian-American director and writer. He co-founded Street Etiquette, an influential men’s style blog, and has been featured in major publications such as GQ and Esquire. Kissi has been making waves in the entertainment industry, having recently directed Beyoncé's 2020 music visual Black Is King in his home country of Ghana and creating the upcoming Amazon Music documentary For Love and Country about Black country music stars. He has also been featured in Inc Magazine's "30 under 30" and Fast Company's "100 Most Creative People".
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Samantha Bailey
Samantha Bailey is an artist and filmmaker from Baltimore, Maryland, who has written and directed films screened at major festivals, including Sundance, Tribeca, and SXSW. She is the co-creator of the Emmy-nominated web series Brown Girls and has directed shows such as Dear White People, Grown-ish, and the semi-autobiographical You're So Talented. She is a 2015 Gotham Award nominee and a 2019 SXSW nominee. Up next for Bailey is Ironheart, a TV series for Disney Plus Marvel currently in post-production.
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Stefon Bristol
Stefon Bristol is an award-winning producer, writer, and director from Brooklyn, New York. A Morehouse and NYU grad, Bristol worked closely with Spike Lee, a mentor from NYU, to co-write and direct See You Yesterday. The film won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay in 2020. He is a visionary filmmaker, and his work has the potential to revolutionize the industry with his genre-defying style. His latest project, Breathe, an action thriller that Bristol directed, is in post-production with a 2023 release.
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Blitz Bazawule
Blitz Bazawule is an innovator in the creative industry. His work combines elements of traditional storytelling and Afro-futurism, creating stories that are both entertaining and thought-provoking. His feature directorial debut, The Burial Of Kojo, premiered on Netflix in 2019 via array, and his work on Beyoncé's Black Is King earned him a Grammy nomination in 2020. Blitz is also the founder of Africa Film Society and the recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship, the TED Fellowship, and the Vilcek Prize.
His presence in the creative industry is an inspiration to others, and his work has the potential to revolutionize the industry and create new opportunities for marginalized voices to be heard. We are excited to see his impact on the industry and the stories he will tell in the future. Bazawule’s next project is the musical adaptation of The Color Purple, which is set to be released later this year.
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These up-and-coming black creators are an inspiration and a testament to the power of hard work and dedication. With their unique perspectives, they have the potential to revolutionize the creative industry and create new opportunities for marginalized voices to be heard. We are excited to see their impact on the industry and the stories they will tell in the years to come.
