Blacks Behind the Scenes in American Film & Television

by Monty Ross, Eleanor Earl

Overview

Monty Ross was part of a legacy… a legacy marred by slavery, but uplifted through struggle, determination, and self-reliance. The degree under his arm meant more than just a ticket to affluence and middle class standing. It meant that he had a responsibility to do whatever he could to help advance the mission of improvement that had been so dutifully attended to by others before him.

In Blacks Behind the Scenes in American Film & Television, Monty Ross shares his journey from graduate school to the main arena of the billion dollar film & television industries, where only the strong can survive.

Monty Ross shares his experiences and encounters that made him one of history’s most successful African American film producers and details the challenges and accomplishments of hundreds of key players whom he has met along the way, including: Meeting Spike Lee and Working with 40 Acres & A Mule Productions on films, such as: She’s Gotta Have It, School Daze, Do The Right Thing, Mo’ Better Blues, Jungle Fever, Malcolm X and Crooklyn; Monty’s relationships with Columbia Pictures, Showtime Networks and Paramount Television; Information and advice from Industry Leaders who Make it Happen and Milestones in African American Cinematic History.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940015882001
Publisher:	M & E Publishing
Publication date:	10/04/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	126
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Monty Ross's lifelong love affair with filmmaking is apparent in his work. It is; however, the depth of his private reflections that shape his perspective on filmmaking. Over the course of his career Ross has been a lead actor in "Joe's Barbershop: We Cut Heads"; a spoken word artist- "The Monty Ross Poetry Ensemble"; produced feature films - "Do The Right Thing" and "Malcolm X", commercials - "Mars Blackman and Michael Jordan Air Jordan", music videos - "Liquid Swords for The Gza" and even posed as a picture book model for children's books - Barrack Obama, Son of Hope . . . of Promise" by Bryan Collier. The results of those film experiences and more are reflected in his new book: "Blacks: Behind the-Scenes in American Film & Television"-co-authored with Professor Eleanor Earl of Hampton University and E. L. Earl Entertainment.

Professor Earl has been an Assistant Professor of English and Cinema Studies Program Coordinator at Hampton University since 2003. She is a 2009 recipient of the Edward L. Hamm, Sr. Distinguished Teaching Award at Hampton University. In 2010 she was selected by Dr. William R. Harvey, President of Hampton University, to create and executive produce an original television show for the university.

Before joining Hampton University, Ms. Earl was an Adjunct Professor of Communication and Humanities at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA for six years. During her time in Los Angeles she established E. L. Earl Entertainment, Inc., a company that develops film, television, theatre, and music projects. She has since co-executive produced a television pilot with the Diamond Film Company (www.the20questions.com ). She is a also a Producer on the feature film adaptations of several Omar Tyree (NY Times best-selling author) novels and several other independent films that are in various stages of development.

Earl directed and co-executive produced a feature-length documentary film, Father Figure. The documentary was featured at the 10th Annual International Fatherhood Conference in 2008 and has continued to be screened throughout the country. She has composed and performed music for short films, been commissioned to write feature-length screenplays, and has been Festival Director for two film festivals.