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As the backbone of Black World Studios, Sam David created a spirited, offbeat blog (below) that passes along some personal transparency, bits of professional know-how, common-sense wisdom, fascinating university research studies about actors, writers, TV personalities (and other creatives) -- along with engaging do's & don'ts for nurturing and elevating exceptional talent in film, TV, radio, stage, and literary.
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 - by Sam David
No matter what you've been told, strategy is everything. Without a high-level plan, you are walking in the dark -- literally. Everyone has a pipe dream at one time or another. For most, there is that pie in the sky, the unattainable fantasy of fantasies. For writers, it's the initial publication of their first manuscript; for TV scriptwriters, the nervous airing of their eight-episodic dramedy; for screenwriters, the red-carpet premier of their 121-page motion picture script. For some, the wheels slowly squeak and turn; for others, the rubber falls flat in a flash. When writers e-mail me to look at their work (in consideration of representation), I always initially ask for three particular items: -- The project's title (because titles are important); they can make or break a sale; -- The project's tagline, because the tagline (let's call it "The Teaser") will set a spin to the story; -- And the last requisite: the project's logline, the definitive one-sentence descriptive blueprint that wraps up words on paper, spinning them down to the story's most essential elements. A solid logline is the nitty-gritty guts to storytelling. More times than not, without it, there's an awfully good chance that you didn't capture a crystal clear vision of the beginning, middle and end of your own work product. Some wordsmiths write their way forward, starting from scratch with the mixing and matching of meaningful nouns and vivid verbs to build and frame a logline; others will sometimes work their way backwards, staging together that key sentence -- the logline -- at the tail end of their finished creation. A well-crafted logline is the foundation to opening the floodgates of interest. Loglines suck up the story/series in a nutshell. Consider this over-exaggerated phrase, off the top of my head, that capsulizes one of the most influential and beloved American television sitcom series ever to air on a major network: A naïve and ambitious redhead yearns to become a star along with her up-and-coming Cuban singer/rumba bandleader husband and gets herself (and her neighbors) caught up in the strangest of silly situations. Just as a puppy needs to be adequately fed, provided clean water, walked, exercised, diciplined and loved, so too, does your writing. Your logline is your starting point upon which to build the body of your written undertaking. It is the glue, actually, that binds the intricate details together and makes them whole. The logline is your compass, steering you forward in the right direction. Without it, you'll be driven off course. Regard it as a compression mechanism, a tool that tightly trims your words (even 372 pages worth) down to one simple sentence that shares the whole story -- and sums it up -- without giving away the ending. The logline should leave the reader lusting for more. The supermarket bestseller, TV Guide, has always been at the genesis of television loglines, drawing the viewer in with a brief synopsis (logline) of almost every show that has ever aired. A fascinating fact: TV Guide's inaugural cover featured a photograph of Lucille Ball's newborn son Desi Arnaz, Jr. And yet, in spite of all the national publicity, that television show got off to a very rocky start before it was ever produced. Because even with its captivating premise, there were still a hundred different contingencies that needed to be ironed out.  - by Sam David
Some time ago, I fell in love with a historically Black university -- in part, because I sort of got caught up in the university's fascinating backstory. It wasn't long before I found myself professionally and passionately committed to donating my time, talent and tenacity to help that small educational facility in any possible way that I could. Of course, I'm of White ethnicity, but even so, when I self-reflect, I see my indomitable spirit. I am tough as nails. I don't need pep talks or probationary dry runs; my strength (and faith) comes from within. Equally important, I have no ulterior motive other than to create a meaningful and purposeful and productive next chapter in my life, as I relocate Black World Studios to the East Coast. As an abandoned child who was not of the Black race, I was raised by two Black women during two decades when "family diversity" was a foreign word. We'd regularly travel to the AME Church on Sunday morning's (which explains my love of gospel music). During my high school years, I was privileged to be privately schooled with children of international races (whose parents were affiliated with the United Nations). In short, I do not know from racial or religious or even sexual prejudice; my tumultuous childhood and fractured upbringing was simply too different and too unique. It stands to reason that through the years, I embraced -- and have represented -- human beings regardless of the shade of their skin, regardless of their religious preferences or their sexual orientation. To believe that I cannot relate to the Black experience, to believe that I cannot relate to the Black religious experience, to believe that I cannot relate to the Black church, to believe that I cannot relate to a black educational facility, and to believe that I cannot relate to Black slavery because one assumes that these "talking points" were not a part of my unconventional childhood and out-of-the-ordinary life experiences... well, that absolutely is not true. You did not walk in my shoes. You did not live my uncommon life. And for sure, you do not understand my passions and activism for racial and cultural unity. Because for me, such matters as race and race relations are incredibly intense, and my sense of injustice so powerfully and overwhelmingly profound.  - by Sam David
Sometimes, people can become insensitive and tone-deaf. They say what they want to say, but tune out reality. In the end, all we have is that complicated thing called "reputation". An unpolluted personal reputation is unequivocally one of the most imperative ingredients a human being can cultivate in life -- it is, in fact, the single most essential factor to moving forward through the years with grace, dignity and diplomacy. So too is the integrity of one's professional reputation in business -- part and parcel to one's character -- and absolutely vital because it isn't just one aspect of who we are; rather, individual respectability infiltrates and influences every conceivable aspect of business. Both your work reputation and mine are intricately interconnected tubing structures that nourish the other through the flow of open and intelligent communication. And that, no doubt, is the downside to e-mailing. Written words tend to be typed so impetuously that sometimes little thought is given to their potential impact. All too frequently, a message hastily clicked off can have devastating consequences, quickly throwing gasoline on the fire. The foundation to professional relationships must be built on key principles like mutual respect, idea-exchanges, chemistry, and trust (to name a few). But one word -- t-r-u-s-t -- is unique and sacred. Respect and a polished expression of word exchanges may fade over time as relationships peak and valley. But trust? Once trust has deteriorated, the game is over. Because when trust erodes, so does the souring of that relationship. I learned long, long ago never -- not ever -- to assume anything. Your relationship with others should always, by necessity, be based on crystal clear communication and trust -- not on assumptions. Because any e-mail, even when not by design or deliberate intent, can be innocently misconstrued. The tone of any written paper can come off as accusatory, or even arrogant in its choice of phrasing. During those stressful times when such a situation arises, one need's to promptly clear the air regarding the contents contained in that communication. Respectfully pick up the phone and talk about the issue immediately (especially if you misspoke inappropriately on paper). Always try to give others the benefit of the doubt. Because from my perspective (both personal and professional), sometimes people simply do not think things out, and that can usually lead to great misunderstandings (and lots of grief). It's not about controlling content, but rather, the frequent absence of genuine and effective communication. Remember BUSINESS 101: never assume anything at any time, because to ASS-U-ME anything in life can make an ASS out of you and me. |
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