Welcome to The Z-Axis Shot

A newsletter about all things Black film, media arts and culture.

Initiation. I’ve been moving through various rites of passage that symbolize ending, transition, and beginning anew in my life. Leaving a city I’ve called home for 11 years. Rebuilding a life in a new city. Beginning a film program at an institution. Each of these moments have revealed so many different parts of myself, my reactions to change, and my identity.

In many ways, recommitting myself to filmmaking is also an initiation. And, part of my initiation is remembering to speak, to feel deeply, and to stand firm in my purpose and experiences as a Black, trans, queer, disabled, abolitionist filmmaker.

So, within this completely transitional space, I begin The Z-Axis Shot newsletter to write about film from my very politically Black, queer, and disabled perspective.

In film, the z-axis shot is a way of composing a shot that denotes depth, which heightens the drama of the scene and gives audience a sense of immersion. Similarly, this newsletter is immersing you deeper into film, media, storytelling.

I don’t write based on what trends. I write about shit I find appealing, interesting, or disturbing. Most of the short pieces I write will somehow connect to my own lived experiences or perspective.

Some themes/topics I’m interested in writing about:

• Scene dissection and character development

• Black spirituality in film/TV

• Black Queer Shit in Film/TV

• Film “reviews”

• The Profit of Anti-Blackness in Reality TV

• From Script to Screen: Examining Effective Screenwriting

• Reflections about Film School & Philly-based Filmmaking

I mean, the list is endless, but these are topics that are at the front of my mind. I’m not sure what this space will evolve into but I am committed writing something at least 1-2x/month. Thank you for journeying with me as I go deeper into the FilmVerse.

I hope you’ll stay a while.