JOHN SINGLETON LEGACY
By: Shelia Morgan-Ward
This blog will serve as a platform for the exchange of ideas and productive information laced with accounts on Johns’ journey. The plan is to highlight the forward movement occurring in artistic communities across the country.
This photo was given to me by fellow USC film student Bret Marnell. Bret is seated in the third row wearing orangish/brownish jacket and glasses), hair is reddish.
Bret lived in San Diego California before entering USC. He and John were the only freshmen in the CNTV 290 class, in the year 1987.
Everyone else in the photo is a graduate student, except for the instructor assistant. It must be noted that the photo was taken with Brets camera on the last day of class. I immediately felt a chill as I saw my son holding his fist up as if to say, “I am here, I am happy, and I am where I want to be.”
As I spoke with Bret, I learned that Cinema 290 was a foundational course where students shot short silent Super- 8 movies in black and white. In that class John filmed his first student film is titled “Donde Este me Mijo.” You can see a photo of John with a Super-8 camera on his website Johnsingletonlegacy.info
The CNTV 290 class began in August of 1987. Early on Bret and John bonded over the fact that they made films before entering USC, none of their classmates had ever made a film. As well they bonded over a love of ‘Star Wars. The first Star Wars film was released on May 25, 1977. At that time, John was nine years old and residing in Inglewood, California. Years later, when John established himself as a filmmaker and writer, he publicly discussed his initial experience watching Star Wars.
During those first days in class Bret said he and John believed the deadline for their initial film assignment was unreasonably tight. Nevertheless, both individuals successfully completed their project by the deadline, which was scheduled for after Labor Day.
Prior to watching each film, blank “Crit Sheets” were handed out to the class. When Bret mentioned those “Crit Sheets” I asked him for the dimensions of those sheets. Upon checking, I found that fifteen of them were tucked inside my journal. For many years, I retained those documents because I recognized their importance. Honestly, I kept nearly everything John gave me.
Reflecting on the past, I remember helping John during the filming of ‘Donde Este Mi Mijo’. He filmed part of his movie at University Village, located just across the street from USC. My assignment was to transport the actor (a baby named Taylor and her mother named Susan). John also requested that I take the film to a laboratory in Hollywood and then bring it back to him. I handle food for the crew, known as craft services. A year before attending USC John took a film class at Pasadena City College while in his last year of high school. I learned, via John, where the fastest film lab in Hollywood was located. At that time he was in his last year of high school. Over the weekend, John and his classmate Ken Wallace filmed a project for his junior college. On Monday morning, I received the film and drove it to a lab near Hollywood Blvd. When submitting his film I asked for expedited processing. As a Medical Sales Representative working entirely remotely, I was able to manage my schedule independently and operate with flexibility. Before the lab closed, I rearranged my schedule to drive back and pick up John’s developed film. For this reason, John was able to screen his footage within a shorter time.
The very reason John enrolled into a college level film class in 1986 was due to the instructions of then Dean McGregor of USC. John met him during my visit to USC. John and I climbed the east-facing stairs of the Davidson building just after five o’clock on a weekday. When he realized how easy it was to gain access the campus, he said, “I’m going to have a look around.” I watched him descend those west facing stairs that lead to campus not knowing he was going to find the Cinema building. John’s journey began as he walked down the wide cement campus stairs onto the campus of USC.
My meeting was less than inspiring I still wanted to attend graduate school however, I was not sure if an MBA was the ultimate major. As I waited in my car for John to complete his tour of the campus, my mind began to drift. My distracting thoughts vanished when John opened the passenger door. His enthusiasm made me curious. So, by the time I steered my car towards the northbound 110 entrance near Exposition Boulevard, he shared his initial encounter with Dean McGregor. Somewhere along the drive I had abandoned my desire to enter graduate school and took up the charge to help my son get accepted to USC.
Here is the ‘Crit Sheet’ that Bret Marnell submitted.
The LA Rebellion is Still Alive:
Haile Gerima, a founding member of the L.A. Rebellion, (also known as the Los Angeles School of Black Filmmakers) is releasing a new film and sharing fresh perspectives. Currently, he is living in the Washington DC area. We applaud him for continuing to inspire and inform others. The L.A. Rebellion film movement began on the campus of UCLA in the late 1960s. A group of Black American and African filmmakers aimed to establish a new Black cinema that would challenge Hollywood conventions. I learned about this new Haile Gerima film from my mentee, Augustus Robert. “BLACK LION- ROMAN WOLVES”
THANK YOU:
Bret Marnell, ACE (American Cinema Editor) for the photography. Brett is now working on editing an animated adaptation of “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” at Warner Bros. for directors Jon M. Chu and Jill Culton
Dominique Draper, a graduate of USC, has contributed his student film to our website. He is an independent filmmaker and currently works in Development at Team Downey, LLC. Team Downey is a production company founded by Robert Downey Jr. and his wife, Susan Downey.
Christine Denning serves as the Director of Alumni Relations at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Christine thoughtfully shared a photo of students sitting in the “John Singleton Lounge,” which is located outside of to Dean Daley’s office. (photo is on the Johnsingletonlegacy.info website)
Augustus Robert is a charming young man of Liberian descent. He is both an up-and-coming actor and a film promoter. I met him during a weekend long open house at the Academy Museum. Augustus currently resides in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. He is now promoting ‘Black Lions – Roman Wolves’.
Dean Daley has demonstrated outstanding support for John Singleton’s legacy by organizing a yearlong tribute. She also supervised an exhibition that included film posters, props, memorabilia, and various other items provided on loan by the Singleton family.
Que Jacobs Thank you for letting me share your photograph of John at work. I also have a photo with you prominently shown at your laptop co-working with John.
FACTS:
-The John Singleton exhibit at the Academy Museum opened on February 6, 2024, and ran through January 4, 2026. This exhibit focuses on the film “Boyz N the Hood” and examines its influence on popular culture as well as Black life in South Central Los Angeles.
- The University of Southern California honored John Singleton with a tribute that began on September 9, 2022, featuring a special screening of “Boyz N the Hood” and continued with showings of his other films. The film screening extended through March 22, 2023. This year’s long tribute celebrates the legacy of filmmaker John Singleton who was born and raised in Los Angeles. The Academy Museum contributed to the tribute by screening John’s final television project, ‘Snowfall’.