If you walked into the Cinergy Movie Theater, you’d find Tommy Nichols shedding light on film disparities.
"When sets come or movies come here very few of us are on those particular sets," he begins.
It’s why he heads up Black Film Festival. The weekend of events, ceremonies and seminars are aimed at promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in filmmaking.
"People, they use who they’re comfortable with," Nichols explained. "They use who they’ve been working with over the years. Because that space has been blocked to us, they continue to use the same people over and over again without having an opportunity for those new upcoming filmmakers of color."
And diversity goes beyond the screen.
Nichols says inclusion isn’t just a seat at the table—it’s having a voice that’s taken into account.
He adds it’s including a variety of backgrounds in set crews and production teams that make the difference, both in quality and quantity.
"The more different groups you have on a particular set the more different experiences on that set, and I think makes for a greater movie experience," Said Nichols. "The bottom line is the bottom line. So, if you really want to increase that bottom line, diversity is key."
Charlotte’s Black Film Festival runs from July 6-9. After Nichols founded the festival, he says he’s proud of his more than 20 years showcasing films from independent Black creators.
WCNC partners with Pride Magazine to share stories like this one. If you’d like to see how Tommy Nichols got his start, head to pridemagazineonline.com.
