Trailer Watch: Indie Satire 'Dear White People' Explores Black Life on a White College Campus

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• Mia | March 13, 2013 6:43 PMReply

  Satire? bahahaha this is real life.

• rdracr | November 27, 2012 5:25 AMReply

  transference - guess i should've stayed in school instead of hittin dat 7/11 knockin it ova.

• rdracr | November 27, 2012 5:23 AMReply

  it's called "transferrance" - search it up. looks like an interesting flick though but hardly in the leagues of animal house. unless animal house refers to the state of affairs in America these days.
  
  only the strong conquer, survive and prosper.

• abhishek s | November 16, 2012 1:37 PMReply

  Blacks are sooooo white.

• India | June 21, 2012 3:45 AMReply

  What song is this at the trailer's end???? It's genius!!!

• Vincent T Scott | June 19, 2012 5:34 PMReply

  Would you conisder a PRIVATE investor or PRIVATE financing for you 1mil production?

• Marjory Stewart Baxter | June 18, 2012 7:26 AMReply

  #DearBlackPeople
  
  -You weren't ever slaves and no one you ever knew could ever even tell you about it or were slaves.
  -You ruin your own neighborhoods and blame whites.
  -You say things are racist when you are too lazy to be responsible.
  -You DO commit a lot more crime per capita.
  -You reinforce your own stereotypes.
  -You think you are so cool, but to white people knowing how to dance ghetto makes you look dumb.
  -Swag for black people is air jordans and tattoos. Swag for white people is education and good jobs.
  -You are the biggest babies out of all races and never shut up with complaining.
  -You are very rude generally.
  -You are always angry.
  -You think the world owes you something.
  -You love pretending to be victims.

• Nadine | June 18, 2012 1:05 PM

  I hear ya... I don't write what I write for the antagonists as much as I write to point out how ill-informed they are. There is too much of this dumb racial BS on the Internet from people who are just pissed off that they aren't rich. I don't respond to most of them, but this, I believe needed a response. Thanks Charles. I understand your logic.

• Charles Judson | June 18, 2012 11:27 AM

  Hadn't had time to read your reply. Glad you caught it. I'd still ignore these posts. Either it's someone just wanting to have a bit of fun, or it's someone whose opinion you can't change. If it's the former, you really don't want to respond because once they know they can get a response they tend to keep going and coming back. If it's the later, it's a reminder why S&A exists. More often than not, lots of these cats will do a hit and run, they post never to return or respond. There's little to gain in responding.

• Nadine | June 18, 2012 11:09 AM

  BTW - that statement is for hateful, specifically women/females, like an MSB or weak dudes who would use it for a penname ... There is nothing more powerful or inspiring for me than a group of women, from all communities/backgrounds from all over the world (including the U.S.), working together for the common good. A beautiful sisterhood utilizing our collective femaleness, no matter the color or cultural background, uplifting those who are in need, whomever they might be. That is almost our duty, as women, as our maternal instincts help define and keep solid our respective cultures and the global community. MSB is an example of everything that women shouldn't be... a shame.

• Nadine | June 18, 2012 10:54 AM

  @Charles ...oh yeah...that is why I wrote "It is also quite a propos you chose a puppet for your name..."

• Nadine | June 18, 2012 10:47 AM

  ...all of that, below, and you all continue to stay UNDER THE RADAR with your ignorance and very large part in the racial climate of America. Get over yourself and try cracking a book open. With as much as you all get away with, I wouldn't start getting too cocky as the focus will start start getting turned on you guys. I suggest if you want to keep your status quo, you simply sit quietly for the ride.

• Charles Judson | June 18, 2012 10:36 AM

  I think you got sucked into a trap Nadine. Marjory Stewart Baxter is the name of a finger puppet in an online cartoon. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salad_Fingers

• Nadine | June 18, 2012 10:30 AM

  DearWhiteFemaleCoward - You walk around American society confident that no matter your, by nature, lies and evil ways, your men will protect you, as you are always given a pass. No matter your sins and your ills, the White Female Coward (such as you) continues to get a pass even though it was your version of womanhood that sent thousands of, specifically Black women, to their graves. It was your version of womanhood, who gleefully lied as she stoked the fires of hatred and sent her men out hunting for the Black men who dared disregard you only for them to be labeled with the lie of lasciviousness. It was your version of womanhood whose vanity became an excuse for another woman to suckle your child lest the act ruin your figure. It was your version of womanhood that raised and encouraged their children to participate wholly in Jim Crow and racial oppression. It was your version of womanhood that sewed those white cloaks for your Grand Drags... It was your version of womanhood that, through planned parenthood, quietly experimented on the bodies of Black women for your own gains. It was your version of womanhood who, as new European immigrants It was your version of womanhood who earned wages, paid off your families debt and later entered universities, en masse, throughout the 19th century due to the wages earned in the factories of the North that depended on the no-wage cotton of the South. It was your version of womanhood who today, spits out the name NAACP, but used them to make great gains in your fight for the right to vote. It was your version of womanhood who stood on the backs of Black women during second wave feminism, made gains in the workforce, education and politics then turned your noses up at gendered racial equality thus making feminism a tool for White female supremacy. It was your version of womanhood who was for Affirmative Action when you most obviously benefited from it, but now (since for some reason you believe you all don't still benefit) are some of its most vocal opponents. It is your version of womanhood that should not be in any classroom teaching. It is your version of womanhood that is aware of its place on the pedestal, but are always living in fear of sharing it, if only for a moment. It is your version of womanhood who has benefited from the attempts to minimize the "casting couch" influence in Hollywood and Madison Ave through the hiring of your ilk (WFCs) only to have those same women, who were placed in those positions as a safeguard and are now 90% of casting, use this position to further perpetuate their White female supremacy by actively discouraging attractive women of other communities to be on-screen making the beauty ideal weak and based in WF low self-esteem; you simply have to be skinny with no muscle tone and White to be considered attractive as a woman in this country. It is your version of womanhood who dares claim innocence simply because you use a fake smile to distract others from the malice and "attitude" behind it while assigning "attitude" to women who do not use deception to hide it.. It is your version of womanhood who will gladly claim (but not respect) men of other backgrounds only to shame and sabotage your own men (and their careers) for doing the same (ewww, gross, etc...) It is your version of womanhood that wields the word "ghetto" as a nouveau way to say n!gger (you get the same satisfaction). It is your version of womanhood who, despite clear signs of aging skin between the ages of 19 and 22, you malevolently attempt to take issue and advance different aspects of the Black woman's body that could be used to further dismiss her. It is your version of womanhood that will incorporate data from discriminated against female populations of women in this country into your own data when it suits your needs. It is your version of womanhood that cowardly sits behind a computer screen and types stupidity, as dullards do, in an attempt to come off as THE victim, things you would never say face to face... Sorry kiddo, that playing the victim card thing, belongs to you guys. It is also quite a propos you chose a puppet for your name... oh, and you're delusional if you think your American Whiteness makes you a high achiever... just ask the rest of the world.

• Bill | June 18, 2012 7:19 AMReply

  We should make a Dear Black People movie about how much they complain and whine.

• Triesshon | November 15, 2012 8:53 AM

  Watch it man, if I didn't have my frady check commin I'd be offended.

• Nadine | June 18, 2012 10:31 AM

  ...oh Bill...

• Nadine | June 16, 2012 1:48 PMReply

  They are @ $26,693. They did it.

• Charles Judson | June 16, 2012 11:18 AMReply

  Every time I watch this trailer I flashback to GA Tech 1992 and I can't help but laugh. I so hope this film sticks the landing.

• Charles Judson | June 16, 2012 2:13 PM

  For good and bad, it's definitely one of the best times of my life. DWP reminds me of coming back to campus after seeing HIGHER LEARNING opening weekend. One of the guys in our group lived on a floor that had a White neighbor who complained constantly about his "rap" music and how it "has too much bass." Our friend always turned it down after 11pm like everyone else. But it didn't matter, the guy can "still feel the bass." Even more than the cat playing heavy metal two doors down at 3am?? Well, we came back from HL feeling particularly militant. The movie wasn't great, but we recognized so many moments. The White neighbor at that moment decided to pop his head out and tell us we were being too damn loud for 11:45 at night. One of us--for some reason none of us can remember who of us it was--stared at him like he was crazy and the guy instantly slunk back into his hovel of a room without another word. Dude was capital L lucky he didn't get his ass handed to him, three plus years of bullsh*t will make folks touchy. We still laugh about it. :-) If DWP was smart, they should start asking people to submit their own funniest DWP moments and share them as part of their marketing campaign. As an aside, it was interesting that we got into a debate with some Morehouse and Spelman kids about HL, they felt the movie was unrealistic. Having been at GA Tech for a while, we felt we had to defend the movie as being the closest to what the experience was like for us we'd ever seen. It was weird to be in that position, but being at an HBCU definitely didn't have some of the same stressors as being Black on a conservative school like Tech did. It led to us having our own short hand and slang. Ask anyone from Tech, especially a Black man, circa 1990 to 1996 "Who is Bolo?" or say "I still haven't met this Bolo cat, have you?" you'll probably get a sly smile as they shake their head and laugh.

• Nadine | June 16, 2012 12:39 PM

  YES, Charles!!! Not that I am as, ahem, mature as vous ;) ... but yes, "thems" were the days... I can hear Chubb Rock's, "Just the Two of Us" in the background with the "Autobiography of Malcolm X" sticking out every of kids' pocket... We were so very lucky and I feel like this generation would be lucky to have something like this, based on what I've seen from the trailer. I'm happy for them and can't help but laugh either. The energy is so familiar... love it.

• Nadine | June 16, 2012 11:04 AMReply

  June 13th @ 2:04 PM, DWP's indiegogo page fundraising page was at $275 of $25,000 with 31 days to go; Today, June 16th, they have since hit the $24,328. http://www.indiegogo.com/dearwhitepeople ..... These kids are on fire.

• Tre | November 15, 2012 8:57 AM

  Mal x would be sickened todAy by the people's dependence on welfAre. Done purposely as in the spirit of being an entrepreneur on the gov dime

• Logic | June 16, 2012 4:18 AMReply

  Looks promising. I'll definitely lend my support.

• Fidel23 | June 15, 2012 10:00 PMReply

  Um, no. Although I do applaud their efforts! This looks more like an inspired YouTube series(that could actually be really good)than a theatrical release. I did love some of the lines used in the trailer though. And this is a really attractive cast of young Black actors that do show some talent.

• Jon | June 15, 2012 1:19 PMReply

  Name the movie 'Dear White Liberals' and the title would be even more relevant and to the point. They're the ones typically trying to appropriate black culture and forcefully weave into their own lives as if its naturally who they are. All in the effort to seem "cool" due to the stereotypes and portrayals of African-Americans. I'd say the majority of the rest of us approach you as human beings.

• julius hollingsworth | June 15, 2012 9:05 AMReply

  Can we put some names to some of the actors in the trailer ?I have a project I might like to you'se a few of them in!

• LDW | June 15, 2012 10:47 AM

  Sam - Marie Burke
  Guy in Malcolm X glasses - Kenny Cooper
  Girl in black student union crew - Courtnie Sauls

• Morgan F*ckin' Freeman | June 15, 2012 5:29 AMReply

  How are we going to get rid of Racism?
  Stop talking about it.

• B | June 16, 2012 12:05 AM

  Wrong. Buy a vowel and try again.

• the black police | June 15, 2012 12:29 PM

  Wrong.

• Colin | June 15, 2012 5:05 AMReply

  I think it looks interesting and I would be interested in seeing it.
  
  -A white person

• Nadine | June 14, 2012 10:09 PMReply

  Yesterday @ 2:04 PM, DWP's indiegogo page fundraising page was at $275 of $25,000 with 31 days to go; They have since hit the $16,133. http://www.indiegogo.com/dearwhitepeople

• the black police | June 15, 2012 12:30 PM

  Wow, good for them.

• black | June 14, 2012 7:14 PMReply

  production value looks good...
  I'm just over this conversation.
  Good luck to the filmmakers.

• Emmanuel | June 15, 2012 6:13 AM

  Agreed.

• Alex | June 14, 2012 10:00 AMReply

  hmmmm... cheese

• Kia | June 14, 2012 9:44 AMReply

  I agree with Nadine. Don't need "stars" for this project. The message overshadows the talent. I thought the actors used were good. It would be great if the filmmakers could take this movie on a college tour. Bring the film to your targeted audience: college age kids of all races. It's also an additional fund raising opportunity. Not every film needs to be in a theater to have impact. Look what Awkward Black Girl accomplished and that didn't see not a single theater. Food for thought.

• Nadine | June 14, 2012 8:56 AMReply

  "With your help will be able to attach A-List Talent, throw a star studded table read, hire legal representation, and prepare for production so that we are a VIABLE investment for potential financiers." - snippet from DWP's Indiegogo UPDATE page (http://www.indiegogo.com/dearwhitepeople?c=activity)... continued luck, guys, but I honesty don't see why you would need A-List talent or a star-studded table read when people are supporting those beautiful kids up there in your still and in your trailer (the central girl and boy with the glasses are killing me...adorable). You all seem to already have all of the ingredients... celebrity is distracting. My two cents, but do your thangs...

• Nadine | June 14, 2012 9:57 PM

  I'm glad I'm not the only one who zeroed in on those two. I don't know if they are a couple, but they are resonating with me. I especially liked the scene you described and the face of the girl with the glasses as it was not a sassy made for television "attitude" face, but more a "Black medallion" old school "Fight the Power" face... cute indeed.

• the black police | June 14, 2012 10:57 AM

  Nadine, dont you just love the "couple": the boy and girl who both wear glasses and who seem to dress alike judging from that scene where they castigate the whitewashed nerd character. I think theyre cute.

• Nadine | June 14, 2012 8:58 AM

  ...that is if "A-List" Talent means a notable "name". If it's about level of talent, more power to you all!

• Ibrahim | June 14, 2012 8:03 AMReply

  "white people are not obsessed with black people..if you polled most of them they DONT CARE..this conversation is old and i agree with The Black Police, why don't you try telling a story thats different. Change the conversation. It's 2012 not 1960 we have a BLACK president.. this can't be all there is to talk about..."
  
  LOL. white people aren't obsessed with black people? did you not see the republicans primaries? Are you not familiar with Fox news? Or with the general swathes of white right wingers in the states? George Zimmerman saga? Have you only just recently discovered the internet? Type in black girl into youtube and educate yourself.
  White people are just as obsessed with black people as black people are of them. Think about some of the most iconic black characters we have: Omar, Luther, Jackie Brown,
  all of those characters were created by white people. Black folks and White folks are both artistically invested in the deep freudian bond between the two races. That relationship is deeply interesting and I think black police and some others on this thread are being very reductive in their reading of this trailer. I'll be blunt i think you guys have your heads in the sand.
  It makes sense for black people to respond to the hegemonic culture we are enveloped in.

• Geoff | June 14, 2012 12:15 AMReply

  I just want this to be good. Looks like some good filmmaking/storytelling here. It's got a lot of potential. THIS IS A SATIRE. I LOVE SATIRE. I LOVE GOOD DIALOGUE. THIS SEEMS TO HAVE BOTH IN ACES. I'M IN.

• JMac | June 13, 2012 11:14 PMReply

  I say Bravo. And as usual some black folks will never be satisfied with any damn thing. Focus isn't on white perception but on how to navigate in a so-called post racial society as a black person and keep your sanity. Perhaps they should just keep their angst to themselves and pretend that everything's a-okay. Total complacency is a much better solution.

• the black police | June 14, 2012 9:05 PM

  LULZ! Yet if you had a criticism you would not hesitate to let it be known... like you just did. Should I complain that you are not encouraging me but instead "nit-picking" at my statements? I pointed out the NEGATIVES AND POSITIVES of what I saw. Take it or leave it, homie.

• JMac | June 14, 2012 8:58 PM

  No, but does every thing that comes across need to be nit-picked to death. At some point you need to encourage, esp. when it looks like someone's on the right track, not whine and bitch every five minutes. That's even more tired.

• the black police | June 13, 2012 11:49 PM

  That "And as usual some black folks will never be satisfied with any damn thing" is so tired. Do you expect all blacks to have monolithic mindsets in the first place? So black people should always be satisfied with whatever is thrown in front of them? Should the black slaves have been "satisfied" with their tragic circumstance. We all have the right to complain. Just like you are complaining about the so-called complainers.

• SHUT UP! | June 13, 2012 11:12 PMReply

  @AccidentalVistor and @TheBlackPolice...Please SHUT UP for once! Damn. If you don't like it, keep it movin'. It's obvious this film is targeted for those of THIS generation. Did you miss the part saying "In the tradition of: Rushmore, Higher Learning and School Daze"? Based on the facebook "likes," it's obvious this film resonates with many. The "cliches" of the film still take place today, whether you like it or not. So please, STFU!!! Some of us really don't want to be bothered with your damn analysis on every post from this blog.

• AccidentalVisitor | June 14, 2012 1:05 PM

  1)Don't know about you but I don't have the time to READ every post, let alone analyze every one. Overall if I had to guess I have probably made comments in 5% of the posts that have ever appeared on S&A , considering that I can actually go weeks without writing anything. So stop acting as if I 'm ruining your enjoyment by constantly adding my voice to every report/writeup that gets posted on S&A. Either you have a problem counting or you need a new obsession other than my scren name. 2)I said from what I've seen the work actually looks good even if it seems riddled with cliches. Maybe you simply have a problem with reading along with math. 3) I hope its actually better than School Daze (awful) and Higher Learning (even worse). But it seems to be lacking that same subtlety gene that those two lacked as well. 4)Look, no one is telling you you don't have to see it or that you shouldn't see it. I know I'm not saying that. So why are you crying? 5)Stop telling people to "shut up" if they don't exactly share your enthusiasm or your point of view. You come across as someone who isn't able to provide your own argument to counter differing opinions (and, no, saying that people are giving it "likes" on Facebook is not an argument. Sorry I had to break that bit of news to you). And in case you aren't aware this site welcomes discussion, not consensus. Everyone does not have to hold the same opinion. 6) Take your own advice and "keep it moving" if you come across any negativity of a project you hold in such high esteem. No one is putting a gun to your head to read any of it. Hope the film turns out well, but try to get a grip in the meantime, alright?

• the black police | June 13, 2012 11:29 PM

  LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL. What? Are you using your brain? What makes you think I am not of "THIS generation"? And why should I be bothered by your comment. You should have followed your own words and kept it moving when you read what I liked and didnt like it. SMH.

• AccidentalVisitor | June 13, 2012 9:54 PMReply

  I have to admit the execution looks pretty good. And there are a few lines that have bite (and bring the laughs too). But I will concur with Black Police. To an extent. I don't know too much about Black Police's usual stance on issues of race, but I too believe blacks tend to be more "obsessed" over whites than whites are regarding black people. Or how about this....black people are more out in the open about it. Here's an example. White American authors can write books that touch upon topics such as race relations. But in those books the white characters may not be interacting with black characters. Instead they could be dealing with Asians, Native Americans, non-black/non-white Hispanics, etc. But if you get a book written by an African American that deals with race relations there is a 90% chance it will deal strictly with black characters interacting with white ones. It doesn't matter if the book takes places in the past or the present. That is a sign of obsession, when you don't pay attention to other racial and ethnic groups when confronting such topics, you have tunnel vision with white faces looking straight at you at the tunnel's end. Also when we pay so much attention to and spend so much time arguing about mainstream movies and TV shows that are dominated by white characters (often complaining about our absence in such movies or on such shows) we are definitely being more obsessed about whites far more than they are obsessing over our work. All of us on this site are guilty of this from time to time. Those are just two examples but there are many more we can add if we are being honest. Also BP did bring up a solid point that if a white filmmaker did such a movie like this in which the blatant targets were black, we would find it insulting. It doesn't matter that there is such a heavy unbalance between white movies made and black movies that are made, there will be people out there of all races who will find the subject matter (or at least how it is handled) offensive. Beyond that as good as the film looks it is also seems to be filled with the same cliches that you find in storytelling about black people who are confronting America's racist society. You have the militant character who is knowledge personified and is trying to "wake up" the masses. You have the nerdy, white-talking black folk who have a hard time "getting down" like the rest of the brothas and sistas. You have the two-dimensional....no....make it one dimensional white characters who fill the roles of antagonists. You have the confused, possibly self-hating, turncoat black person who comes from the suburbs and is in a romantic relationship with a white person; a relationship that will be revealed, with little subtlety, as being misguided and lacking in true love/warmth. Yeah, that's the familiar playbook. Did I forget that, at least based upon the trailer/promo, the black characters seem to spend too much time worrying, complaing and addressing how white society is affecting them and their own relationships with each other. Don't know about some of you but I certainly don't waste most of my time focusing on white folk when hanging out with my black friends. Didn't do that when I was going to school either. To be honest the topic of this film would seem to be more amusing as a 10 minute rant on YouTube than as an actual movie. So I think I get where BP is coming from. No, I don't think the issue of race should be ignored; we haven't explored racism enough in movies IMO. But subtlety and evenhandedness should no go out the windown when doing so. Can we make such topical films without painting with such broad strokes? I will say this though that at least the filmmaker is aware of the possible scrutiny of such a subject matter based upon the clips of white characters pondering if what their black classmates can get away with saying is a double standard.

• JMac | June 13, 2012 11:40 PM

  "Don't know about some of you but I certainly don't waste most of my time focusing on white folk when hanging out with my black friends. Didn't do that when I was going to school either." I'm guessing you haven't been that sole speck of brown sugar in a sea full of salt for any extended period of time. I'd say to put yourself in the specific scenario of the characters - there's only 5 of you on campus. 5. White students throw "black hood" parties. Black administrator who is supposedly there to help with diversity tells you there's no race problem and presumably won't do anything even if there's a noose hanging from somewhere. You and your friends wouldn't talk about it? Please. That's not obsession. It's reality. A reality most black folks can relate to since -until fairly recently - there hasn't been much interaction with other non-white races outside of large cities or military situations. So of course, the bulk of these types of conversations are black-white. I think you're projecting too much on this film and in general. "It doesn't matter that there is such a heavy unbalance between white movies made and black movies that are made, there will be people out there of all races who will find the subject matter (or at least how it is handled) offensive" - yeah, whatever. Pure post-racial bs. This film looks like it's in the vein of early Chris Rock comedy. Who cares if it offends. Is it funny and is it true? If yes, they've got no problems and from what little we've seen it doesn't look like they do.

• the black police | June 13, 2012 10:12 PM

  Ooops, I meant "write" when I wrote "right".

• the black police | June 13, 2012 10:10 PM

  Whoa Accidental Visitor done right us a Carey Carey-style essay. I'll read it cuz I see BP (that's me y'all) somewhere in it! Ooops I skimmed the top too quickly, I was actually called by name :D And to make matters better, even amazing, he/she actually agrees with me! As for my stance on race issues: I'm not sure exactly what you mean but Im not the naive or delusional type thatll say stuff like we are in a postracial society or race no longer matters or because we have a black..um make that MIXED President there is no longer racism (Umm, *blank stare* at that thought process) but what I do know is that I dont spend my time worrying about what WHITE people think of me, what they are doing, bla bla bla. I dont. I shouldnt. And neither should any other black person.

• BluTopaz | June 13, 2012 9:30 PMReply

  While I agree that racism is still rampant in this country and many Whites stay clueless about their privilege, this just feels stale to me. The trailer is beautifully done and looks great aesthetically. But is the audience actually White people (the ones who won't start screaming about reverse racism, because their lives will surely be threatened by this one webisode series). Or is it just for Blacks so we can sit around and kvetch about all the crap that legitamately annoys us? All that to say, I just don't get giving whitefolks that much power over my thought process. But I understand the objective is telling a story about creating one's path and they are young students, so good luck to them and their project.

• Laura | June 13, 2012 10:23 PM

  I feel this piece is for young people finding themselves in the world and seeing that there is actually a glass ceiling. This is type of film I would have young many years back. I'm a little older and wiser. My taste in film is a whole lot more darker. I am not the audience for this film.

• BluTopaz | June 13, 2012 10:04 PM

  I believe you are correct.

• Nadine | June 13, 2012 9:47 PM

  I honestly think this movie is more for teens and young people. Seriously. The trailer, for me, made me feel like I was being sent back in time to when Spike first started doing his thing. People are complaining about slave movies (which I get if the movie isn't accurate) etc.. but I just don't think mature people are really the audiences here. I think a movie like this would be amusing for me, but really POWERFUL for my nieces and nephews who are only 10 years my junior. Very powerful.

• Nadine | June 13, 2012 9:18 PMReply

  They went from $275 to $4,645 in a little over 7 hours... beautiful. http://www.indiegogo.com/dearwhitepeople

• Nghiem | June 13, 2012 8:20 PMReply

  Someone has to tell me that beat/song at the end of the video! PLEASE!

• Solaam | June 13, 2012 8:15 PMReply

  Looks really good, well cut trailer. The composition of shots was well done too, had a Wes Anderson feel at times. I'm definitely gonna donate and contribute to this project.

• D-Dub | June 13, 2012 7:53 PMReply

  The filmmakers are building and engaging audience, using social media and have created a great trailer that let's the audience know that there is craft behind what is an eye-catching/thought provoking title and subject. And its hella funny too. Their strategy speaks to Tambay's June 8th article - http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/notes-on-working-towards-a-fanboy-culture-in-black-indie-cinema-part-1#

• B | June 13, 2012 6:28 PMReply

  Looks lol hilarious. I want to see it.

• DarrenSmith | June 13, 2012 5:56 PMReply

  white people are not obsessed with black people..if you polled most of them they DONT CARE..this conversation is old and i agree with The Black Police, why don't you try telling a story thats different. Change the conversation. It's 2012 not 1960 we have a BLACK president..
  this can't be all there is to talk about...

• the black police | June 14, 2012 10:59 AM

  LOL...

• misha | June 14, 2012 12:59 AM

  And...you still don't get it. Why did I even bother? LOL

• the black police | June 14, 2012 12:26 AM

  Oh, so the real issue here is "black folk have never had the power to determine the humanity or shape the image/history of an entire race of people". Is that something you desire or something? Do you feel envious for this power? Is it a desire of yours? I bet Nollywood has the power to depict white people in whichever way they want. The question is, do they even care? Nope, they are too busy doing them.

• misha | June 14, 2012 12:15 AM

  Oh, lawd! BP, I don't know if you really are clueless or if you're intentionally missing my point. "Dear Black People" is a BOGUS argument because black folk have never had the power to determine the humanity or shape the image/history of an entire race of people. It's as ridiculous as a white person claiming that black organizations, colleges/universities, etc. are an example of reverse racism and white people could never getting away with having the same. NEITHER argument is compelling because they don't consider the history of race/racism in America....why black folk have felt compelled to create their own or call out the racism of the dominant class.

• Bondgirl | June 13, 2012 11:46 PM

  @Chris: The President is Black. Please stop it.

• Chris | June 13, 2012 11:34 PM

  Oh and Darren please check out your local Urban Outfitters (yeah, because we all know that 'Urban' really just means an area with a dense population) and many other mall chains to discover more evidence of an "obsession" of sorts (whether by whites or otherwise) with black culture, among other spastic bouts of haphazard cultural appropriation. Just because you wear rosy-colored wayfarers doesn't mean the rest of us are.
  
  You may not care, but I bet Kreayshawn and Iggy Banks do.

• Chris | June 13, 2012 11:26 PM

  @Darren The President is mixed, meaning he is just as white as he is black. Glad America is still good on the "one drop rule" when it's 2012 and not 1910. Thomas Jefferson would be proud.
  
  People continue to make movies about women (especially) getting stabbed, brutally tortured and/or raped alllllll the time, then you have your age-old John Smith sagas of white men going in to save the indigenous tribe from doom brought on by other white men (Avatar), yet I don't see requests flying for them to "tell a story that's different." Double-standard??

• the black police | June 13, 2012 11:21 PM

  Okay... What does what you said have to do with the fact that if in fact this movie was about "Dear Black People", there would be an uproar saying the movie is racist. Are you one of those misguided people who believe a black person cant be racist? That racism can only be done by whites? Who said a specific white person (or anybody for that matter) should not be called out for their racism? Definitely not me. But your statement highlights a problem: in your world it seems ALL WHITES ARE RACIST. WHITE PERSON and RACIST PERSON are synonymous. And I think THAT MINDSET IS RACIST. Who said race doesnt still matter? Maybe they should have called the movie "Dear Racists"... Also, what kind of privilege do you expect in a white-majority society? Asian privilege? Arab privilege? Black privilege?

• misha | June 13, 2012 10:39 PM

  BP, well let's just look at your first sentence: "Let a group of white people do a movie called "Dear Black People" (or "Black Chicks" while we are on the subject) and lets watch the uproar thatll ensue." >>> Such a statement is problematic because it assumes that all things are equal, neglecting the fact that white privelege has allowed whites to dictate what is and isn't acceptable for black folk for HUNDREDS of years. A fact that renders your second claim especially ridiculous and illustrates why whites STILL need to be reminded of when their racism is showing. But it never ceases to amaze me how folk (especially black folk) love to criticize blacks for being "obsessed" with race/racism when it was white folk who deemed it of great importance in the first place. Don't get mad at black folk for pointing out why race still matters.

• the black police | June 13, 2012 7:53 PM

  Misha, go and read my comment below and then give me a point by point analysis of what you think is wrong with what I said. I am truly curious.

• misha | June 13, 2012 6:34 PM

  "It's 2012 not 1960 we have a BLACK president" >>> You and The Black Police cannot be serious? Makes me think ya'll are utterly clueless about the history of race/racism in this country.

• VannDigital.com | June 13, 2012 4:33 PMReply

  posted on #VannDigital

• Nadine | June 13, 2012 8:05 PM

  ...my post keeps popping up in the wrong place...my errant post was in response to DARRENSMITH

• Nadine | June 13, 2012 8:04 PM

  They're obsessed over having dominion over anything of value at that moment which can be (and has often been) Black culture in the U.S...also control. It's less their thinking, "Oh, that's cool, let's participate"... It has always been, "What's that over there and how can we get our own and eventually control all variations of it"...

• Nadine | June 13, 2012 8:02 PM

  They're obsessed over having dominion over anything of value at that moment which can be (and has often been) Black culture in the U.S...also control. It's less their thinking, "Oh, that's cool, let's participate"... It has always been, "What's that over there and how can we get our own and eventually control all variations of it"...

• Arron Day | June 13, 2012 3:51 PMReply

  Looks solid.

• Akimbo | June 13, 2012 2:13 PMReply

  Looks fun! And like everyone, even our pseudomilitant Tracy Flick, will learn a valuable lesson. I hope the film lives up to the trailer!

• Nadine | June 13, 2012 2:04 PMReply

  They are at $275 right now and need to get to $25,000 - There are 31 days left (http://www.indiegogo.com/dearwhitepeople)

• Jeremy | June 13, 2012 1:50 PMReply

  YES

• ibrahim | June 13, 2012 1:38 PMReply

  woah.Didn't expect a movie this candid and seemingly nuanced to come out ever. Or maybe not till i was a lot older.
  
  preach on justin. preach