Orange Mound vs. Indie Memphis how Memphis Film Culture Robs Historic Black Community of dignity of film Honor Prestige
Elmore explains; A pioneering filmmaker is not our correct description. We are a Memphis “Historic Filmmaker.” The Term Historic means: “famous or important in history, or potentially so. “ Elmore such negates Anthony Elmore 's & Orange Mound's Heritage Asset
Elmore explains I was the 1st Memphis filmmaker to get his film across the finish line to the movie theatres. This is historic and an example to show other Blacks despite the odds and challenges you can be the best, This is our Black Heritage and Black pride story
Memphis is a 70% Black population its film culture is unfriendly to us Black Filmmakers as a Black man who was the 1st to exhibit his film to Memphis Theaters Black film Festivals would have no issue acknowledging Elmore as Memphis 1st Independent Feature Filmmaker
5 Time World Kickbox Champ "Amp" Elmore is fighting the unfairness of the Memphis film Culture the battle is for Heritage Asset & Film Honor of Orange Mound
What’s the difference between Hollywood characters and my characters? Mine are real.”
MEMPHIS, TN, UNITED STATES, June 20, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- Orange Mound a Black Community in Memphis whose history can be traced to two Black Churches founded in 1879 is noted as the 1st Community in America built for Blacks by Blacks. 1st Lady Michelle Obama in 2016 named Orange Mound as "A Preserve America Community." Anthony "Amp" Elmore a Memphis born Five Time World Karate/Kickboxing Champion is fighting the racist film culture in Memphis. — Black Filmmaker Spike Lee
Elmore is using film to tell "Orange Mound's unknown and untold Black Memphis History. Elmore created a Black Memphis Film Culture called "Orange Mound Black Memphis Hollywood.
While in 1968 Dr. Martin Luther King got killed in Memphis Black are still fighting against Memphis racism and injustice. It just a few months ago where the world noted 5 Black Memphis police officers were charged with killing Black 29 year old Tyree Nichols. Elmore a Memphis Kickboxing champion community activist and filmmaker released a video titled; Tyre Nichols Death result of Memphis White Racism & Black on Black Racism.
The Memphis film culture is unfair to Black filmmakers whereas Elmore is asking Shelby County elected officials for justice. Elmore in 1987 began production of Memphis 1st Independent feature film titled "The Contemporary Gladiator." SMPTE or "The Society of Motion Picture Television Engineers" set the 35mm film as the World Film Standard whereas a films can be exhibited in any theatre worldwide for commercial exhibition. One of the hallmarks and mainstay of American culture was "The movie Experience." For a youth in America there was nothing more exciting than eating popcorn and engaging in the movie theatre experience.
Elmore born in 1953 in Jim Crow America of legal segregation remembers riding the back of the bus, entering the Memphis Malco movie theatre downtown rear entrance "For Colored only." Elmore in 1988 achieved Black History in Memphis when he sat in the Malco Theatre Highland Quartet theatre in Memphis to screen his Memphis made and 1st Independent theatrical feature film release titled "The Contemporary Gladiator" with the owner of the Malco Theatre Mr. Steve Lightman.
In 1982 a group of University of Memphis film students produced a 16mm Film that was later formatted for television exhibition that played on Night Flight. In 1984 University of Memphis professor Steve Ross produced a 16mm film called "The Old Forest." 16mm films were made mostly for low budget student films."
Elmore explains normally it is Whites who are unfair and unjust to Blacks, however in the case of "Indie Memphis" it is two Black women who are unfair to Black Memphis. A white 16mm Filmmaker should be subjected to the "Society of Motion Picture Television Engineer" standard as a Black man who faced almost impossible odds to produce a 35mm film compared to White student who produce only a 16mm film. Elmore notes its like the scenarios Blacks face whereas a White man with no college degree is treated equal to a Black man with a doctorate degree.
Indie Memphis executive director Kimel Fryer wrote Elmore a June 14, 2023 email; “Indie Memphis is an exhibition Organization.” Elmore notes that it is technological advancements that allows Miriam Bale and Kimel Fryer to obscure the line of demarcation between 16mm films and 35mm films. In the 1980's if you had cable, HBO or a VHS you were somebody A 16mm film back in the day meant amateur and 35mm meant professional.
Kimel Fryer wrote: "However, while you may be the first independent filmmaker in Memphis to shoot on 35mm and/or have at least a week distribution, It Was a Zombie for the FBI (1982) was an independent feature completed before yours, even if it did not have distribution. To dismiss a film simply because it was shot on 16mm or did not receive theatrical distribution is to dismiss an entire history (and present) of important films, particularly within the independent film world"
Kimel Fryer and Indie Memphis convolute a 16mm amateur White Film that never played in a single theatre to a Black 35mm film that played in theatres around the world. Even more tragic is these Black women lack a "Moral Consciousness" to value the significance of Black History to Black America.
Our Memphis Independent Feature Film “The Contemporary Gladiator” released in 1988 is the 1st Independent Feature Film in Memphis history to be entered into film exhibition agreements with Memphis theatres; whereas our film was in partnership with Memphis movie theatres. We were the 1st Memphis Independent Feature film producer to provide Memphians with a "Movie theatre exhibition experience."
Our film played in Germany, around the world and most important our film played in Africa. The late Kenya President Daniel Arap Moi named Elmore an "African Ambassador. While we achieved such accolades we have never had a story written about our filmmaking. Memphis Shelby County Film Commission, our Shelby County Historical Commission and Indie Memphis all but erased us out of Memphis Film history.
Indie Memphis has been the model of White Supremacy, Racism and now Black on Black Racism whereas they used their platform to deny Black Memphis Film history and deny Black Orange Mound out of its rightful place as "The Birthplace of Memphis Independent Feature filmmaking." Indie Memphis never invited Elmore to an Indie Film festival or allowed his film history to be told.
Click here to listen to Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen Remark about Elmore on the floor of Congress.
Indie Memphis offered Elmore a "Rotten Deal" whereas they wanted Elmore to put a "muzzle on" via acknowledging him only as pioneer filmmaker and not Memphis 1st Independent Feature Filmmaker. Elmore wrote a letter to elected officials asking them to censure Miriam Bale. Kimel Fryer responded to Elmore: ", I respectfully withdraw any offer the Indie Memphis programming team made to screen "The Contemporary Gladiator."
Elmore notes; Indie Memphis encourages us to seek innovative alternatives regarding their unfair practices; we would be more than welcome at Black Film Festivals or even more innovative would be for us to create "The Orange Mound African American Film Festival."
Anthony "Amp" Elmore
Orange Mound Black Memphis Hollywood
+1 901-452-4330
email us here
Orange Mound The Black Stellar Type
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