Melanated Tales: Soul Cinema

Melanated Tales is a film and writing series analyzing African-American cinema and the importance of Black stories. Soul Cinema will explore the power of music in Black film, examining how it captures specific moments in time to convey timeless stories.

Participants in this workshop will focus on the rise, fall, transformations, and rebirths of various characters in four iconic films—Stormy Weather (1943), Sparkle (1976), Dreamgirls (the 2006 film based on the 1981 Broadway play), Tap (1989), and Mo’ Betta Blues (1990)—and learn from the people who made them. You’ll learn how music can amplify storytelling and incorporate music/melody into your own writing.