LMGI COMPASS
|
Summer 2022
•
9
Classic and international gardens, roads,
ponds, mature trees, statues, architecture.
THE HUNTINGTON
| f ilmhuntington.org
THINK GLOBALLY,
FILM LOCALLY
the relevance of Singleton's
story about a young African
American woman who, while
mourning her boyfriend's
death by gun violence,
travels from South Central
LA to Oakland on a mail
truck, alongside a postal
worker. Starring Janet
Jackson and Tupac Shakur,
the film was groundbreaking
for featuring a young Black
woman in a lead role and
giving her inner-self a voice
through her poetry.
Singleton incorporated
shots of destruction from
the aftermath of the uprising
into the film, making the
characters' journey away
from inner-city violence also
a psychological one.
"Being a road picture,
locations were front and
center," says Ampah. From
neighborhoods in LA, a
family reunion in Griffith Park
and the Simi Valley Drive-In,
locations filmed along the
California coast describe the
journey with scenic stops
near Big Sur, McNee Ranch
State Park near Santa Cruz,
and a roadside restaurant
in San Mateo County before
landing in Oakland.
As a strong advocate for
promoting the creative
contributions location
professionals make to
the filmmaking process,
Ampah's seat on the panel
at the Academy event is
noteworthy. "I tried to plant
the seed about always
having location people on
hand to talk about films that
are so location-specific,"
Ampah says. "It really helps
audiences understand why
certain locations are chosen
for a film and gives them a
quick look into what we go
through to make it happen.
I'm proud to represent us
and hope there will be more
opportunities for location
professionals to participate
in future screenings."
Jasmine Simpkins, Justice Singleton, Kokayi Ampah/LMGI
Photos by Phil McCarten. ©Academy Museum Foundation
Kokayi Ampah/LMGI
