- 6 weeks ago
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00:00Hello, hello. My name is Moira Griffin, and I wanted to introduce the incredible writer-director, Christine Swanson.
00:14Who's also here with some of her cast.
00:19This is Lisa Arendelle.
00:22Rachel Nix.
00:25The great Joe Holt.
00:30Now, first off, Christine, you know, I've, obviously I've known your work for a long time, and it's always great to sort of see, you know, what you've come, and how you work next, so can you talk a little bit about the development of the script, because I think one thing that we don't get to see enough of are love stories like this anymore, you know, we used to have a, there was a time when we used to see them, and now we don't see them as much, and I'd love to sort of understand, like, what was the sort of purpose behind this film?
00:56So I grew up in the era of Love Jones, so I was, I'm wired to tell stories about us that are about love and forgiveness and healing, but I really wanted to tell a story about two intergenerational women, in particular.
01:14And when I was doing my first feature film called All About You, starring Renee Elise Goldsberry, and Debbie Allen, I just saw the interaction between those two women, I thought they were hilarious.
01:26And I thought, they should be in a road trip movie together.
01:30So that was the initial genesis for Albany Road.
01:33And then in 1999, my husband's mom died of breast cancer, but we didn't know how bad it was until the day before she died.
01:41So that was the other inspiration for the storyline.
01:45I decided to marry the two, and that's Albany Road.
01:48I love that.
01:53And can you talk a little bit also about the collaboration that you actually have with your husband as well, because he's also a producer, correct?
02:00Absolutely. So I always say there would be no Christine Swanson without Michael Swanson.
02:05So he and I just started on a path maybe in 1997 to start our own production company called Faith Filmworks, and we decided to make independent films.
02:16Back in the day when there were a lot of great black films, and we just thought we would jump into that and be a part of the landscape of black storytelling.
02:26And we did for a second, and then I had four kids.
02:30So I kind of fell off that path, and I raised them for a minute, and then jumped back in, and here we are.
02:36So this is my seventh feature film.
02:40I've directed a lot of things and a lot of television, but this is really the heart of who I am as a storyteller, is truly as an independent filmmaker, telling our stories.
02:51And what I love to say about this movie is that not one single white person gave me a note.
02:57And I was able to cast my friends in this movie because I had an opportunity to work with some of my cast members, and I just thought, wow, why isn't Lisa in more things, right?
03:18And I'm like, well, I can put her in something.
03:21I worked with Joe Hull on two shows.
03:24I directed All-American Homecoming and Bel Air.
03:27And the first day I met him, I asked him, I'm like, who are you?
03:31Who are you?
03:32I've never seen this kind of talent in the work that I've been doing in 20 years.
03:38So I decided that I was going to cast Joe Holt in something.
03:42And then the great Rachel Nix showed up for me through the casting process.
03:47And even while working with her, I'm like, gosh, who are you?
03:51And why haven't I seen you in more things?
03:54So I'm the change where I'm going to put great black talent in stories that we get to choose.
04:00We get to choose our black actors.
04:03We get to choose the people that we want to work with.
04:05We choose them because they have heart, they have depth, they have talent, and they have greatness.
04:12And I know this because I see it.
04:15And then when the other people choose other people, I don't see it.
04:19I just don't.
04:20So this is an opportunity to put these people on blast and get to work with them and play with them
04:26and potentially create something that you will resonate with.
04:32Because we make this and we work hard for you so that you can have something that speaks to your heart
04:38that comes from someone who understands who we are and what we want and, most importantly, what we need.
04:45That's beautiful.
04:46I mean, clearly you have a talent for working with actors, you know, really, really great naturalistic performances.
04:56And so this is my question actually for the actors is what is it actually like working with Christine?
05:01Like, and how did you sort of approach your characters as well?
05:04So working with Christine is completely empowering, particularly as a female,
05:17because you get to see this woman who is in the midst of the thing that she has written
05:29and she's consulting the thing that she's written and consulting you.
05:36She's fully collaborative.
05:37When I say fully, she's so clear about her vision that she isn't afraid of your idea, your insight, your perspective.
05:52And I think that comes from a great deal of clarity about the story that she wants to tell.
06:00She's willing, she's open for artists to come into her space and to collaborate with her.
06:07So, for me, it was such an artistic freedom.
06:15And even in the midst of being sometimes afraid, right?
06:20How am I doing this?
06:21How am I going to communicate this part?
06:27She would just want, she would always be encouraging and asking for what's true?
06:36What's true?
06:37What's true?
06:38How would you say it, Lisa?
06:40That's what I'm interested in, right?
06:42And I learn all the time that character isn't really what we're going for.
06:47We're actually wanting to communicate.
06:51What would I do, me, in these given circumstances?
06:56How would I live truthfully and authentically?
06:59And it is part of what I love about working with Christine, is that she directs that way.
07:05I was, my relationship with Christine, or our relationship was new when I got to set.
07:22And I got to set pretty, like, rapidly.
07:24I was actually on set of something else, had a day to repack and arrive.
07:29Um, Lisa said the word empowering, um, and yes, as Christine got to know me outside of
07:37just being an actor, but more a person, she made damn sure I stood in my power at every
07:42moment, um, behind the camera and in front.
07:46And she still does.
07:48Um, what I can say is she's invested in you as a human being and as an artist, um, which
07:54is why I believe she can get such an honest performance out of you, because we're not
08:00performing and she is not interested in any performance.
08:04And I think what I love about her most that we probably have in common, um, is her honesty.
08:11And she's going to tell you the truth.
08:14And I think when you are an actor in front of the camera, you need somebody to tell you
08:19the truth because you can't see what they're seeing.
08:21And so what I will always appreciate, appreciate about you is that honesty and authenticity in
08:30an industry that is full of shit.
08:37All right.
08:38Pass it on down.
08:40Uh, I think I second what both Rachel and Lisa said.
08:47Uh, the most important thing I think for any artist is to feel seen.
08:52And I think that Christine, I've been working for 20 plus years, all these TV shows, blah,
08:59blah, blah.
09:01This is the first time in my life that a director approached me after working with me and was
09:08interested in what I was bringing to the table.
09:11And I think that happens with people that are not, uh, like us all the time.
09:17So it's very important to have black women, black faces behind the camera, uh, writing, producing, so that we get noticed.
09:28Uh, working with Christine is easy.
09:31Uh, all you have to do is do your job.
09:33Um, if you come in the room and you have ideas and you're prepared, which is all any actor wants is a chance to, to dig into these kind of characters.
09:42Then Christine is happy with you as long as you just bring it because she's bringing it all the time.
09:48She's bringing it with her kids on set that are like their own production company.
09:53It's like Swanson's everywhere.
09:55Got a Swanson over here doing media.
09:58It's like Swanson productions.
10:01And so what that actually creates on a set is a family dynamic that trickles down to all of us who are from families.
10:11And what we are all about is family.
10:13So I feel like family with Christine, military brat, Christine, as am I.
10:19And from day one, there's been nothing but simpatico.
10:22I love working with Christine.
10:24I will answer the call anytime you call.
10:27It's been a joy to work with you.
10:33I mean, that is incredible praise indeed, right?
10:37But it also comes down to the script.
10:39So I really want to talk to you about your approach to the script.
10:43There's so much nuance.
10:44There's a lot of twists and turns, so many great surprises.
10:47How did you sort of approach the story and constructing the story?
10:50And also for people who are sort of just to understand how the process is, how long did it actually take you and how many drafts did it take you to get to your final shooting script?
11:01So this was a script that I started over 20 years ago.
11:04So I think maybe I spent 20 years just germinating over various ideas, maybe 10 years writing it on and off, and then maybe two years rewriting it and honing it right before we shot it.
11:17Every script is not like that.
11:19It's just I couldn't make this movie while I was raising four kids.
11:23So I just took a detour to raise them and turn them into employees.
11:27And then as I got closer and closer to thinking I could make it, and I thought I could make this by working with these guys, just understanding that there's talented people who care about the art.
11:48I think that's what I was just looking for.
11:51And when I started to tap into great artists, I'm like, this is possible.
11:56And let me tell you why this is possible.
11:58Because we made this on a shoestring budget.
12:02And every actor here worked for scale, including Lynn Whitfield, including Renee Goldsberry.
12:09You can't do what we just did in today's climate.
12:13Because everybody's looking for a bag.
12:17Everybody's looking for a leg up or some kind of status thing.
12:22And we see output of mediocrity over and over and over again.
12:29And so when I hooked up with actors like this, it's just excellence overload right here, right?
12:36And when they agreed to be down with me to do something, then I knew that this script was to me the easiest to make of all the scripts that I have that are ready to go.
12:52But this was the easiest to make because it was a smaller movie and it was containable, which is ironic because it took a lot of weather that we could not control.
13:03But it's up there.
13:04And but by the grace of God, this all came together.
13:08And it couldn't have happened without willing artists and other participants.
13:13And to that end, I want Khali to stand up.
13:17This was my head of hair.
13:19And let me tell you something.
13:21Every actor in the film, we use their natural hair.
13:26That is unheard of today in filmmaking.
13:30Look at how gorgeous they are with their natural hair.
13:33So under the care of Khali, we were able to use their own hair.
13:40I mean, with the exception of Lynn.
13:41And we know why, given her character.
13:44But that's something that Khali decided was possible.
13:49And that's something I wanted to try because I'm tired of wig shows.
13:53I'm tired of not accessing our natural artistry and sensibility because we're hiding behind a lot of makeup and wigs.
14:03And artifice.
14:05So we got rid of all of that.
14:07And we're like, let's just bring our art.
14:10And let's see what we're made of.
14:12And this is, and that's Albany Road.
14:15Again, it was by artists.
14:18For you.
14:19Our community of men and women that we love.
14:23And we just thought, if we can do something that speaks to your hearts, then we can do something.
14:28And I made this for black folks, right?
14:30Well, we premiered this at Roger Eberfest in a room full of a thousand white people.
14:38And I didn't know what was going to happen with this black movie starring two black women.
14:44By the time that movie finished, we got two standing ovations from white people.
14:50So what we understand is when we are honest and truthful with the art and we speak to our humanity as black people, it becomes universal.
15:00And it's no longer a black movie.
15:02It's a human story.
15:04And that's what I know that we created.
15:06Because when white folks in the Midwest give us two standing ovations, this movie has legs.
15:12And to that end, we are going to release this in theaters on November 15th.
15:17Yes.
15:19So we need you guys to spread the word.
15:23A hundred percent fully financed by my husband and me.
15:27We are self-distributing this.
15:30Because, I kid you not, we took it to the studios.
15:34And they told us, oh, you don't have enough star power in your movie.
15:37I am tired of them.
15:39They don't speak for us.
15:41Some black filmmakers don't speak for us.
15:44Don't make me name names.
15:47Okay?
15:47She will.
15:49In private.
15:50But we have to harness our own images.
15:54We have to harness our own stories.
15:57Because when other people do that, they are harnessing our power.
16:00So this is my endeavor, to do this in love with my friends, to see what's possible, if we could just do this ourselves.
16:13So, at Albany Road Movie, follow that.
16:19Tell all your friends.
16:21Tell your enemies that they need to go see this movie and support it.
16:25It's not like a regular, I've made indie films.
16:29We purposely made this very polished.
16:32It looks like a studio movie.
16:34All right?
16:34Studio movies cannot make movies of this caliber because they're not interested in our stories in this way.
16:41Let me repeat that.
16:43Studios are not interested in stories of this caliber because they are not interested in our stories in that way.
16:50Now, if we got a husband and wife beating up each other, they will finance that ad nauseum.
16:56Right?
16:56If we got some black woman being terrorized by God knows who, and it's black trauma porn, they will finance that ad nauseum.
17:06If we got a bunch of black folks killing each other, they will finance that ad nauseum.
17:12Stop supporting that.
17:14Stop supporting that.
17:16Support us.
17:18And look, I don't even need your support in that way.
17:21Like, guys, if you enjoyed this, then just tell somebody.
17:25Okay?
17:26You're not supporting, like, a poor, independent filmmaker.
17:28I'm not a poor, independent filmmaker anymore.
17:31Okay?
17:32All right?
17:33I'll make a good living directing television.
17:35I'll use that money and put it into this movie because Hollywood wouldn't.
17:41All right?
17:41Christine, I have a question for you just because you're actually covering my last question before.
17:45We're going to open it up and have a couple questions from the audience, too.
17:48But I'm really all about the importance of owning your IP, right, and actually being able to create your own content, which is what you are all doing.
17:57Can you just speak?
17:58I know you kind of talked a little bit about that.
18:00You're talking about the empowerment of it.
18:01But can you talk really about the importance of ownership and then being able to sort of being able to distribute it yourself and really how hard it really is?
18:10Because it's not an easy task to distribute your film.
18:12It's not that hard, okay?
18:15I just don't want to make it look like it's so hard.
18:18It's really not.
18:20A theater chain saw the movie and begged us to let them put it in the—
18:25Which theater chain?
18:25Which theater chain?
18:26It's AMC theater chain, okay?
18:28It was not that hard.
18:30They're in the distribution game now.
18:32Taylor Swift did it.
18:33So I call it, we're about to Taylor Swift-ess, right?
18:37We need the audience to know if they show up.
18:41On to the next one.
18:42All right?
18:43We're ready to go on to the next one.
18:44So I love doing independent films, but I also work on network and studio stuff, too.
18:49So it's not my desire to be like a one-man studio system, per se.
18:56I think there's a way to work with the studio system, but they're not going to work with you until they know that you can make money.
19:02All right?
19:02So this is us.
19:04We can make money doing this, but we don't just make money for ourselves.
19:08For instance, when we made this film, we had 10-plus interns on set who were guests of the production, who worked in various departments, and they learned the trade.
19:20And we paid for them to be there, and we gave them a stipend.
19:23So we are training the next generation of black artists.
19:28So they're on set, and they don't have to be hazed.
19:32You understand?
19:34One weekend, we're doing a production workshop with them.
19:37The next weekend, Lisa is having lunch with the artists-to-be.
19:41The next weekend, I'm teaching a writing workshop.
19:44So it's like we are teaching each other everything we need, we have it.
19:49Every time we look to them to validate us, we're in trouble.
19:54But when you look within and you realize that everything we need, we have it, and God already gave it to us.
20:01Quit begging them for the opportunity to make trash content.
20:06Okay?
20:07So it's a hybrid.
20:08You can own it, and you can work with the system as well.
20:12It's really just own your own power in terms of our storytelling, and let's stop co-signing trash.
20:23So we actually only have time for one question.
20:27So who has a question?
20:29You in the green.
20:30Go ahead.
20:32Speak loudly.
20:33We can hear you.
20:35Yep.
20:39I'll repeat it.
20:42I'm John D. Balmore Henderson, manager and producer.
20:46As you mentioned, the IT tells more of our stories.
20:52I've done a lot of independent films, and I'm trying to break the feeling to get to more of our stories.
21:01And investors, and I'm just wondering, what are the best course of action in regards to telling more of our stories?
21:11I hear her.
21:15So let's talk about this.
21:28She's asking, like, what do we need to do to pretty much go to the next level on a consistent basis?
21:33Okay, so I want Joe to talk about craft.
21:37Let's just take it back, and let's talk about what is craft on a day-to-day level when we're working with different people on different levels who don't show up ready.
21:47Yeah, I mean, there's really whatever the enterprise or whatever the profession, there's a way you do things.
21:56And the way you do things has to do with what do you control, and you control your preparation, you control your passion, you control your professionalism, and what you don't control is who picks.
22:09So you have total autonomy over yourself as a craftsperson, and it's easy to get distracted by all of the noise.
22:20It's easy to get distracted by the bright lights and all the bullshit.
22:23But the fact of the matter is, if you operate in a way that is consistent with a high level of attention and love for the craft, that's really the best way that you're going to progress.
22:37It doesn't look flashy.
22:38There are people that if you start comparing what you shouldn't do, they're going to zoom by you.
22:42But you don't know what anybody else's game is.
22:45So the only game that you know is your game, make sure your game is infallible.
22:53Make sure that your game cannot be taken apart.
22:57And you just have to operate in that way on a consistent basis day after day.
23:02But if you don't love the craft, then I really couldn't give you any kind of advice because then you have to find some hustle inside.
23:10But you don't need a hustle inside if you love the craft.
23:16And that means showing up every day, every moment.
23:19How you do anything is how you do everything.
23:22Let me close by saying that I've been doing this for maybe close to 30 years, right?
23:27This is not an overnight thing, right?
23:31And what I want to add is I did this and I had four kids.
23:36I did this and I've been married for 30 years.
23:39I did this and I teach screenwriting at the University of Georgia.
23:45It's a long game, guys, right?
23:48So plan to be in it for the long game and understand you can do everything but not all at once, and women particularly.
23:55Do not let this industry decide for you that you, oh, I can't have kids or I won't work or I can't commit to my husband and my family or I won't work.
24:08You will get on the other side of this.
24:10We're all in our 50s except Rachel who's really young.
24:13And then look back and you'll wonder, well, is it worth it?
24:17Think of that, okay?
24:19It's a long game.
24:20You want to remember while you're chasing after the opportunity to write, direct, act that you don't forget to live a life.
24:30That is worthy of looking back on and saying, I did something, not I just directed a movie, okay?
24:39That's a poverty of thought, all right?
24:42All right?
24:43So invest in something bigger than this, all right?
24:46Because this ain't going to hold you at night and comfort you when you're feeling not your best, all right?
24:53So invest in something outside of this, and please, always look to God as the author and finisher of our faith, okay?
25:05At Albany Road Movie.
25:07We are wrapping up.
25:08Before everybody sort of gets up, I just want to actually say one thing just as a reminder, and then we're also going to introduce Lamonia.
25:16But we had a conversation yesterday, and someone asked us about Black Joy.
25:21And what I wanted to talk about was Black persistence.
25:25And Christine, I have known and seen her career grow in ways that most people would have been like, you know what?
25:31I don't think I'm going to make it to the next place.
25:33And you know what?
25:34She persists.
25:36She stands by herself and understands that she is a talented individual, and she continues, no matter what anybody says.
25:43And she has been successful.
25:45And to see that and to witness that and to see this film has really been, for me, one of those sort of like full circle moments in seeing how your persistence, in spite of everything else, your Black persistence, has put you in the place where you need to be.
26:00And the fact that you're going to be continuing to grow, to me, is really an example for everybody, that it doesn't matter.
26:06Don't listen to the naysayers.
26:07Don't listen to people saying, no, you can't.
26:09Don't listen to people saying, I don't know if this works for here.
26:12Just know that if you persist and you have a great team around you, you can actually move forward and you can do things that people say that you can.
26:20So congratulations.
26:21And my team, it doesn't necessarily, I don't have an agent.
26:23No, I mean her husband.
26:24I don't have a manager.
26:25I'm letting y'all know this.
26:26I don't have that kind of team, right?
26:29So just, amen.
26:32And I have a team of friends and family and children.
26:35Stand up, Luke Swanson.
26:36Give him a shout out.
26:38Luke Swanson!
26:40That is what you invest in because you will get a return on that.
26:45All right.
26:46And also now, we're also going to introduce Lamonia Brown, who really is the executive director of the Essence Film Festival and has a few words.
26:54That's a promotion.
26:56Has a few words to say.
26:58Hey, Christine.
26:59Thank you so much.
27:00Hi.
27:01Hi, everybody.
27:03Welcome.
27:05On your stage.
27:06Thank you, Laura.
27:07Thank you, everybody.
27:08Thank you, everybody, for coming out.
27:10I know you're happy you stayed to watch this film because this is amazing.
27:13I give it up for Christine one more time.
27:16Albany Road.
27:17And thank you for spending the weekend with us, those of you that did, those who spent the day with us, two days, one day.
27:27We love seeing you.
27:28This is my least favorite speech to give because I'm saying goodbye until next year.
27:34But thank you so much for coming.
27:37Continue to support Black Film.
27:39Continue to support Essence Film Festival.
27:41Continue to support Black filmmakers.
27:43And thank you.
27:45And if you guys want to have a commentary about the film, Luke, raise your hand.
27:50And Tamia, they're going to meet you in the lobby.
27:52So speak to them about your thoughts about the movie.
27:54Thank you so much.
27:55And, Luke, I met you earlier this week.
27:57Can they tell me you're a Christine song?
27:59They're stealth.
28:00Thank you so much.
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