Corey Grant- On Breaking the Barriers of Hollywood

Entertainment, People You Should Know — By Buddy Sampson on September 27, 2020 at 9:25 pm

People You Should Know

By Buddy Sampson

Corey Grant has had films with tremendous success. He directed and wrote “Dysfunctional Friends,” a mainstream film with a limited theatrical run that was picked up by Netflix, ran on BET and is now available on the Urban Movie Channel (UMC). The film featured some of the biggest and controversial stars in pop culture, including Meghan Markle, Stacey Dash, Stacy Keibler and Terrell Owens among others. He directed “Bigfoot: The Lost Coast Tapes,” his first departure into the sci-fi horror genre. He also directed “Sister Code,” a film featuring Amber Rose, Eva Marcille and Drew Sidora, which also had a limited theatrical run. Additionally, the talented director released his film “Illicit,” in 2017.  It is running on Black Entertainment Television (BET) and Amazon and was written by he and actress/writer/producer Lanett Tachel. It garnered rave reviews, with a whopping 86% of viewers that loved the film.

However, there’s often a huge dilemma with very talented directors, writers and producers of color.  Black directors and producers that produce and direct urban comedies are committed to bringing television and films with people that look like their audience in their projects. But moving into the mainstream can be a difficult task. “Bigfoot: The Lost Coast Tapes, was my first movie to be picked up worldwide,” said Corey Grant. “It was my departure into the sci-fi horror genre. It was done so that I wouldn’t be pigeon holed as a Black director who can only do comedic films, and it is my most successful film to date.” However, Black producers, to match the burgeoning landscape of worldwide and national consumerism of TV and films- with films raking in a whopping 42.5 billion dollars worldwide in 2019 and television receipts with over 262 billion dollars need equal access to the production of mainstream films that can reach bigger audiences. And Corey, a director and writer has more than paid his dues to propel him to the mainstream.

He attended Norfolk State University and earned a BA in Communications. While there, he shot videos of various campus events and activities, which helped him learn the nuances of film and camera. Proficient, Corey attended Howard University’s Film School earning his MFA in Film, which started his career. He credits his professors in the film department, at Howard, Haile Germina and Alonzo Crawford as major influences in his career. And while there, he learned how to be resourceful and handle budgets. “I used my Pell Grant money and the overages to finance my first feature film using school equipment,” he said. That film became his first feature “Hip Hop Task Force.” “Me and my friend Buddha (Brian Pratt) put our money together and I wrote and directed it,” said Corey. They rented out Crampton Auditorium on Howard University’s campus. “We ended up selling over 3000 tickets for ‘Hip Hop Task Force,’ our first micro feature, which led to me renting out theaters and making a considerable amount of money. This gave me confidence to pursue my dreams. I realized I got my calling, I’m going to Los Angeles,” he said.

Once he arrived to Los Angeles, he shot another low budget movie, “Studio,” that was picked up by Warner Home Video. “The casting director, Phaedra Harris, she’s a big casting director out here as well as producer- she was instrumental in helping my career going,” said Corey of working with the talented cast and casting director. “No one would take a meeting with me, but she did.

The film “Black Panther,” a box office smash that shattered records, earning 1.3 billion dollars worldwide, helped to open the eyes of Hollywood to Black casts, Black directors and Black writers. “I’m officially a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and now being shepherded into doing network TV and bigger features at the next level,” said Corey Grant. “With my experience and talent, it should have happened years ago, but finally the industry has taken notice with the new climate (in Hollywood.) “

In an article by Lynn Elber of the Associated Press, published in the Star Tribune, Darnell Hunt, a University of California Los Angeles professor says that “the industry’s bias is entrenched.” “What we found consistently over the years is that films that look more like America’s diversity — and America’s about 40% people of color now — those films on average tend to do the best,” Hunt said. Hunt makes a case for why talented directors, such as Corey Grant still often don’t get the nod for big budget projects. But they should. “We have a certain eye, a certain perspective with things that we can personally relate to, but the other thing is that most very good black directors know how to do a lot with very little.”

Cory Grant is working on an exciting feature, “Athena,” which is currently in post-production. “Athena” has the distinction of being one of the few features to be able to go into production and be completed during the height of the pandemic. “Not one cast or crew member was infected, as we were one of the first crews to implement the Covid protocol,” said Corey Grant, “and has set one of the precedents that productions are following now.” “Athena,” is a sci-fi thriller that takes place 12 years in the future after the Black Lives Matter movement, in a world that has given Black people reparations in a country that has landed a mission on Mars. But “Athena,” a new artificial intelligence device has its own ideas.  The premise of the movie promises a cinematic journey. “It’s a roller coaster ride of epic proportions,” said Corey Grant. The writer, producer, director of New Breed Pictures and Producer, New Breed Entertainment is hoping to help break some of the hidden barriers of Hollywood. After all, Black consumers watch white mainstream films, why can’t talented black directors produce and direct those mainstream films as well?

It’s time Hollywood took notice of very talented industry veterans that have been toiling along and producing excellent work. Corey Grant is one of the producers, writers and directors of color that will guide the success of Hollywood, breaking barriers as he continues to do exceptional projects. His continued excellence and talent for writing in several ways, not only has appeal to urban audiences, but also for mainstream audiences as well. His versatility makes Corey Grant one of the People You Should Know.

“Dysfunctional Friends,” is running on BET, The Urban Movie Channel and Netflix.

“Sister Code” is running on BET and Netflix.

“Illicit” is running on Bet and Amazon.

Corey Grant can be reached on Instagram. @coreygn2U.