Trouble at 40 Acres and a Mule?
Trouble at 40 Acres and a Mule?
Downsizing at Spike Lee's production companyunderscores lack of Hollywood deals for blackdirectors
By Tamara E. Holmes
Despite a proven track record of producing successfulfilms, director Spike Lee has recently had to downsizehis production operations because he currently lacks astudio deal to film his movies.In recent weeks, Lee has had to shut down the LosAngeles branch of his 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworksproduction company. He also downsized the developmentoperations at the company's Brooklyn, New Yorkheadquarters. Sam Kitt, who headed the Los Angelesbranch, confirmed earlier this month that thedownsizing came as a result of the expiration of afirst-look deal with Walt Disney Studios.In Hollywood, studios often offer producers,directors, and actors deals to ensure their loyalty. Astudio might agree to film five movie projects inorder to ensure that a producer works exclusivelywith it. In the case of 40 Acres and a Mule'sfirst-look deal with Disney, that studio had the rightto consider Lee's films before any other studio.Disney did in fact release three of Lee's last fivemovies.However, with the expiration of the Disney deal and nodeal to take its place, the company was forced to gothrough a "tactical retrenchment," according toreports. Kitt, who announced that he was stepping downas president of 40 Acres and a Mule. Kitt would notmake additional comments on the situation for thisarticle.Lee also had no comment, according to hisrepresentatives with the William Morris Agency.The fact that Lee currently has no studio deal pointsto a larger underlying problem in Hollywood, says JohnForbes, executive director of the First Weekend Club,a division of the Black Hollywood Education andResearch Center."It does not make sense for Spike Lee not to have anoverall deal someplace at a studio," Forbes says. "Hehas been one of the innovators, not only in featurefilms, but in television [as well]."However, Forbes adds, "The growth [at black productioncompanies] has basically been star-attached. If youhave a product with Will Smith or Denzel Washington,yes [studios] give them the production deals becausethey generate a lot of money. Films directed byAfrican Americans grossed over $400 million in 2003,according to the Center.Lee's latest film project, She Hate Me, which wasreleased the last weekend in July through SonyPictures Classics, grossed only $54,049 in its firstweekend. Throughout his career, Lee has generatedabout $275 million for films he's directed. Other Leefilms include Malcolm X (1992), Jungle Fever (1991)and Do the Right Thing (1989).However, other black directors such as Antoine Fuqua(Training Day, 2001; Warner Bros.), Denzel Washington(Antwone Fisher, 2002; 20th Century Fox), F. Gary Gray(The Italian Job, 2003; Paramount Pictures), and JohnSingleton (2 Fast, 2 Furious, 2003; UniversalPictures) have experienced great success in recentyears.Despite the setback of having no studio deal at thistime, 40 Acres and a Mule is still said to be workingon a number of projects including a reality series fortelevision and the production of The Night Watchman, athriller expected to begin shooting in 2005.While Forbes does not expect Lee to suffer long-termharm from not having a deal at this time, thesituation is thought provoking he says, "Especially at a time when you're seeing more and moresuccessful black films being made."
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Downsizing at Spike Lee's production companyunderscores lack of Hollywood deals for blackdirectors
By Tamara E. Holmes
Despite a proven track record of producing successfulfilms, director Spike Lee has recently had to downsizehis production operations because he currently lacks astudio deal to film his movies.In recent weeks, Lee has had to shut down the LosAngeles branch of his 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworksproduction company. He also downsized the developmentoperations at the company's Brooklyn, New Yorkheadquarters. Sam Kitt, who headed the Los Angelesbranch, confirmed earlier this month that thedownsizing came as a result of the expiration of afirst-look deal with Walt Disney Studios.In Hollywood, studios often offer producers,directors, and actors deals to ensure their loyalty. Astudio might agree to film five movie projects inorder to ensure that a producer works exclusivelywith it. In the case of 40 Acres and a Mule'sfirst-look deal with Disney, that studio had the rightto consider Lee's films before any other studio.Disney did in fact release three of Lee's last fivemovies.However, with the expiration of the Disney deal and nodeal to take its place, the company was forced to gothrough a "tactical retrenchment," according toreports. Kitt, who announced that he was stepping downas president of 40 Acres and a Mule. Kitt would notmake additional comments on the situation for thisarticle.Lee also had no comment, according to hisrepresentatives with the William Morris Agency.The fact that Lee currently has no studio deal pointsto a larger underlying problem in Hollywood, says JohnForbes, executive director of the First Weekend Club,a division of the Black Hollywood Education andResearch Center."It does not make sense for Spike Lee not to have anoverall deal someplace at a studio," Forbes says. "Hehas been one of the innovators, not only in featurefilms, but in television [as well]."However, Forbes adds, "The growth [at black productioncompanies] has basically been star-attached. If youhave a product with Will Smith or Denzel Washington,yes [studios] give them the production deals becausethey generate a lot of money. Films directed byAfrican Americans grossed over $400 million in 2003,according to the Center.Lee's latest film project, She Hate Me, which wasreleased the last weekend in July through SonyPictures Classics, grossed only $54,049 in its firstweekend. Throughout his career, Lee has generatedabout $275 million for films he's directed. Other Leefilms include Malcolm X (1992), Jungle Fever (1991)and Do the Right Thing (1989).However, other black directors such as Antoine Fuqua(Training Day, 2001; Warner Bros.), Denzel Washington(Antwone Fisher, 2002; 20th Century Fox), F. Gary Gray(The Italian Job, 2003; Paramount Pictures), and JohnSingleton (2 Fast, 2 Furious, 2003; UniversalPictures) have experienced great success in recentyears.Despite the setback of having no studio deal at thistime, 40 Acres and a Mule is still said to be workingon a number of projects including a reality series fortelevision and the production of The Night Watchman, athriller expected to begin shooting in 2005.While Forbes does not expect Lee to suffer long-termharm from not having a deal at this time, thesituation is thought provoking he says, "Especially at a time when you're seeing more and moresuccessful black films being made."
******************************************************This publication was brought to you by InterServeNetworks.Feel Free To Forward To Your Network Of Online FriendsWe Practice Responsible E-Commerce Marketing andPrivacy Policies. We do not indulge in or encourageSpamming. We never send unsolicited emails. You arereceiving this message as part of our opt-insubscriber mailing list or you are a member of anaffiliated newsgroup.For comments or suggestions please contact us at thefollowing;Jim NeusomExecutive Director/PublisherInterServe Networks/City Lights Software,
