ARRAY: Filmmaker Ava DuVernay (2021)

How I Built This · 18 Sept 2023 · 1h 33m

What this episode covers

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay explains how she transitioned from a successful Hollywood publicist to an independent filmmaker, self-financing her early shorts like Saturday Night Life and I Will Follow. She details the creation of the African American Film Festival Releasing Movement (AFFRM) to distribute black cinema, which evolved into her production and distribution company, Array. DuVernay discusses the strategic challenges of directing Selma on a $20 million budget and the importance of maintaining creative control over her work.

Mentioned

Companies
ARRAY, African American Film Festival Releasing Movement
Products
Selma, I Will Follow, Middle of Nowhere, 13th, When They See Us, A Wrinkle in Time, Collateral, Saturday Night Life
Also
Sundance Film Festival, Palm Springs Short Film Festival, UCLA, David Oyelowo, Lee Daniels, Steven Spielberg, Prada, Netflix

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