MEDIA CONTACT: 

VIVIAN KING, Vivianking83@gmail.com +1(414)8993027 U.S.

 

Los Angeles – What began as a professional lighting assignment for Christian Epps on Beyonce’s much-anticipated visual album “BLACK IS KING” turned into an opportunity for Lights, Camera, Diaspora!, founded by Epps, to secure positions for 10 trainees from Kangala District, Mpumalanga (northeastern South Africa), to train on a world class production for Beyonce!

 

The project received creative contributions from a global cast and crew representing diversity and connectivity including Epps’ professional collaboration with Blitz Bazawule, Director on South Africa and various LA segments. LCD!, via African Technology Foundation’s Silicon Valley Initiative, partnered with Kangala District Management and Limco Consulting to place 10 trainees as part of the production crew in camera, lighting, costume, and more.

 

“This kind of opportunity to provide hands-on experience and skill-enhancement to the young talent in Africa is precisely what I envisioned with Lights, Camera, Diaspora!,” says Epps, founder and CEO of LCD! “We were formed to serve as a bridge between production communities of the US and African entertainment industries. What could be more universal in achieving that than LCD! participating on a visual album by one of the world’s best-selling music artists?”

 

“We have been fortunate to have like-minded individuals and organizations who believe in our mission,” said Lorna K. Johnson, Chairperson, Board Of Trustees. “We would be honored to add to that list so our colleagues across the Continent and Diaspora feel our support of their current growth and the future of African entertainment markets.”

 

LCD! seeks to provide opportunities for African filmmakers seeking to upgrade skills, as well as equipment acquisition and production consulting for film and television stakeholders. Anyone interested in supporting the growth and future of African entertainment markets can visit www.lightscameradiaspora.org.

 

About Light, Camera, Diaspora!

Lights, Camera, Diaspora! (LCD!) is a non-profit social enterprise that bridges the gap between the African and African-Diaspora entertainment industries to progress the aesthetic quality and business opportunities for African film, broadcast and live events on the Continent and in the African Diaspora. Through collaborations in production partnerships, LCD! connects these industries by connecting people, companies, and institutions on the Continent with those in the Diaspora. LCD! has collaborated with Multichoice Talent Factory, ROK Studios, AFRIFF, Ultima Studios, U.S. Embassies in Zimbabwe and Nigeria, and others in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, Rwanda and Zambia. LCD! recently donated lighting equipment to the Zambian film community by collaborating with Los Angeles-Lusaka Sister City and Cinelease Equipment Rental.

 

For more information, visit www.lightscameradiaspora.org.

 

About Christian Epps

Christian Epps’ professional lighting career has spanned four decades in motion pictures, television, commercials, music videos and live events. Directors include Ava DuVernay, and Spike Lee. Talent includes First Lady Michelle Obama, Pres. Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, and Whitney Houston. As a Hollywood-based Gaffer and DP, he worked on the Oscar-winning film, "Selma", featuring Oprah Winfrey, and projects for HBO, NETFLIX, Showtime, NBC and The Olympics. In 2006, he began designing concerts and television in African countries. Epps recently lit NETFLIX’s first original African production, QUEEN SONO’ (South Africa) and its first original production in Nigeria (unnamed). Recent projects include commercials for Nike featuring LeBron James, Cadillac featuring Spike Lee, Lovecraft Country (HBO), and ‘Sylvie's Love’ featuring Tessa Thompson (Amazon). The African Diaspora Awards named Epps 2017 Creative Person of the Year.