Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/716619
26 P E R S P E C T I V E | S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 6 by Geoffrey Kirkland, Production Designer THE BIRTH OF A NATION I came to it like I come to most projects: my agent sends it to me, I read it on my computer, I get back to him. I love it or I don't. This was special. I said, "I love it, I love the script." We set up a meeting and I met Nate Parker, a really nice young guy who was the writer/director, and while I was initially talking with him, getting to know one another, I said, "So, you're producing this as well." He says, "Oh yes, I've had this project for seven years, it's part of my soul now." I said, "I can tell, there's a very human content here. Who do you have for the lead?" He said, "I'm playing the lead." I had never really considered that. I wasn't familiar with his work as an actor and I didn't look him up on IMDb before our meeting. I like to take people on face value anyway. In the end, your meeting becomes about chemistry. I told him, "You've obviously got this under control; I'm game for this." The first day of shooting, I was so © Fox Searchlight Pictures