Arts & Culture Native Son’s Robert Townsend & Harry Lennix Give Back

Marti Worell CNW Staff Writer

Are you someone with dreams of getting into the film industry? Are you a writer, actor, director, cinematographer, set, costume, or sound designer? Are you a detail person who believes he would be a great film editor? How would you like to be in the room with someone who has done it all, sharing pearls of wisdom born from the work of writing, producing, directing, pitching, marketing and more? This week on Saturday, March 18th, you have the opportunity to do just that! Chicago’s own, award-winning actor, director, producer, writer and comedian, Robert Townsend, returns home to host Script to Screen, a Masterclass on Filmmaking sponsored by Harry Lennix’s passion project, the African American Museum for the Performing Arts (AAMPA) Griot Lab.

This class will be the first of many AAMPA masterclasses designed to equip the next generation of filmmakers, performers, actors, writers, designers, etc., with the experience-backed tools and information they need to achieve their dream.

Robert has left his mark on both the big and small screens. Beginning with his personal credit card, self-funded “Hollywood Shuffle,” a brilliant, tour-deforce satirical look at the so-called “opportunities” for Black actors in the film industry, his work has made a difference. His own firsthand experiences were the fuel for this comedy classic. For his next big feature film, his role was that of director for Eddie Murphy’s “Raw.” This was followed by the beautiful and heart-breaking “Five Heartbeats,” feature film, which he co-wrote, directed, and starred in. And the wacky, super-hero spoof, Meteor Man followed soon after. For television, Robert created two variety shows, HBO’s “Robert Townsend and His Partners in Crime” and Fox’s “Townsend Television.” His biggest show was the family sitcom, “The Parenthood,” which ran from 1995 to 1999. Some of his other notable turns in the director’s seat are MTV’s “Carmen: A Hip Hop Opera,” NBC’s “Livin for Love: The Natalie Cole Story,” and Showtime’s “Holiday Heart” starring Alfre Woodard and Ving Rhames. In addition to his creative work, Robert is a tenured Professor of Cinematic Arts at USC/University of South- ern California. Bottom line, Robert Townsend, the man brings a lot to the table and has much to share from his hard-earned experiential wisdom with the lucky few who get a ticket to this masterclass.

Robert is going to walk the students through the process of making movies & television shows from script development to pitching the idea and shooting the film with little to no budget. He will shed light on the mechanics of making movies and some of his best practices.

Tickets are available for both in-person and virtual attendance. The class will be held in person at the Greenline Theatre, 329 E. Garfield Blvd, Chicago from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. For tickets go to aampamuseum.org/ roberttownsend.

What a great start to the African American Museum for the Performing Arts/AAMPA’s Masterclass Series! Kudos to its founder, Harry Lennix!

Be sure to stay tuned to “Chicago News Weekly” for more news from the AAMPA!